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.
171 acting credits · 8 directing credits
Acting · 171
MGM Parade
1955
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
1935
Manhattan Melodrama
1934
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
2002
The Tree in a Test Tube
1942
Army Champions
1941
The Grand Bounce
1937
Just Suppose
1948
Diamond Demon
1947
Victory Quiz
1942
Menu
1933
Trader Hound
1931
Studio Visit
1946
Cuban Rhythm
1941
Water Trix
1949
Penny Wisdom
1937
Killer Dog
1936
Fisticuffs
1938
The Fall Guy
1955
Third Dimensional Murder
1941
Reducing
1952
Snow Birds
1932
Harnessed Rhythm
1936
Fishing Feats
1951
Set 'em Up
1939
Camera Sleuth
1951
The Great Morgan
1945
Double Diving
1939
Wanted - A Master
1936
Seeing Hands
1943
Marines in the Making
1942
Film Antics
1954
Do Someone a Favor!
1954
Bar-Rac's Night Out
1937
Pro Football
1934
Maintain the Right
1940
Radio Hams
1939
Quicker'n a Wink
1940
Musiquiz
1952
Flicker Memories
1941
Cash Stashers
1953
Trained Hoofs
1935
Let's Talk Turkey
1939
Sure Cures
1946
Desert Regatta
1932
Did'ja Know?
1950
Goofy Movies Number Two
1934
Let's Dance
1936
Movie Pests
1944
I Love My Wife BUT!
1947
'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two
1940
Badminton
1945
Hurling
1936
Donkey Baseball
1935
Anaesthesia
1938
Bargain Madness
1951
Fala at Hyde Park
1946
Friend Indeed
1937
Fancy Answers
1941
The Jonker Diamond
1936
Ice Aces
1948
Equestrian Acrobats
1937
Culinary Carving
1939
Roping Wild Bears
1934
Take a Cue
1939
Sportsman's Memories
1944
Aqua Antics
1942
Goofy Movies Number One
1933
Wrong Way Butch
1950
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
1941
The Man Around the House
1955
Penny To the Rescue
1941
Seventh Column
1943
Romance of Radium
1937
Hollywood Scout
1945
The Domineering Male
1940
Swing High
1932
Inflation
1933
Man's Greatest Friend
1938
Heroes at Leisure
1939
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
1948
Gettin' Glamour
1946
Pest Control
1950
Strikes and Spares
1934
Grid Rules
1938
Lions on the Loose
1941
Football Thrills of 1941
1942
Microscopic Mysteries
1932
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
1946
I Love My Husband, But!
1946
Penny's Party
1938
Have You Ever Wondered?
1947
Let's Cogitate
1948
Audioscopiks
1935
The Camera Caught It
1954
Calling All Pa's
1942
Treasures from Trash
1946
Handlebars
1933
Wedding Bills
1940
Weather Wizards
1939
Crashing the Movies
1950
Things We Can Do Without
1953
Curious Contests
1950
Color Scales
1932
We Can Dream, Can't We?
1949
Spots Before Your Eyes
1940
Fine Feathers
1933
Pigskin Champions
1937
Please Answer (I.Q. #3)
1940
Water Sports
1935
Goofy Movies Number Ten
1934
Social Sea Lions
1940
Just What I Needed
1955
Groovie Movie
1944
Goofy Movies Number Nine
1934
Dogs 'n Ducks
1953
Three on a Rope
1938
Water Bugs
1941
A Wife's Life
1950
Fish Tales
1954
Guest Pests
1945
Safety Sleuth
1944
Out for Fun
1954
Candid Cameramaniacs
1937
Penny's Picnic
1938
Those Good Old Days
1949
Acro-Batty
1942
Hollywood Daredevils
1943
Dexterity
1937
Neighbor Pests
1947
Wild and Woolly
1931
Olympic Events
1932
Aeronutics
1941
Football Thrills of 1940
1941
You Can't Win
1948
Fala: The President's Dog
1943
Football Thrills No. 10
1947
What About Daddy?
1942
Football Thrills No. 9
1946
Football Thrills of 1939
—
Ain't It Aggravatin'
1954
Animals in Action
1955
Bowling Tricks
1948
Football Thrills of 1937
1938
Football Thrills of 1944
1945
Goofy Movies Number Three
1934
Goofy Movies Number Seven
1934
Sports Oddities
1949
Goofy Movies Number Four
1934
Memory Tricks
1941
Now You See It
1947
This Is a Living?
1953
Goofy Movies Number Five
1934
Football Thrills of 1938
1939
Marine Circus
1939
Goofy Movies Number Eight
1934
Football Thrills of 1943
1944
Stuffie
1940
Football Thrills of 1942
1943
Water Wisdom
1943
Goofy Movies Number Six
1934
Super Cue Men
1949
Rough Riding
1954
The Mosconi Story
1953
Throttle Pushers
1933
The New Audioscopiks
1938
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
1947
Hot on Ice
1938
Poetry of Nature
1939
Home Maid
1944
Surfboard Rhythm
1947