The demand for Hollywood animal trainers is expected to grow by 11% from now to the end of the decade. Animation and CGI may be on the rise, but there’s something special about seeing a real animal on screen.
Many of these lovable creatures have risen to fame. They come from all species, including dogs, monkeys, marine mammals, and even intimidating creatures such as bears. They’re all well-trained actors who deserve as much recognition as their human co-stars.
Like and subscribe for more on the lives of these memorable creatures. Keep watching to learn about the most famous animals in Hollywood that were never seen again.
Toto
Toto of Wizard of Oz fame may be the most famous film dog of all time. He was played by a Cairn Terrier whose real name was Terry until it was changed to Toto officially. Her first film credit was the 1934 film Ready for Love. She also appeared with Shirley Temple in Bright Eyes that same year.
Toto earned $125 per week, which is approximately $2,300 today. That was more than most of the human actors who played the Munchkins earned.
Toto died in 1945 at the age of 11 and has a memorial at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Pal
Pal the Rough Collie played another one of the most famous film dogs of all time; the ever-loyal Lassie. He first won the part in the 1943 film Lassie Come Home.
His trainability led to him playing the part in 6 other movies. He was one of the most popular of the 9 dogs who played the part during its run.
Pal retired to a life of luxury in 1954 with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star to show for his work. He also had 5 puppies who also went on to follow in his footsteps playing Lassie after his death of old age in 1958.
Rin Tin Tin
Rin Tin Tin may not be as recognizable to today’s audiences, but he was a major star in his day. The original German Shepard, nicknamed Rinnie, was rescued from a battlefield in France during WWI. He starred in 27 movies and shot up the popularity of his breed before his death in 1932.
His descendants went on to star in other films during the ’30s, including the 1947 film The Return of Rin Tin Tin. There was also a TV series from 1954-1959, and even 3 different radio shows from 1930-1955.
Benji
Trainer Frank Inn discovered a mutt named Higgins at a shelter. He was a mutt with a mix of Border Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, and Schnauzer, but he turned out to be highly trainable.
His first job was a recurring role on Petticoat Junction where he appeared in 163 episodes. That later led to the 1974 movie and its many sequels that starred his daughter Benjean.
Moonie
Elle’s chihuahua Bruiser was a staple of the hit 2001 film Legally Blonde. The dog who portrayed him was named Moonie. The film’s human star Reese Witherspoon fell in love with him and brought him along to her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2010.
Moonie died in 2016 after a charmed, 18-year-long life.
Uggie
Uggie the Jack Russell Terrier was rescued from a dog pound by trainer Omar Von Mueller. He first appeared in the 2011 film Water for Elephants then moved on to play Jack in the silent film The Artist.
Uggie was put to sleep in August of 2015 after a battle with prostate cancer, but he made a major impact on the film. He was the first dog to get his pawprints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Fans set up a Consider Uggie campaign to get him a Best Actor award. He won the Cannes Film Festival’s Palm Dog of Palm Dog Awards, naming him the best on-screen dog of the last 20 years.
Beasley
Beasley the French Mastiff played the lovable Hooch in the 1989 film Turner and Hooch. He was a favorite of original director Henry Winkler, who joked that he was fired partially because he got along better with Hooch than he did with Turner.
Beasley died 3 years after the movie was released in 1992. He lived a long life; 14 is twice the lifespan of the average French Mastiff.
Clyde
Marley and Me used several labradors to portray the title throughout the story of his life and tragic death. One named Clyde did most of the work. His trainer Mark Forbes said he was as mischievous as his character. He’s only had a few small parts since then, including direct-to-video movies and the 2015 movie A Dogwalker’s Christmas Tale.
Spike
Spike became famous after Disney executives discovered him and decided he’d be perfect for the role of Old Yeller. The success of that film earned him plenty of other roles, including films such as A Dog from Flanders and The Sea-Creature. He also appeared on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club to entertain his many child fans.
Like and subscribe to Facts Verse for more on the most unlikely stars of our time. Keep watching to learn about more famous film animals that were never seen again.
Mister Ed
Mister Ed was a CBS sitcom that ran from 1961-1966. It detailed the daily life of a man who’s shocked to learn that his horse can talk back to him. The famous horse was played by a palomino named Bamboo Harvester
Seabiscuit
Several horses shared the role of racehorse Seabiscuit. One was allegedly chosen just to get shots of him lying down.
The most famous of the bunch was named Popcorn Deelites. He was already a successful racer and made the laps around the track look more realistic and thrilling. He eventually retired and lived at the Old Friends retirement community in Kentucky.
Golden Cloud
Roy Rodgers got to select his own horse for his famous films and TV series. He chose Golden Cloud out of his 4 options and changed his name to Trigger. He turned out to be the best choice and was known for tricks such as dancing on command.
Golden Cloud became so famous that he had a comic book dedicated to him. After he died in 1965, Roy even had him stuffed and mounted and put him on display at the Roy Rodgers Museum.
Highland Dale
Highland Dale was a famous black stallion that appeared in a range of TV shows and movies from the 40’s-60s. His most famous were The Black Stallion and Fury. He also knew plenty of impressive tricks such as playing dead and untying knots.
Blanco
Blanco was an Andalusian horse who played Gandalf’s steed Shadowfax in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Australian horse trainer Cynthia Royal purchased him after his work was done. He became ill in December 2013 and died in March 2014. Cynthia said he was her soulmate in a fur suit.
Crystal
Crystal is a capuchin monkey who managed to get plenty of film and TV roles. Her first was as a baby in George of the Jungle. Others include films such as The Hangover Part II and Night at the Museum and TV shows such as Community. Her role on Animal Practice earned her owner Tom Gunderson $12,000 per episode, which is twice as much as many human actors.
Katie
Katie is another Capuchin monkey who rose to fame, and all it took was a role in one of the most famous sitcoms of all time. She played Ross’s pet Marcel for 1 season. She also shared the part with another monkey known simply as Monkey.
Manis
Manis played the orangutan Clyde who followed Clint Eastwood’s character in Every Which Way but Loose. He couldn’t be brought in for the sequel, Any Which Way You Can, because the filmmakers thought he’d aged too much.
PETA made animal rights allegations against them. They said that Manis was mistreated on set, sprayed with mace, and beaten with an iron pipe. They also said that his replacement for the sequel, Buddha, was beaten to death by his trainer. None of these statements were proven.
Manis went back to his normal life after the film ended. He’s still working with his trainer in Las Vegas.
Keiko
Keiko was a killer whale and the star of the Free Willy movies. He was found in Iceland in 1979, moved to a Canadian waterpark, and then taken to Mexico City where Warner Bros found him. They knew his prior training would make him a great fit.
The movies were so popular that they started a Free Keiko movement. He was put back into the wild in 2002 after 5 years of training, but he wasn’t ready to hunt for his food. He returned to his pen but died at the age of 26.
Flipper
The TV series Flipper ran from 1964-1967. Its original dolphin star was named Suzie, and 5 other dolphins took on the part after her. All of them were females because they were considered less aggressive and easier to train.
Babe
48 piglets played the main character in the 1995 film adaptation of Dick King-Smith’s famous children’s book. They were all sent to live out their days on farms after the 6 weeks of filming were done.
Wrangling the little creatures wasn’t easy, but it did turn out to be worth the effort. The movie earned $250 million at the box office and 7 Oscar nominations.
Bart the Bear
Bart the Bear may not be the most immediately recognizable of all the famous animals in Hollywood, but he had an impressive number of credits. He appeared in The Great Outdoors, On Deadly Ground, and more.
His most successful was the 1988 film The Bear, one of the few Hollywood stories where both of the main characters are bears. It earned $120 million and was a major success.
All of Hollywood loved the gentle bear. He died of cancer at the age of 23 in 2000. His trainer started the Vital Ground Foundation in his honor.
Bart’s son Little Bart is continuing the family legacy. He’s starred in films such as Without a Paddle, Dr. Doolittle 2, and We Bought a Zoo.
Do you have a favorite famous animal? Let us know in the comments below. Like and subscribe for more behind-the-scenes info on your favorite movies that star lovable creatures.
