Background
Smith was born in Los Angeles, California. Smith"s first film appearance was in the short The Birth of Aphrodite, after a friend of her mother suggested her for the role.
Smith was born in Los Angeles, California. Smith"s first film appearance was in the short The Birth of Aphrodite, after a friend of her mother suggested her for the role.
She was known for her role in the exploitation film Caged Heat. This led to supporting roles in other films, including the cult classic B-movies Caged Heat, Phantom of the Paradise, The Swinging Cheerleaders, Revenge of the Cheerleaders, The Pom Pom Girls, The Incredible Melting Manitoba, Laserblast and a cameo role in Cheech and Chong"s Up in Smoke. Her starring debut was in the cult horror film Lemora.
An impromptu group was created on the spot, fronted by Joan Jett with Cheryl on the drums as "Sandy".
She briefly continued playing drums for Joan Jett after that band"s breakup. She cut an album with a band known as the "Los Angeles Girls" as the drummer and lead singer in that band.
She was a former "Penthouse" Pet of the Month. She had a relationship and lived with Glenn Willis and lived with Ethan Margalith when he founded Starving Students Moving Company.
Smith"s film career effectively ended after she became addicted to heroin in the mid 1980s.
In the late 1980s she was arrested several times for drug-related offenses, and twice served time in prison. After her release, she was homeless for some time, and was often hospitalized for problems stemming from her addiction. Cheryl Smith died in the early morning hours on October 25, 2002 of complications from liver disease and hepatitis after a two-decade struggle with heroin addiction.