Roger B. Smith, 82; GM Leader Was Subject of Film

Roger B. Smith, who led General Motors in the 1980s and was the subject of Michael Moore's searing documentary "Roger & Me," died Nov. 27 in the Detroit area, the automaker said Friday. He was 82.

His death came after a brief illness that GM did not identify.

Mr. Smith was appointed chairman and chief executive Jan. 1, 1981, and led the world's largest automaker until his retirement July 31, 1990.

With Japanese automakers gaining momentum in the United States as Smith's tenure began, he responded with GM's first front-wheel drive midsize cars. He also formed a controversial joint venture with Toyota Motor to manufacture cars in California, created the Saturn small-car brand to fight the imports, and acquired Electronic Data Systems and Hughes Aircraft.

"Roger Smith led GM during a period of tremendous innovation in the industry," GM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner said in a statement. "He was a leader who knew that we have to accept change, understand change, and learn to make it work for us. Roger was truly a pioneer in the fast-moving global industry that we now take for granted."

Mr. Smith also served GM as an executive vice president and a member of the board of directors beginning in 1974.

Despite his efforts, GM's U.S. market share dropped from about 45 percent when Mr. Smith took GM's top job to a little more than 36 percent when he left. The company's market share is now about 24 percent.

Moore has become an Oscar-winning documentary maker, but he became famous with "Roger & Me," which explored the effect of GM's plant closings and layoffs on his home town, Flint, Mich.

The 1989 film chronicles Moore's fruitless attempts to interview Mr. Smith about the devastation in Flint, although magazine articles and documentaries have alleged that Mr. Smith granted interviews to Moore before the film's release.

Moore has said that he had a five-minute exchange with Mr. Smith about a company tax abatement during the public comment portion of a 1987 shareholders meeting but that it occurred before he started working on the movie.

Mr. Smith often faced questions about the documentary, which contained interviews of people who said they lost their homes after GM plant closures in Flint.

One woman said she had to start killing rabbits for food after GM shut down the plants, eliminating 30,000 jobs in the city of 150,000.

"I haven't seen it," Mr. Smith told reporters shortly after the film was released. "I'm not much for sick humor, and I don't like things that take advantage of poor people."

Mr. Smith was born in Columbus, Ohio, and served in the Navy from 1944 to 1946. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1947 from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in business from the school in 1953.

His career at GM began in 1949 as an accounting clerk. He became treasurer in 1970 and vice president in 1971. In 1974, he was elected executive vice president in charge of the financial, public relations and government relations staffs.

He led the company as import brands began to expand their market share and GM increased its global business and dealt with tough U.S. environmental and safety standards.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Barbara; four children; and six grandchildren.