Pete Smith
Known for: Acting
Born: September 4, 1892
Died: January 12, 1979
Place of birth: New York City, New York, USA
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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Filmography
170 movies · 1 TV show, newest first
7.0
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
2002
7.5
MGM Parade
19557.5
The Fall Guy
19557.0
Animals in Action
1955NR
Just What I Needed
1955NR
The Man Around the House
1955
6.5
Rough Riding
1954NR
The Camera Caught It
1954
6.0
Film Antics
19549.0
Out for Fun
19547.0
Do Someone a Favor!
1954
7.0
Fish Tales
1954
6.0
Ain't It Aggravatin'
1954
7.3
Things We Can Do Without
1953
6.0
This Is a Living?
1953
6.8
Cash Stashers
1953
5.0
Dogs 'n Ducks
1953NR
The Mosconi Story
1953
5.3
Reducing
19525.5
Musiquiz
1952
7.5
Fishing Feats
1951
6.3
Bargain Madness
1951
7.0
Camera Sleuth
1951
10.0
Curious Contests
1950
6.4
Wrong Way Butch
19506.0
A Wife's Life
1950
5.0
Did'ja Know?
1950
7.0
Crashing the Movies
1950NR
Pest Control
1950
9.0
Sports Oddities
1949NR
We Can Dream, Can't We?
1949
6.3
Water Trix
19498.0
Those Good Old Days
19498.0
Super Cue Men
1949
7.5
Let's Cogitate
1948
7.0
Ice Aces
1948
7.0
Just Suppose
1948
4.9
You Can't Win
19487.2
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
1948
6.5
Bowling Tricks
19486.5
Have You Ever Wondered?
19479.0
Surfboard Rhythm
19478.0
Football Thrills No. 10
1947NR
Neighbor Pests
19477.0
I Love My Wife BUT!
1947
6.6
Now You See It
1947
7.6
Diamond Demon
1947
6.5
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
194710.0
I Love My Husband, But!
1946
5.7
Sure Cures
1946NR
Football Thrills No. 9
1946
7.0
Treasures from Trash
19466.5
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
1946
5.5
Studio Visit
19465.0
Gettin' Glamour
1946
9.0
Fala at Hyde Park
19469.0
Badminton
19457.0
Guest Pests
19456.5
Football Thrills of 1944
1945
6.5
Hollywood Scout
1945
6.0
The Great Morgan
1945NR
Safety Sleuth
1944NR
Football Thrills of 1943
1944
6.1
Movie Pests
1944NR
Sportsman's Memories
1944
6.3
Groovie Movie
19447.0
Home Maid
19449.0
Water Wisdom
1943NR
Football Thrills of 1942
1943
7.0
Seventh Column
1943
6.3
Seeing Hands
1943
7.0
Fala: The President's Dog
1943
NR
Hollywood Daredevils
1943
6.3
Marines in the Making
1942
5.2
The Tree in a Test Tube
1942
6.7
Calling All Pa's
1942NR
Football Thrills of 1941
1942
6.3
Victory Quiz
1942
7.5
Acro-Batty
1942
7.0
What About Daddy?
1942
7.0
Aqua Antics
1942
6.3
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
1941
7.0
Fancy Answers
1941
6.0
Army Champions
1941
5.8
Flicker Memories
1941NR
Football Thrills of 1940
19418.5
Water Bugs
1941
7.0
Cuban Rhythm
19416.5
Lions on the Loose
1941
7.0
Aeronutics
19417.0
Memory Tricks
1941
8.0
Third Dimensional Murder
19417.0
Penny To the Rescue
1941
8.5
Wedding Bills
1940
7.0
Quicker'n a Wink
19409.0
Please Answer (I.Q. #3)
19408.0
'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two
19407.0
Social Sea Lions
1940
9.0
Spots Before Your Eyes
1940
7.3
The Domineering Male
194010.0
Stuffie
19407.0
Maintain the Right
19406.3
Let's Talk Turkey
193910.0
Set 'em Up
1939
8.5
Take a Cue
1939
7.0
Culinary Carving
1939
6.0
Poetry of Nature
1939
7.3
Radio Hams
1939
7.0
Weather Wizards
1939
6.0
Marine Circus
1939
7.0
Heroes at Leisure
193910.0
Double Diving
19397.0
Football Thrills of 1938
19398.0
Penny's Picnic
19388.0
Man's Greatest Friend
19388.0
Hot on Ice
19389.0
Grid Rules
193810.0
Football Thrills of 1937
1938
7.0
Fisticuffs
1938
7.0
Anaesthesia
19388.0
Penny's Party
19387.5
Three on a Rope
1938
6.7
The New Audioscopiks
1938
6.7
Friend Indeed
1937
7.5
Candid Cameramaniacs
1937
6.2
Romance of Radium
1937
NR
Pigskin Champions
1937
8.0
Equestrian Acrobats
1937
7.0
The Grand Bounce
1937
6.3
Penny Wisdom
1937
6.5
Bar-Rac's Night Out
19379.0
Dexterity
1937
6.8
Wanted - A Master
1936
9.0
Hurling
1936
5.6
Killer Dog
1936
5.5
Harnessed Rhythm
1936
4.9
The Jonker Diamond
19367.0
Let's Dance
1936
5.7
Audioscopiks
1935
6.1
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
1935
6.5
Water Sports
1935
7.5
Trained Hoofs
1935
6.0
Donkey Baseball
19356.5
Goofy Movies Number Ten
1934
7.0
Goofy Movies Number Nine
1934
6.4
Strikes and Spares
19347.0
Goofy Movies Number Eight
1934
7.0
Pro Football
1934
5.7
Goofy Movies Number Seven
1934
6.0
Goofy Movies Number Six
1934
7.5
Goofy Movies Number Five
1934
4.8
Goofy Movies Number Four
1934
7.0
Manhattan Melodrama
1934
5.8
Goofy Movies Number Three
1934
6.6
Goofy Movies Number Two
1934
7.0
Roping Wild Bears
1934
6.0
Goofy Movies Number One
19336.7
Fine Feathers
1933
5.4
Menu
1933
6.0
Handlebars
1933
8.0
Inflation
1933
7.5
Throttle Pushers
1933
7.1
Swing High
19326.7
Microscopic Mysteries
1932
6.3
Desert Regatta
1932
6.3
Snow Birds
1932
7.0
Color Scales
193210.0
Olympic Events
1932
7.0
Wild and Woolly
1931
6.0
Trader Hound
1931NR
Football Thrills of 1939
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