From bark to blockbuster: meet the animals recognized for starring roles in film industry

For decades, there have been yearly awards ceremonies like the Oscars, BAFTAs, and Golden Globes that celebrate the efforts and achievements of the film industry. But what about the dogs that take us bark to the future? From corgis to animated retrievers, we look at the award-winning canines who bring paws and applause to our screens... and one mule. 

Rin Tin Tin: the dog who deserved an Oscar but lost to a mouse 

Throughout the 1920s, a German Shepherd named Rin Tin Tin was a regular star during the silent film era and became a huge hit for Warner Bros., appearing in 26 films. His popularity has secured him a credited legacy for saving Warner Bros. from bankruptcy before the studios hit the jackpot with The Jazz Singer (USA, 1927). 

In 1929, although the curtain was drawing on Rin Tin Tin’s career as talkies began to take over and his bark didn’t record well, this year also marked the first Academy Awards, where the canine received a special mention. If you’re wondering, no, he did not win an award for Pup Fiction or Dogzilla, but he did receive the most votes for Best Actor. 

As the story goes, Academy members adored him, and once the ballots were counted, Rin Tin Tin came out on top. However, the Academy came to the decision that it would be best to give the award to a human actor, to preserve the seriousness of the award. That year, the Best Actor Oscar went to Emil Jannings for his roles in The Way of All Flesh (USA, 1927) and The Last Command (USA, 1928). 

However, at the 1932 Oscars, one non-human character who did receive some recognition was Mickey Mouse. Although it wasn’t an actual Oscar, it was an Honorary Award, and Mickey was considered a serious artistic contribution. It was believed that Mickey had transformed the animation industry for his debut in Steamboat Willie (USA, 1928). 

So far, we have an almost Oscar-winning silent-film-star German Shepherd, and a mouse only celebrated when brought to life through animation, so what awards are man’s best friend recognized for? 

Francis: the mule who talked his way into PATSY Award history 

In 1951, animal history was made with the creation of the PATSY Awards: an awards ceremony that ran yearly from 1951 to 1986, with an aim to honour animal performers across film and TV for their paw-some efforts in the industry. 

The first animal to win a PATSY Award was Francis, a mule, which is a hybrid animal crossed between a donkey and a horse. The mule (who was voiced by Chill Willis) was the central character in a range of movies, but this award was specifically for the first film, Francis the Talking Mule (USA, 1950). 

The first rendition of the PATSYs (also known as the Animal Oscars) was held at the Carthay Circle Theatre, Hollywood, USA, and hosted by Ronald Reagan. 

Although in the 1950s life was ruff for animal movie stars receiving recognition for their efforts in the industry, the turn of the millennium brought new canine-focused awards that were sure to draw in the pup-arazzi! 

Find more stories about amazing record-breaking animals in our dedicated section.

The dog who took the lead on Cannes: meet Otis 

2001 saw the first annual Palm Dog Awards, which is a ceremony that takes place during the Cannes Film Festival in France each year. The first winner of the Palm Dog Award was a Shephard/Basenji crossbreed called Otis, who was nominated for his performance in The Anniversary Party (USA, 2001). 

The film starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming was a romcom that explores the sixth year of marriage between Sally and Joe Therian. Otis’s big break was to run around, bark on set, and ultimately cause havoc, adding to the already chaotic and erratic narrative that runs throughout the film. 

The award was founded by British cinema journalist Toby Rose in 2001, so he and his committee decided that Otis’s fetching performance was deserving to win it all, and his prize: a collar engraved with “PALM DOG.”

A canine with two crowns: Snoop the dog helps film success TWICE!

Messi the French Border Collie dog was a key part in the success of the French movie Anatomy of a Fall (France, 2023). The thriller/mystery film has won many awards, like the Palme d’Or, which is awarded to the director of the Best Feature Film at Cannes.

This film also won a Palm Dog award for the part that Messi played, where he acted as a dog called Snoop. In the film, Snoop is a crucial guide dog and has been noted for his very realistic portrayals.

Anatomy of a Fall holds the Guinness World Records title for first movie to win the Palm Dog and Palm D’or.

Fur-st in show: the five dogs who won the first Fido Awards 

On 28 October 2007, the first FIDO Awards were held at the British Film Institute (BFI), London, UK, and the inaugural ceremony celebrates incredible dogs on screen. The first winners of the Fido awards were five corgis named Poppy, Anna, Alice, Oliver, and Megan for their performance as the Queen’s corgis in The Queen (UK, 2006).  

The Fido Awards are the sister event to the Palm Dog Awards, and were also founded by Toby Rose, aiming to celebrate the talent of canines on screen. 

So, after many years of focusing on the more human contributions to the film industry, it is always nice to paws for a moment of appreciation towards our animal actors.  

Header image: Stock image by Olena from Pixabay