[1][2][3] Smoki was born in Pittsburgh to John and Effie (Walker) Whitfield.

He attended the University of Oregon, where he was a star athlete and made appearances in school plays.

[10] In the 1959-1960 Walt Disney Studios miniseries The Swamp Fox, Whitfield played Oscar Marion, opposite Leslie Nielsen's Francis Marion.

Whitfield sang the series' theme song, adding new verses in each of the eight installments to chronicle the characters' latest adventures.

Whitfield died in 1967 of a heart attack in North Hollywood after a lengthy illness.