Finally, this time has come and cinemas are starting to open, with all the restrictions, but still it happened! And slowly, slowly, but completely new pictures begin to appear on the screens, and not just reruns and VOD releases.
One of these films was the family adventure film “Lassie. Returning Home” is a new version of the legendary story about the most famous collie dog in world cinema. Why not remember the 3 most prominent dog actors in the history of cinema?
Lassie, but actually Pal
Lassie
It so happened historically that the girl “Lassie” was always played by males. And the first to play this role was a dog named Pal.
Pal was not an “actor,” and what’s more, he wasn’t an obedient pet either. He chased vehicles, especially the first motorcycles, and never stopped barking. So he ended up with trainer Red Weatherwax, who was able to cope with the barking, but not with the tricks and speed of Pal. At the same time, the MGM studio in the 1940s was making a small “film revolution” – working on the first big release from the “cute animal movies” category.
Weatherwax was invited as the head trainer and took Pal as an understudy, but the agile collie charmed everyone and got his first big movie role. I also found a common language with the cast, including the charming young Elizabeth Taylor, for whom the first “Lassie.” Coming Home” became a film debut, as well as for Pal.
In total, the four-legged actor played in six films about Lassie and two TV series, and ten generations of his descendants still play the role of Lassie. Including in the new film version of Eric Knight’s book “Lassie. Homecoming”.
By the way, it was “Lassie” who barked the way for other dogs in the big movie while running after motorcycles. For this reason, the character remains so far the only animal to have its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Jack, in real life – Uggs
Jack
“The Artist” by Michel Hazanavicius is known not only for his numerous Oscars, the status of one of the most atmospheric films of the 21st century, but also for the incredibly charming best friend of the main character, nicknamed Jack.
The dog was played by little Uggie, a Jack Russell terrier from Florida, whose search probably took longer than it took to cast most of the human actors in “The Artist.” Okay, maybe we exaggerated here, because Hazanavicius originally wanted to star Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, but the general idea is clear.
As a puppy, Uggie also seemed to be as uncontrollable as Pal had been when, fortunately, he had a successful trainer join him in his upbringing. Ten years later, he would become the first dog to leave a paw print outside the Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, an honor previously only given to movie stars. In fact, he became one, and ended up on stage at the Academy Awards when his colleague Jean Dujardin accepted his award for Best Actor. Ugg also played in the film “Water for Elephants!” in the same 2011.
In 2015, the dog’s owner, Omar Von Muller, decided to euthanize his friend so that Uggie would not continue to suffer from the tumor. And yes, even a memoir was published on behalf of the famous dog – “Uggs, my story.” We’re not surprised.
The same Beethoven – Chris
Beethoven
We cannot help but notice the general similarity: and again we have before us the story of a famous dog who was extremely restive and disobedient. St. Bernard Chris, who played in the first two parts of the family comedy “Beethoven,” was a real “diva” until they found the right approach to him. A familiar story. What’s wrong with that, you say? After all, human actors are quite “divas” with complex characters. and we agree with you.
The difference is that with the right training, Chris became a real sweetheart. That even one of the most difficult and gloomy Hollywood actors, Charles Grodin, who played the father of the Newton family, to whom the wayward, but so charming Beethoven ends up, loved the dog with all his heart. And when a financial conflict arose between Chris’s coach and the film’s producer, Grodin stood up to defend the rights of the charming Chris.
After two films, Chris retired, living his days in peace and accepting numerous invitations to film, which were unceremoniously rejected with real diva tenacity.