Rin Tin Tin was a German shepherd who became the star of a series of Hollywood movies in the 1920s, playing himself as a hero of all sorts. His movies were so successful that the dog has been credited for saving Warner Bros. from bankruptcy. You probably already knew that. But you might not know Rin Tin Tin's origins. He was born in France in the midst of World War I.
When the Allies took over a section of northern France from German occupation, American soldier Lee Duncan was among those tasked with searching through what the Germans left behind. In an abandoned military kennel, Duncan found a starving mother dog with five puppies less than a week old. After their rescue, Duncan kept two of the puppies, and snuck them aboard a ship when he returned after the war. One was Rin Tin Tin. Back in California, Duncan entered his dog in shows, but more importantly, showed him to friends involved in the movie business. Rin Tin Tin got his start in film by playing wolves, then worked his way up to top billing. Read the biography of the biggest dog in Hollywood at Vintage Everyday. -via Strange Company
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
