Westerns- Dogs and their partners.
Western dogs and their pals.
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- The first 'Rin Tin Tin', who along with his heirs starred in numerous films and television series, was discovered during World War I, September 15, 1918, by US Air Corporal Lee Duncan and his battalion in Lorraine, France. At a bombed out dog kennel, Duncan found a mother Shepherd Dog and her scrawny litter of five pups. Duncan chose two of the dogs, a male and female, while members of his group took the mother and the others back to camp. The only survivors over the next few months were the two pups Duncan had claimed, naming them 'Rin Tin Tin' and 'Nannette' after tiny French puppets the French children would give to the American soldiers for good luck. When the war ended, Duncan made special arrangements to take his pups back to his home in Los Angeles, but during the Atlantic crossing, Nannette became ill and died, shortly after arriving in America. In 1922, Duncan and Rin Tin Tin attended an LA dog show, with 'Rinty' performing for the crowd by jumping 13 ½ feet. Following the show, producer Darryl Zanuck asked Duncan if he could try out his new 'moving pictures' camera on the dog and paid $350 to film Rinty in action. Contacting every studio in Hollywood with a Rin Tin Tin -starring script "Where The North Begins", Duncan unexpectedly stumbled onto a low-budget, Warner Bros (Vitaphone) film crew having difficulty shooting an exterior scene with a wolf. Duncan quickly approached the director and told them that Rinty could do the scene in one take. True to his word, Duncan's 'wonder' dog did the scene in one take and both were hired for the entire shoot of "Man From Hells River". The film was a hit and Rin Tin Tin was a sensation, making 26 pictures for Warners while starring in his own live 1930s radio show "The Wonder Dog". At the peak of his popularity, Warners maintained 18 trained stand-ins to reduce any stress on their dog star, while providing Rinty with a private chef who prepared daily lunches of tenderloin steak (consumed as live classical music was played to help ease the dog's digestion.) Rin Tin Tin died in 1932 at the age of 14, returned to his birthplace in France, and interred in "The Cimetière des Chiens (et Autres Animaux Exotiques)" in the suburb of Asnieres. Today, Rin Tin Tin's continuous bloodline carries on at a Texas kennel, where a litter of 8-11 pups are born each year.1918-1932, 13.
9 westerns, 1922-1931.
The Lightning Warrior (1931). 1931.
Frankie Darro, pal.
45 total credits. - Napoleon the Dog is known for The Silent Hero (1927), Danger Patrol (1928) and The Thirteenth Hour (1927).
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Clancy Cavanaugh is known for Black Dog, Red Dog (2015), Funeral Kings (2012) and The Ugly Little Table (2008).North to Alaska (1960). 1960.- Rin Tin Tin Jr. was born in September 1931. He is an actor, known for Law of the Wolf (1939), Skull and Crown (1935) and The Adventures of Rex and Rinty (1935).
- Kazan the Wonder Dog was a gifted German shepherd whose $250 a-day film career began in the early 1930s, not long after actor/stuntman Jack King paid an 85 cent fee and bailed him out of a city dog pound. Kazan would later come close to being put on the auction block after King was forced to declare bankruptcy. An agreement was eventually reached, with the help of a number of Hollywood personalities, which temporarily guaranteed King's creditors a certain percentage of Kazan's future earnings.
- Pete the Dog was born as Pal. He was known for Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde (1925), Bear Shooters (1930), The First Seven Years (1930), and Dog Heaven(1930). He of course is best known for playing Spanky's dog in The Little Rascalls. He died on January 28, 1946 in Los Angeles, Californians, USA.93 total acting credits, 24-35.
Partner Doreen Turner
Western Vengeance (1924). 1924
Western Vengeance (1924). 1924. - Spike was born in 1952 in California, USA. He was an actor, known for The Silent Call (1961) and Lassie (1954). He died in 1962 in California, USA.
- Rin Tin Tin II is known for The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1954), Route 66 (1960) and Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (1948).
- Ace the Wonder Dog is known for The Rookie Cop (1939), Orphans of the Street (1938) and The Monster Maker (1944).2 westerns, 42, 46.
Pal, Ray Middleton, in The Girl from Alaska (1942). 1942.
God's Country (1946). 1946. - Beans the Dog is known for Heaven on Earth (1931), Cyclone of the Range (1927) and The Wyoming Wildcat (1925).4 westerns, 26-31.
Partner Frankie Darro, Tom and His Pals (1926). 1926.
Partner Tom Tyler, The Sonora Kid (1927). 1927. - Blaze is known for The Adventures of Champion (1955) and Sky King (1951).
- Boots is known for Happy Anniversary (2018).
- Boots was a talented German shepherd who had appeared in several motion pictures and onstage in live animal acts that entertained American audiences for many years. He died in New York after suffering a stroke at the ripe old age of sixteen. Boots' master was the Hollywood animal trainer Bert Rose (or Ross).
- Buck the Dog is known for Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island (1936).
- Bullet the Dog is known for Ranchers and Rascals (1925), Payable on Demand (1924) and The Loser's End (1924).
- Bunk the Dog is known for Gallopin' Through (1923), The Fighting Three (1927) and Red Hot Leather (1926).Red Hot Leather (1926). 1926.
- Caesar the Dog is known for Trailing the Killer (1932).
- Captain King of Dogs is known for Courage of the North (1935) and Timber Terrors (1935).
- 9 westerns, 1949-1954.
- Cinders is known for 'Til There Was You (1997).Night Mail (1957). 1957.
- Dynamite the Dog is known for The Call of the Heart (1928), The Hound of Silver Creek (1928) and The Four-Footed Ranger (1928).
- Flash the Dog is known for The Flaming Signal (1932), Call the Mesquiteers (1938) and Shadows of the Night (1928).
- King is known for The Proud Rebel (1958).
- Leader the Dog is known for The Return of Grey Wolf (1926).
- Lightning is known for When Lightning Strikes (1934), Man's Best Friend (1935) and White Fang (1936).Two in Revolt (1936). 1936.
- Lobo the Marvel Dog is known for Guard That Girl (1935) and Thunderbolt (1935).
- Mister Barker the Dog is known for Ruggles of Red Gap (1923).1 western,
Ruggles of Red Gap (1923). 1923. - Nanette the Dog is known for Tracked by the Police (1927), Land of the Silver Fox (1928) and The Test (1935).
- Pal the dog (a Rough Collie) was born on June 8, 1940 in North Hollywood, California, USA. He is best known and remembered for Lassie Come Home (1943) and Courage of Lassie (1946), The Painted Hills (1951). Though he was a male, he received notoriety for playing the famous character Lassie. He was retired from acting in 1954, and died in 1958. His life and memories of him live on in his movies and T.V. appearances.
- Sandow the Dog is known for The Call of the Wilderness (1926), Avenging Fangs (1927) and Code of the Northwest (1926).
- Smokey the Dog is known for Sign of the Wolf (1941).
- Silver King the Dog is known for Rusty Rides Alone (1933) and On the Great White Trail (1938).
- Smokey the Dog is known for Sign of the Wolf (1941).Pal, Tommy Bupp.
- Strongheart, the German shepherd who was a canine superstar of American cinema, was born and raised in Imperial Germany, where he was trained to be a police dog and assigned to the German military during World War I. Called "Etzel von Oringer," the German shepherd was born on October 1, 1917, descended from a carefully bred line. Trained as an attack dog, the 125-pound (57 kilograms) Strongheart was fearless. American director Laurence Trimble, who was famous as an animal trainer, and his wife, Jane Murfin, a screenwriter, had been searching Europe for a dog that could appear in motion pictures. When Trimble came across the three-year-old Strongheart in 1920, he knew he had the makings of a canine star.
The major problem Trimble faced was that, trained as a police dog, Strongheart had not socialized much with human beings. Back in Hollywood, it took Trimble months to train the dog in order to de-emphasize his harsh police dog-style training. Trimble had the dog by his side virtually non-stop for months, continually rewarding him for good behavior. Eventually, Strongheart's prior police habits were broken as his Libra personality came to the fore, and he was turned into a magnificently trained animal. However, certain aspects of his flat-footed past remained with him: Blessed with great instincts, particularly regarding the moral character of strangers, the dog would track people of dubious morality.
There were many canine stars of silent movies, including Teddy, the Great Dane who co-starred with a young Gloria Swanson, the collie Jean at Vitagraph, and the English pit bull Luke. In the 1920's, a group of German shepherd dogs romped on-screen and became stars, with Strongheart and `Rin Tin Tin' the most prominent among them.
His first movie, "The Silent Call" (1921), bore Trimble's expectations out, making Strongheart a star, beloved by movie-goers of all ages. Strongheart was given the star treatment, traveling by train to make personal appearances, at which he was greeted by crowds of adoring fans. He was written up in newspapers and magazines, and even the radio proclaimed "Strongheart" a star. A dog food named after him became popular and is still being produced over three-quarters of a century later. In the ultimate accolade, J. Allen Boone wrote two books about the shepherd, "Letters to Strongheart" and "Kinship with All Life."
Strongheart appeared in "Brawn of the North" (1922), "The Love Master" (1924), "White Fang" (1925), "North Star" (1925) and "The Return of Boston Blackie" (1927). Love came his way when he was paired with Lady Jule, a female German Shepherd who co-starred with him. The happy canine couple produced many litters, including offspring who would sire pups who grew up to be movie stars themselves.
The Trimbles placed a plaque over Strongheart's bed that contained a quote from the Book of Job: "Ask the very beasts, and they will teach you."
Tragedy struck down Strongheart at the height of his career, when he slipped and was burned by a studio light. The burn rapidly turned into a tumor and claimed Strongheart's life on or around June 24, 1929.
Strongheart's grandson "Lightning" was a canine movie star in the the 1930's, appearing in "A Dog of Flanders," "Wings in the Dark," and "When Lightning Strikes." Another grandson, "Silver King," also appeared in the movies and made personal appearances as part of a safety program for children.White Fang (1925). 1925. - Tornado the Dog is known for Heroes of the Wild (1927).
- Tuffy was born in 1930 in a hole in a haystack in the Cheyenne Indian Reservation on what they called Red Coat Creek, near Faith, South Dakota. Cowboy-owner Ger Orvedahl decided to make that little black, white, and tan Australian shepherd/collie mix the best-trained and most useful cow dog in the area. Ger believed in obedience and discipline. He began training Tuffy when he was six weeks old with food commands. Tuffy was not allowed to eat unless Ger told him he could, and he had to stop eating when Ger so commanded. Tuffy learned to bring many articles as they were called for by name, including a raw egg from the barn. Tuffy was often sent to lead the horse to Ger. Later Tuffy learned many hand signals by first using them with spoken commands. Although Tuffy's training was utilitarian, Ger recognized the theatrical potential of Tuffy's stunts. Tuffy's first booked show was on a bargain day Saturday in Faith, South Dakota, probably in 1932. The show was announced over a speaker, and people gathered on Main Street. The show consisted mainly of the food stunts; bringing articles such as a tobacco can, a handkerchief, an ear of corn, and a wrapped package of meat; and leading the horse from about 75 feet down the street. People were amazed at what a common cow dog could be taught, and Ger received some offers to buy, but by this time he was beginning to realize that Tuffy could be more valuable as something besides a cow dog. Ger took Tuffy to Hollywood in March 1935. Early months were lean. Their break came when Tully Marshall stopped at the filling station adjoining the place where they were staying. While his car was being serviced, the veteran actor made friends first with Tuffy and then with Ger. Marshall mentioned the dog's talents to a production manager at Paramount, who gave Tuffy a tryout. On September 29 Tuffy was given a minor part in _Nevada (1936)_, a western picture. The next film that he appeared in, also a western, was Drift Fence (1936). These films were shot at Pine Knot, in the California mountains. Producer Walter Wanger and director Henry Hathaway came to that location to film the picture The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936). After seeing Tuffy work on "Nevada" and "Drift Fence," Wanger had a part written into the script of "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" for him. Originally, the script had no part for a dog. Over the next few years, Tuffy appeared in numerous films, including two serials, Hawk of the Wilderness (1938) and Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939). He also played the title role in The Mighty Treve (1937), a movie based on an Albert Payson Terhune novel. He has a strong role in four Jack Luden westerns: Rolling Caravans (1938), Stagecoach Days (1938), Pioneer Trail (1938), and Phantom Gold (1938). Parts in those movies were written to showcase his many talents. Tuffy left Hollywood in 1941 after what can best be described as a nervous breakdown during the filming of _Brigham Young (1941)_. He gave shows and made appearances at movie theaters showing "The Mighty Treve" until 1946, when, at the age of 16, he had to be put down.1930-
5 westerns, 1937-1938. - White Fawn the Dog is known for His Master's Voice (1925) and The Phantom of the Forest (1926).
- Wolfang is known for The Silent Code (1935).The Silent Code (1935). 1935
- Wolfheart the Dog is known for Courage of Wolfheart (1925), Fangs of Wolfheart (1925) and The Big Stunt (1925).
- Yukon King is known for Sergeant Preston of the Yukon (1955).
- Zip is known for Last of the Dogmen (1995).Last of the Dogmen (1995). 1995.