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.

Cast

Killer Dog

(Narrator (voice))

Let's Cogitate

(Narrator (voice)

Those Good Old Days

(Narrator)

Water Wisdom

(Narrator(voice))

Marine Circus

(Narrator)

Throttle Pushers

(Narrator(voice))

Neighbor Pests

(Narrator)

Film Antics

(Narrator)

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 (voice))

Friend Indeed

(Narrator)

Pigskin Champions

(Narrator (voice))

The New Audioscopiks

(Narrator)

Fisticuffs

(Narrator (voice))

Three on a Rope

(Narrator)

Guest Pests

(Narrator)

Out for Fun

(Narrator)

Swing High

(Narrator (voice))

Super Cue Men

(Narrator)

Double Diving

(Narrator)

The Tree in a Test Tube

(as Interlocutor (voice))

Hurling

(Narrator)

Diamond Demon

(Narrator (voice))

Stuffie

The Grand Bounce

(Narrator (voice) (uncredited))

Let's Talk Turkey

(Narrator)

Set 'em Up

(Narrator)

Radio Hams

(Narrator (voice))

Trader Hound

(Narrator (voice) (uncredited))

Fala: The President's Dog

(Narrator - Host)

Hollywood Daredevils

(Narrator)

The Jonker Diamond

(Narrator (voice))

Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story

(Self (archive footage) (uncredited))

We Can Dream, Can't We?

(Narrator)

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

(Narrator (voice))

Goofy Movies Number One

(Narrator (voice))

Things We Can Do Without

(Narrator (voice))

Did'ja Know?

(Narrator (voice))

Goofy Movies Number Four

(Narrator (voice))

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

(Narrator (voice))

Candid Cameramaniacs

(Narrator)

Bar-Rac's Night Out

(Narrator (voice))

Sure Cures

(Narrator (voice))

Wanted - A Master

(Narrator (voice) / Dog (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))

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 (voice))

Just What I Needed

(Narrator)

Sports Oddities

(Narrator)

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 (voice))

Acro-Batty

(Narrator)

Hollywood Scout

(Narrator / Chimp (voice))

The Great Morgan

(Narrator in 'Badminton' (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited))

Just Suppose

(Narrator (voice))

How to Hold Your Husband - BACK

(Narrator (voice))

Gettin' Glamour

(Narrator (voice))

Reducing

(Narrator (voice))

Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12

(Narrator)

Water Sports

(Narrator (voice))

Fine Feathers

(Narrator)

The Camera Caught It

(Narrator)

Animals in Action

(Narrator (voice))

Rough Riding

(Narrator)

Have You Ever Wondered?

(Narrator (voice))

Bargain Madness

(Narrator (voice))

Dogs 'n Ducks

(Narrator (voice))

Victory Quiz

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

(Narrator (voice))

Audioscopiks

(Commentator (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

(Narrator (voice))

Safety Sleuth

(Pete Smith - Narrator)

Groovie Movie

(Narrator)

The Domineering Male

(Narrator (voice))

Color Scales

(Narrator (voice))

Treasures from Trash

(Narrator (voice))

Trained Hoofs

(Narrator (voice))

Football Thrills of 1940

(Narrator)

Football Thrills of 1944

(Narrator)

Manhattan Melodrama

(Racetrack Announcer (Voice) (uncredited))

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))

Curious Contests

(Narrator (voice) (as a Smith named Pete))

Hot on Ice

(Narrator)

Grid Rules

(Narrator)

Penny's Party

(Narrator)

Dexterity

(Narrator)

Man's Greatest Friend

(Narrator)

Anaesthesia

(Narrator)

Football Thrills of 1937

(Narrator)

Penny's Picnic

Poetry of Nature

(Narrator (voice) (uncredited))

Bowling Tricks

(Narrator(voice))

Memory Tricks

Culinary Carving

(Narrator)

Home Maid

(Narrator)
Crew

The Jonker Diamond

(Producer)

The Jonker Diamond

(Writer)

Killer Dog

(Producer)

Goofy Movies Number Two

(Producer)

Goofy Movies Number Nine

(Producer)

Ain't It Aggravatin'

(Producer)

Goofy Movies Number Six

(Producer)

Goofy Movies Number Seven

(Producer)

Goofy Movies Number Ten

(Producer)

Did'ja Know?

(Producer)

Goofy Movies Number Three

(Producer)

Goofy Movies Number Eight

(Producer)

Third Dimensional Murder

(Producer)

Goofy Movies Number One

(Producer)

Goofy Movies Number Four

(Producer)

Goofy Movies Number Five

(Producer)

Things We Can Do Without

(Producer)

Menu

(Producer)

Strikes and Spares

(Producer)

Inflation

(Producer)

Handlebars

(Producer)

Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11

(Producer)

'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two

(Producer)

Movie Pests

(Producer)

Wanted - A Master

(Producer)

I Love My Husband, But!

(Producer)

Sure Cures

(Producer)

The Fall Guy

(Producer)

Fishing Feats

(Producer)

Seeing Hands

(Producer)

Water Trix

(Producer)

Fancy Answers

(Producer)

Let's Cogitate

(Producer)

A Wife's Life

(Producer)

I Love My Wife BUT!

(Producer)

I Love My Mother-In-Law But...

(Producer)

Cash Stashers

(Producer)

Camera Sleuth

(Producer)

The Man Around the House

(Producer)

Just What I Needed

(Producer)

Wrong Way Butch

(Producer)

Penny Wisdom

(Producer)

You Can't Win

(Producer)

Film Antics

(Producer)

Do Someone a Favor!

(Producer)

Acro-Batty

(Producer)

Acro-Batty

(Writer)

Hollywood Scout

(Producer)

Donkey Baseball

(Producer)

Donkey Baseball

(Writer)

Just Suppose

(Producer)

Reducing

(Producer)

Gettin' Glamour

(Producer)

How to Hold Your Husband - BACK

(Producer)

Fine Feathers

(Producer)

Bargain Madness

(Producer)

Have You Ever Wondered?

(Producer)

Lions on the Loose

(Producer)

Fish Tales

(Producer)

Harnessed Rhythm

(Producer)

Crashing the Movies

(Producer)

Animals in Action

(Producer)

Ice Aces

(Writer)

Ice Aces

(Producer)

Musiquiz

(Producer)

Microscopic Mysteries

(Producer)

Army Champions

(Producer)

Romance of Radium

(Producer)

La Fiesta de Santa Barbara

(Producer)

Now You See It

(Producer)

Marines in the Making

(Producer)

Quicker'n a Wink

(Producer)

Wild and Woolly

(Producer)

Calling All Pa's

(Producer)

Dogs 'n Ducks

(Producer)

Color Scales

(Producer)

Water Sports

(Producer)

Treasures from Trash

(Producer)

Desert Regatta

(Producer)

Trained Hoofs

(Writer)

This Is a Living?

(Producer)

This Is a Living?

(Writer)

Bar-Rac's Night Out

(Producer)

Football Thrills of 1944

(Director)

Seventh Column

(Producer)

Badminton

(Producer)

Studio Visit

(Producer)

Heroes at Leisure

(Producer)

Aqua Antics

(Producer)

Olympic Events

(Producer)

Cuban Rhythm

(Producer)

Curious Contests

(Producer)

Anaesthesia

(Producer)

Football Thrills of 1937

(Producer)

Man's Greatest Friend

(Producer)

Grid Rules

(Producer)

Hot on Ice

(Producer)

Football Thrills of 1937

(Director)

Dexterity

(Producer)