Skippy (dog)
Skippy portraying "Asta" in
After the Thin Man (1936) |
|
| Other name(s) | Asta |
|---|---|
| Species | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Breed | Wire Fox Terrier |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 1931 |
| Occupation | Dog actor |
| Notable role |
|
| Years active | 1934–1941 |
| Owner | Henry East and Gale Henry |
Skippy (also known as Asta, born 1931 or 1932; retired 1941) was a Wire Fox Terrier dog actor who appeared in dozens of movies during the 1930s. Skippy is best known for the role of the pet dog "Asta" in the 1934 detective comedy The Thin Man, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. Due to the popularity of the role, Skippy is sometimes credited as Asta in public and in other films.
Skippy was trained by his owners Henry East and Gale Henry East, and also by Frank Weatherwax and assistant trainers Rudd Weatherwax and Frank Inn.
In 1936, Skippy and several other movie dogs were profiled in the book Dog Stars of Hollywood by Gertrude Orr. At the time Skippy was said to be four and a half years old, giving him a birth year of 1931–32. He was said to be one of the most intelligent of animal stars then working in pictures. In addition to verbal commands, he also worked to hand cues, essential for a dog performing in sound films. His training began when he was three months old, and he made his first professional film appearances at the age of one year, in 1932–33, as a bit player providing "atmosphere." In Orr's book Skippy was shown in a series of publicity shots with Wendy Barrie in It's a Small World, Mae Clarke in The Daring Young Man and Mary Carlisle in an unidentified film. He became a star overnight in The Thin Man (1934).
Skippy also made a hit as "Mr. Smith" in the 1937 film The Awful Truth, in which his character was the subject of a custody dispute between characters portrayed by Cary Grant and Irene Dunne (in a gaffe, Cary Grant wrestles and plays with "Mr. Smith" but can be heard distinctly calling him "Skippy").
...
Wikipedia