This past Tuesday, August twenty-six, was National Dog Day. Yes, an entire day dedicated to celebrating the devotion between man and his best friend.
And coincidentally, (or maybe not) there was one of the world’s most famous celebrity canine BFF’s on the front page of last Sunday’s edition New York Times.
Lassie. In all his/her regal glory.
Gender bender sidebar: If you’re wondering why I used both pronouns, it’s because Lassie – though a female fictional dog character- has always been played by a male. Better coat.
Lassie rated the front page- albeit below the fold- because DreamWorks Animation, which gained control in 2012 of the diminished brand, has “unleashed” a comeback campaign to end all comebacks.
Lassie is about to become a merchandising mega-star.
All over again.
This comes as no surprise to me. I have loved him/her since 1954.
I remember being riveted to the tv set on Sunday nights. Lassie was on and nothing in heaven or earth could move me.
And when they held up a Lassie puppy and said you could win it if you just wrote in to the show…
I learned to write. I sent letter after letter in to the sponsors hoping to be the lucky new owner of an adorable collie puppy.
But it was no (flea) soap. And many long years before my dog-phobic mother would allow me a real dog of my very own.
After an eternity of waiting, Beau- a smart, handsome cream-colored miniature poodle- came into our lives during my seventh grade year.
But until then, I would have to content myself with pups of the video kind.
Lassie might have been the first tv dog I loved, but he/she was soon followed by Rin Tin Tin. I loved that regal guy. He was so smart and brave and athletic. I wanted to join B Company just to be near him.
Then there was Yukon King- another magnificent German Shepherd- on Sergeant Preston of the Yukon.
These two shows gave me a lifelong passion for German Shepherds.
And I finally fulfilled my childhood ambition when I bought Fritz and Onda, my two magnificent German Shepherds. (That wish took about forty years to fulfill- but that made it all the sweeter.)
Here’s Fritz.
After Rinty and King came Cleo of The People’s Choice. Cleo was a talking Bassett Hound, and if you’re not old enough to remember this show, some things just have to be seen to be believed.
(Maybe this is why later, after I had grown up, I also had two Bassets- Groucho and Bunny Berigan.)
Then there was Tramp, a mutt I think, from My Three Sons, and White Shadow, a white German Shepherd from Walt Disney’s Corky and White Shadow serial.
BONUS TRIVIA QUESTION: Who was White Shadow’s love interest on the show? (No fair, Rickey Freeman. I’ve asked you this one before.)
There was Asta, the wired-hair fox terrier on the tv version of The Thin Man. He competed for my affection with Peter Lawford. I was mad about both of them when I was a tot.
There was Pete- with the circle around his eye- from the Our Gang comedies.
And who could forget Neil, the ghostly St. Bernard with a taste for brandy on Topper?
I always loved Duke, the bloodhound, on The Beverly Hillbillies. (You could keep Ellie May and her “critters.” I wanted Duke.)
By the time Hart to Hart and Freeway hit the airwaves, I had been a seasoned dog owner.
But years later in Aspen, Robert Wagner and I had bonded over a meaningful moment at a party- we shared the same vet- and later on, he autographed his autobiography, Pieces Of My Heart this way:
“To Ellen and Fritz. With all my love and happiness. Always, Robert Wagner. You wonderful dog lover.
Sigh. I had fallen for handsome R.J. when I saw him in A Night To Remember and Stars and Stripes Forever. He was older now but still a heartbreaker.
And I have a terrific photograph of Nick- then fourteen- and Buck, the Briard, from Married… with Children. As a birthday treat, I had taken Nick on the set and he was grinning ear to ear as he posed with the canine of his tv dreams.
Sadly, for the first time in my adult life, I am dog-less. I’m just too busy at the moment to be owned by another dog.
But still I fight the urge every day not to rush out and get a puppy.
So for now, I’ve got to be happy with Eddie the Jack Russell Terrier from reruns of Frasier and memories of Black Tooth (“the sweetest dog in the United States”) and White Fang (“the meanest dog in the United States”) from the late, great Soupy Sales Show.
But there is always this.
Sending in suggestions to name Rusty’s pony will keep me busy for the next couple of days, I’m sure. I’ve just got to win that contest.
There’s still a Carson’s in Wilmette and a stuffed toy Collie dog with my name on it.
Fetch.
What a fetching post, Ellen! Having grown up without a TV, and in a big city to boot, I cannot contribute much by way of personal experiences–which makes your guided tour of celebrity canines all the more valuable and enlightening.
Everything I know about the subject is from crossword puzzles. For example, ASTA = “Dog star” or (much more difficult) “Star of ‘The Awful Truth’ and ‘Bringing Up Baby'” [those four blank squares are screaming to be filled with ‘CARY’]. And, ahem, excuse me, did you happen to omit mention of a cruciverbalist’s best friend, TOTO? How fitting, then, that August 26 is a special date not only for the stars of your post, but for the Puzzle Master himself.
Now with fall is almost upon us, I can share a relatively easy puzzle, called “A Summer’s Tail, “which was co-constructed with Marcia Brott who knows a lot more about the subject than I do. Hope you and your readers enjoy it! Woof, woof!!
You can’t be Sirius. I did not neglect to mention Toto. I was talking about TV dog stars. I realize you don’t know what a television is. It’s that thing on which you watch the US Open. And thanks for the puzzle. Very nice. You deserve a (dog) treat.
My bad, Ellen, for not realizing that you were restricting the seminar to TV dogs. I now understand that ASTA–who I knew only from the movies–made it to the small screen too. Finally, kudos to you for the “Sirius” line, which is hereby nominated to the Riposte Hall of Fame.
Thanks, Doc. My tail is wagging.
Dogs are great. I love all those dogs and the shepherds on “Cops” that attack the bad guys. I too owned a shepard (Gretchen ) a great, loyal dog that loved me and my family but would scare off all passerbys. I had a few before her too. They are family and anyone who abuses animals should be locked up and be put to sleep!
My goodness, Eric. You are fired up this morning. Thanks for the “Cops” addition. Nice one.
Laa O Laa O. I loved White Fang and Black Tooth on Soupy Sales!
Very nice sound effects! “And remember, kids. Always cross the street with the light. If you can pull it out of the cement.”
Let’s not forget about Pookie.
Never. Check this out. pooky on soupy sales
Great show!!! Great Clips!!
Yes, maybe I should dedicate an entire post to the genius of Soupy Sales. Remember when he asked all the kids to sneak into their parents’ wallets and send him a dollar?
You forgot Charlie the wonder dog from the Late Show. Woof woof
Thanks for the memo, Mitch. And very nice double rainbow over Boulder yesterday. Happy holidays.
Hot diggety dog, this is the perfect blog for the Dog Days of August when the heat and humidity get to people, making them meaner than a junk yard dog in this dog eat dog world in which we live. But I try not to let anyone bother me, I just let sleeping dogs lie. As a matter of fact, I think I’m a lucky dog as I sit on my deck and gaze out over the Pacific Ocean, fire up the barby and grill me a couple of dogs. Geez, I hope they don’t make me sick as a dog. Of course, even knowing that hot dogs might not be the best thing for me, I keep consuming them because you just can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
One other thing, I know you work like a dog to get these blogs written, but honestly I don’t know how you write something so fresh and entertaining twice a week. Heck, I’m dog tired just writing this reply. And dog gone it, Ellen, I think the talent you exhibit makes you the top dog in my book. Oops, I’ve got to get back inside because, yes, you guessed it, it’s raining cats and dogs.
Your comment really made me sit up, Steve. A big bag full of Greenies for you, boy!
We have and love Simon, our 19 (!!!) year old Lhasa Apso.
Herbie
Arf! Is he ready for his entry in The Guinness Book? Give him a Liv-a-snap for me!
Pierre, Schnapps, Viking, Roscoe, Corndog, Rita and now Dixie Dingo. All dogs, all gods, each more human than most humans I’ve known.
So true, John. When I die, if I get to go to Heaven, I want to see some of my ex husbands again. And ALL of my dogs.
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. I also loved Lassie, but what about Roy Rogers’ dog… don’t remember his name. As you know, we are German Shepherd people so Rinny wins as the all time favorite. Great piece… loved the film clips. Do you think that 50 years from now our TV clips will look as corny?
I can NOT believe that I forgot Bullet! I knew there was a dog I was missing. I loved Roy and Dale and Trigger and Buttermilk- their horses, too. Thank you for reminding me. And no, we will always be cool.
Ask Mitchell about Pat, my dad’s Irish setter. Truly a champ, both the sire and bitch were national champs and the owner of the kennels wanted to buy him back for show. Offered my dad $1000 for him and this was 1940. Any how Mitch really loved that dog as well as the entire family. You picked a great subject and anyone who has ever had a dog (I resent “owned a dog”) knows full well your enthusiasm. How in the world do you come up with these wonderful thoughts from so many years past? Allan
That’s my job! Thanks, Allan. Glad you enjoy them.