RTA alumnus Arthur Smith inducted into the Realscreen Hall of Fame

Each year, the Realscreen Hall of Fame awards are presented to entertainment leaders who have made their mark on the unscripted and non-fiction content landscape. This year, RTA School of Media '82 alumnus Arthur Smith was inducted into the Realscreen Hall of Fame (external link)  in celebration of his stature as an industry veteran and pioneer in non-fiction television. Smith’s longstanding success in television has been celebrated over the years with dozens of critically acclaimed honours and awards including Broadcasting & Cable’s “Producer of the Year” in 2020, several Emmy Award nominations, NAACP Awards, Realscreen Awards, and Critics Choice Awards. With more than 200 shows for over 50 networks, Smith is the production mastermind behind a long list of television programming—from FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen to NBC’s American Ninja Warrior.

From dreams to reality television

In 2000, Smith made his dream of starting his own production company a reality with the launch of A. Smith & Co. Productions (external link) . For two decades, A. Smith & Co. has been a global leader in non-fiction television production. The company creates innovative, top-rated and high-quality programming for domestic and international audiences, with the production of over 5,000 hours of award-winning programs and more than 200 shows for over 50 networks and platforms. In 2011, A. Smith & Co. joined forces with the leading TV production and distribution company Tinopolis Group (external link)  to create a transatlantic television powerhouse. Smith now serves as the chairman of both Tinopolis Group U.S. and A. Smith & Co. Productions where he works behind the scenes creating television’s biggest hits.

Pioneering non-fiction television

Since founding A. Smith & Co., Smith has created some of the longest-running unscripted series in television history. Smith’s credits include FOX’s longest-running reality show, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen, which forged the reality food competition genre in North America, as well as NBC’s American Ninja Warrior which recently aired its 12th season on NBC and garnered its fourth Primetime Emmy Award nomination in the Outstanding Competition Program. 

His creative leadership extends to other popular series including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s The Titan Games, Mental Samurai, Pharrell Williams’ Voices of Fire, Welcome to Plathville, American Ninja Warrior Junior, Unsung, American Gangster: Trap Queens, Ellen DeGeneres’ Ellen’s Next Great Designer and NFL Pro Bowl Skills Showdown. Smith’s role in leading the creation and production of trailblazing reality television programs has carved out a place in pop culture history and broken new ground in non-fiction television.

An early start in entertainment

During his time at the RTA School of Media, Smith acted in CBC sitcoms, commercials, and two feature films. He also worked as a radio announcer and produced segments for CBC Radio. Upon graduating from Ryerson in 1982, Smith made his big break at CBC Sports where he was fast appointed as the youngest Head of CBC Sports at just 28 years old. Smith went on to be a Gemini-winning producer for the network, overseeing the production and direction of major sporting events around the world including the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the 1988 Grey CUP, the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, and the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. 

Recognized internationally for his innovative work and reorganization of the network, Smith later accepted an offer from Dick Clark to join Dick Clark Productions in Los Angeles as Senior Vice President in 1990, creating a variety of new programming. Prior to launching A. Smith & Co., Smith went on to be Executive Vice President of Programming, Production and News at FOX Sports Net. While at FOX, he also held the role of Executive Producer of national programming, launching the network into cable sports with the creation of 22 sports networks.

Realscreen Awards

Along with honouree Ru Paul, executive producer and host of the Emmy Award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race, Arthur Smith was inducted into the Realscreen Hall of Fame at a virtual award ceremony this past January. The 2021 Realscreen Awards paid tribute to outstanding content from around the world at the industry’s global celebration of excellence in non-fiction and unscripted entertainment. Winners were awarded in 21 genre-specific categories for the chance to win one of the grand prize Awards of Excellence, honouring the best programs entered into five main categories: Competition, Lifestyle, Reality, Non-Fiction, and Digital Content.  

Trailblazing the non-fiction content landscape

“Arthur Smith is an industry titan who has paved the way for innovative programming and content distribution today,” says Charles Falzon, FCAD Dean. “His induction into the Realscreen Hall of Fame is significant in its recognition of Smith as a leading content creator and creative entrepreneur.”

Smith was the first-ever inductee to his alma mater’s Ryerson Wall of Fame and was the founding sponsor of the Ryerson in L.A. scholarship program (external link)  dedicated to creating hands-on global learning opportunities for Ryerson students with a two-week TV-industry boot camp in Los Angeles. Smith’s role in leading the creation of some of television’s biggest hits is a testament to his content creation and storytelling talents, and ability to bring out the best in the world-class talent and everyday people who star in his shows.

FCAD at Ryerson University

Entering its eighth decade, FCAD is a global centre of media and creative invention. As a disrupter in innovative education, FCAD is dedicated to developing creators with authentic voices who engage directly with creative industries around the world.

With 23 undergraduate and graduate programs that are shaping the future of their fields and tight-knit partnerships around the world, FCAD offers more opportunities to educate the next generation of creative leaders than anywhere else.