Pete Smith

Rate Person

Pete Smith

Acting

Biography

Born Peter Schmidt in New York City, Pete Smith got a job after graduating business college with The Player magazine and later with Billboard magazine. That led to his being hired as a publicist for Famous Players-Lasky and Artcraft Pictures, and he was later appointed publicity director at Paramount Pictures. Director Marshall Neilan hired Smith to be the publicist for his own production company, and Smith left New York for Hollywood. After Neilan's company closed, Smith freelanced for a short period before being hired by MGM in 1925 as the head of its publicity department, a position he held until 1930.

The job that really brought him recognition, however, was his producing, writing and narrating a series of shorts known as "Pete Smith Specialties" for MGM. The one-reelers covered just about every subject imaginable, from the animal world to the latest technology to how to handle annoying patrons in movie theaters, all delivered with Smith's trademark wry, bemused narration. Many of the later shorts were written and directed by actor Dave O'Brien, using the name David Barclay. Sixteen entries in the series were nominated for Oscars, and two of them won. The series came to an end in 1954, though there were enough made to continue releasing into 1955.

Smith's later years were plagued by bad health, and he spent more and more time being hospitalized. In 1979, with his health deteriorating rapidly, he committed suicide by jumping out of the window of his ninth-floor hospital room. He was 86 years old.

Films Featuring Pete Smith

Killer Dog

19365.6

Let's Cogitate

19487.5

Those Good Old Days

Those Good Old Days

19498.0

Water Wisdom

19439.0

Marine Circus

19396.0

Throttle Pushers

19337.5

Neighbor Pests

1947

Film Antics

19546.0

Menu

19335.4

Inflation

19338.0

Romance of Radium

19376.2

Strikes and Spares

19346.4

Goofy Movies Number Seven

19345.7

Penny Wisdom

19376.3

Friend Indeed

19376.7

Pigskin Champions

1937

The New Audioscopiks

19386.7

Fisticuffs

19387.0

Three on a Rope

Three on a Rope

19387.5

Guest Pests

19457.0

Out for Fun

19549.0

Swing High

19327.1

Super Cue Men

19498.0

Double Diving

193910.0

The Tree in a Test Tube

19425.2

Hurling

19369.0

Diamond Demon

19477.6

Stuffie

194010.0

The Grand Bounce

19377.0

Let's Talk Turkey

Let's Talk Turkey

19396.3

Set 'em Up

193910.0

Radio Hams

19397.3

Trader Hound

19316.0

Fala: The President's Dog

19437.0

Hollywood Daredevils

1943

The Jonker Diamond

19364.9

Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story

20027.0

We Can Dream, Can't We?

We Can Dream, Can't We?

1949

Ain't It Aggravatin'

19546.0

Goofy Movies Number Six

19346.0

Goofy Movies Number Ten

Goofy Movies Number Ten

19346.5

Goofy Movies Number Eight

Goofy Movies Number Eight

19347.0

Take a Cue

19398.5

Goofy Movies Number One

19336.0

Things We Can Do Without

19537.3

Did'ja Know?

19505.0

Goofy Movies Number Four

19344.8

Goofy Movies Number Five

19347.5

Handlebars

19336.0

Wedding Bills

19408.5

Third Dimensional Murder

19418.0

Goofy Movies Number Two

19346.6

Goofy Movies Number Three

19345.8

Goofy Movies Number Nine

19347.0

Let's Dance

19367.0

Candid Cameramaniacs

19377.5

Bar-Rac's Night Out

19376.5

Sure Cures

19465.7

Wanted - A Master

19366.8

Fishing Feats

19517.5

The Fall Guy

19557.5

Movie Pests

19446.1

I Love My Husband, But!

I Love My Husband, But!

194610.0

Weather Wizards

19397.0

'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two

'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two

19408.0

Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11

Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11

19466.5

Roping Wild Bears

19347.0

Fancy Answers

19417.0

Seeing Hands

19436.3

Water Trix

19496.3

Aeronutics

19417.0

I Love My Wife BUT!

I Love My Wife BUT!

19477.0

A Wife's Life

19506.0

I Love My Mother-In-Law But...

I Love My Mother-In-Law But...

19487.2

Cash Stashers

19537.0

Camera Sleuth

19517.0

Just What I Needed

Just What I Needed

1955

Sports Oddities

19499.0

Snow Birds

19326.3

The Man Around the House

The Man Around the House

1955

Wrong Way Butch

19506.4

You Can't Win

19484.9

Do Someone a Favor!

Do Someone a Favor!

19547.0

Donkey Baseball

19356.0

Acro-Batty

19427.5

Hollywood Scout

19456.5

The Great Morgan

19456.0

Just Suppose

19487.0

How to Hold Your Husband - BACK

19416.3

Gettin' Glamour

Gettin' Glamour

19465.0

Reducing

19525.3

Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12

Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12

19478.0

Water Sports

19356.5

Fine Feathers

19336.7

The Camera Caught It

The Camera Caught It

1954

Animals in Action

Animals in Action

19557.0

Rough Riding

19546.5

Have You Ever Wondered?

Have You Ever Wondered?

19476.5

Bargain Madness

19516.7

Dogs 'n Ducks

19535.0

Victory Quiz

19426.3

Calling All Pa's

19426.7

Harnessed Rhythm

19365.5

Lions on the Loose

Lions on the Loose

19416.5

Crashing the Movies

19507.0

Ice Aces

19487.0

Musiquiz

19525.5

Fish Tales

19547.0

Microscopic Mysteries

Microscopic Mysteries

19326.7

Heroes at Leisure

19397.0

Flicker Memories

19415.8

Audioscopiks

19355.7

Now You See It

19476.6

Quicker'n a Wink

19407.0

Army Champions

19416.0

La Fiesta de Santa Barbara

19356.1

Marines in the Making

19426.3

Safety Sleuth

1944

Groovie Movie

19446.3

The Domineering Male

19407.3

Color Scales

19327.0

Treasures from Trash

19467.0

Trained Hoofs

19357.5

Football Thrills of 1940

Football Thrills of 1940

1941

Football Thrills of 1944

Football Thrills of 1944

19456.5

Manhattan Melodrama

19347.0

Seventh Column

19437.0

Equestrian Acrobats

19378.0

Pro Football

19347.0

Desert Regatta

19326.3

Badminton

19459.0

Wild and Woolly

19317.0

This Is a Living?

19536.0

Water Bugs

19418.5

Studio Visit

19465.5

Sportsman's Memories

Sportsman's Memories

1944

Aqua Antics

19427.0

Olympic Events

193210.0

Cuban Rhythm

19417.0

Curious Contests

195010.0

Hot on Ice

19388.0

Grid Rules

19389.0

Penny's Party

19388.0

Dexterity

19379.0

Man's Greatest Friend

Man's Greatest Friend

19388.0

Anaesthesia

19387.0

Football Thrills of 1937

Football Thrills of 1937

193810.0

Penny's Picnic

19388.0

Poetry of Nature

19396.0

Bowling Tricks

19486.5

Memory Tricks

19417.0

Culinary Carving

19397.0

Home Maid

19447.0

The Mosconi Story

The Mosconi Story

1953

What About Daddy?

19427.0

Spots Before Your Eyes

19409.0

Maintain the Right

Maintain the Right

19407.0

Football Thrills of 1938

Football Thrills of 1938

19397.0

Social Sea Lions

Social Sea Lions

19407.0

Please Answer (I.Q. #3)

Please Answer (I.Q. #3)

19409.0

Football Thrills of 1939

Football Thrills of 1939

Penny To the Rescue

Penny To the Rescue

19417.0

Football Thrills of 1941

Football Thrills of 1941

1942

Football Thrills of 1942

Football Thrills of 1942

1943

Football Thrills of 1943

Football Thrills of 1943

1944

Fala at Hyde Park

19469.0

Football Thrills No. 9

Football Thrills No. 9

1946

Football Thrills No. 10

Football Thrills No. 10

19478.0

Surfboard Rhythm

Surfboard Rhythm

19479.0

Pest Control

1950