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.
    Known for
    Acting
    Place of birth
    New York City, New York, USA
    Birthday
    9/4/1892
Killer Dog
Killer Dog
5.4
Let's Cogitate
Let's Cogitate
0
Those Good Old Days
0
Water Wisdom
0
Marine Circus
Marine Circus
5
Throttle Pushers
0
Neighbor Pests
0
Film Antics
5
Inflation
0
Menu
Menu
5.1
Romance of Radium
Romance of Radium
5.8
Goofy Movies Number Seven
Goofy Movies Number Seven
5
Strikes and Spares
Strikes and Spares
5.6
Penny Wisdom
Penny Wisdom
5.5
Friend Indeed
Friend Indeed
0
Pigskin Champions
0
Fisticuffs
Fisticuffs
6
The New Audioscopiks
The New Audioscopiks
6
Three on a Rope
0
Guest Pests
0
Out for Fun
0
Swing High
Swing High
6
Super Cue Men
0
Double Diving
0
The Tree in a Test Tube
The Tree in a Test Tube
4.9
Hurling
Hurling
0
Diamond Demon
8
Stuffie
0
The Grand Bounce
The Grand Bounce
6.5
Set 'em Up
0
Let's Talk Turkey
5
Radio Hams
Radio Hams
6
Trader Hound
Trader Hound
6
Fala: The President's Dog
Fala: The President's Dog
6
Hollywood Daredevils
0
The Jonker Diamond
The Jonker Diamond
4.5
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
0
We Can Dream, Can't We?
0
Goofy Movies Number Eight
6
Things We Can Do Without
Things We Can Do Without
8
Ain't It Aggravatin'
6
Goofy Movies Number Ten
0
Goofy Movies Number Two
Goofy Movies Number Two
6.3
Goofy Movies Number Three
Goofy Movies Number Three
5
Goofy Movies Number Four
Goofy Movies Number Four
3.5
Goofy Movies Number Six
Goofy Movies Number Six
5
Goofy Movies Number One
Goofy Movies Number One
5.7
Goofy Movies Number Five
Goofy Movies Number Five
0
Goofy Movies Number Nine
Goofy Movies Number Nine
6
Did'ja Know?
Did'ja Know?
6
Wedding Bills
Wedding Bills
8
Third Dimensional Murder
0
Handlebars
5.5
Take a Cue
0
Let's Dance
6
Candid Cameramaniacs
Candid Cameramaniacs
0
Bar-Rac's Night Out
6
Fishing Feats
0
I Love My Husband, But!
0
The Fall Guy
6
Movie Pests
Movie Pests
5.6
Sure Cures
Sure Cures
5
Wanted - A Master
Wanted - A Master
6.2
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
0
'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two
0
Weather Wizards
Weather Wizards
6
Roping Wild Bears
Roping Wild Bears
5
Fancy Answers
Fancy Answers
4
Seeing Hands
Seeing Hands
5.3
Water Trix
Water Trix
5.6
Aeronutics
0
I Love My Wife BUT!
7.5
A Wife's Life
6
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
7.3
Cash Stashers
6
Camera Sleuth
Camera Sleuth
5
Just What I Needed
0
Sports Oddities
Sports Oddities
0
Snow Birds
Snow Birds
6
The Man Around the House
0
Wrong Way Butch
Wrong Way Butch
5.8
You Can't Win
You Can't Win
3.7
Do Someone a Favor!
0
Donkey Baseball
Donkey Baseball
5
Acro-Batty
0
Hollywood Scout
Hollywood Scout
0
The Great Morgan
The Great Morgan
5.5
Just Suppose
6
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
7
Gettin' Glamour
0
Reducing
2
Rough Riding
0
Fine Feathers
5
The Camera Caught It
0
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
0
Animals in Action
0
Water Sports
Water Sports
0
Have You Ever Wondered?
0
Bargain Madness
Bargain Madness
7
Victory Quiz
6
Dogs 'n Ducks
0
Calling All Pa's
6
Harnessed Rhythm
Harnessed Rhythm
4
Lions on the Loose
Lions on the Loose
0
Crashing the Movies
0
Ice Aces
Ice Aces
5
Musiquiz
Musiquiz
1
Fish Tales
5
Microscopic Mysteries
6
Heroes at Leisure
0
Flicker Memories
Flicker Memories
5
Audioscopiks
Audioscopiks
4.7
Now You See It
Now You See It
5.8
Quicker'n a Wink
Quicker'n a Wink
6.3
Army Champions
Army Champions
5.5
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
5.7
Marines in the Making
Marines in the Making
5
Groovie Movie
Groovie Movie
6.2
Safety Sleuth
0
The Domineering Male
6
Color Scales
Color Scales
6
Treasures from Trash
Treasures from Trash
8
Trained Hoofs
0
Football Thrills of 1940
0
Football Thrills of 1944
5
Manhattan Melodrama
Manhattan Melodrama
7
Seventh Column
Seventh Column
0
Equestrian Acrobats
0
Pro Football
Pro Football
0
Badminton
0
This Is a Living?
This Is a Living?
0
Desert Regatta
4.5
Wild and Woolly
0
Water Bugs
0
Studio Visit
Studio Visit
3.5
Sportsman's Memories
0
Aqua Antics
Aqua Antics
5
Olympic Events
0
Cuban Rhythm
0
Curious Contests
Curious Contests
0
Penny's Party
0
Dexterity
0
Hot on Ice
0
Anaesthesia
Anaesthesia
0
Grid Rules
0
Football Thrills of 1937
0
Man's Greatest Friend
0
Penny's Picnic
0
Poetry of Nature
0
Bowling Tricks
Bowling Tricks
0
Memory Tricks
0
Culinary Carving
0
Home Maid
0
Logo
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