Pete Smith
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1892-09-04
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.
Also Known For
Killer Dog
Aug 29, 1936
Let's Cogitate
Dec 25, 1948
Those Good Old Days
Apr 16, 1949
Water Wisdom
Nov 27, 1943
Marine Circus
Mar 11, 1939
Throttle Pushers
Apr 01, 1933
Neighbor Pests
May 03, 1947
Film Antics
Jul 08, 1954
Menu
Sep 23, 1933
Inflation
Jun 15, 1933
Romance of Radium
Oct 23, 1937
Strikes and Spares
Oct 20, 1934
Goofy Movies Number Seven
Sep 18, 1934
Penny Wisdom
Apr 10, 1937
Friend Indeed
Dec 28, 1937
Pigskin Champions
Aug 14, 1937
The New Audioscopiks
Jan 16, 1938
Fisticuffs
Aug 27, 1938
Three on a Rope
Feb 19, 1938
Guest Pests
Oct 20, 1945
Out for Fun
May 08, 1954
Swing High
Nov 12, 1932
Super Cue Men
Jan 29, 1949
Double Diving
Jan 14, 1939
The Tree in a Test Tube
Nov 19, 1942
Hurling
Nov 16, 1936
Diamond Demon
Feb 01, 1947
Stuffie
Mar 02, 1940
The Grand Bounce
May 22, 1937
Let's Talk Turkey
Oct 28, 1939
Set 'em Up
Oct 06, 1939
Radio Hams
May 19, 1939
Trader Hound
Apr 08, 1931
Fala: The President's Dog
Apr 10, 1943
Hollywood Daredevils
Mar 20, 1943
The Jonker Diamond
Mar 27, 1936
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
Feb 05, 2002
We Can Dream, Can't We?
Dec 03, 1949
Ain't It Aggravatin'
Feb 06, 1954
Goofy Movies Number Six
Jul 28, 1934
Goofy Movies Number Ten
Dec 01, 1934
Goofy Movies Number Eight
Oct 06, 1934
Take a Cue
Aug 12, 1939
Goofy Movies Number One
Dec 23, 1933
Things We Can Do Without
Dec 05, 1953
Did'ja Know?
May 06, 1950
Goofy Movies Number Four
May 05, 1934
Goofy Movies Number Five
Jun 06, 1934
Handlebars
Aug 26, 1933
Wedding Bills
Nov 13, 1940
Third Dimensional Murder
Mar 01, 1941
Goofy Movies Number Two
Feb 24, 1934
Goofy Movies Number Three
Mar 24, 1934
Goofy Movies Number Nine
Nov 03, 1934
Let's Dance
Jan 04, 1936
Candid Cameramaniacs
Dec 11, 1937
Bar-Rac's Night Out
Feb 27, 1937
Sure Cures
Nov 02, 1946
Wanted - A Master
Dec 26, 1936
Fishing Feats
Dec 22, 1951
The Fall Guy
Jun 04, 1955
Movie Pests
Jul 08, 1944
I Love My Husband, But!
Dec 07, 1946
Weather Wizards
Apr 08, 1939
'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two
Aug 08, 1940
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
May 18, 1946
Roping Wild Bears
Feb 10, 1934
Fancy Answers
Nov 01, 1941
Seeing Hands
Jul 03, 1943
Water Trix
Nov 05, 1949
Aeronutics
Apr 26, 1941
I Love My Wife BUT!
Apr 05, 1947
A Wife's Life
Sep 01, 1950
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
Feb 07, 1948
Cash Stashers
Aug 29, 1953
Camera Sleuth
Apr 28, 1951
Just What I Needed
Apr 15, 1955
Sports Oddities
Dec 31, 1949
Snow Birds
Aug 20, 1932
The Man Around the House
Jan 01, 1955
Wrong Way Butch
Sep 02, 1950
You Can't Win
May 29, 1948
Do Someone a Favor!
Apr 10, 1954
Donkey Baseball
Mar 02, 1935
Acro-Batty
Mar 28, 1942
Hollywood Scout
Apr 14, 1945
The Great Morgan
Jan 01, 1945
Just Suppose
Jul 17, 1948
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
Dec 30, 1941
Gettin' Glamour
Feb 02, 1946
Reducing
Mar 22, 1952
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
Jan 11, 1947
Water Sports
Oct 26, 1935
Fine Feathers
Nov 18, 1933
The Camera Caught It
Oct 09, 1954
Animals in Action
May 21, 1955
Rough Riding
Dec 11, 1954
Have You Ever Wondered?
Dec 13, 1947
Bargain Madness
Jul 04, 1951
Dogs 'n Ducks
Jun 27, 1953
Victory Quiz
May 09, 1942
Calling All Pa's
Oct 24, 1942
Harnessed Rhythm
Jun 06, 1936
Lions on the Loose
May 24, 1941
Crashing the Movies
Jan 28, 1950
Ice Aces
Nov 06, 1948
Musiquiz
Feb 16, 1952
Fish Tales
Mar 13, 1954
Microscopic Mysteries
Oct 18, 1932
Heroes at Leisure
Feb 02, 1939
Flicker Memories
Oct 04, 1941
Audioscopiks
Dec 26, 1935
Now You See It
Mar 20, 1947
Quicker'n a Wink
Oct 12, 1940
Army Champions
Oct 11, 1941
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
Dec 07, 1935
Marines in the Making
Dec 26, 1942
Safety Sleuth
Nov 25, 1944
Groovie Movie
Feb 19, 1944
The Domineering Male
Mar 30, 1940
Color Scales
Apr 23, 1932
Treasures from Trash
Jun 08, 1946
Trained Hoofs
Oct 12, 1935
Football Thrills of 1940
Sep 20, 1941
Football Thrills of 1944
Sep 08, 1945
Manhattan Melodrama
May 04, 1934
Seventh Column
Jul 31, 1943
Equestrian Acrobats
Aug 14, 1937
Pro Football
Sep 22, 1934
Desert Regatta
Sep 17, 1932
Badminton
Dec 08, 1945
Wild and Woolly
Nov 07, 1931
This Is a Living?
Oct 10, 1953
Water Bugs
Aug 16, 1941
Studio Visit
May 11, 1946
Sportsman's Memories
Apr 22, 1944
Aqua Antics
Jan 24, 1942
Olympic Events
Mar 05, 1932
Cuban Rhythm
Jun 21, 1941
Curious Contests
Nov 11, 1950
Hot on Ice
Oct 22, 1938
Grid Rules
Oct 15, 1938
Penny's Party
Apr 09, 1938
Dexterity
Jan 16, 1937
Man's Greatest Friend
Nov 19, 1938
Anaesthesia
Jul 09, 1938
Football Thrills of 1937
Sep 10, 1938
Penny's Picnic
Dec 17, 1938
Poetry of Nature
Jun 17, 1939
Bowling Tricks
Jan 10, 1948
Memory Tricks
Mar 15, 1941
Culinary Carving
Jul 01, 1939
Home Maid
Feb 19, 1944
The Mosconi Story
Feb 07, 1953
What About Daddy?
Feb 28, 1942
Spots Before Your Eyes
May 04, 1940
Maintain the Right
Jan 13, 1940
Football Thrills of 1938
Jan 13, 1939
Social Sea Lions
Jul 20, 1940
Please Answer (I.Q. #3)
Aug 24, 1940
Football Thrills of 1939
Penny To the Rescue
Jan 25, 1941
Football Thrills of 1941
Sep 26, 1942
Football Thrills of 1942
Sep 25, 1943
Football Thrills of 1943
Sep 23, 1944
Fala at Hyde Park
Jan 19, 1946
Football Thrills No. 9
Sep 07, 1946
Football Thrills No. 10
Sep 06, 1947
Surfboard Rhythm
Oct 18, 1947
MGM Parade
Sep 14, 1955