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During the time before dogs were famous through television and YouTube, there was Rin Tin Tin, Hollywood Dog Legend, winning it all with his recognition at the Oscars. He starred in numerous movies in the years since and had a great impact and influence in western cinema – in his own canine way. And he was one of the first to do it, becoming an icon for dog stars that followed suit many years later. In this article by Express UK, let us recall and re-discover the great times of Rin Tin Tin, Hollywood Dog Legend.
RESCUED from German snipers and wealthy enough to employ his own PR team Rin Tin Tin, says a new book, was cinema’s greatest animal performer – years before The Artist’s Uggie.
ANYONE who believes that dogs can’t act has never owned a dog. Or seen The Artist. Following the scene- stealing performance of Uggie the Jack Russell in this new silent movie there is a ground- swell of opinion that animals ought to be recognised at the Oscars.
It is an appropriate moment to recall that Rin Tin Tin, the world’s first canine superstar, won more nominations for best actor than any of his human counterparts in the first Oscars in 1929 despite the fact that there have never been any Academy Awards for animal performances.
In a fit of “peke” the academy ruled out the nominations for Rin Tin Tin (or Rinty as he was known) for fear that the newly formed institution would not be taken seriously. The gong went to German silent movie actor Emil Jannings whose name is now rather less well-remembered than the four-legged star he usurped.
Rin Tin Tin was the Dogfather of canine movie greats. My earliest memory of the big-eared German Shepherd was in US television series The Adventures Of Rin Tin Tin in which week after week the dog would romp to the rescue of the US cavalry in Arizona during the Apache wars of the 1880s as they kept control in the Wild West and sorted out the pesky “injuns”. Rinty was always next to his trusty sidekick, a boy soldier with a turned-back hat called Rusty.
Susan Orlean, whose book Rin Tin Tin: The Life And The Legend Of The World’s Most Famous Dog looks at the phenomenon of the canine actor and his impact on movies and the US consciousness, recalls a similar awareness of the TV series.
Rin Tin Tin proved to have a lot of canine power that even surpassed the capabilities of human actors. In today’s terms, Rinty would be called a “mega-star”! Of course, there have been many dogs that played him over the years. The only dog who may possibly be more well known is Lassie.
The current Rin Tin Tin is twelfth in line from the original and makes personal appearances across the country to promote responsible pet ownership. The authentic Rin Tin Tin line dogs are also trained as service dogs to provide assistance to special needs children.
Though many dog artists may come and go, Rin Tin Tin is truly one of the most remarkable ones in the history of dog cinema. Maybe the only legacy left of him in this world is the continuation of canines getting their spot at the limelight and a chance to prove their worth as man’s best friend, in an aesthetic and inspiring way. Let’s all give a salute to Rin Tin Tin, Hollywood dog legend.
