Pete Smith
Acting
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
Acting171
movieAdded Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
2002
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
tvMGM Parade
1955
Self
The Fall Guy
1955
Narrator (voice)
Animals in Action
1955
Narrator (voice)
The Man Around the House
1955
Narrator (voice)
movieRough Riding
1954
Narrator
movieFilm Antics
1954
Narrator
Out for Fun
1954
Narrator
Do Someone a Favor!
1954
Narrator (voice)
movieFish Tales
1954
Narrator (voice)
movieAin't It Aggravatin'
1954
Narrator (voice)
movieThings We Can Do Without
1953
Narrator (voice)
movieThis Is a Living?
1953
Narrator (voice)
movieCash Stashers
1953
Narrator (voice)
movieDogs 'n Ducks
1953
Narrator (voice)
movieReducing
1952
Narrator (voice)
Musiquiz
1952
Narrator (voice)
movieFishing Feats
1951
Narrator (voice)
movieBargain Madness
1951
Narrator (voice)
movieCamera Sleuth
1951
Narrator (voice)
movieCurious Contests
1950
Narrator (voice) (as a Smith named Pete)
movieWrong Way Butch
1950
Narrator (voice)
A Wife's Life
1950
Narrator (voice)
movieDid'ja Know?
1950
Narrator (voice)
movieCrashing the Movies
1950
Narrator (voice)
movieSports Oddities
1949
Narrator
movieWater Trix
1949
Narrator (voice)
movieLet's Cogitate
1948
Narrator (voice
movieIce Aces
1948
Narrator (voice)
movieJust Suppose
1948
Narrator (voice)
movieYou Can't Win
1948
Narrator (voice)
movieBowling Tricks
1948
Narrator(voice)
Have You Ever Wondered?
1947
Narrator (voice)
I Love My Wife BUT!
1947
Narrator (voice)
movieNow You See It
1947
Narrator (voice)
movieDiamond Demon
1947
Narrator (voice)
I Love My Husband, But!
1946
Narrator (voice)
movieSure Cures
1946
Narrator (voice)
movieTreasures from Trash
1946
Narrator (voice)
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
1946
Narrator (voice)
movieStudio Visit
1946
Narrator (voice)
Gettin' Glamour
1946
Narrator (voice)
movieFala at Hyde Park
1946
Narrator
Badminton
1945
Narrator (voice)
Guest Pests
1945
Narrator
movieHollywood Scout
1945
Narrator / Chimp (voice)
movieThe Great Morgan
1945
Narrator in 'Badminton' (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)
Safety Sleuth
1944
Pete Smith - Narrator
movieMovie Pests
1944
Narrator (voice)
Sportsman's Memories
1944
Narrator (voice)
movieGroovie Movie
1944
Narrator
Home Maid
1944
Narrator
Water Wisdom
1943
Narrator(voice)
movieSeventh Column
1943
Narrator (voice)
movieSeeing Hands
1943
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
movieFala: The President's Dog
1943
Narrator - Host
movieHollywood Daredevils
1943
Narrator
movieMarines in the Making
1942
Narrator (voice)
movieThe Tree in a Test Tube
1942
as Interlocutor (voice)
movieCalling All Pa's
1942
Narrator (voice)
movieAcro-Batty
1942
Narrator
movieWhat About Daddy?
1942
Narrator
movieAqua Antics
1942
Narrator (voice)
movieHow to Hold Your Husband - BACK
1941
Narrator (voice)
movieFancy Answers
1941
Narrator (voice)
movieArmy Champions
1941
Narrator (voice)
movieFlicker Memories
1941
Narrator (voice)
Water Bugs
1941
Narrator (voice)
movieCuban Rhythm
1941
Narrator (voice)
Lions on the Loose
1941
Narrator (voice)
movieAeronutics
1941
Narrator (voice)
movieThird Dimensional Murder
1941
Narrator (voice)
movieWedding Bills
1940
Narrator (voice)
movieQuicker'n a Wink
1940
Narrator (voice)
movieSpots Before Your Eyes
1940
Narrator
movieThe Domineering Male
1940
Narrator (voice)
Set 'em Up
1939
Narrator
movieTake a Cue
1939
Narrator (voice)
movieCulinary Carving
1939
Narrator
moviePoetry of Nature
1939
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
movieRadio Hams
1939
Narrator (voice)
movieWeather Wizards
1939
Narrator (voice)
movieMarine Circus
1939
Narrator
movieHeroes at Leisure
1939
Narrator (voice)
Hot on Ice
1938
Narrator
Grid Rules
1938
Narrator
movieFisticuffs
1938
Narrator (voice)
movieAnaesthesia
1938
Narrator
movieThe New Audioscopiks
1938
Narrator
movieFriend Indeed
1937
Narrator
movieCandid Cameramaniacs
1937
Narrator
movieRomance of Radium
1937
Narrator (voice)
Pigskin Champions
1937
Narrator (voice)
movieEquestrian Acrobats
1937
Narrator (voice)
movieThe Grand Bounce
1937
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
moviePenny Wisdom
1937
Narrator (voice)
movieBar-Rac's Night Out
1937
Narrator (voice)
Dexterity
1937
Narrator
movieWanted - A Master
1936
Narrator (voice) / Dog (voice)
movieHurling
1936
Narrator
movieKiller Dog
1936
Narrator (voice)
movieHarnessed Rhythm
1936
Narrator (voice)
movieThe Jonker Diamond
1936
Narrator (voice)
Let's Dance
1936
Narrator (voice)
movieAudioscopiks
1935
Commentator (voice)
movieLa Fiesta de Santa Barbara
1935
Narrator (voice)
movieWater Sports
1935
Narrator (voice)
movieTrained Hoofs
1935
Narrator (voice)
movieDonkey Baseball
1935
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Ten
1934
Narrator (voice)
movieGoofy Movies Number Nine
1934
Narrator (voice)
movieStrikes and Spares
1934
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Eight
1934
Narrator (voice)
moviePro Football
1934
Narrator (voice)
movieGoofy Movies Number Seven
1934
Narrator (voice)
movieGoofy Movies Number Six
1934
Narrator (voice)
movieGoofy Movies Number Five
1934
Narrator (voice)
movieGoofy Movies Number Four
1934
Narrator (voice)
movieManhattan Melodrama
1934
Racetrack Announcer (Voice) (uncredited)
movieGoofy Movies Number Three
1934
Narrator (voice)
movieGoofy Movies Number Two
1934
Narrator (voice)
movieRoping Wild Bears
1934
Narrator (voice)
movieGoofy Movies Number One
1933
Narrator (voice)
movieMenu
1933
Narrator (voice)
movieHandlebars
1933
Narrator (voice)
movieInflation
1933
Narrator (voice)
movieThrottle Pushers
1933
Narrator(voice)
movieSwing High
1932
Narrator (voice)
Microscopic Mysteries
1932
Narrator (voice)
movieDesert Regatta
1932
Narrator (voice)
movieSnow Birds
1932
Narrator (voice)
movieColor Scales
1932
Narrator (voice)
Olympic Events
1932
Narrator (voice)
movieWild and Woolly
1931
Narrator (voice)
movieTrader Hound
1931
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Production96
movieFilm Antics
1954
Producer
movieFish Tales
1954
Producer
movieAin't It Aggravatin'
1954
Producer
movieThis Is a Living?
1953
Producer
movieCash Stashers
1953
Producer
movieDogs 'n Ducks
1953
Producer
movieReducing
1952
Producer
Musiquiz
1952
Producer
movieFishing Feats
1951
Producer
movieBargain Madness
1951
Producer
movieCamera Sleuth
1951
Producer
movieCurious Contests
1950
Producer
movieWrong Way Butch
1950
Producer
movieDid'ja Know?
1950
Producer
movieCrashing the Movies
1950
Producer
movieWater Trix
1949
Producer
movieLet's Cogitate
1948
Producer
movieIce Aces
1948
Producer
movieJust Suppose
1948
Producer
movieYou Can't Win
1948
Producer
movieNow You See It
1947
Producer
movieSure Cures
1946
Producer
movieTreasures from Trash
1946
Producer
movieStudio Visit
1946
Producer
Badminton
1945
Producer
movieHollywood Scout
1945
Producer
movieMovie Pests
1944
Producer
movieSeventh Column
1943
Producer
movieSeeing Hands
1943
Producer
movieMarines in the Making
1942
Producer
movieCalling All Pa's
1942
Producer
movieAcro-Batty
1942
Producer
movieWhat About Daddy?
1942
Producer
movieAqua Antics
1942
Producer
movieFancy Answers
1941
Producer
movieArmy Champions
1941
Producer
movieCuban Rhythm
1941
Producer
movieQuicker'n a Wink
1940
Producer
movieSpots Before Your Eyes
1940
Producer
movieHeroes at Leisure
1939
Producer
Hot on Ice
1938
Producer
Grid Rules
1938
Producer
movieAnaesthesia
1938
Producer
movieRomance of Radium
1937
Producer
moviePenny Wisdom
1937
Producer
movieBar-Rac's Night Out
1937
Producer
Dexterity
1937
Producer
movieWanted - A Master
1936
Producer
movieKiller Dog
1936
Producer
movieHarnessed Rhythm
1936
Producer
movieThe Jonker Diamond
1936
Producer
movieAudioscopiks
1935
Producer
movieWater Sports
1935
Producer
movieDonkey Baseball
1935
Producer
movieStrikes and Spares
1934
Producer
movieGoofy Movies Number Six
1934
Producer
movieGoofy Movies Number Two
1934
Producer
movieGoofy Movies Number One
1933
Producer
movieMenu
1933
Producer
movieHandlebars
1933
Producer
movieInflation
1933
Producer
movieDesert Regatta
1932
Producer
movieColor Scales
1932
Producer
movieWild and Woolly
1931
Producer