Pete Smith

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

169

Gender

Male

Birthday

1892-09-04

Day of death

1979-01-12 (86 years old)

Place of Birth

New York City, New York, USA

Pete Smith

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.

Known For

  • Anaesthesia

    Anaesthesia

  • Donkey Baseball

    Donkey Baseball

  • Lions on the Loose

    Lions on the Loose

  • Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story

    Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story

  • Trained Hoofs

    Trained Hoofs

  • Reducing

    Reducing

  • Badminton

    Badminton

  • The Great Morgan

    The Great Morgan

  • Seventh Column

    Seventh Column

  • Football Thrills of 1937

    Football Thrills of 1937

  • Seeing Hands

    Seeing Hands

  • Sure Cures

    Sure Cures

  • Penny To the Rescue

    Penny To the Rescue

  • Third Dimensional Murder

    Third Dimensional Murder

  • La Fiesta de Santa Barbara

    La Fiesta de Santa Barbara

  • The Jonker Diamond

    The Jonker Diamond

  • Just What I Needed

    Just What I Needed

  • Movie Pests

    Movie Pests

  • Penny Wisdom

    Penny Wisdom

  • Maintain the Right

    Maintain the Right

  • Gettin' Glamour

    Gettin' Glamour

  • Wedding Bills

    Wedding Bills

  • Culinary Carving

    Culinary Carving

  • Marine Circus

    Marine Circus

  • Quicker'n a Wink

    Quicker'n a Wink

  • Candid Cameramaniacs

    Candid Cameramaniacs

  • Cash Stashers

    Cash Stashers

  • Grid Rules

    Grid Rules

  • Swing High

    Swing High

  • Goofy Movies Number Two

    Goofy Movies Number Two

  • The Grand Bounce

    The Grand Bounce

  • Manhattan Melodrama

    Manhattan Melodrama

  • Wanted - A Master

    Wanted - A Master

  • 'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two

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

  • Bargain Madness

    Bargain Madness

  • Harnessed Rhythm

    Harnessed Rhythm

  • Calling All Pa's

    Calling All Pa's

  • Handlebars

    Handlebars

  • Set 'em Up

    Set 'em Up

  • Did'ja Know?

    Did'ja Know?

  • I Love My Husband, But!

    I Love My Husband, But!

  • Spots Before Your Eyes

    Spots Before Your Eyes

  • Killer Dog

    Killer Dog

  • I Love My Mother-In-Law But...

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

  • The Domineering Male

    The Domineering Male

  • Radio Hams

    Radio Hams

  • The Mosconi Story

    The Mosconi Story

  • Inflation

    Inflation

  • Let's Talk Turkey

    Let's Talk Turkey

  • Social Sea Lions

    Social Sea Lions

  • Strikes and Spares

    Strikes and Spares

  • Weather Wizards

    Weather Wizards

  • Ain't It Aggravatin'

    Ain't It Aggravatin'

  • Stuffie

    Stuffie

  • Just Suppose

    Just Suppose

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

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

  • Surfboard Rhythm

    Surfboard Rhythm

  • What About Daddy?

    What About Daddy?

  • Double Diving

    Double Diving

  • Things We Can Do Without

    Things We Can Do Without

  • Diamond Demon

    Diamond Demon

  • Penny's Picnic

    Penny's Picnic

  • The Tree in a Test Tube

    The Tree in a Test Tube

  • Crashing the Movies

    Crashing the Movies

  • Bowling Tricks

    Bowling Tricks

  • Super Cue Men

    Super Cue Men

  • You Can't Win

    You Can't Win

  • We Can Dream, Can't We?

    We Can Dream, Can't We?

  • Film Antics

    Film Antics

  • Let's Cogitate

    Let's Cogitate

  • Camera Sleuth

    Camera Sleuth

  • Treasures from Trash

    Treasures from Trash

  • Fine Feathers

    Fine Feathers

  • Animals in Action

    Animals in Action

  • Victory Quiz

    Victory Quiz

  • Those Good Old Days

    Those Good Old Days

  • Musiquiz

    Musiquiz

  • Dogs 'n Ducks

    Dogs 'n Ducks

  • Safety Sleuth

    Safety Sleuth

  • I Love My Wife BUT!

    I Love My Wife BUT!

  • Fancy Answers

    Fancy Answers

  • Sports Oddities

    Sports Oddities

  • Water Trix

    Water Trix

  • Studio Visit

    Studio Visit

  • Hollywood Scout

    Hollywood Scout

  • Wild and Woolly

    Wild and Woolly

  • Trader Hound

    Trader Hound

  • Penny's Party

    Penny's Party

  • Please Answer (I.Q. #3)

    Please Answer (I.Q. #3)

  • Fisticuffs

    Fisticuffs

  • Do Someone a Favor!

    Do Someone a Favor!

  • Menu

    Menu

  • The Man Around the House

    The Man Around the House

  • Color Scales

    Color Scales

  • Wrong Way Butch

    Wrong Way Butch

  • Fishing Feats

    Fishing Feats

  • Sportsman's Memories

    Sportsman's Memories

  • Romance of Radium

    Romance of Radium

  • The Fall Guy

    The Fall Guy

  • Ice Aces

    Ice Aces

  • Out for Fun

    Out for Fun

  • Fala: The President's Dog

    Fala: The President's Dog

  • How to Hold Your Husband - BACK

    How to Hold Your Husband - BACK

  • Throttle Pushers

    Throttle Pushers

  • Marines in the Making

    Marines in the Making

  • Guest Pests

    Guest Pests

  • Have You Ever Wondered?

    Have You Ever Wondered?

  • Goofy Movies Number One

    Goofy Movies Number One

  • A Wife's Life

    A Wife's Life

  • Army Champions

    Army Champions

  • Dexterity

    Dexterity

  • Curious Contests

    Curious Contests

  • Heroes at Leisure

    Heroes at Leisure

  • Roping Wild Bears

    Roping Wild Bears

  • Cuban Rhythm

    Cuban Rhythm

  • Hurling

    Hurling

  • Man's Greatest Friend

    Man's Greatest Friend

  • Fala at Hyde Park

    Fala at Hyde Park

  • Memory Tricks

    Memory Tricks

  • Football Thrills No. 10

    Football Thrills No. 10

  • Acro-Batty

    Acro-Batty

  • Desert Regatta

    Desert Regatta

  • Microscopic Mysteries

    Microscopic Mysteries

  • Three on a Rope

    Three on a Rope

  • Bar-Rac's Night Out

    Bar-Rac's Night Out

  • The Camera Caught It

    The Camera Caught It

  • Snow Birds

    Snow Birds

  • Aqua Antics

    Aqua Antics

  • Water Bugs

    Water Bugs

  • Goofy Movies Number Nine

    Goofy Movies Number Nine

  • Goofy Movies Number Four

    Goofy Movies Number Four

  • Let's Dance

    Let's Dance

  • Take a Cue

    Take a Cue

  • Fish Tales

    Fish Tales

  • Flicker Memories

    Flicker Memories

  • Pro Football

    Pro Football

  • Neighbor Pests

    Neighbor Pests

  • Olympic Events

    Olympic Events

  • Equestrian Acrobats

    Equestrian Acrobats

  • Pigskin Champions

    Pigskin Champions

  • Aeronutics

    Aeronutics

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

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

  • Hollywood Daredevils

    Hollywood Daredevils

  • Poetry of Nature

    Poetry of Nature

  • Football Thrills of 1940

    Football Thrills of 1940

  • Football Thrills of 1944

    Football Thrills of 1944

  • Water Wisdom

    Water Wisdom

  • This Is a Living?

    This Is a Living?

  • Groovie Movie

    Groovie Movie

  • Football Thrills of 1942

    Football Thrills of 1942

  • Goofy Movies Number Seven

    Goofy Movies Number Seven

  • Football Thrills of 1941

    Football Thrills of 1941

  • Football Thrills of 1943

    Football Thrills of 1943

  • Football Thrills No. 9

    Football Thrills No. 9

  • Audioscopiks

    Audioscopiks

  • Home Maid

    Home Maid

  • Friend Indeed

    Friend Indeed

  • Goofy Movies Number Eight

    Goofy Movies Number Eight

  • The New Audioscopiks

    The New Audioscopiks

  • Goofy Movies Number Six

    Goofy Movies Number Six

  • Goofy Movies Number Five

    Goofy Movies Number Five

  • Rough Riding

    Rough Riding

  • Water Sports

    Water Sports

  • Hot on Ice

    Hot on Ice

  • Football Thrills of 1938

    Football Thrills of 1938

  • Goofy Movies Number Ten

    Goofy Movies Number Ten

  • Football Thrills of 1939

    Football Thrills of 1939

  • Goofy Movies Number Three

    Goofy Movies Number Three

  • Now You See It

    Now You See It