Paul Birch, born Paul Smith in Atmore, Alabama, died on Saturday, May 24, 1969, in St. George, Grenada. Stocky, barrel-chested, and gifted with a resonant baritone speaking voice, Birch was a veteran of 39 movies, 50 stage dramas and an untold number of television shows including the _"Hallmark Hall of Fame" he bore to the former General and President. He enjoyed playing the roles of Lee and Grant and once remarked, "There were times when I was switching those two roles so fast I could have surrendered to myself."
Grandfather of Ned Luke , who along with brother Steve Luke own The Varsity Room Restaurant in Danville, Illinois where a third brother, "B J", is the Danville High School athletic director.
Grandson Matthew Luke is Head of Media Management for Al Jazeera America.