Animal Actors in Film and on Television

Golden Cloud and Bamboo Harvester might not be household names, but you have likely seen their work. The former was the palomino stallion that played Trigger in many of Roy Rogers’ early Westerns. The latter was the palomino gelding that famously portrayed Mister Ed for six seasons on CBS.

Animal actors have been winning people’s hearts since the early days of film and television. Hollywood has even honored three dogs with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame:

• Lassie, originally portrayed by a rough collie named Pal and subsequently played by his descendants

• Rin Tin Tin, a German shepherd who appeared in 27 Hollywood films and regularly got top billing

• Strongheart (born Etzel von Oeringen), a German shepard who was a major silent film star and got top billing in 1925’s “White Fang”

One dog who is surprisingly left off this list is Skippy, the wire fox terrier who famously played Asta in 1934’s “The Thin Man” and also appeared in the screwball classics “Bringing Up Baby” and “The Awful Truth.” Also notably excluded is Terry, the cairn terrier forever immortalized as Toto in 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz.”

Speaking of dogs, at Broadway Stages we are thrilled that an adorable and talented pooch is performing on one of our soundstages. If you’ve watched the first season of HBO’s hit series “The Gilded Age,” then you have seen the work of London, the two and a half-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel who plays Ada Brook’s (Cynthia Nixon) lapdog Pumpkin. This is his first acting gig, and his trainer Steve Mcauliff of Animal Actors International Inc. says that London loves everyone in the cast, and they all love him back.

Trainer Kim Krafsky works with London on-set, but Mcauliff trained him on the basics: sit, stay, speak, and the all-important how to hit a mark – a key skill for any actor, human or not. Mcauliff said that dogs like London were popular with aristocrats in England during the Gilded Age, and when wealthy people in America saw them in paintings sitting on women’s laps, they wanted them here too.

London is white with chestnut markings (coloring known as Blenheim). His white muzzle features a prominent reddish-brown spot to the lower right of his nose that distinguishes him from other dog actors. When he isn’t acting, London can be found tugging on braided rope toys and playing with anything that squeaks.

The Hollywood office of the American Humane Association used to honor animal actors with the annual PATSY award (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year). Previous winners include Francis the talking mule (who starred in seven films between 1950 and 1956) and Orangey the cat, who won twice – first for 1951’s “Rhubarb” and a decade later for “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Many dogs, cats, horses, a goose, two lions, a tiger, and a bear (oh my!) have also won the coveted film prize that was last awarded in 1974. In 1958, television actors were awarded as well, and winners included the various dolphins that played Flipper and the pigs that portrayed Arnold Ziffel on “Green Acres.” Had the award continued, surely Bart the bear and Crystal the monkey would have been recognized for their contributions to the film industry.

In 2001, the Cannes Film Festival added a new award called the Palm Dog. Famous recipients include Uggie, the Parson Russell terrier who starred in “The Artist” and stood on stage with his co-stars at the 2012 Oscars when his film won Best Picture. He also did some tricks on the red carpet at the Golden Globes that year.

Mcauliff is grateful that film and television directors have the option to yell “cut” since animals can be unpredictable. He started training animals for Broadway shows in the 1970s and suffered some embarrassment when a camel decided to lay down practically on top of an actor playing a wise man during a performance at Radio City Music Hall. London has been very well-behaved and professional, only ad libbing on occasion to lick a co-star’s face.

Will London return for season two of “The Gilded Age?” We’ll let you know as soon as we find out. But in the meantime, check out the work of the aforementioned notable animal actors and keep in mind all the people behind-the-scenes who train them with compassion (and lots of treats) so they can bring us joy. And if you want to learn more about famous dog actors, watch this video tribute from IMDB.