Famous American Staffordshire Terriers
Sergeant Stubby, a Staffordshire Terrier, was a decorated
WWII war hero. He searched out wounded soldiers for the
medics and smelled out and apprehended enemy snipers.
Popsicle, the Number one US Customs dog, is a pit bull that
was left to die in a freezer before he was rescued and given
a job.
Pete the Pup was a famous character in the "Our Gang" short
film comedies (later known as "The Little Rascals") by Hal
Roach. These comedies were about the escapades and
adventures of a group of poor city children and were highly
popular during the 1920s and 1930s, as well as on television
in the 1950's.
Otherwise known as "Pete, the Dog With the Ring Around His
Eye", or simply "Petey", he was famous for having a circled
eye. The original Pete, whose real name was "Pal the Wonder
Dog," had a natural ring almost completely around his eye
and dye was used to complete the ring.
Pal the Wonder Dog's acting debut was in the 1920s, when he
played "Tige" in the Buster Brown children's series. Tige
was the first talking pet to appear in American comics,
(and, like many of his successors, only children could
understand his speech.)
Pete became as popular a comic star as the children in the
"Our Gang" movies, and his image is still loved by many
today. Unfortunately, Pal the Wonder Dog died early, in
1930, reportedly by being poisoned by an enemy of his owner,
Harry Lucenay.
One of Pal's offspring took his place as Pete in the movies.
Lucenay's Peter, aka Petey, like his father Pal, was owned
and trained by Harry Lucenay. Peter was registered as an
American Staffordshire Terrier by the AKC and as an American
Pit Bull Terrier under the UKC. This new Pete had the circle
on the opposite eye and the ears and front legs had a
slightly different coloring.
The ring around Our Gang's Petey's eye continued, but in all
dog actors but Pal the ring was always applied by a makeup
artist. A few other dogs played Petey through the years, but
Lucenay's Peter was the most famous of them all.
In 1932 Harry Lucenay left the Our Gang series and retired
Peter to Atlantic City. Other unrelated bulldogs played Pete
in Our Gang until 1938. Peter died of old age in 1946, still
a star that was well remembered and well loved.
"He was a gentle, playful and warm dog. He would sleep at
the foot of my bed. He was just the regular family dog. I
really miss him." -Harry Lucenay
Filmography
Actor: Pal the American Staffordshire Terrier
The Gay Retreat (1927) .... Pal
Gold and the Girl (1925)
Mind the Baby (1924) .... Pal
Delivering the Goods (1924) .... Pal
Checking Out (1924)
That Oriental Game (1924)
The Rich Pup (1924) .... Pal
My Pal (1923) .... Pal
Down to the Ship to See (1923) .... Pal
Don't Scream (1923) .... Pal
Lots of Nerve (1923) .... Pal
Tips (1923)
The Sawmill (1922)
Queenie (1921) .... Pal
'If Only' Jim (1920)
All American Staffordshire Terrier & Dog Breed Gifts
Stuffed American Staffordshire Terriers & Animals
American Staffordshire Terrier Calendars
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