Biografía y filmografía

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.

Fotos

Películas (171)

Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story

2002 · Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

The Fall Guy

1955 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Animals in Action

1955 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Just What I Needed

1955 · Narrator, Producer

The Man Around the House

1955 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Rough Riding

1954 · Narrator

The Camera Caught It

1954 · Narrator

Film Antics

1954 · Narrator, Producer

Out for Fun

1954 · Narrator

Do Someone a Favor!

1954 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Fish Tales

1954 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Ain't It Aggravatin'

1954 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Things We Can Do Without

1953 · Narrator (voice), Producer

This Is a Living?

1953 · Narrator (voice), Writer, Producer

Cash Stashers

1953 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Dogs 'n Ducks

1953 · Narrator (voice), Producer

The Mosconi Story

1953 · Narrator

Reducing

1952 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Musiquiz

1952 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Fishing Feats

1951 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Bargain Madness

1951 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Camera Sleuth

1951 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Curious Contests

1950 · Narrator (voice) (as a Smith named Pete), Producer

Wrong Way Butch

1950 · Narrator (voice), Producer

A Wife's Life

1950 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Did'ja Know?

1950 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Crashing the Movies

1950 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Pest Control

1950 · Narrator

Sports Oddities

1949 · Narrator

We Can Dream, Can't We?

1949 · Narrator

Water Trix

1949 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Those Good Old Days

1949 · Narrator

Super Cue Men

1949 · Narrator

Let's Cogitate

1948 · Narrator (voice, Producer

Ice Aces

1948 · Narrator (voice), Producer, Writer

Just Suppose

1948 · Narrator (voice), Producer

You Can't Win

1948 · Narrator (voice), Producer

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

1948 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Bowling Tricks

1948 · Narrator(voice)

Have You Ever Wondered?

1947 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Surfboard Rhythm

1947 · Narrator

Football Thrills No. 10

1947 · Writer

Neighbor Pests

1947 · Narrator, Producer

I Love My Wife BUT!

1947 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Now You See It

1947 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Diamond Demon

1947 · Narrator (voice)

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

1947 · Narrator

I Love My Husband, But!

1946 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Sure Cures

1946 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Football Thrills No. 9

1946 · Narrator, Director

Treasures from Trash

1946 · Narrator (voice), Producer

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

1946 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Studio Visit

1946 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Gettin' Glamour

1946 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Fala at Hyde Park

1946 · Narrator

Badminton

1945 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Guest Pests

1945 · Narrator

Football Thrills of 1944

1945 · Narrator, Director

Hollywood Scout

1945 · Narrator / Chimp (voice), Producer

The Great Morgan

1945 · Narrator in 'Badminton' (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)

Safety Sleuth

1944 · Pete Smith - Narrator

Football Thrills of 1943

1944 · Narrator, Director

Movie Pests

1944 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Sportsman's Memories

1944 · Narrator (voice)

Groovie Movie

1944 · Narrator

Home Maid

1944 · Narrator

Water Wisdom

1943 · Narrator(voice)

Football Thrills of 1942

1943 · Narrator, Director

Seventh Column

1943 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Seeing Hands

1943 · Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Producer

Fala: The President's Dog

1943 · Narrator - Host

Hollywood Daredevils

1943 · Narrator

Marines in the Making

1942 · Narrator (voice), Producer

The Tree in a Test Tube

1942 · as Interlocutor (voice)

Calling All Pa's

1942 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Football Thrills of 1941

1942 · Narrator, Director

Victory Quiz

1942

Acro-Batty

1942 · Narrator, Writer, Producer

What About Daddy?

1942 · Narrator, Producer

Aqua Antics

1942 · Narrator (voice), Producer

How to Hold Your Husband - BACK

1941 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Fancy Answers

1941 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Army Champions

1941 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Flicker Memories

1941 · Narrator (voice)

Football Thrills of 1940

1941 · Narrator

Water Bugs

1941 · Narrator (voice)

Cuban Rhythm

1941 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Lions on the Loose

1941 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Aeronutics

1941 · Narrator (voice)

Memory Tricks

1941

Third Dimensional Murder

1941 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Penny To the Rescue

1941 · Narrator

Wedding Bills

1940 · Narrator (voice)

Quicker'n a Wink

1940 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Please Answer (I.Q. #3)

1940 · Narrator

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

1940 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Social Sea Lions

1940 · Narrator

Spots Before Your Eyes

1940 · Narrator, Producer

The Domineering Male

1940 · Narrator (voice)

1940

1940 · Narrator

1939 · Narrator

1939 · Narrator

Take a Cue

1939 · Narrator (voice)

Culinary Carving

1939 · Narrator

Poetry of Nature

1939 · Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Radio Hams

1939 · Narrator (voice)

Weather Wizards

1939 · Narrator (voice)

Marine Circus

1939 · Narrator

Heroes at Leisure

1939 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Double Diving

1939 · Narrator

Football Thrills of 1938

1939 · Narrator, Director

Penny's Picnic

1938

Man's Greatest Friend

1938 · Narrator, Producer

Hot on Ice

1938 · Narrator, Producer

Grid Rules

1938 · Narrator, Producer

Football Thrills of 1937

1938 · Narrator, Director, Producer

Fisticuffs

1938 · Narrator (voice)

Anaesthesia

1938 · Narrator, Producer

Penny's Party

1938 · Narrator, Producer

Three on a Rope

1938 · Narrator

The New Audioscopiks

1938 · Narrator

Friend Indeed

1937 · Narrator

Candid Cameramaniacs

1937 · Narrator

Romance of Radium

1937 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Pigskin Champions

1937 · Narrator (voice)

Equestrian Acrobats

1937 · Narrator (voice)

The Grand Bounce

1937 · Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Penny Wisdom

1937 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Bar-Rac's Night Out

1937 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Dexterity

1937 · Narrator, Producer

Wanted - A Master

1936 · Narrator (voice) / Dog (voice), Producer

Hurling

1936 · Narrator

Killer Dog

1936 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Harnessed Rhythm

1936 · Narrator (voice), Producer

The Jonker Diamond

1936 · Narrator (voice), Writer, Producer

Let's Dance

1936 · Narrator (voice)

Audioscopiks

1935 · Commentator (voice), Producer

La Fiesta de Santa Barbara

1935 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Water Sports

1935 · Narrator (voice), Producer

Trained Hoofs

1935 · Narrator (voice), Writer