Image of Pete Smith

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.


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Born:
Sep 4, 1892 In New York, New York, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
62
First Appeared:
In the movie Trader Hound 1931-04-08
Latest Project:
Movie Workhorse Queen 2021-05-08
Known For
Poster of Third Dimensional Murder
Poster of Penny Wisdom
Filmography
Movie Workhorse Queen Self 2021-05-08
Movie Hugh and Heke Heke Wlliams 2010-07-10
Series The Nation 2007-06-05
Movie The Making of 'Wolf Creek' Self 2006-01-16
Series Bert's Family Feud 2006-02-13
Movie SSI: Sex Squad Investigation Forsenics Guy / President's Bodyguard #2 / Funeral Party 2006-05-23
Movie Anime Talk Show Kevin (voice) 2004-11-04
Movie The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Featured Orc 2003-12-17
Movie Bad Eggs Darcy 2003-07-24
Series Micallef Tonight 2003-05-12
Movie The Legend of Johnny Lingo Scary Island Chief 2003-08-29
Movie What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? Apeman 1999-05-27
Movie The Boys George 1998-05-07
Movie Flight of the Albatross Huka 1996-04-29
Movie Rapa Nui Priest 1994-06-03
Movie Once Were Warriors Dooley 1994-09-02
Movie The Piano Hone 1993-05-18
Series The Late Show 1992-07-18
Movie Crush Horse 1992-09-15
Movie Candy Regentag Clayton 1989-06-24
Movie Angel in Green Rebel Leader Ramon 1987-09-22
Movie Pandemonium Peter Kong 1987-09-11
Movie The Quiet Earth Api 1985-09-08
Movie The Man Around the House Narrator (voice) 1955-01-01
Movie Just What I Needed Narrator 1955-04-15
Movie Ain't It Aggravatin' Narrator (voice) 1954-02-06
Movie Things We Can Do Without Narrator (voice) 1953-12-05
Movie I Love My Mother-In-Law But... Narrator (voice) 1948-02-07
Movie Diamond Demon Narrator (voice) 1947-02-01
Movie I Love My Wife BUT! Narrator (voice) 1947-04-05
Movie Gettin' Glamour Narrator (voice) 1946-02-02
Movie Studio Visit Narrator (voice) 1946-05-11
Movie I Love My Husband, But! Narrator (voice) 1946-12-07
Movie Sure Cures Narrator (voice) 1946-11-02
Movie Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11 Narrator (voice) 1946-05-18
Movie The Great Morgan Narrator in 'Badminton' (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited) 1945-01-01
Movie Movie Pests Narrator (voice) 1944-07-08
Movie Seeing Hands Narrator (voice) 1943-07-03
Movie The Tree in a Test Tube as Interlocutor (voice) 1942-11-19
Movie Third Dimensional Murder Narrator (voice) 1941-03-01
Movie Fancy Answers Narrator (voice) 1941-11-01
Movie 'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two Narrator (voice) 1940-08-08
Movie Wedding Bills Narrator (voice) 1940-11-13
Movie Weather Wizards Narrator (voice) 1939-04-08
Movie Set 'em Up Narrator 1939-10-06
Movie Let's Talk Turkey Narrator 1939-10-28
Movie Anaesthesia Narrator 1938-07-09
Movie Penny Wisdom Narrator (voice) 1937-04-10
Movie The Grand Bounce Narrator (voice) (uncredited) 1937-05-22
Movie Candid Cameramaniacs Narrator 1937-12-11
Movie Romance of Radium Narrator (voice) 1937-10-23
Movie The Jonker Diamond Narrator (voice) 1936-03-27
Movie Killer Dog Narrator (voice) 1936-08-29
Movie Donkey Baseball Narrator (voice) 1935-03-02
Movie La Fiesta de Santa Barbara Narrator (voice) 1935-12-07
Movie Manhattan Melodrama Racetrack Announcer (Voice) (uncredited) 1934-05-04
Movie Strikes and Spares Narrator (voice) 1934-10-20
Movie Pro Football Narrator (voice) 1934-09-22
Movie Handlebars Narrator (voice) 1933-08-26
Movie Menu Narrator (voice) 1933-09-23
Movie Goofy Movies Number One Narrator (voice) 1933-12-23
Movie Trader Hound Narrator (voice) (uncredited) 1931-04-08