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.
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Fall Guy
Narrator (voice)
Animals in Action
Narrator (voice)
Just What I Needed
Narrator
The Man Around the House
Narrator (voice)
Rough Riding
Narrator
The Camera Caught It
Narrator
Film Antics
Narrator
Out for Fun
Narrator
Do Someone a Favor!
Narrator (voice)
Fish Tales
Narrator (voice)
Ain't It Aggravatin'
Narrator (voice)
Things We Can Do Without
Narrator (voice)
This Is a Living?
Narrator (voice)
Cash Stashers
Narrator (voice)
Dogs 'n Ducks
Narrator (voice)
The Mosconi Story
Narrator
Reducing
Narrator (voice)
Musiquiz
Narrator (voice)
Fishing Feats
Narrator (voice)
Bargain Madness
Narrator (voice)
Camera Sleuth
Narrator (voice)
Curious Contests
Narrator (voice) (as a Smith named Pete)
Wrong Way Butch
Narrator (voice)
A Wife's Life
Narrator (voice)
Did'ja Know?
Narrator (voice)
Crashing the Movies
Narrator (voice)
Sports Oddities
Narrator
We Can Dream, Can't We?
Narrator
Water Trix
Narrator (voice)
Those Good Old Days
Narrator
Super Cue Men
Narrator
Let's Cogitate
Narrator (voice
Ice Aces
Narrator (voice)
Just Suppose
Narrator (voice)
You Can't Win
Narrator (voice)
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
Narrator (voice)
Bowling Tricks
Narrator(voice)
Have You Ever Wondered?
Narrator (voice)
Surfboard Rhythm
Narrator
Football Thrills No. 10
Neighbor Pests
Narrator
I Love My Wife BUT!
Narrator (voice)
Now You See It
Narrator (voice)
Diamond Demon
Narrator (voice)
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
Narrator
I Love My Husband, But!
Narrator (voice)
Sure Cures
Narrator (voice)
Football Thrills No. 9
Narrator
Treasures from Trash
Narrator (voice)
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
Narrator (voice)
Studio Visit
Narrator (voice)
Gettin' Glamour
Narrator (voice)
Fala at Hyde Park
Narrator
Badminton
Narrator (voice)
Guest Pests
Narrator
Football Thrills of 1944
Narrator
Hollywood Scout
Narrator / Chimp (voice)
The Great Morgan
Narrator in 'Badminton' (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)
Safety Sleuth
Pete Smith - Narrator
Football Thrills of 1943
Narrator
Movie Pests
Narrator (voice)
Sportsman's Memories
Narrator (voice)
Home Maid
Narrator
Groovie Movie
Narrator
Water Wisdom
Narrator(voice)
Football Thrills of 1942
Narrator
Seventh Column
Narrator (voice)
Seeing Hands
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Fala: The President's Dog
Narrator - Host
Hollywood Daredevils
Narrator
Marines in the Making
Narrator (voice)
The Tree in a Test Tube
as Interlocutor (voice)
Calling All Pa's
Narrator (voice)
Football Thrills of 1941
Narrator
Victory Quiz
Acro-Batty
Narrator
What About Daddy?
Narrator
Aqua Antics
Narrator (voice)
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
Narrator (voice)
Fancy Answers
Narrator (voice)
Army Champions
Narrator (voice)
Flicker Memories
Narrator (voice)
Football Thrills of 1940
Narrator
Water Bugs
Narrator (voice)
Cuban Rhythm
Narrator (voice)
Lions on the Loose
Narrator (voice)
Aeronutics
Narrator (voice)
Memory Tricks
Third Dimensional Murder
Narrator (voice)
Penny To the Rescue
Narrator
Wedding Bills
Narrator (voice)
Quicker'n a Wink
Narrator (voice)
Please Answer (I.Q. #3)
Narrator
'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two
Narrator (voice)
Social Sea Lions
Narrator
Spots Before Your Eyes
Narrator
The Domineering Male
Narrator (voice)
Stuffie
Maintain the Right
Narrator
Let's Talk Turkey
Narrator
Set 'em Up
Narrator
Take a Cue
Narrator (voice)
Culinary Carving
Narrator
Poetry of Nature
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Radio Hams
Narrator (voice)
Weather Wizards
Narrator (voice)
Marine Circus
Narrator
Heroes at Leisure
Narrator (voice)
Double Diving
Narrator
Football Thrills of 1938
Narrator
Penny's Picnic
Man's Greatest Friend
Narrator
Hot on Ice
Narrator
Grid Rules
Narrator
Football Thrills of 1937
Narrator
Fisticuffs
Narrator (voice)
Anaesthesia
Narrator
Penny's Party
Narrator
Three on a Rope
Narrator
The New Audioscopiks
Narrator
Friend Indeed
Narrator
Candid Cameramaniacs
Narrator
Romance of Radium
Narrator (voice)
Equestrian Acrobats
Narrator (voice)
Pigskin Champions
Narrator (voice)
The Grand Bounce
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Penny Wisdom
Narrator (voice)
Bar-Rac's Night Out
Narrator (voice)
Dexterity
Narrator
Wanted - A Master
Narrator (voice) / Dog (voice)
Hurling
Narrator
Killer Dog
Narrator (voice)
Harnessed Rhythm
Narrator (voice)
The Jonker Diamond
Narrator (voice)
Let's Dance
Narrator (voice)
Audioscopiks
Commentator (voice)
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
Narrator (voice)
Water Sports
Narrator (voice)
Trained Hoofs
Narrator (voice)
Donkey Baseball
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Ten
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Nine
Narrator (voice)
Strikes and Spares
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Eight
Narrator (voice)
Pro Football
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Seven
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Six
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Five
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Four
Narrator (voice)
Manhattan Melodrama
Racetrack Announcer (Voice) (uncredited)
Goofy Movies Number Three
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Two
Narrator (voice)
Roping Wild Bears
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number One
Narrator (voice)
Fine Feathers
Narrator
Menu
Narrator (voice)
Handlebars
Narrator (voice)
Inflation
Narrator (voice)
Throttle Pushers
Narrator(voice)
Swing High
Narrator (voice)
Microscopic Mysteries
Narrator (voice)
Desert Regatta
Narrator (voice)
Snow Birds
Narrator (voice)
Color Scales
Narrator (voice)
Olympic Events
Narrator (voice)
Wild and Woolly
Narrator (voice)
Trader Hound
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)