In honor of Sunday’s Oscars, we wanted to share with you a few of our favorite four-legged actors from cinematic history. These “Top 5 Furry Costars in Film” come from a range of genres and almost eight decades of movies.
1) Lassie from “Lassie Come Home” (1943)
If you ask someone to name a famous dog from film, they will more than likely mention the sweet collie that first traveled on the silver screen from Scotland to Yorkshire to be reunited with the boy she loves. Throughout further sequels and remakes, the plots have changed, but two important things have stayed the same – Lassie saves the day, and she remains one the greatest examples of man’s best friend.
2) Milo from “The Mask” (1994)
Another great, four-legged comedic character, Milo in “The Mask” proves to be a perfect companion to Jim Carey’s shy and neurotic Stanley Ipkiss, a man whose life is changed when he stumbles upon a mystical mask that changes him into a cartoonish, wild, and slightly dangerous character. Max, the Jack Russell Terrier that plays Milo, ends up playing a pivotal role in saving the day – but not without some fantastic physical tricks and gags!
3) Jack from “The Artist” (2011)
Before the 2012 Oscars, it had been a long time since a dog featured on the big screen had received so much attention. But Uggie, the Jack Russell Terrier trained to play Jack in 2011’s “The Artist” did such a remarkable job in the film that his talents were requested for numerous interviews before and after the movie’s premiere – sometimes ahead of the other leading cast members! He was even invited to walk the red carpet with the rest of the cast at the American Film Institute’s premiere of “The Artist,” and has since been a spokes-dog for Nintendo and PETA.
4) Hooch from “Turner and Hooch” (1989)
In “Turner and Hooch,” Tom Hanks plays a policeman hired to solve a murder, and Beasley, the French Mastiff who plays Hooch, is the closest thing to a witness the police department can find. To keep Hooch safe from going to the pound (and being put to sleep), Hanks’ Detective Turner adopts the dog, creating one of the most dynamic and charming crime-solving duos of the 20th century.
5) Baby from “Bringing Up Baby” (1938)
We couldn’t forget about one of cinema’s greatest felines in our list of “Top 5 Furry Costars”. Although only on screen for a few minutes, the leopard Nissa, who plays “Baby” in 1938’s “Bringing Up Baby” alongside Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant, completely steals the show. Baby is a tame leopard sent to Hepburn’s character, Susan. In a terrible mix-up, Baby is confused with a leopard that has escaped from the circus. Luckily, everything turns out well (especially for the leading lady and leading man), but in this case, it’s probably best to not follow Hepburn’s example… it’s hard to find daycare and grooming for exotic animals!
Who did we miss? Are there other important four-legged stars from the silver screen that we forgot to mention?