1892-09-04 ( 132 years old ) in 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.
Movies
The Fall Guy
1955-06-04
Animals in Action
1955-05-21
Just What I Needed
1955-04-15
The Man Around the House
1955-01-01
Rough Riding
1954-12-11
The Camera Caught It
1954-10-09
Film Antics
1954-07-08
Out for Fun
1954-05-08
Do Someone a Favor!
1954-04-10
Fish Tales
1954-03-13
Ain't It Aggravatin'
1954-02-06
Things We Can Do Without
1953-12-05
This Is a Living?
1953-10-10
Cash Stashers
1953-08-29
Dogs 'n Ducks
1953-06-27
The Mosconi Story
1953-02-07
Reducing
1952-03-22
Musiquiz
1952-02-16
Fishing Feats
1951-12-22
Bargain Madness
1951-07-04
Camera Sleuth
1951-04-28
Curious Contests
1950-11-11
Wrong Way Butch
1950-09-02
A Wife's Life
1950-09-01
Did'ja Know?
1950-05-06
Crashing the Movies
1950-01-28
Sports Oddities
1949-12-31
We Can Dream, Can't We?
1949-12-03
Water Trix
1949-11-05
Those Good Old Days
1949-04-16
Super Cue Men
1949-01-29
Let's Cogitate
1948-12-25
Ice Aces
1948-11-06
Just Suppose
1948-07-17
You Can't Win
1948-05-29
I Love My Mother-In-Law But...
1948-02-07
Bowling Tricks
1948-01-10
Have You Ever Wondered?
1947-12-13
Neighbor Pests
1947-05-03
I Love My Wife BUT!
1947-04-05
Now You See It
1947-03-20
Diamond Demon
1947-02-01
Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12
1947-01-11
I Love My Husband, But!
1946-12-07
Sure Cures
1946-11-02
Treasures from Trash
1946-06-08
Equestrian Quiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 11
1946-05-18
Studio Visit
1946-05-11
Gettin' Glamour
1946-02-02
Badminton
1945-12-08
Guest Pests
1945-10-20
Football Thrills of 1944
1945-09-08
Hollywood Scout
1945-04-14
The Great Morgan
1945-01-01
Safety Sleuth
1944-11-25
Movie Pests
1944-07-08
Sportsman's Memories
1944-04-22
Groovie Movie
1944-02-19
Home Maid
1944-02-19
Water Wisdom
1943-11-27
Seventh Column
1943-07-31
Seeing Hands
1943-07-03
Fala: The President's Dog
1943-04-10
Hollywood Daredevils
1943-03-20
Marines in the Making
1942-12-26
The Tree in a Test Tube
1942-11-19
Calling All Pa's
1942-10-24
Victory Quiz
1942-05-09
Acro-Batty
1942-03-28
What About Daddy?
1942-02-28
Aqua Antics
1942-01-24
How to Hold Your Husband - BACK
1941-12-30
Fancy Answers
1941-11-01
Army Champions
1941-10-11
Flicker Memories
1941-10-04
Football Thrills of 1940
1941-09-20
Water Bugs
1941-08-16
Cuban Rhythm
1941-06-21
Lions on the Loose
1941-05-24
Aeronutics
1941-04-26
Memory Tricks
1941-03-15
Third Dimensional Murder
1941-03-01
Wedding Bills
1940-11-13
Quicker'n a Wink
1940-10-12
'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two
1940-08-08
Spots Before Your Eyes
1940-05-04
The Domineering Male
1940-03-30
Stuffie
1940-03-02
Let's Talk Turkey
1939-10-28
Set 'em Up
1939-10-06
Take a Cue
1939-08-12
Culinary Carving
1939-07-01
Poetry of Nature
1939-06-17
Radio Hams
1939-05-19
Weather Wizards
1939-04-08
Marine Circus
1939-03-11
Heroes at Leisure
1939-02-02
Double Diving
1939-01-14
Penny's Picnic
1938-12-17
Man's Greatest Friend
1938-11-19
Hot on Ice
1938-10-22
Grid Rules
1938-10-15
Football Thrills of 1937
1938-09-10
Fisticuffs
1938-08-27
Anaesthesia
1938-07-09
Penny's Party
1938-04-09
Three on a Rope
1938-02-19
The New Audioscopiks
1938-01-16
Friend Indeed
1937-12-28
Candid Cameramaniacs
1937-12-11
Romance of Radium
1937-10-23
Pigskin Champions
1937-08-14
Equestrian Acrobats
1937-08-14
The Grand Bounce
1937-05-22
Penny Wisdom
1937-04-10
Bar-Rac's Night Out
1937-02-27
Dexterity
1937-01-16
Wanted - A Master
1936-12-26
Hurling
1936-11-16
Killer Dog
1936-08-29
Harnessed Rhythm
1936-06-06
The Jonker Diamond
1936-03-27
Let's Dance
1936-01-04
Audioscopiks
1935-12-26
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
1935-12-07
Water Sports
1935-10-26
Trained Hoofs
1935-10-12
Donkey Baseball
1935-03-02
Goofy Movies Number Ten
1934-12-01
Goofy Movies Number Nine
1934-11-03
Strikes and Spares
1934-10-20
Goofy Movies Number Eight
1934-10-06
Pro Football
1934-09-22
Goofy Movies Number Seven
1934-09-18
Goofy Movies Number Six
1934-07-28
Goofy Movies Number Five
1934-06-06
Goofy Movies Number Four
1934-05-05
Manhattan Melodrama
1934-05-04
Goofy Movies Number Three
1934-03-24
Goofy Movies Number Two
1934-02-24
Roping Wild Bears
1934-02-10
Goofy Movies Number One
1933-12-23
Fine Feathers
1933-11-18
Menu
1933-09-23
Handlebars
1933-08-26
Inflation
1933-06-15
Throttle Pushers
1933-04-01
Swing High
1932-11-12
Microscopic Mysteries
1932-10-18
Desert Regatta
1932-09-17
Snow Birds
1932-08-20
Color Scales
1932-04-23
Olympic Events
1932-03-05
Wild and Woolly
1931-11-07
Trader Hound
1931-04-08
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