06/14/2023
REMEMBERING “PETEY” FROM “OUR GANG”
To fully appreciate the concept of utilizing a Pit Bull Terrier in the entertainment industry, one must think back to the original, ”Tige,” the canine belonging to Buster Brown.
Believed to be the first “talking pet” to appear in a comic strip, Tige’s speech can only be heard by his master, a young city boy born into a wealthy family, Buster Brown. The comic originated in 1902.
American film producer and director, Hal Roach, created the comedy series, “Our Gang,” a collection of short films depicting a diverse group of children engaged in normal, but hilarious, behaviors. The films began prior to the introduction of sound, but began to include phonographic discs in 1928.
Joining Alfalfa, Spanky, Buckwheat, Porky, Darla, Froggy, Butch, Woim, and Waldo was “Pal,” also known as “Pete, the Pup,” a United Kennel Club-registered American Pit Bull Terrier.
Pal, born in 1924, made his film debut, at the age of six-months, in the 1925 Harold Lloyd film, “The Freshman,” a comedic piece involving a college freshman and his attempts to join his school’s football team.
Petey (Pal), remembered for the circled eye that was creatively added by Hollywood Make-Up Artist Max Factor, was recruited by Hal Roach and trained by Harry S. Lucenay, a World War I Lieutenant.
