Pete Smith
Biography
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
Narrator (voice)
Killer Dog
Narrator (voice
Let's Cogitate
Narrator
Those Good Old Days
Narrator(voice)
Water Wisdom
Narrator
Marine Circus
Narrator(voice)
Throttle Pushers
Narrator
Neighbor Pests
Narrator
Film Antics
Narrator (voice)
Menu
Narrator (voice)
Inflation
Narrator (voice)
Romance of Radium
Narrator (voice)
Strikes and Spares
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Seven
Narrator (voice)
Penny Wisdom
Narrator
Friend Indeed
Narrator (voice)
Pigskin Champions
Narrator
The New Audioscopiks
Narrator (voice)
Fisticuffs
Narrator
Three on a Rope
Narrator
Guest Pests
Narrator
Out for Fun
Narrator (voice)
Swing High
Narrator
Super Cue Men
Narrator
Double Diving
as Interlocutor (voice)
The Tree in a Test Tube
Narrator
Hurling
Narrator (voice)
Diamond Demon
Stuffie
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
The Grand Bounce
Narrator
Let's Talk Turkey
Narrator
Set 'em Up
Narrator (voice)
Radio Hams
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Trader Hound
Narrator - Host
Fala: The President's Dog
Narrator
Hollywood Daredevils
Narrator (voice)
The Jonker Diamond
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
Narrator
We Can Dream, Can't We?
Narrator (voice)
Ain't It Aggravatin'
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Six
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Ten
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Eight
Narrator (voice)
Take a Cue
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Goofy Movies Number One
Narrator (voice)
Things We Can Do Without
Narrator (voice)
Did'ja Know?
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Four
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Goofy Movies Number Five
Narrator (voice)
Handlebars
Narrator (voice)
Wedding Bills
Narrator (voice)
Third Dimensional Murder
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Two
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Three
Narrator (voice)
Goofy Movies Number Nine
Narrator (voice)
Let's Dance
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Candid Cameramaniacs
Narrator (voice)
Bar-Rac's Night Out
Narrator (voice)
Sure Cures
Narrator (voice) / Dog (voice)
Wanted - A Master
Narrator (voice)
Fishing Feats
Narrator (voice)
The Fall Guy
Narrator (voice)
Movie Pests
Narrator (voice)
I Love My Husband, But!
Narrator (voice)
Weather Wizards
Narrator (voice)
'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two
Narrator (voice)
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
Narrator (voice)
Roping Wild Bears
Narrator (voice)
Fancy Answers
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Seeing Hands
Narrator (voice)
Water Trix
Narrator (voice)
Aeronutics
Narrator (voice)
I Love My Wife BUT!
Narrator (voice)
A Wife's Life
Narrator (voice)
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
Narrator (voice)
Cash Stashers
Narrator (voice)
Camera Sleuth
Narrator
Just What I Needed
Narrator
Sports Oddities
Narrator (voice)
Snow Birds
Narrator (voice)
The Man Around the House
Narrator (voice)
Wrong Way Butch
Narrator (voice)
You Can't Win
Narrator (voice)
Do Someone a Favor!
Narrator (voice)
Donkey Baseball
Narrator
Acro-Batty
Narrator / Chimp (voice)
Hollywood Scout
Narrator in 'Badminton' (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Great Morgan
Narrator (voice)
Just Suppose
Narrator (voice)
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
Narrator (voice)
Gettin' Glamour
Narrator (voice)
Reducing
Narrator
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
Narrator (voice)
Water Sports
Narrator
Fine Feathers
Narrator
The Camera Caught It
Narrator (voice)
Animals in Action
Narrator
Rough Riding
Narrator (voice)
Have You Ever Wondered?
Narrator (voice)
Bargain Madness
Narrator (voice)
Dogs 'n Ducks
Victory Quiz
Narrator (voice)
Calling All Pa's
Narrator (voice)
Harnessed Rhythm
Narrator (voice)
Lions on the Loose
Narrator (voice)
Crashing the Movies
Narrator (voice)
Ice Aces
Narrator (voice)
Musiquiz
Narrator (voice)
Fish Tales
Narrator (voice)
Microscopic Mysteries
Narrator (voice)
Heroes at Leisure
Narrator (voice)
Flicker Memories
Commentator (voice)
Audioscopiks
Narrator (voice)
Now You See It
Narrator (voice)
Quicker'n a Wink
Narrator (voice)
Army Champions
Narrator (voice)
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
Narrator (voice)
Marines in the Making
Pete Smith - Narrator
Safety Sleuth
Narrator
Groovie Movie
Narrator (voice)
The Domineering Male
Narrator (voice)
Color Scales
Narrator (voice)
Treasures from Trash
Narrator (voice)
Trained Hoofs
Narrator
Football Thrills of 1940
Narrator
Football Thrills of 1944
Racetrack Announcer (Voice) (uncredited)
Manhattan Melodrama
Narrator (voice)
Seventh Column
Narrator (voice)
Equestrian Acrobats
Narrator (voice)
Pro Football
Narrator (voice)
Desert Regatta
Narrator (voice)
Badminton
Narrator (voice)
Wild and Woolly
Narrator (voice)
This Is a Living?
Narrator (voice)
Water Bugs
Narrator (voice)
Studio Visit
Narrator (voice)
Sportsman's Memories
Narrator (voice)
Aqua Antics
Narrator (voice)
Olympic Events
Narrator (voice)
Cuban Rhythm
Narrator (voice) (as a Smith named Pete)
Curious Contests
Narrator
Hot on Ice
Narrator
Grid Rules
Narrator
Penny's Party
Narrator
Dexterity
Narrator
Man's Greatest Friend
Narrator
Anaesthesia
Narrator
Football Thrills of 1937
Penny's Picnic
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Poetry of Nature
Narrator(voice)
Bowling Tricks
Memory Tricks
Narrator
Culinary Carving
Narrator
Home Maid
Narrator
The Mosconi Story
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What About Daddy?
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Spots Before Your Eyes
Narrator
Maintain the Right
Narrator
Football Thrills of 1938
Narrator
Social Sea Lions
Narrator
Please Answer (I.Q. #3)
Narrator
Football Thrills of 1939
Narrator
Penny To the Rescue
Narrator
Football Thrills of 1941
Narrator
Football Thrills of 1942
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Football Thrills of 1943
Narrator
Fala at Hyde Park
Narrator
Football Thrills No. 9
Football Thrills No. 10
Narrator
Surfboard Rhythm
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
169
Gender
Male
Birthday
1892-09-04
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Also Known As
Peter Schmidt