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particular, useful. Since time immemorial they've been our trusted workmates; hunting with us, tending our flocks and, more recently, nobly and faithfully assisting our disabled, acting as their eyes and ears, even warning as to impending health crises such as epileptic seizures and heart attacks. Yes, dogs have proven useful and stalwart companions, A Pictured with Uggie, featured in The Artist, is director Michel Hazanavicius and his leading lady, Berenice Bejo. but they also happen to be stupendously entertaining, so it was only a matter of time before humankind immortal- ized Canis Familiaris on the silver screen. Hollywood, in fact, boasts a long and proud tradition of launching the careers of canine thespians. ree lucky dogs, Lassie, Rin Tin Tin and silent film star, Strongheart, have even been commemorated on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, visited by some 10 million people annually. e story of dogs in film really begins with Strong- heart whose off-screen name, Etzel Von Oeringen, sounds more like that of a Prussian war hero. is majestic Ger- man Shepherd was brought to the U.S. from his native Germany by filmmakers Jane Murfin and Laurence Trim- ble. Trained as a police dog, Strongheart chose a less dan- gerous path, becoming the first bona fide canine film celebrity. He appeared in several movies, including "North Star" (1925) where he was featured alongside a very young Clark Gable. Success had its price, however, and this Teu- signing and booking dogs for film, TV and commercials. An "all-canine" agency, Zahn's group sets itself apart, working exclusively with "regular people" and their pets, rather than those who train and keep animals for a living. Zahn absolutely loves what she does but, Rodney Dan- gerfield-like, laments the fact that dogs don't get enough respect. "e prop department pretty much books the dog… as a prop. A dog doesn't get residuals. ese animals are so smart and so trained and spend so much time work- ing on their craft, just like a human actor. ere really should be no difference." Poochly performers (and their owners) do take their craft very seriously - some film animal training programs costing in excess of $5000 - but some are simply "to the manner born". "When she's home, she's really just like a little spoiled tonic tail-wagger, not immune to the machinations of celebrity-obsessed opportunists, was wrongly accused of killing a young girl, Sofie Bedard. His good name was cleared, however, and the unfortunate child's parents were prosecuted for perjury. You may visit Strongheart's star in front of 1724 Vine Street (between Yucca Street and Hol- lywood Boulevard). girl," says canine stage mother Patti Negri of her long- haired Dachshund, model/actress Dora Negri-Crutch- field. "But any time she would see a camera, she would sit, she would act, she would do whatever she had to do. I didn't teach her that." A veteran of numerous productions and commercials, Dora is one of the few dogs with her own IMDB page. She's also a featured athlete at Los Alamitos Race Course where she regularly runs at the WINTER 2011 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 35 Rin Tin Tin was rescued from a French WW I battlefield and went on to star in 23 Hollywood films. ncient cave paintings as well as images found in Egyptian palaces, Roman mo- saics, Greek sculpture, you name it, all depict dogs as loyal, majestic and, in Today, canines in show business account for huge numbers at the box office, so when the right shaggy dog story galumphs along, producers are eager to bite. Take, for example "Marley & Me" (2008). To date, the film has earned nearly $250,000,000 worldwide, making it the most successful dog movie of all time and proving that Rover really can fetch box office gold. Everyone is looking for the next "It" dog; a Toto, a Benji, a Spuds MacKenzie. Behind the scenes, agents like Michelle Zahn of the Le Paws Agency make their living