Acting
Pete Smith
EN cinema · 171 credits
Born
4 September 1892
Died
12 January 1979 (aged 86)
Birthplace
New York City, New York, USA
Also known as Peter Schmidt · 'a Smith named Pete' · A Smith Named Pete
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
Filmography
Football Thrills of 1939
Football Thrills of 1939
as Narrator, Director
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Fall Guy
1955
The Fall Guy
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Just What I Needed
1955
Just What I Needed
as Narrator, Producer
The Man Around the House
1955
The Man Around the House
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Animals in Action
1955
Animals in Action
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Film Antics
as Narrator, Producer
Out for Fun
1954
Out for Fun
as Narrator
Ain't It Aggravatin'
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Do Someone a Favor!
1954
Do Someone a Favor!
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Rough Riding
as Narrator
Fish Tales
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Things We Can Do Without
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Cash Stashers
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Dogs 'n Ducks
as Narrator (voice), Producer
This Is a Living?
as Narrator (voice), Writer, Producer
Reducing
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Musiquiz
1952
Musiquiz
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Fishing Feats
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Camera Sleuth
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Bargain Madness
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Did'ja Know?
as Narrator (voice), Producer
A Wife's Life
1950
A Wife's Life
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Wrong Way Butch
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Crashing the Movies
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Curious Contests
as Narrator (voice) (as a Smith named Pete), Producer
Super Cue Men
1949
Super Cue Men
as Narrator
Water Trix
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Sports Oddities
as Narrator
Let's Cogitate
as Narrator (voice, Producer
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
1948
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
as Narrator (voice), Producer
You Can't Win
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Just Suppose
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Ice Aces
as Narrator (voice), Producer, Writer
Bowling Tricks
as Narrator(voice)
Neighbor Pests
1947
Neighbor Pests
as Narrator, Producer
Diamond Demon
as Narrator (voice)
I Love My Wife BUT!
1947
I Love My Wife BUT!
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Have You Ever Wondered?
1947
Have You Ever Wondered?
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Now You See It
as Narrator (voice), Producer
I Love My Husband, But!
1946
I Love My Husband, But!
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Sure Cures
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
1946
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Gettin' Glamour
1946
Gettin' Glamour
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Treasures from Trash
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Studio Visit
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Fala at Hyde Park
as Narrator
Football Thrills No. 9
1946
Football Thrills No. 9
as Narrator, Director
Guest Pests
1945
Guest Pests
as Narrator
Hollywood Scout
as Narrator / Chimp (voice), Producer
The Great Morgan
as Narrator in 'Badminton' (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)
Football Thrills of 1944
1945
Football Thrills of 1944
as Narrator, Director
Badminton
1945
Badminton
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Movie Pests
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Groovie Movie
as Narrator
Safety Sleuth
1944
Safety Sleuth
as Pete Smith - Narrator
Sportsman's Memories
1944
Sportsman's Memories
as Narrator (voice)
Home Maid
1944
Home Maid
as Narrator
Football Thrills of 1943
1944
Football Thrills of 1943
as Narrator, Director
Water Wisdom
as Narrator(voice)
Fala: The President's Dog
as Narrator - Host
Hollywood Daredevils
as Narrator
Seeing Hands
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Producer
Seventh Column
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Football Thrills of 1942
1943
Football Thrills of 1942
as Narrator, Director
The Tree in a Test Tube
as as Interlocutor (voice)
Acro-Batty
as Narrator, Producer, Writer
Calling All Pa's
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Marines in the Making
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Aqua Antics
as Narrator (voice), Producer
What About Daddy?
as Narrator, Producer
Football Thrills of 1941
1942
Football Thrills of 1941
as Narrator, Director
Third Dimensional Murder
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Fancy Answers
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Aeronutics
as Narrator (voice)
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Lions on the Loose
1941
Lions on the Loose
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Flicker Memories
as Narrator (voice)
Army Champions
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Water Bugs
1941
Water Bugs
as Narrator (voice)
Cuban Rhythm
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Wedding Bills
as Narrator (voice)
'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two
1940
'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Quicker'n a Wink
as Narrator (voice), Producer
The Domineering Male
as Narrator (voice)
Spots Before Your Eyes
as Narrator, Producer
Marine Circus
as Narrator
Double Diving
1939
Double Diving
as Narrator
Set 'em Up
1939
Set 'em Up
as Narrator
Radio Hams
as Narrator (voice)
Take a Cue
as Narrator (voice)
Weather Wizards
as Narrator (voice)
Heroes at Leisure
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Poetry of Nature
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Culinary Carving
as Narrator
Football Thrills of 1938
1939
Football Thrills of 1938
as Narrator, Director
Fisticuffs
as Narrator (voice)
The New Audioscopiks
as Narrator
Three on a Rope
as Narrator
Penny's Party
1938
Penny's Party
as Narrator, Producer
Hot on Ice
1938
Hot on Ice
as Narrator, Producer
Anaesthesia
as Narrator, Producer
Grid Rules
1938
Grid Rules
as Narrator, Producer
Football Thrills of 1937
1938
Football Thrills of 1937
as Narrator, Director, Producer
Man's Greatest Friend
1938
Man's Greatest Friend
as Narrator, Producer
Romance of Radium
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Penny Wisdom
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Friend Indeed
as Narrator
Pigskin Champions
as Narrator (voice)
The Grand Bounce
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Candid Cameramaniacs
as Narrator
Bar-Rac's Night Out
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Equestrian Acrobats
as Narrator (voice)
Dexterity
1937
Dexterity
as Narrator, Producer
Killer Dog
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Hurling
as Narrator
The Jonker Diamond
as Narrator (voice), Writer, Producer
Let's Dance
1936
Let's Dance
as Narrator (voice)
Wanted - A Master
as Narrator (voice) / Dog (voice), Producer
Harnessed Rhythm
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Donkey Baseball
as Narrator (voice), Producer, Writer
Water Sports
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Audioscopiks
as Commentator (voice), Producer
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Trained Hoofs
as Narrator (voice), Writer
Goofy Movies Number Seven
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Strikes and Spares
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Goofy Movies Number Eight
1934
Goofy Movies Number Eight
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Goofy Movies Number Ten
1934
Goofy Movies Number Ten
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Goofy Movies Number Two
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Goofy Movies Number Three
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Goofy Movies Number Four
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Goofy Movies Number Six
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Goofy Movies Number Five
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Goofy Movies Number Nine
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Roping Wild Bears
as Narrator (voice)
Manhattan Melodrama
as Racetrack Announcer (Voice) (uncredited)
Pro Football
as Narrator (voice)
Throttle Pushers
as Narrator(voice)
Inflation
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Menu
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Goofy Movies Number One
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Handlebars
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Fine Feathers
1933
Fine Feathers
as Narrator, Producer
Swing High
as Narrator (voice)
Snow Birds
as Narrator (voice)
Microscopic Mysteries
1932
Microscopic Mysteries
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Color Scales
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Desert Regatta
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Olympic Events
1932
Olympic Events
as Narrator (voice), Producer
Trout Fishing
1932
Trout Fishing
as Self, Producer
Trader Hound
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Wild and Woolly
as Narrator (voice), Producer