In 1929 Scribner's published an edition of Smoky to which James added several oil paintings. Although James was not as talented as a painter as he was as an illustrator, the paintings in this edition are a colorful addition to the illustrations in the original. Smoky makes appearances in two of James's other books. In his largely fictional autobiography, Lone Cowboy, James reveals how Smoky dies; in Horses I've Known, James drops some hints about where the real-life Smoky was born.

Three film versions of Smoky the Cow Horse have been made; all are titled Smoky. The first version, filmed in 1933, was directed by Eugene Ford. Will James himself was taken on as consultant and narrator for the film. Unfortunately, his drinking troubles got in the way of his work, and he ended up contributing little to the film. Victor Jory played the part of...