Pete Smith
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.
Acted in
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
2002
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Fall Guy
1955
as Narrator (voice)
Animals in Action
1955
as Narrator (voice)
Just What I Needed
1955
as Narrator
The Man Around the House
1955
as Narrator (voice)
Rough Riding
1954
as Narrator
The Camera Caught It
1954
as Narrator
Film Antics
1954
as Narrator
Out for Fun
1954
as Narrator
Do Someone a Favor!
1954
as Narrator (voice)
Fish Tales
1954
as Narrator (voice)
Ain't It Aggravatin'
1954
as Narrator (voice)
Things We Can Do Without
1953
as Narrator (voice)
This Is a Living?
1953
as Narrator (voice)
Cash Stashers
1953
as Narrator (voice)
Dogs 'n Ducks
1953
as Narrator (voice)
Reducing
1952
as Narrator (voice)
Musiquiz
1952
as Narrator (voice)
Fishing Feats
1951
as Narrator (voice)
Bargain Madness
1951
as Narrator (voice)
Camera Sleuth
1951
as Narrator (voice)
Curious Contests
1950
as Narrator (voice) (as a Smith named Pete)
Wrong Way Butch
1950
as Narrator (voice)
A Wife's Life
1950
as Narrator (voice)
Did'ja Know?
1950
as Narrator (voice)
Crashing the Movies
1950
as Narrator (voice)
Sports Oddities
1949
as Narrator
We Can Dream, Can't We?
1949
as Narrator
Water Trix
1949
as Narrator (voice)
Those Good Old Days
1949
as Narrator
Super Cue Men
1949
as Narrator
Let's Cogitate
1948
as Narrator (voice
Ice Aces
1948
as Narrator (voice)
Just Suppose
1948
as Narrator (voice)
You Can't Win
1948
as Narrator (voice)
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
1948
as Narrator (voice)
Bowling Tricks
1948
as Narrator(voice)
Have You Ever Wondered?
1947
as Narrator (voice)
Neighbor Pests
1947
as Narrator
I Love My Wife BUT!
1947
as Narrator (voice)
Now You See It
1947
as Narrator (voice)
Diamond Demon
1947
as Narrator (voice)
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
1947
as Narrator
I Love My Husband, But!
1946
as Narrator (voice)
Sure Cures
1946
as Narrator (voice)
Treasures from Trash
1946
as Narrator (voice)
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
1946
as Narrator (voice)
Studio Visit
1946
as Narrator (voice)
Gettin' Glamour
1946
as Narrator (voice)
Badminton
1945
as Narrator (voice)
Guest Pests
1945
as Narrator
Football Thrills of 1944
1945
as Narrator
Hollywood Scout
1945
as Narrator / Chimp (voice)
The Great Morgan
1945
as Narrator in 'Badminton' (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)
Safety Sleuth
1944
as Pete Smith - Narrator
Movie Pests
1944
as Narrator (voice)
Sportsman's Memories
1944
as Narrator (voice)
Groovie Movie
1944
as Narrator
Home Maid
1944
as Narrator
Water Wisdom
1943
as Narrator(voice)
Seventh Column
1943
as Narrator (voice)
Seeing Hands
1943
as Narrator (voice)
Fala: The President's Dog
1943
as Narrator - Host
Hollywood Daredevils
1943
as Narrator
Marines in the Making
1942
as Narrator (voice)
The Tree in a Test Tube
1942
as as Interlocutor (voice)
Calling All Pa's
1942
as Narrator (voice)
Victory Quiz
1942
Acro-Batty
1942
as Narrator
Aqua Antics
1942
as Narrator (voice)
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
1941
as Narrator (voice)
Fancy Answers
1941
as Narrator (voice)
Army Champions
1941
as Narrator (voice)
Flicker Memories
1941
as Narrator (voice)
Football Thrills of 1940
1941
as Narrator
Water Bugs
1941
as Narrator (voice)
Cuban Rhythm
1941
as Narrator (voice)
Lions on the Loose
1941
as Narrator (voice)
Aeronutics
1941
as Narrator (voice)
Memory Tricks
1941
Third Dimensional Murder
1941
as Narrator (voice)
Wedding Bills
1940
as Narrator (voice)
Quicker'n a Wink
1940
as Narrator (voice)
'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two
1940
as Narrator (voice)
The Domineering Male
1940
as Narrator (voice)
Stuffie
1940
Let's Talk Turkey
1939
as Narrator
Set 'em Up
1939
as Narrator
Take a Cue
1939
as Narrator (voice)
Culinary Carving
1939
as Narrator
Poetry of Nature
1939
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Radio Hams
1939
as Narrator (voice)
Weather Wizards
1939
as Narrator (voice)
Marine Circus
1939
as Narrator
Heroes at Leisure
1939
as Narrator (voice)
Double Diving
1939
as Narrator
Penny's Picnic
1938
Man's Greatest Friend
1938
as Narrator
Hot on Ice
1938
as Narrator
Grid Rules
1938
as Narrator
Football Thrills of 1937
1938
as Narrator
Fisticuffs
1938
as Narrator (voice)
Anaesthesia
1938
as Narrator
Penny's Party
1938
as Narrator
Three on a Rope
1938
as Narrator
The New Audioscopiks
1938
as Narrator
Friend Indeed
1937
as Narrator
Candid Cameramaniacs
1937
as Narrator
Romance of Radium
1937
as Narrator (voice)
Pigskin Champions
1937
as Narrator (voice)
Equestrian Acrobats
1937
as Narrator (voice)
The Grand Bounce
1937
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Penny Wisdom
1937
as Narrator (voice)
Bar-Rac's Night Out
1937
as Narrator (voice)
Dexterity
1937
as Narrator
Wanted - A Master
1936
as Narrator (voice) / Dog (voice)
Hurling
1936
as Narrator
Killer Dog
1936
as Narrator (voice)
Harnessed Rhythm
1936
as Narrator (voice)
The Jonker Diamond
1936
as Narrator (voice)
Let's Dance
1936
as Narrator (voice)
Audioscopiks
1935
as Commentator (voice)
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
1935
as Narrator (voice)
Water Sports
1935
as Narrator (voice)
Trained Hoofs
1935
as Narrator (voice)
Donkey Baseball
1935
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Ten
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Nine
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Strikes and Spares
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Eight
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Pro Football
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Seven
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Six
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Five
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Four
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Manhattan Melodrama
1934
as Racetrack Announcer (Voice) (uncredited)
Goofy Movies Number Three
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Two
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Roping Wild Bears
1934
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number One
1933
as Narrator (voice)
Fine Feathers
1933
as Narrator
Menu
1933
as Narrator (voice)
Handlebars
1933
as Narrator (voice)
Inflation
1933
as Narrator (voice)
Throttle Pushers
1933
as Narrator(voice)
Swing High
1932
as Narrator (voice)
Microscopic Mysteries
1932
as Narrator (voice)
Desert Regatta
1932
as Narrator (voice)
Snow Birds
1932
as Narrator (voice)
Color Scales
1932
as Narrator (voice)
Olympic Events
1932
as Narrator (voice)
Wild and Woolly
1931
as Narrator (voice)
Trader Hound
1931
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)