Dogs in Space!

3/15/2010

Today we'll look at Skippy, better known as Asta of the Thin Man films with Myrna Loy and William Powell. Skippy not only played in the Thin Man movies as Asta, but also starred in the Awful Truth with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, and Bringing Up Baby. He had other films to his credit, and during the depression, Skippy pulled down a salary of $250 per week.

For you crossword puzzle fans, you know that Asta is often the answer to a "dog star" clue. In the book, The Thin Man, Asta was a Schnauzer as Dashiell Hammet wrote him.

In the movies, Asta was no hero. He usually stayed clear when the shooting started, and was scared of cats and the dark. But heroic or not, Asta clearly added to the already immense appeal of the Thin Man movies. And in The Awful Truth, Skippy played an integral role in the plot. He sang with Cary Grant, broke up Irene Dunne's engagement to Oklahoma rube and oilman Ralph Bellamy, and even acted as a witness in court in Grant and Dunne's divorce proceedings.

Old news first-- more dog words and phrases include dog gone it and puppy love. I lost my list of more but will occasionally update.

For favorite cartoon dog I have two more votes. Santa's Little Helper, a rescued Greyhound from the Simpsons, and Doggie Daddy who had a voice like Jimmy Durante.

Check out another dog in space above. This one is Moo.

Finally, congrats to Moo's owners, Brad and Lauren Fowler (my daughter and son-in-law), they're going to have a baby! Yea!

Tomorrow there will probably not be a new post.