Toukie Smith, a former model and actress known for her role on the sitcom “227,” has died. She was 74 years old.
Smith died Wednesday after a long battle with multiple sclerosis, according to a statement from her twins, Airyn and Julian De Niro, provided to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Toukie was a force of nature,” they said, according to the outlet. “She left an indelible mark in our hearts and in the hearts of all those lucky enough to know her.”
Born Doris Smith on September 25, 1952, in Philadelphia, the Fashion Institute of Technology alumna began her modeling career in 1972 and worked with major designers, including Hubert de Givenchy, Chanel, Issey Miyake and Thierry Mugler, during her career. She was named Bloomingdale’s Favorite Model in 1978.
Toukie “was a nickname my grandmother gave me that came from a children’s record about a little red fire truck with a lot of energy,” Smith told the Times in 1990. “I’ve always had a lot of energy.”
Smith got his start modeling for his brother, the late designer Willi Smith, who, with his WilliWear Ltd., pioneered a whimsical but accessible style that he dubbed “street couture.”
“Willi always had fun with fashion,” Smith said of his brother, who died of complications from AIDS in 1987. “He had a special energy and liked to keep clothes from being too serious. He also designed totally for the general public.”
Toukie Smith with Sean Penn, left, and Robert De Niro at a benefit honoring her late brother Willi Smith, February 26, 1989.
(Adam Stoltman/Associated Press)
In their statement, Airyn and Jordan said their mother “shared a remarkable family legacy that helped shape American fashion and culture” and that “her beauty, grace and incomparable presence helped pave the way for generations of Black models and designers in the fashion world.”
Smiths turned to acting in the 1980s and her early screen credits included a few episodes of “Miami Vice” in 1987 and the 1988 feature film “Me and Him.”
She then landed the role of Eva Rawley on the Marla Gibbs-led NBC sitcom, “227.” The series, which aired from 1985 to 1990, was notable for its portrayal of its middle-class black family, the Jenkinses. Eva was introduced during the fourth season as an artist who moves into the show’s central building and becomes the building manager. She will eventually quit her job and find work in an art gallery.
His credits also include the films “Talkin’ Dirty After Dark” (1991), “I Like It Like That” (1994), “Joe’s Apartment” (1996) and “The Preacher’s Wife” (1996).
Smith’s interests also extended to food. She briefly ran a catering company, Toukie’s Taste, which provided the food for Sean Penn and Madonna’s wedding anniversary. She also owned a restaurant in New York City called Toukie’s in the 1990s, which donated a portion of its profits to the Smith Family Foundation.
She was in a relationship with actor Robert De Niro from 1988 to 1996. The couple welcomed their twins in 1995, born via surrogate.
“I will always love you, mom,” Airyn wrote in her tribute shared Monday on Instagram.
Smith is survived by his children, his brother Norman Smith-Harllee and his nephew Eliazar Smith-Harllee.
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