The Greatest Animal Actors Of All Time Who Appeared In Iconic Movies And TV Shows
Hollywood isn't just home to human stars—animals have been making their mark on the entertainment industry for generations. From dogs and cats to monkeys, horses, and birds, these animals are trained to perform on cue and bring their own brand of magic to the screen.
What makes animal actors so special is their ability to convey deep emotion without uttering a single word. Many have delivered unforgettable performances alongside some of Hollywood’s top celebrities, leaving lasting impressions on audiences. Let’s take a look at some of the most iconic animal stars in Hollywood and the unique journeys that catapulted them into the spotlight.
Why Lassie Was Only Played By Males
Over the decades, a handful of remarkable dogs have had the honor of playing Lassie in both movies and TV shows. The very first dog to take on the role was a male collie named Pal, who starred in Lassie Come Home and even filmed two pilot episodes for the Lassie television series.
After Pal, the role was passed down to his descendants, one of whom starred in an impressive 365 episodes of the original show, along with several spin-offs and films. Although Lassie is meant to be a female character, all the dogs who portrayed her were male. This was mainly because male collies have thicker coats and shed less on camera, making them a better fit for the role.
Spike Was More Than Just Old Yeller
This Mastador (a Labrador Retriever/English Mastiff mix) was named Spike. As a young pup, he was rescued from a shelter in Van Nuys, California, by famous animal trainer Frank Weatherwax. His big break came when he was cast as Old Yeller in the 1957 Disney film of the same name, which catapulted him to fame in the world of animal acting.
After Old Yeller, Spike went on to appear in several other TV shows, including Lassie, Hondo, and The Westerner. He also featured in films such as The Silent Call and What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?. Toward the end of his acting career, Spike became a father, siring a son named Junior.
The Sweet Rescue Story From Lady And The Tramp
Disney's live-action remake of Lady and the Tramp introduced some new furry faces to the big screen, including Monty, who took on the role of Tramp. Monty's journey to stardom is especially heartwarming: before being cast, he was living in a rescue shelter.
In a heartening move, Disney made a point of featuring rescue dogs in the film, and Monty turned out to be the perfect fit for the role.
Winter's Tale Of Her Missing Tail
Winter the dolphin's life story was so extraordinary that it inspired a book and later the 2011 film Dolphin Tale. This brave bottlenose dolphin was only two months old when she got caught in a crab trap, which resulted in the loss of her tail. Despite the immense challenge, Winter managed to overcome a major obstacle that put her life in jeopardy.
Missing the primary muscle that dolphins use to swim, she had to learn how to adapt to life without her tail. Fortunately, a team of scientists designed a special prosthetic tail for her, allowing Winter to move through the water once again. Her resilience and determination made her an inspiration to many.
How Terry Stole The Silver Screen
Terry the dog was a female Cairn Terrier with an impressive film career, accumulating 16 credits between 1934 and 1942. While each of her roles was noteworthy, her most iconic performance was as Toto in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz.
Throughout her career, Terry acted alongside some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including Judy Garland and Shirley Temple. Interestingly, her salary for The Wizard of Oz ended up being higher than that of many of the human cast members. Garland, who grew fond of her, even wanted to adopt Terry, but her owner and trainer, Carl Spitz, refused.
Why Millennials Loved Jovian The Lemur
One of the age groups that would best remember the children's show, Zoboomafoo, would be millennials. The series aired from 1999 to 2001 on PBS Kids and featured two brothers and their pet lemur named Jovian who taught young kids about animals in the wild.
His appearance on the show made him a famous attraction at the Duke Lemur Center where around 15,000 people came to see him each year. He lived to be 20-years-old and left behind a wife, a couple of kids, and even a granddaughter named Marie.
Buddy Was The King Of Sports
Buddy, the beloved Golden Retriever who captured hearts on screen, had humble beginnings. He was discovered as a stray in the late 1980s and later adopted by animal trainer Kevin DiCicco. After bringing him home to San Diego, DiCicco began teaching Buddy an impressive range of sports—from basketball and baseball to football, soccer, and hockey.
Buddy's remarkable talent and charm led him to star in the iconic film Air Bud, where he played the title role. His inspiring journey from stray to star was later documented by DiCicco in his book Go Buddy!.
Bamboo Harvester Was The Real Mr. Ed
The real horse behind the legendary Mr. Ed was named Bamboo Harvester, a half-American Saddlebred, half-Arabian who was born in El Monte, California. He starred in 145 episodes of the show and even had a stunt double for the more demanding scenes.
After the show ended, Bamboo's health began to decline. Over the years, a few different stories circulated about how he passed, but it’s now confirmed that he was laid to rest on a farm in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Years later, devoted fans placed a memorial stone at his grave—proof that even a talking horse can leave a lasting legacy.
All Smiles For Crystal The Monkey
People have been going bananas over this famous animal star. Crystal the Monkey is a box office sensation with credits including Night at the Museum, The Hangover Part II, and We Bought a Zoo. Tom Gunderson is the trainer behind Crystal's success. They met when at the beginning of her career at the live animal show at Universal Studios.
Crystal is a female Capuchin monkey that is able to do most of her own stunts. Her smile may look different because she lost her lower canine tooth when trying to open a walnut.
Keiko's Harsh Living Conditions
No, this isn't Sea World's Shamu, rather the iconic killer whale from the 1993 film Free Willy. Keiko is a Genus Orca whale that was found off the coast of Iceland in the late 1970s. He remained in captivity in the marine park industry until his starring role as Willy in Free Willy.
Keiko went on to play the same role in the franchise's next two sequels. As he gained fame Life magazine crafted an article that detailed his harsh living conditions, which led to people donating to have him sent to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. A few years later he was released back in the Icelandic wild.
How Moose Became A Sitcom Star
Moose, born on December 24, 1990, was the youngest—and largest—of four puppies in his litter. He gained fame for his role as Eddie on the hit sitcom *Frasier*, as well as for playing Skip in the film *My Dog Skip*. His son, Enzo, eventually shared the role of Skip with him.
Remarkably, Moose landed the part on *Frasier* after just six months of training. To encourage interaction with the cast, actors would sometimes apply sardine oil to their faces. Moose lived a full life, retiring in his later years and passing away at the age of 15.
How Bart The Bear Was Trained for Fame
Almost any animal has the capability of becoming a Hollywood star. All they need is the proper training. Bart the Bear was an Alaskan brown bear who was trained by Utah animal trainer Doug Seus. Bart grew to be over 9 feet tall and weighed over 1,700 pounds.
By the end of his acting career, he completed 20 projects including The Edge, The Great Outdoors, Legends of the Fall, and the Homeward Bound franchise. None of his characters ever had a name, so he was almost always credited as "The Bear."
Uggie's Paws Will Forever Stay In Hollywood
Uggie the dog lived quite an interesting life. After his first two owners couldn't handle him for being too wild he was sent to a shelter. While there animal trainer Omar Von Muller knew he was the perfect dog to adopt. Even though he was full of energy, Von Muller realized that Uggie would be perfect for acting because he was fearless.
Uggie went on to star in some of cinema's most memorable roles, most famously as The Dog in the Academy Award-winning film The Artist. His performance garnered him many awards and even a paw print plaque on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
Tai's Gigantic Presence In Hollywood
Just Tai's presence on a screen is enough to get anyone's attention. This Asian elephant was originally owned by a private elephant entertainment company, but later she was able to break out into acting. She has appeared in many movies and TV shows over the last few decades, but her most memorable role was Rosie in 2011's Water for Elephants.
Tai has been able to work with some of Hollywood's most famous stars including Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Bill Murray. While some love to see her acting on screen, many animal rights organizations have strong feelings against her working in the entertainment business.
The Dark Side Of Orangey The Cat
One of the most sought after cat actors of the 1950s and 1960s was Orangey the marmalade tabby cat. Fans may have seen him in popular credits such as Gigot, The Beverly Hillbillies, Batman, and Breakfast at Tiffany's. In order to get him ready for the screen, he was taken in and trained by the cinematic animal trainer Frank Inn.
Unfortunately, Orangey had a bad reputation with some of Hollywood's best. One studio executive was quoted saying he's "the world's meanest cat." Orangey would often bite and scratch actors and run away during his scenes, causing production to come to a halt.
Higgins Was Born To Be A Star
Higgins was first adopted in 1960 at the Burbank Animal Shelter in California by his owner and trainer Frank Inn. He was specifically trained for acting and became best known for playing the titular role in the film Benji and appearing in 174 episodes of Petticoat Junction.
There have been a couple Benji reboots where Higgins' descendants have taken over his role. It's difficult to detect Higgins' exact breed because he is a mix of Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, and Schnauzer. He lived to be a month shy of his 18th birthday.
Rin Tin Tin Set The Standard For Animal Acting
Similar to other movie dogs there are multiple generations of canines who've played the role of Rin Tin Tin. The original was a male German Shepherd that was rescued from a World War I battlefield in 1918.
He was one of cinema's first animal actors with his earliest credit dating back to 1922 and was the world's biggest box office draw only four years later. Rin Tin Tin made about $6,000 a week during this time and earned the most votes to be nominated for a Best Actor Oscar during the Academy's first year.
Golden Cloud was Roy Rogers' Best "Pal"omino
Golden Cloud, also known as Trigger, was Roy Rogers' faithful Golden Palomino stallion sidekick throughout his Western career. He was known as "the smartest horse in movies" because of his incredible training abilities and never fell after appearing in over 80 films and 101 episodes of Roy Rogers' TV show.
When Trigger passed he was kept intact by a taxidermy specialist and stayed at The Roy Rogers Museum until it closed in 2009. The next year his taxidermy was sold at an auction for $266,500.
Gidget Transformed The Fast Food Industry
Aside from TV and film, animal actors are commonly used for commercials. Arguably, the most famous commercial animal is Gidget the Chihuahua from the Taco Bell advertisements. Gidget was discovered by Hollywood animal trainer Sue Chipperton at just eight weeks old. Chipperton noticed how confident, energetic, and adorable she was when selecting her for studio work.
A voice was dubbed over her mouth in the Taco Bell commercial to say, "Yo quiero Taco Bell" (I want Taco Bell). After the first one aired it was a hit and she remained their prime commercial actor for the next three years.
