Peter Schmidt (September 4, 1892 – January 12, 1979), Americanized to Pete Smith, was a film producer based in Hollywood, California. He is best known for the Pete Smith Specialties, a long-running series of general-interest short films, ranging from human-interest stories to sports subjects. Best remembered are the comedies, exaggerating common pet peeves and household problems, with Smith offering pointed commentary in his distinctive, nasal tenor.
Early life and career Peter Schmidt was born in 1892, in New York City. He became interested in the theatrical business, working behind the scenes as an aide for a vaudeville performers union, an editor and critic for a trade magazine, and a press agent. In 1915, as the new field of motion pictures was transforming show business, Smith became a publicity man for Bosworth, Inc., Oliver Morosco Photoplay Co., Artcraft Pictures Corporation, and Famous Players–Lasky. He was one of the founding members of the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers. By 1925 Smith was the manager of publicity for Louis B. Mayer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).
In 1929, producer Jules White and his partner Zion Myers conceived the Dogville Comedies, featuring trained dogs in satires of then-current films (the successful musical The Broadway Melody became The Dogway Melody, for example). Pete Smith was pressed into service to provide some of the comic voices for the soundtracks. This led him into the field of voice-over work, and he narrated some of MGM's sports reels. As a lark, Smith embellished the action by running certain scenes in reverse and adding his own wisecracking comments. Beginning in 1933 MGM offered Goofy Movies, a series of short comedies based on antique silent films. Pete Smith received screen credit in these shorts, which he narrated in florid style. In 1935 Smith introduced the concept of 3D movies to audiences, by offering explanatory remarks in the "MGM Miniature" Audioscopiks.
Pete Smith Specialties Because of Smith's flair for comedy, MGM gave him his own series, Pete Smith Specialties. He produced and narrated dozens of movie short subjects for MGM from 1935 to 1955.
Most of Smith's movies were one reel in length (9 to 11 minutes). Short subjects were shown before a feature film in movie houses and theaters. The diverse subject matter Smith featured in these shorts were Emily Post-style household hints, insect life seen through a microscope, military training and hardware (during World War II), and dancing lessons. There were even several "series-within-the-series", such as general-knowledge quizzes, professional-football news, and features concerning different kinds of animals (Donkey Baseball and Social Sea Lions). During the war effort, Smith narrated a patriotic short movie for the U.S. Government, The Tree In a Test Tube (1943), filmed in color, featuring Laurel and Hardy in a demonstration of household wood products, with Smith explaining the various exhibits for the viewer.
In October 1943 Melville Danner, owner of a 250-seat theater in Granite, Oklahoma, printed an open letter to MGM, suggesting that Pete Smith should make a short subject about people who behave badly in theaters. Motion Picture Herald gave the suggestion a special headline: "Assignment for Pete Smith." Smith took the suggestion and made Movie Pests (1944), with Dave O'Brien exemplifying the inconsiderate patron who causes problems for everyone around him. The short was so successful that it inspired three sequels: Guest Pests (1945), Bus Pests (1945), and Neighbor Pests (1947).
Dave O'Brien became the primary actor in the Pete Smith Specialties during the 1940s. The hapless O'Brien would personify everyday nuisances: demonstrating pet peeves, tackling hazardous home-improvement projects, and having 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 falls for the camera.
The Pete Smith Specialties earned 14 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. The final film in the series was a tribute to Dave O'Brien, featuring a collection of his spectacular stunts and pratfalls. The reel was appropriately titled The Fall Guy (1955).
Personal life Smith, under his birth name Peter J. Schmidt, married Marjorie Ganss on February 6, 1919, in Manhattan. They had one son, Douglas Mosely Schmidt (1919–1984), who later became a technician for RKO. Smith and Ganss remained married until her death in 1957. Smith's second marriage was to his secretary, Anne Dunster, 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, he committed suicide by leaping off the building's roof. He was survived by his second wife, Anne, and his son Douglas.
For his contribution to the movie industry, Smith received a star symbol on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 1621 Vine Street.
Selected filmography Year Title Role Notes 1931 Fishermen's Paradise Narrator Producer 1931 Whippet Racing Narrator Producer 1931Wild and WoollyNarratorProducer 1932Color Scales NarratorProducer 1932Desert RegattaNarratorProducer 1932 Trout Fishing Narrator Producer 1932 Microscopic Mysteries Narrator Producer 1932 Swing High Narrator Producer 1932 Fast Life Race Announcer Appeared as himself 1932 Snow Birds Explanatory Remarks 1933 Goofy-Movies Number One Narrator 1933 Menu Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, Novelty 1933 Handlebars Narrator Producer 1933 Fine Feathers Narrator Producer 1934 Goofy Movies (Parts 1 - 9) Narrator 10 part series released February through December in 1934, with only the first 9 narrated by Smith. 1934 Roping Wild Bears Narrator 1934 Vital Victuals Narrator Producer 1934 Strikes and Spares Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, Novelty 1934Pro Football Narrator 1935Donkey Baseball Producer and writer. Does not narrate 1935 La Fiesta de Santa Barbara Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Color) 1935 Audioscopiks Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, Novelty 1935 Water Sports Narrator 1935 Trained Hoofs Narrator 1936 Wanted – A Master Narrator/Voice of Dog ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1936 Killer-Dog Narrator Producer 1936 Harnessed Rhythm Narrator 1936 Bar-Rac's Night Out Narrator Producer 1937 The Grand Bounce Narrator 1937 Candid Cameramaniacs Narrator Producer 1937 Penny Wisdom Narrator ProducerWon: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, Color 1937 Pigskin Champions Narrator Producer 1937 Romance of Radium Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1938 Football Thrills of 1937 Narrator Producer, director 1938 Three on a Rope Narrator 1938 Fisticuffs Narrator Features Max Baer 1938 Hot on Ice Narrator Producer 1939 Football Thrills of 1938 Narrator Producer, director 1939 Radio Hams Narrator Producer 1939 Let's Talk Turkey Narrator 1939 Poetry of Nature Narrator 1939 Take a Cue Narrator 1939 Weather Wizards Narrator Producer 1940 Spots Before Your Eyes Narrator Producer 1940 Quicker'n a Wink Narrator ProducerWon: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1941 Aeronutics Narrator Producer 1941 Third Dimensional Murder Narrator Producer 1941 Army Champions Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1941 Lions on the Loose Narrator Producer 1941 How to Hold Your Husband Narrator 1942 Acro-Batty Narrator Producer, writer 1942 Marines in the Making Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1942 Calling All Pa's Narrator 1942 Victory Quiz Narrator Quiz about military names. Starring in one skit a young and uncredited Alan Hale Jr. on KP duty 1943 First Aid Narrator 1943 Seeing Hands Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1943 The Tree in a Test Tube Interlocutor (voice) 1944 Movie Pests Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1944 Football Thrills of 1944 Narrator Producer, director 1945 Hollywood Scout Narrator Producer1945BadmintonNarratorProducer Shown exclusively within the film The Great Morgan. 1945 Bus Pests Narrator Producer 1946 Treasures From Trash Narrator Producer 1946 Gettin' Glamour Narrator Producer 1946 Playing by Ear Narrator Producer 1946 Fala at Hyde Park Narrator Producer 1946 I Love My Husband, But! Narrator Producer 1946 Sure Cures Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1946 Studio Visit Narrator Producer - Pete Smith Specialty 1947 Now You See It Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1947 I Love My Wife, But! Narrator Producer 1947 What D'ya Know? Narrator Producer 1947 Have You Ever Wondered? Narrator Producer 1948 I Love My Mother-in-Law But... Narrator Producer 1948 Bowling Tricks With Andy Varipapa Narrator Producer 1948 You Can't Win Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1948 Just Suppose Narrator Producer 1948 Ice Aces Narrator 1948 Let's Cogitate Narrator Producer 1949 How Come? Narrator Producer 1949 Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1949 Did'ja Know? Have You Ever Wondered #3 Narrator Producer 1950 Wrong Way Butch Narrator ProducerNominated: Academy Award for Best Short Subject, One-reel 1950 A Wife's Life Narrator Producer 1950 Curious Contests Narrator Producer 1951 Bargain Madness Narrator Producer 1951 Bandage Bait Narrator Producer 1951 Fishing Feats Narrator Producer 1952 Gymnastic Rhythm Narrator Producer 1952 I Love Children, But! Narrator Producer 1953 The Postman Narrator Producer 1953 Things We Can Do Without Narrator Producer 1954 Do Someone a Favor! Narrator Producer 1954 The Camera Caught It Narrator Producer 1954 Rough Riding Narrator Producer (Color) 1954 Fish Tales Narrator Producer (Color) 1955 The Man Around the House Narrator Producer 1955 Animals in Action Narrator Producer1955 Fall Guy Narrator Producer
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:
Menu - Morning Glory (1933) Goofy Movies, #1 - Midnight Mary (1933) Goofy Movies, #2 - Manhattan Melodrama (1934) Goofy Movies, #3 - Evelyn Prentice (1934) Goofy Movies, #4 - Sadie McKee (1934) Penny Wisdom - The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) Romance of Radium - Madame Curie (1943) Quicker 'n a Wink - Go West (1940) Wedding Bills - Strike Up the Band (1940) Flicker Memories - The Big Store (1941) How to Hold Your Husband - Back - Babes on Broadway (1941) Marines in the Making - Random Harvest (1942) Studio Visit - Cabin in the Sky (1943) Hollywood Daredevils - Girl Crazy (1943) Fala - The President's Dog - Lassie Come Home (1943) Seeing Hands - DuBarry Was a Lady (1943) Movie Pests - Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) Football Thrills of 1944 - Blu-Ray release of Anchors Aweigh (1945) Hollywood Scout - The Clock (1945) Sure Cures - Easy to Wed (1946) I Love My Husband, But! - Without Reservations (1946) Now You See It - This Time for Keeps (1947) Fala at Hyde Park - Hills of Home (1948) You Can't Win! - The Pirate (1948)