Pete Smith
Acting · Born Sep 4, 1892 · Died Jan 12, 1979 (86) · New York City, New York, USA
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
Films
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
20027.0
Rough Riding
19546.5
Film Antics
19546.0
Fish Tales
19547.0
Ain't It Aggravatin'
19546.0
Things We Can Do Without
19537.3
This Is a Living?
19536.0
Cash Stashers
19536.8
Dogs 'n Ducks
19535.0
Reducing
19525.3
Fishing Feats
19517.5
Bargain Madness
19516.2
Camera Sleuth
19517.0
Curious Contests
195010.0
Wrong Way Butch
19506.4
Did'ja Know?
19505.0
Crashing the Movies
19507.0
Sports Oddities
19499.0
Water Trix
19496.3
Let's Cogitate
19487.5
Ice Aces
19487.0
Just Suppose
19487.0
You Can't Win
19484.9
Bowling Tricks
19486.5
Now You See It
19476.6
Diamond Demon
19477.6
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
19476.5
Sure Cures
19465.7
Treasures from Trash
19467.0
Studio Visit
19465.5
Fala at Hyde Park
19469.0
Hollywood Scout
19456.5
The Great Morgan
19456.0
Movie Pests
19446.1
Groovie Movie
19446.3
Water Wisdom
19437.0
Seventh Column
19437.0
Seeing Hands
19436.3
Fala: The President's Dog
19437.0
Hollywood Daredevils
1943
Marines in the Making
19426.3
The Tree in a Test Tube
19425.2
Calling All Pa's
19426.7
Victory Quiz
19426.2
Acro-Batty
19427.5
What About Daddy?
19427.0
Aqua Antics
19427.0
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
19416.3
Fancy Answers
19417.0
Army Champions
19416.0
Flicker Memories
19415.8
Cuban Rhythm
19417.0
Aeronutics
19417.0
Third Dimensional Murder
19418.0
Wedding Bills
19408.5
Quicker'n a Wink
19407.0
Spots Before Your Eyes
19409.0
The Domineering Male
19407.3
Take a Cue
19398.5
Culinary Carving
19397.0
Poetry of Nature
19396.0
Radio Hams
19397.3
Weather Wizards
19397.0
Marine Circus
19396.0
Heroes at Leisure
19397.0
Fisticuffs
19387.0
Anaesthesia
19387.0
Three on a Rope
19387.5
The New Audioscopiks
19386.7
Friend Indeed
19376.7
Candid Cameramaniacs
19377.5
Romance of Radium
19376.2
Pigskin Champions
1937
Equestrian Acrobats
19378.0
The Grand Bounce
19377.0
Penny Wisdom
19376.3
Bar-Rac's Night Out
19376.5
Wanted - A Master
19366.8
Hurling
19369.0
Killer Dog
19365.6
Harnessed Rhythm
19365.5
The Jonker Diamond
19364.9
Audioscopiks
19355.7
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
19356.1
Water Sports
19356.5
Trained Hoofs
19357.5
Donkey Baseball
19356.0
Goofy Movies Number Nine
19347.0
Strikes and Spares
19346.4
Pro Football
19347.0
Goofy Movies Number Seven
19345.7
Goofy Movies Number Six
19346.0
Goofy Movies Number Five
19347.5
Goofy Movies Number Four
19344.8
Manhattan Melodrama
19347.0
Goofy Movies Number Three
19345.8
Goofy Movies Number Two
19346.6
Roping Wild Bears
19347.0
Goofy Movies Number One
19336.0
Menu
19335.4
Handlebars
19336.0
Inflation
19338.0
Throttle Pushers
19337.5
Swing High
19327.1
Desert Regatta
19326.2
Snow Birds
19326.3
Color Scales
19327.0
Wild and Woolly
19317.0
Trader Hound
19316.0
