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Rocky's idols |
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." Rocky, “Leatherheads” 2007
Blair – She was the pioneer in our business. When she rescued a kidnapped baby in the 1905 film “Rescued by Rover”, it put us canines on the map. That film also made Rover a popular name. Lassie – I have every episode Lassie ever made, including the first one created by Eric (Knight) that was published as a short story in the Saturday Evening Post in 1938. Did you know all the Lassies were male? Yelp! Goofy – I’ve got to tell you that I loved watching Goofy in Mickey’s Revue (1932). He was called Dippy Dawg back then. I got some of my comedic routines by studying Goofy. Can you tell? Rin Tin Tin – He was this country’s first native canine movie star. The story goes, as Rin Tin Tin told me, he was born in Germany during World War I. He was rescued from the trenches as a puppy and brought here by Lee Duncan, an American pilot in World War I, who was also his trainer. I have a lot of respect for our service canines. Rin, only his closest friends called him that, signed every one of his 25 movie contracts with a paw print. He was his studio’s major wage earner, earning about $5 million at the height of his success. Eddie – He was cute, as Jack Russell Terriers go, in the comedy series “Frasier”. The one thing about Eddie, he sure lived with a dysfunctional family. Spuds MacKenzie – Two words – “Party On!” Underdog – The Muhammad Ali of super-canines who talked in rhymes. All together now: “Oh where, oh where has my Underdog gone?” Petey – Was that bow wow (American Pit Bull Terrier) cute or what? Petey and I were discussing his role with “The Little Rascals” at a spa and he told me the ring around his eye was actually drawn on. It changed from one side to the next between seasons of the TV show. I told Petey that’s where I drew the line with George during our negotiations. No paint and no tattoos. |
We got Rocky in a melancholy mood and asked him to reflect on some of his idols.