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.
Filmography
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Fall Guy
as Narrator (voice)
The Fall Guy
as Narrator (voice)
Animals in Action
as Narrator (voice)
Animals in Action
as Narrator (voice)
Just What I Needed
as Narrator
Just What I Needed
as Narrator
The Man Around the House
as Narrator (voice)
The Man Around the House
as Narrator (voice)
Rough Riding
as Narrator
Rough Riding
as Narrator
The Camera Caught It
as Narrator
The Camera Caught It
as Narrator
Film Antics
as Narrator
Film Antics
as Narrator
Out for Fun
as Narrator
Out for Fun
as Narrator
Do Someone a Favor!
as Narrator (voice)
Do Someone a Favor!
as Narrator (voice)
Fish Tales
as Narrator (voice)
Fish Tales
as Narrator (voice)
Ain't It Aggravatin'
as Narrator (voice)
Ain't It Aggravatin'
as Narrator (voice)
Things We Can Do Without
as Narrator (voice)
Things We Can Do Without
as Narrator (voice)
This Is a Living?
as Narrator (voice)
This Is a Living?
as Narrator (voice)
Cash Stashers
as Narrator (voice)
Cash Stashers
as Narrator (voice)
Dogs 'n Ducks
as Narrator (voice)
Dogs 'n Ducks
as Narrator (voice)
The Mosconi Story
as Narrator
The Mosconi Story
as Narrator
Reducing
as Narrator (voice)
Reducing
as Narrator (voice)
Musiquiz
as Narrator (voice)
Musiquiz
as Narrator (voice)
Fishing Feats
as Narrator (voice)
Fishing Feats
as Narrator (voice)
Bargain Madness
as Narrator (voice)
Bargain Madness
as Narrator (voice)
Camera Sleuth
as Narrator (voice)
Camera Sleuth
as Narrator (voice)
Curious Contests
as Narrator (voice) (as a Smith named Pete)
Curious Contests
as Narrator (voice) (as a Smith named Pete)
Wrong Way Butch
as Narrator (voice)
Wrong Way Butch
as Narrator (voice)
A Wife's Life
as Narrator (voice)
A Wife's Life
as Narrator (voice)
Did'ja Know?
as Narrator (voice)
Did'ja Know?
as Narrator (voice)
Crashing the Movies
as Narrator (voice)
Crashing the Movies
as Narrator (voice)
Pest Control
as Narrator
Pest Control
as Narrator
Sports Oddities
as Narrator
Sports Oddities
as Narrator
We Can Dream, Can't We?
as Narrator
We Can Dream, Can't We?
as Narrator
Water Trix
as Narrator (voice)
Water Trix
as Narrator (voice)
Those Good Old Days
as Narrator
Those Good Old Days
as Narrator
Super Cue Men
as Narrator
Super Cue Men
as Narrator
Let's Cogitate
as Narrator (voice
Let's Cogitate
as Narrator (voice
Ice Aces
as Narrator (voice)
Ice Aces
as Narrator (voice)
You Can't Win
as Narrator (voice)
You Can't Win
as Narrator (voice)
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
as Narrator (voice)
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
as Narrator (voice)
Bowling Tricks
as Narrator(voice)
Bowling Tricks
as Narrator(voice)
Football Thrills No. 10
Football Thrills No. 10
I Love My Wife BUT!
as Narrator (voice)
I Love My Wife BUT!
as Narrator (voice)
Now You See It
as Narrator (voice)
Now You See It
as Narrator (voice)
Diamond Demon
as Narrator (voice)
Diamond Demon
as Narrator (voice)
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
as Narrator
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
as Narrator
Sure Cures
as Narrator (voice)
Sure Cures
as Narrator (voice)
Football Thrills No. 9
as Narrator
Football Thrills No. 9
as Narrator
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
as Narrator (voice)
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
as Narrator (voice)
Gettin' Glamour
as Narrator (voice)
Gettin' Glamour
as Narrator (voice)
Badminton
as Narrator (voice)
Badminton
as Narrator (voice)
Guest Pests
as Narrator
Guest Pests
as Narrator
Football Thrills of 1944
as Narrator
Football Thrills of 1944
as Narrator
Hollywood Scout
as Narrator / Chimp (voice)
Hollywood Scout
as Narrator / Chimp (voice)
Football Thrills of 1943
as Narrator
Football Thrills of 1943
as Narrator
Movie Pests
as Narrator (voice)
Movie Pests
as Narrator (voice)
Seventh Column
as Narrator (voice)
Seventh Column
as Narrator (voice)
Fala: The President's Dog
as Narrator - Host
Fala: The President's Dog
as Narrator - Host
Acro-Batty
as Narrator
Acro-Batty
as Narrator
What About Daddy?
as Narrator
What About Daddy?
as Narrator
The Jonker Diamond
as Narrator (voice)
The Jonker Diamond
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Ten
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Ten
as Narrator (voice)
Manhattan Melodrama
as Racetrack Announcer (Voice) (uncredited)
Manhattan Melodrama
as Racetrack Announcer (Voice) (uncredited)
Goofy Movies Number Two
as Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Two
as Narrator (voice)