Pete Smith

The story of the short film from the beginning of the movies in the 1890s, when all movies were shorts, through the 1950s when short subjects virtually disappeared from theaters.

In this final entry in the Pete Smith Specialty series, Smith pays tribute to actor and stuntman Dave O'Brien, who took many falls and spills (and upon whom objects fell) when he played hapless characters throughout the series. Under the pseudonym "David Barclay", O'Brien also directed many of the Specialties. Clips from previous films highlight O'Brien's work.

Harry Horseknuckle tries to figure out what to do with some strange and unwanted gifts.

A humorous look at some typical housework troubles that may arise. A Pete Smith Specialty short.

The profession of capturing animals in action on celluloid is both an art and science. Some of the most exciting footage can be obtained in different ways. Examples are: a large herd, such as of reindeer, moving as one; slow motion footage of fast moving animals, such as racing greyhounds, especially when they do something unexpected; mothers and their newborn offspring doing what comes naturally; animals placed among special props; animals placed in human situations; combining the exciting and dangerous, such as the running of the bulls in Pamplona and the bullfights to follow; placing animals that are not natural companions together; and placing animals in the situation of a challenge, such as a bunch of bananas just out of reach of a hungry monkey. Many of these elements are combined into the final sequence of a steeplechase race.

An amusing short film that looks at human and animal babies.

A tense businessman seeks to find a relaxing pastime but proves himself inept at golf, duck-hunting, and model plane building.

This comedic short looks at human foibles that lead to major aggravations.

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, a friendly do-gooder's good deeds backfire.

A man looks at stacks of canisters of film on shelves. He pulls out a few to show real-life events caught on camera. He pulls out spools of film that include clips of the effects of heavy rain, of early attempts to fly, of an auto race with a spectacular series of crashes, and, last, of the destruction of a suspension bridge newly-built near Tacoma, buffeted and then ruptured by wind. None of these events were staged, and the camera caught them.