# Gregory Smith (actor)

**Gregory Smith** is a Canadian-American actor, writer, and director known for his roles as Ephram Brown on the WB drama *Everwood* (2002–06) and Dov Epstein on the police drama *Rookie Blue* (2010–15). Born in Toronto, Ontario, in 1983, he began working as a child actor in the mid-1980s and has appeared in more than 25 feature films, including *Small Soldiers* (1998) and *The Patriot* (2000).<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/gregory-smith/umc.cpc.4adayr4ws8i82xt7cdjo14wxy)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Gregory Edward Smith<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup> |
| Born | 1983, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; dual Canadian and American citizenship<sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup> |
| Family | Son of Terrea Smith, an American-born actress, and Maurice Smith, a British-born film producer; brother of actor Douglas Smith<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup> |
| Breakout role | Ephram Brown on *Everwood* (The WB, 2002–06), 89 episodes<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup> |
| Second lead TV role | Officer Dov Epstein on *Rookie Blue* (ABC/Global, 2010–15), 74 episodes<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://rookieblue.fandom.com/wiki/Gregory_Smith)</sup>  |
| Notable films | *Harriet the Spy* (1996), *Small Soldiers* (1998), *The Patriot* (2000), *Closing the Ring* (2007)<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup> |
| Awards | 3 wins and 14 nominations, including a 2003 Young Artist Award for *Everwood*<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/gregory-smith/bio/3030400643/)</sup>  |
| Directing | Directed episodes of *Rookie Blue* and later series including *Riverdale*, *The Flash*, and *Superman & Lois*<sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup>  |

## Early life and start in acting

Smith was born in Toronto to Terrea Smith (née Oster), an American-born actress, and Maurice Smith, a British-born film producer, and grew up with his younger brother Douglas, who also became an actor.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup> He holds dual Canadian and American citizenship.<sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup>

**On camera as an infant.** When he was less than two years old he appeared in a television commercial for Tide and in store catalogs, and he continued working in print and television advertising as a young child.<sup>[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/gregory-smith/bio/3030400643/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup>  His early television work included guest spots on the [Michael Chiklis](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-chiklis) series *The Commish* (ABC, 1991–96), *Street Justice*, and *[Highlander: The Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/highlander-the-series)*, much of it filmed in Vancouver, where he was raised.<sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://infotel.ca/newsitem/brioux-on-the-box/cp23376078)</sup>

His film debut came in the children's seal comedy *Andre* (1994), followed by roles in *Leapin' Leprechauns!* (1995), its sequel *Spellbreaker: Secret of the Leprechauns* (1996), and *Big Bully* (1996).<sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup> In *Harriet the Spy* (1996) he played Sport, the best friend of [Michelle Trachtenberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/michelle-trachtenberg)'s title character, and in 1997 he won a [Young Artist Award](https://www.edgepedia.org/young-artist-award) for the television movie *Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework*.<sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/smith-gregory-1983-gregory-edward-smith)</sup>

**Teenage film roles.** Smith starred as Alan Abernathy in the DreamWorks action comedy *Small Soldiers* (1998), opposite [Kirsten Dunst](https://www.edgepedia.org/kirsten-dunst) and produced by [Steven Spielberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-spielberg), and played one of [Richard Dreyfuss](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-dreyfuss)'s sons in *Krippendorf's Tribe* (1998) and Greg in the Disney Channel movie *Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century* (1999).<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[12](https://d23.com/a-to-z/zenon-girl-of-the-21st-century-television/)</sup>  In the Revolutionary War drama *The Patriot* (2000) he played Thomas Martin, one of Mel Gibson's character's sons, and in *American Outlaws* (2001) he played Jim Younger, the youngest member of the James-Younger gang.<sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup> His primetime series-regular debut came on the short-lived CBS series *Kate Brasher* (2001), playing Mary Stuart Masterson's teenage son.<sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup>

## Everwood

Smith achieved his widest recognition as Ephram Brown on *Everwood* (The WB, 2002–06), a family drama in which his character's widowed father, a Manhattan doctor played by [Treat Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/treat-williams), relocates the family to a small Colorado town.<sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup> He appeared as Ephram in every one of the show's four seasons, 89 episodes in total, opposite fellow Canadian Emily VanCamp.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://infotel.ca/newsitem/brioux-on-the-box/cp23376078)</sup>

The role brought him a Young Artist Award in 2003 for Best Performance in a Comedy or Drama TV Series by a Leading Young Actor, five Teen Choice Award nominations, and a 2004 Golden Satellite Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Drama.<sup>[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/gregory-smith/bio/3030400643/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/awards/)</sup>  When the series was canceled, fans protested by recreating the final scene, building a large [Ferris wheel](https://www.edgepedia.org/ferris-wheel) outside the network's office and riding it all day.<sup>[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/gregory-smith/bio/3030400643/)</sup>

Smith later said the melancholic character affected him deeply. "The character I played on Everwood was so serious and melancholic that after doing it for four years, it really started affecting my soul. I was becoming Ephram," he told [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) in 2010.<sup>[9](https://www.tvguide.com/news/gregory-smith-rookie-1021494/)</sup>

## After Everwood: film work and Rookie Blue

After the series ended, Smith acted in a series of independent films that he later described as not working out commercially. "I did quite a few, but none really worked, so it was like I was treading water," he said; he spent time backpacking around the world before returning to Los Angeles.<sup>[9](https://www.tvguide.com/news/gregory-smith-rookie-1021494/)</sup> His film work in this period included *Nearing Grace* (2005), opposite [Jordana Brewster](https://www.edgepedia.org/jordana-brewster) and [David Morse](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-morse), which opened the 2005 L.A. Film Festival; *Closing the Ring* (2007), directed by [Richard Attenborough](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-attenborough), which premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival; and, in 2011, *Hobo with a Shotgun*, *Dream House* with Daniel Craig, *Conception*, and *In My Pocket*.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/gregory_smith_2)</sup>

His second major television role was Dov Epstein, an overeager rookie police officer, on *Rookie Blue* (ABC/Global, 2010–15).<sup>[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/gregory-smith/bio/3030400643/)</sup> He appeared in all 74 episodes of the series, which followed recent police-academy graduates adjusting to the job.<sup>[4](https://rookieblue.fandom.com/wiki/Gregory_Smith)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup>  ABC ordered a second season after only three airings of the first.<sup>[9](https://www.tvguide.com/news/gregory-smith-rookie-1021494/)</sup>

## Directing career

On *Rookie Blue*, Smith became the first cast member to direct an episode, and he went on to direct five episodes of the series.<sup>[6](https://infotel.ca/newsitem/brioux-on-the-box/cp23376078)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[11](https://everwood.fandom.com/wiki/Gregory_Smith)</sup>  He described learning the craft by watching and questioning directors he worked with, including *Everwood* director David Petrarca and executive producer David Wellington, who "took me under his wing and showed me the way."<sup>[6](https://infotel.ca/newsitem/brioux-on-the-box/cp23376078)</sup>

Directing became his main behind-camera pursuit. His credits as a television director include *Saving Hope*, *The Flash*, *Supergirl*, *DC's Legends of Tomorrow*, *Riverdale*, *God Friended Me*, *Katy Keene*, *Superman & Lois*, and *Will Trent*, and IMDb lists 16 directing credits alongside 57 acting credits.<sup>[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup>  In 2023 he directed the film *Casting Crowns: Home by Sunday*.<sup>[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/gregory_smith_2)</sup>

## Other work

As an entrepreneur, Smith co-founded theU.net, described by IMDb as an immersive student network producing high-energy video tours of popular American colleges.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup> He also has producer and writer credits, including an executive-producer credit on the 2011 film *On the Ice*.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/gregory_smith_2)</sup>

## References

1. [Gregory Smith, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/)
2. [Gregory Smith, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/gregory-smith/umc.cpc.4adayr4ws8i82xt7cdjo14wxy)
3. [Gregory Smith, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gregory-smith/)
4. [Gregory Smith, Rookie Blue Wiki](https://rookieblue.fandom.com/wiki/Gregory_Smith)
5. [Gregory Smith Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/gregory-smith/bio/3030400643/)
6. [Actor Gregory Smith tries his hand behind the camera on 'Rookie Blue', Infotel](https://infotel.ca/newsitem/brioux-on-the-box/cp23376078)
7. [Smith, Gregory 1983- (Gregory Edward Smith), Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/smith-gregory-1983-gregory-edward-smith)
8. [Gregory Smith Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808376/awards/)
9. [Gregory Smith: Rookie of the Year, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/news/gregory-smith-rookie-1021494/)
10. [Gregory Smith Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/gregory_smith_2)
11. [Gregory Smith, Everwood Wiki](https://everwood.fandom.com/wiki/Gregory_Smith)
12. [Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (television) - D23](https://d23.com/a-to-z/zenon-girl-of-the-21st-century-television/)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Canadian actors › Surnames R to S*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license
