Strongheart
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Strongheart in December 1921.
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| Species | Canis lupus familiaris |
|---|---|
| Breed | German Shepherd |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | Etzel von Oeringen October 1, 1917 Germany |
| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Owner | Laurence Trimble Jane Murfin |
Etzel von Oeringen (October 1, 1917 – June 24, 1929), better known as Strongheart, was a male German Shepherd who became one of the earliest canine film stars. After being trained in Germany as a police dog and serving in the German Red Cross, he was brought to the United States at the age of three by husband and wife filmmakers Laurence Trimble and Jane Murfin, who had previously worked successfully with Jean, the Vitagraph Dog.
Strongheart appeared in several movies, including a 1925 adaptation of White Fang. Some of these were highly successful, and did much to encourage the popularity of the German Shepherd breed. A beloved celebrity in his day, Strongheart paved the way for the much better remembered Rin Tin Tin. Strongheart and his mate, Lady Julie, had many offspring and their line survives to this day.
Contents
Death
In 1929, while being filmed for a movie, Strongheart accidentally made contact with a hot studio light and was burned. These burns caused a tumor to form, which ultimately caused his death that year. "God bless you, Strongheart, God bless you," were the words of the dog's eulogist and former trainer, Laurence Trimble.
Spiritualism and Strongheart
After Strongheart's death, J. Allen Boone wrote two books, Kinship with All Life and Letters to Strongheart, about animal communication and the survival of the dog's soul after death. Both books were reprinted many times and remain classics of the Spiritualist faith.
Strongheart in popular culture
- A dog food company named their product after him. Strongheart Dog Food was produced for decades, into the early 21st century.[1][2]
- Strongheart's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is located at 1724 Vine Street.
- Strongheart's name is invoked in the Three Stooges short "Phoney Express" - when Curly, pretending to be a blood-hound on all fours is called Strongheart by Moe.
Filmography
- The Silent Call (1921)
- Brawn of the North (1922)
- The Love Master (1924), currently held at Archives du Film du CNC in Bois d’Arcy, France
- North Star (1925)
- White Fang (1925) (*based on the book White Fang)
- The Return of Boston Blackie (1927)
References
- Boone, J. Allen. Letters to Strongheart (Prentice Hall, 1939; Robert H Sommer, 1977, ISBN 0-933062-19-2; Tree of Life Publications, 1999, ISBN 0-930852-34-6)
- Boone, J. Allen. Kinship with All Life (Harper and Row, 1954; HarperCollins, 1976, ISBN 0-06-060912-5)
- Strongheart. Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- "The Story of Strongheart," Dec. 1921 Photoplay, p. 48
External links
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