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Higgins (dog)
Encyclopedia
Higgins was one of the best-known dog
actors of the 1960s – 1970s. Most people remember him either as "Dog" or as "Benji," two of the most popular roles he played during a 14-year career in show business.
found the famous canine at the Burbank
Animal Shelter as a puppy. A fluffy black-and-tan mixed breed dog, he was marked like a Border Terrier
and Inn believed him to be a mix of Miniature Poodle, Cocker Spaniel, and Schnauzer
.
, who also trained Arnold Ziffel
(the pig) and all the other animals used on the Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction
, and Green Acres
sitcoms. His on-set assistant trainers included Gerry Warshauer and Karl Miller.
As an actor, he first came to national attention as the uncredited dog who played the character of "Dog" in the television sitcom Petticoat Junction
for six of the show's seven seasons, from 1964 to 1970 appearing in 163 episodes. He guest-appeared on the television sitcom Green Acres
with Eva Gabor
in 1965 and also made a guest appearance on the television sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies
. He won a Patsy Award
in 1967 and he was cover-featured on an issue of TV Guide
magazine.
Higgins had an extraordinary ability to convey a broad range of emotions through his facial expressions. Inn, who trained thousands of animals of all species during his lifetime, told reporters that Higgins was the smartest dog he had ever worked with, and noted that during his prime years in television, he learned one new trick or routine per week, and that he retained these routines from year to year, making it possible for him to take on increasingly varied and complex roles. Higgins's special tricks included climbing ladders, opening a mailbox and removing a letter, yawning, and sneezing on cue.
In 1971, Higgins starred in the film Mooch Goes to Hollywood
with Zsa Zsa Gabor
and Vincent Price
. He came out from retirement at an estimated age of 14 to star in the 1974 feature film Benji
, which was his greatest commercial success.
, who played Uncle Joe Carson on Petticoat Junction. In the official cast pictures taken each year during the run of Petticoat Junction, it is Buchanan who is shown holding or petting Higgins. Buchanan guest-starred on 17 episodes of the sitcom Green Acres, and it was in one of these appearances that Higgins guest-starred as well. Buchanan's last film was Benji, which was also the last film that Higgins made. The two actors had an obvious fondness for one another, which is especially clear in Benji, because the movie's naturalistic pacing allowed them to interact as friends rather than requiring that Higgins perform a specific trick for Buchanan to react to.
Frank Inn and Higgins were very close in real life as well as on the job. Inn even wrote a poem about Higgins called My Little Brown Dog.
, beginning with For the Love of Benji
in 1977, which starred his daughter Benjean.
Benjean, who was also trained by Frank Inn, starred in more Benji movies than Higgins did because she was younger when she first took on the role. Benjean can be differentiated from Higgins by the fact that she was a female with no visible genitalia, and she had a large patch of white hairs on her muzzle around her nose, whereas Higgins was mostly black around his nose. In addition, Higgins bark was a deep, froggy sound, while Benjean had a higher pitched, more traditional sounding yelp. This is readily apparent when comparing Benji and For the Love of Benji.
Confusion between the two animals was increased when various editions of the first Benji movie were released with pictures of Benjean on the cover.
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
actors of the 1960s – 1970s. Most people remember him either as "Dog" or as "Benji," two of the most popular roles he played during a 14-year career in show business.
Early life
The animal trainer Frank InnFrank Inn
Frank Inn was born as Elias Franklin Freeman, was an American animal trainer. He trained several animals for movies, but was most known for his work with the dogs in the Benji series.-Personal life:...
found the famous canine at the Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
Animal Shelter as a puppy. A fluffy black-and-tan mixed breed dog, he was marked like a Border Terrier
Border Terrier
The Border Terrier is a small, rough-coated breed of dog of the terrier group. Originally bred as fox and vermin hunters, Border Terriers share ancestry with Dandie Dinmont Terriers and Bedlington Terriers....
and Inn believed him to be a mix of Miniature Poodle, Cocker Spaniel, and Schnauzer
Schnauzer
A Schnauzer is a German dog type that originated in Germany in the 15th and 16th centuries. The term comes from Schnauze , the German word for "snout", because of the dog's distinctively bearded snout. The word Schnauzer also means moustache in German; some authorities, such as Encyclopædia...
.
Career
Higgins's career was facilitated by Frank InnFrank Inn
Frank Inn was born as Elias Franklin Freeman, was an American animal trainer. He trained several animals for movies, but was most known for his work with the dogs in the Benji series.-Personal life:...
, who also trained Arnold Ziffel
Arnold Ziffel
Arnold Ziffel was a pig featured in Green Acres, an American situation comedy that was produced by Filmways, Inc., and originally aired on the CBS network from 1965 to 1971...
(the pig) and all the other animals used on the Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction
Petticoat Junction
Petticoat Junction is an American situation comedy produced by Filmways which originally aired on CBS from 1963 to 1970. The series is one of three interrelated shows about rural characters created by Paul Henning; the others are The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres.The setting for the series...
, and Green Acres
Green Acres
Green Acres is an American television series starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a country farm...
sitcoms. His on-set assistant trainers included Gerry Warshauer and Karl Miller.
As an actor, he first came to national attention as the uncredited dog who played the character of "Dog" in the television sitcom Petticoat Junction
Petticoat Junction
Petticoat Junction is an American situation comedy produced by Filmways which originally aired on CBS from 1963 to 1970. The series is one of three interrelated shows about rural characters created by Paul Henning; the others are The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres.The setting for the series...
for six of the show's seven seasons, from 1964 to 1970 appearing in 163 episodes. He guest-appeared on the television sitcom Green Acres
Green Acres
Green Acres is an American television series starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a country farm...
with Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor was a Hungarian-born socialite and actress. She was widely known for her role on Green Acres as Lisa Douglas, the wife of Eddie Albert's character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, Duchess in the 1970 Disney film The Aristocats, and Miss Bianca in Disney's The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under...
in 1965 and also made a guest appearance on the television sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr....
. He won a Patsy Award
Patsy Award
The Patsy Award was originated by the Hollywood office of the American Humane Association in 1939. They decided to honor animal performers after a horse was killed in an on-set accident during the filming of the Tyrone Power film Jesse James...
in 1967 and he was cover-featured on an issue of TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
magazine.
Higgins had an extraordinary ability to convey a broad range of emotions through his facial expressions. Inn, who trained thousands of animals of all species during his lifetime, told reporters that Higgins was the smartest dog he had ever worked with, and noted that during his prime years in television, he learned one new trick or routine per week, and that he retained these routines from year to year, making it possible for him to take on increasingly varied and complex roles. Higgins's special tricks included climbing ladders, opening a mailbox and removing a letter, yawning, and sneezing on cue.
In 1971, Higgins starred in the film Mooch Goes to Hollywood
Mooch Goes to Hollywood
Mooch Goes to Hollywood is a 1971 television movie about an ambitious dog and her attempts to become a canine star after befriending Zsa Zsa Gabor, who provides the pooch with the skinny on the INs and OUTs of achieving Hollywood fame...
with Zsa Zsa Gabor
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Zsa Zsa Gabor is a Hungarian-born American stage, film and television actress.She acted on stage in Vienna, Austria, in 1932, and was crowned Miss Hungary in 1936. She emigrated to the United States in 1941 and became a sought-after actress with "European flair and style", with a personality that...
and Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
. He came out from retirement at an estimated age of 14 to star in the 1974 feature film Benji
Benji (film)
Benji is the first film in a series of nine about the golden mixed breed dog named Benji. It was written and directed by Joe Camp and was released in 1974. It received one Academy Award nomination for the Best Original Song.-Plot:...
, which was his greatest commercial success.
Friends
Higgins had a close rapport with the actor Edgar BuchananEdgar Buchanan
Edgar Buchanan was an American actor with a long career in both film and television, most familiar today as Uncle Joe Carson from the Petticoat Junction, Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies television sitcoms of the 1960s...
, who played Uncle Joe Carson on Petticoat Junction. In the official cast pictures taken each year during the run of Petticoat Junction, it is Buchanan who is shown holding or petting Higgins. Buchanan guest-starred on 17 episodes of the sitcom Green Acres, and it was in one of these appearances that Higgins guest-starred as well. Buchanan's last film was Benji, which was also the last film that Higgins made. The two actors had an obvious fondness for one another, which is especially clear in Benji, because the movie's naturalistic pacing allowed them to interact as friends rather than requiring that Higgins perform a specific trick for Buchanan to react to.
Frank Inn and Higgins were very close in real life as well as on the job. Inn even wrote a poem about Higgins called My Little Brown Dog.
Family
Higgins's progeny carried on his work in a continuing series of movies and television series featuring the Benji characterBenji
Benji is the name of a fictional dog who has been the focus of several movies from 1974 through the 2000s. It is also the title of the first film in the Benji series....
, beginning with For the Love of Benji
For the Love of Benji
For the Love of Benji is the second film featuring Benji the dog and was released in 1977.-Plot synopsis:In this film, Benji is lost and becomes a stray animal in Athens, Greece, trying to reunite with his family while secret agents pursue him, trying to get a formula which was glued to his paw in...
in 1977, which starred his daughter Benjean.
Benjean, who was also trained by Frank Inn, starred in more Benji movies than Higgins did because she was younger when she first took on the role. Benjean can be differentiated from Higgins by the fact that she was a female with no visible genitalia, and she had a large patch of white hairs on her muzzle around her nose, whereas Higgins was mostly black around his nose. In addition, Higgins bark was a deep, froggy sound, while Benjean had a higher pitched, more traditional sounding yelp. This is readily apparent when comparing Benji and For the Love of Benji.
Confusion between the two animals was increased when various editions of the first Benji movie were released with pictures of Benjean on the cover.