Saturday 4 March 2017

Spike's Delight



Spike was a muscular yellow Mastador (a cross between a mastiff and a Labrador retriever) who weighed well over 170 pounds. Rescued for $3 from a Van Nuys shelter, he became the pet and star pupil of the movie animal trainer Frank Weatherwax. Spike appeared in episodes of several television shows during the 1950’s and 1960’s, including The Mickey Mouse Club, The Westerner and Lassie. You can catch a glimpse of him in movies as well, like The She Creature, The Silent Call, What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? and A Dog of Flanders. But his most memorable role was the title character in Old Yeller. Like The Wizard of Oz and Star Wars, Old Yeller is more than just a movie; it’s a part of our culture. You’d be hard-pressed to find an adult who doesn’t know the story, or who didn’t cry at the end. Not bad for a lop-eared mongrel.

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