Peter Schmidt, later known as Pete Smith, was born in the vibrant city of New York. After completing his education at business college, he embarked on a professional journey with The Player magazine, subsequently transitioning to Billboard magazine. This stint led to his appointment as a publicist for Famous Players-Lasky and Artcraft Pictures, and later, as the publicity director at Paramount Pictures. Notably, director Marshall Neilan hired Smith to be the publicist for his production company, prompting Smith to relocate to Hollywood.
Following the closure of Neilan's company, Smith freelanced for a brief period before being recruited by MGM in 1925 as the head of its publicity department, a position he held until 1930. However, it was his work as a producer, writer, and narrator of a series of shorts, dubbed "Pete Smith Specialties," that brought him widespread recognition. These one-reelers tackled an array of subjects, from the animal kingdom to the latest technological advancements, as well as offering witty advice on how to handle pesky movie patrons. Many of the later shorts were penned and directed by actor Dave O'Brien, using the pseudonym David Barclay. Notably, sixteen entries in the series received Academy Award nominations, with two ultimately taking home the coveted statuette. The series concluded in 1954, with a sufficient backlog of content to continue releasing until 1955.
As Smith's later years were marked by poor health, he spent an increasing amount of time in hospitals. Tragically, in 1979, as his health continued to deteriorate, he took his own life by jumping from the window of his ninth-floor hospital room, at the age of 86.
