Pete Smith (film producer)


Peter Schmidt, known as Pete Smith, was an American producer
and narrator of "short subject" films.
A native of New York City, Smith began working as a publicist at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the 1920s. He later became involved with movie making. He is best known for his series of short movies, the Pete Smith Specialties, which were produced from the 1930s to the 1950s. Smith produced and narrated more than 150 short movies which earned him two Best Live Action Short Film Academy Awards. In 1953, he was awarded an Academy Honorary Award for his short movies.
Smith's later years were spent in a Santa Monica convalescent home due to ill health. In January 1979, Smith jumped to his death from the roof of the home.

Early life and career

Smith was born in New York City. He began his career as an aide for a vaudeville performers union. Smith then worked as an editor and critic for a trade magazine before becoming a press agent. By 1915 he was doing movie publicity for Bosworth, Inc., followed by the Oliver Morosco Photoplay Co., Artcraft Pictures Corporation, and Famous Players-Lasky. He was one of the founding members of the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers.
During 1925, Smith was hired as the manager of publicity for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer by Louis B. Mayer. He was later recruited to overdub the actions of trained dogs for the studio's Dogville Comedies. Smith would later narrate the studio's sports newsreels; he would embellish the action by running certain scenes in reverse, or adding his own commentary.

''Pete Smith Specialties''

Both MGM and the movie-going public learned of Smith's flair for comedy, and he was given his own series, Pete Smith Specialties; he produced and narrated 150 short movie subjects for MGM from the 1930s to 1955. His distinctive tenor voice and nasal tone were very recognizable and a trademark of the series.
Most of Smith's movies were comedy documentaries, typically one reel. Short-movie subjects in this era were part of the studios' exhibition packages, along with serials, animated cartoons, newsreels, travel documentaries, etc. Among the diverse topics Smith featured by his short movies were Emily Post-style household hints, insect life seen through a microscope, military training and hardware, and dancing lessons. There were even several "series-within-the-series", such as general-knowledge quizzes, professional-football news, quirky features concerning different kinds of animals, and "Goofy Movies". Smith narrated a patriotic short movie for the U.S. Government, The Tree In a Test Tube, filmed in color, featuring Laurel and Hardy in a demonstration of household wood products, with Smith explaining the various exhibits for the viewer.
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During the 1940s, movie stuntman and actor Dave O'Brien became the primary actor of Pete Smith Specialties. The hapless O'Brien would personify everyday nuisances: dealing with pests at the movies, demonstrating pet peeves, tackling hazardous home-improvement projects, and other problems with which the audience could identify. O'Brien's scenes were silent, compelling O'Brien to express his satisfaction or frustration entirely in visual terms as narrator Smith offered commentary. O'Brien knew the format so well that he also directed many of the short movies, using the name "David Barclay." He staged many of the sight gags himself, taking stupendous pratfalls for the camera.
Smith produced and narrated more than 150 short movies which earned him fourteen Academy Award nominations and two Best Live Action Short Film Academy Awards. At the 26th Academy Awards, Smith was awarded an Academy Honorary Award "for his witty and pungent observations on the American scene in his series of Pete Smith Specialties."
Smith announced his retirement in 1954. The MGM unit that produced the Pete Smith Specialties'' was terminated the next year, a casualty of short movies' decreasing popularity at the time.

Personal life

Smith, under his birth name "Peter J. Schmid," married – on February 6, 1919, in Manhattan – Marjorie Ganss. They had one son, Douglas Mosely Schmid, who later became a technician for RKO. Smith and Ganss remained married until her death in 1958. Smith's second marriage was to his secretary, Anne Dunston, whom he married in Las Vegas in October 1962.

Later years and death

Smith spent his later years in poor health at a convalescent home in Santa Monica, California. On January 12, 1979, Smith committed suicide by leaping off the building's roof. Smith was survived by his second wife, Anne, and his son Douglas.
For his contribution to the movie industry, Pete Smith received a star symbol on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 1621 Vine Street.

Selected filmography

Home media availability

Pete Smith’s short films are included as extras on DVDs of many classic Warner Home Video films of the era. These include: