A common belief in Hollywood is that there are two sets of actors that are notoriously difficult to work with: animals and children.However, the old adage dates back to the beginnings of the film industry, when both of those groups were often treated with much less respect and much higher expectations than should really ever be demanded of them. Thankfully, laws have since been put in place to help stop impressionable youngsters and cute critters from being exploited. The stories of some of the most famous animal actors from back in the day, though, just break my heart. Despite all the smiles they inspired in us with their sweet faces, I had no idea how much pain and misunderstanding was going on behind the scenes.
1.Mr. Ed (Horse). Official statements of Bamboo Harvester, the Palomino famous for playing Mr. Ed, claim he was euthanized at Snodgrass Farm in Tahlequah, OK, after suffering several ailments in his old age. However, his co-star, Alan Young, believes that it was just a cover story. According to Young, Harvester was actually retired to a farm in California, and he would often visit the horse there. He says that after falling one day, Harvester struggled to get back up because of his hefty weight and that the substitute caretaker on hand that day gave him a fatal dose of tranquilizer. The horse in Oklahoma, Young explains, was actually a stand-in that was used for still photos and publicity packets.
2.Rin Tin Tin (Dog) The gorgeous German shepherd was rescued by an American soldier, Lee Duncan, from the terrifying battlefields of WWI as a young pup. His owner and audience across the nation were all heartbroken by “Rinty’s” death in 1932. Duncan, who was suffering financially, could barely afford to have the canine’s remains shipped back to his native France to rest at a famous pet cemetery.
3.Flipper (Dolphin) There were five dolphins cast in the 1960s series titular role, but a female named Kathy was the one used most frequently for filming due to her gentle nature. Her owner, Ric O’Barry, who captured and trained all five of the dolphin actors, quickly changed his tune after the series wrapped and became an activist against holding animals in captivity after Kathy passed away in his arms. He believes she was too depressed to resurface from the waters one day. O’Barry founded the Dolphin Project in her honor to educate the public and hopefully free captive dolphins.
