New details are emerging about the death of New
Zealand actor and sex-symbol Kevin Smith, who
died in China on Friday, 10 days after a fall.
Agent Robert Bruce says Smith, 38, had completed
work on the film Warriors of Virtue Two, and he was
checking out some sets at a film studio in the
Hebie province.
He climbed one of the studio's towers and
apparently fell several metres onto a stone base
after hitting his head several times on the way
down.
Bruce says Smith was semi-conscious when taken
to the local hospital, and after a CT scan it was
decided to move him to the main hospital in
Beijing where he fell into a coma.
"No one saw him fall... he was found," Bruce said.
The New Zealand actor had gone exploring after a
dinner to celebrate the film's completion.
He is understood to have fallen while investigating
one of the sets.
Bruce denies alcohol was a factor and says doctors
checked for that straight away.
Bruce says Smith spent several days in a coma
before showing signs of recovery, but four days
after his fall he went into shock and died.
Bruce says there were no suspicious circumstances
and no autopsy was required. No police
investigation was necessary.
Meanwhile, Bruce is concerned about so-called
tributes to the actor in which some fan websites are
asking for cash donations in his memory.
Bruce says the a site being set up by Lucy Lawless
and Michael Hurst which will be the only official
memorial fund.
The foundation will help young actors eager to
follow in their hero's footsteps.