Name
Pete Smith
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1892-09-04
Deathday
1979-01-12 (87 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
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
7.037
The friendship between two orphans endures even though they grow up on opposite sides of t...
6.071
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara is a 1935 American comedy short film directed by Louis Lewyn. I...
5.692
After the audience is instructed how to use the 3-D glasses they received, demonstrations ...
6.219
Romance of Radium is a 1937 American short film directed by Jacques Tourneur, and released...
6.353
This short features professional bowler Andy Varipapa. He first shows the correct way to g...
5.2
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are stopped by narrator Pete Smith for the purpose of showing...
7.083
Swing High is a 1932 American Pre-Code short documentary film directed by Jack Cummings. I...
6.1
This Pete Smith Specialty short takes a humorous look at the inconsiderate pests whose ann...
7
In this Pete Smith Specialty short, Dr. Harold E. Edgerton demonstrates stroboscopic photo...
- 1936 Killer Dog as Narrator (voice)
- 1948 Let's Cogitate as Narrator (voice
- 1949 Those Good Old Days as Narrator
- 1943 Water Wisdom as Narrator(voice)
- 1939 Marine Circus as Narrator
- 1933 Throttle Pushers as Narrator(voice)
- 1947 Neighbor Pests as Narrator
- 1954 Film Antics as Narrator
- 1933 Menu as Narrator (voice)
- 1933 Inflation as Narrator (voice)
- 1937 Romance of Radium as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Strikes and Spares as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Goofy Movies Number Seven as Narrator (voice)
- 1937 Penny Wisdom as Narrator (voice)
- 1937 Friend Indeed as Narrator
- 1937 Pigskin Champions as Narrator (voice)
- 1938 The New Audioscopiks as Narrator
- 1938 Fisticuffs as Narrator (voice)
- 1938 Three on a Rope as Narrator
- 1945 Guest Pests as Narrator
- 1954 Out for Fun as Narrator
- 1932 Swing High as Narrator (voice)
- 1949 Super Cue Men as Narrator
- 1939 Double Diving as Narrator
- 1942 The Tree in a Test Tube as as Interlocutor (voice)
- 1936 Hurling as Narrator
- 1947 Diamond Demon as Narrator (voice)
- 1940 Stuffie
- 1937 The Grand Bounce as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- 1939 Let's Talk Turkey as Narrator
- 1939 Set 'em Up as Narrator
- 1939 Radio Hams as Narrator (voice)
- 1931 Trader Hound as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- 1943 Fala: The President's Dog as Narrator - Host
- 1943 Hollywood Daredevils as Narrator
- 1936 The Jonker Diamond as Narrator (voice)
- 2002 Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1949 We Can Dream, Can't We? as Narrator
- 1954 Ain't It Aggravatin' as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Goofy Movies Number Six as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Goofy Movies Number Ten as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Goofy Movies Number Eight as Narrator (voice)
- 1939 Take a Cue as Narrator (voice)
- 1933 Goofy Movies Number One as Narrator (voice)
- 1953 Things We Can Do Without as Narrator (voice)
- 1950 Did'ja Know? as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Goofy Movies Number Four as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Goofy Movies Number Five as Narrator (voice)
- 1933 Handlebars as Narrator (voice)
- 1940 Wedding Bills as Narrator (voice)
- 1941 Third Dimensional Murder as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Goofy Movies Number Two as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Goofy Movies Number Three as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Goofy Movies Number Nine as Narrator (voice)
- 1936 Let's Dance as Narrator (voice)
- 1937 Candid Cameramaniacs as Narrator
- 1937 Bar-Rac's Night Out as Narrator (voice)
- 1946 Sure Cures as Narrator (voice)
- 1936 Wanted - A Master as Narrator (voice) / Dog (voice)
- 1951 Fishing Feats as Narrator (voice)
- 1955 The Fall Guy as Narrator (voice)
- 1944 Movie Pests as Narrator (voice)
- 1946 I Love My Husband, But! as Narrator (voice)
- 1939 Weather Wizards as Narrator (voice)
- 1940 'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two as Narrator (voice)
- 1946 Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11 as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Roping Wild Bears as Narrator (voice)
- 1941 Fancy Answers as Narrator (voice)
- 1943 Seeing Hands as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- 1949 Water Trix as Narrator (voice)
- 1941 Aeronutics as Narrator (voice)
- 1947 I Love My Wife BUT! as Narrator (voice)
- 1950 A Wife's Life as Narrator (voice)
- 1948 I Love My Mother-In-Law But... as Narrator (voice)
- 1953 Cash Stashers as Narrator (voice)
- 1951 Camera Sleuth as Narrator (voice)
- 1955 Just What I Needed as Narrator
- 1949 Sports Oddities as Narrator
- 1932 Snow Birds as Narrator (voice)
- 1955 The Man Around the House as Narrator (voice)
- 1950 Wrong Way Butch as Narrator (voice)
- 1948 You Can't Win as Narrator (voice)
- 1954 Do Someone a Favor! as Narrator (voice)
- 1935 Donkey Baseball as Narrator (voice)
- 1942 Acro-Batty as Narrator
- 1945 Hollywood Scout as Narrator / Chimp (voice)
- 1945 The Great Morgan as Narrator in 'Badminton' (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1948 Just Suppose as Narrator (voice)
- 1941 How to Hold Your Husband - BACK as Narrator (voice)
- 1946 Gettin' Glamour as Narrator (voice)
- 1952 Reducing as Narrator (voice)
- 1947 Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12 as Narrator
- 1935 Water Sports as Narrator (voice)
- 1933 Fine Feathers as Narrator
- 1954 The Camera Caught It as Narrator
- 1955 Animals in Action as Narrator (voice)
- 1954 Rough Riding as Narrator
- 1947 Have You Ever Wondered? as Narrator (voice)
- 1951 Bargain Madness as Narrator (voice)
- 1953 Dogs 'n Ducks as Narrator (voice)
- 1942 Victory Quiz
- 1942 Calling All Pa's as Narrator (voice)
- 1936 Harnessed Rhythm as Narrator (voice)
- 1941 Lions on the Loose as Narrator (voice)
- 1950 Crashing the Movies as Narrator (voice)
- 1948 Ice Aces as Narrator (voice)
- 1952 Musiquiz as Narrator (voice)
- 1954 Fish Tales as Narrator (voice)
- 1932 Microscopic Mysteries as Narrator (voice)
- 1939 Heroes at Leisure as Narrator (voice)
- 1941 Flicker Memories as Narrator (voice)
- 1935 Audioscopiks as Commentator (voice)
- 1947 Now You See It as Narrator (voice)
- 1940 Quicker'n a Wink as Narrator (voice)
- 1941 Army Champions as Narrator (voice)
- 1935 La Fiesta de Santa Barbara as Narrator (voice)
- 1942 Marines in the Making as Narrator (voice)
- 1944 Safety Sleuth as Pete Smith - Narrator
- 1944 Groovie Movie as Narrator
- 1940 The Domineering Male as Narrator (voice)
- 1932 Color Scales as Narrator (voice)
- 1946 Treasures from Trash as Narrator (voice)
- 1935 Trained Hoofs as Narrator (voice)
- 1941 Football Thrills of 1940 as Narrator
- 1945 Football Thrills of 1944 as Narrator
- 1934 Manhattan Melodrama as Racetrack Announcer (Voice) (uncredited)
- 1943 Seventh Column as Narrator (voice)
- 1937 Equestrian Acrobats as Narrator (voice)
- 1934 Pro Football as Narrator (voice)
- 1932 Desert Regatta as Narrator (voice)
- 1945 Badminton as Narrator (voice)
- 1931 Wild and Woolly as Narrator (voice)
- 1953 This Is a Living? as Narrator (voice)
- 1941 Water Bugs as Narrator (voice)
- 1946 Studio Visit as Narrator (voice)
- 1944 Sportsman's Memories as Narrator (voice)
- 1942 Aqua Antics as Narrator (voice)
- 1932 Olympic Events as Narrator (voice)
- 1941 Cuban Rhythm as Narrator (voice)
- 1950 Curious Contests as Narrator (voice) (as a Smith named Pete)
- 1938 Hot on Ice as Narrator
- 1938 Grid Rules as Narrator
- 1938 Penny's Party as Narrator
- 1937 Dexterity as Narrator
- 1938 Man's Greatest Friend as Narrator
- 1938 Anaesthesia as Narrator
- 1938 Football Thrills of 1937 as Narrator
- 1938 Penny's Picnic
- 1939 Poetry of Nature as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- 1948 Bowling Tricks as Narrator(voice)
- 1941 Memory Tricks
- 1939 Culinary Carving as Narrator
- 1944 Home Maid as Narrator
- 1953 The Mosconi Story as Narrator
- 1942 What About Daddy? as Narrator
- 1940 Spots Before Your Eyes as Narrator
- 1940 Maintain the Right as Narrator
- 1939 Football Thrills of 1938 as Narrator
- 1940 Social Sea Lions as Narrator
- 1940 Please Answer (I.Q. #3) as Narrator
- Soon Football Thrills of 1939 as Narrator
- 1941 Penny To the Rescue as Narrator
- 1942 Football Thrills of 1941 as Narrator
- 1943 Football Thrills of 1942 as Narrator
- 1944 Football Thrills of 1943 as Narrator
- 1946 Fala at Hyde Park as Narrator
- 1946 Football Thrills No. 9 as Narrator
- 1947 Football Thrills No. 10
- 1947 Surfboard Rhythm as Narrator
- 1950 Pest Control as Narrator
- 1955 MGM Parade ( 3 episodes )
- 1955 MGM Parade ( 4 episodes ) as Self
