6 days Ago
In the final credits of many American films you often see the "no animals were harmed" disclaimer, meaning representatives of the American Humane Association were present to ensure no animals were mistreated during the course of filming. This is always reassuring especially in westerns in which you often witness dozens of galloping horses biting the dust in spectacular fashion while the stuntmen must also suffer a few bruises. Closer to home there has been some concern over the fate of a black cat that was drugged for an episode in the Thai TV series Empress of Ayodhaya.
In a rather distressing scene the cat suffers a painful death from poisoning when a woman makes the feline drink her tea to test if it has been spiked. This upset many viewers who expressed concern about the condition of the animal after it appeared to suffer convulsions. It definitely didn't look like a ''lucky black cat".
However, the director of the film has reassured everyone that the cat is safe and healthy. So let's hope the cat has not suffered too much and can continue its career, although after that experience it might prefer a life snoozing on the sofa. This incident serves as a reminder that we tend to take animals for granted in films and must look after them.
They undergo as much stress as the human actors who also get paid a lot more. Sugar lumps for Smokey One of the most memorable performances on screen by an animal was that of Smokey, Lee Marvin's horse in the 1965 comedy Cat Ballou. A grizzled Marvin played what the trailer billed "The Drunkest Gun in the West".
It spawned an iconic movie poster with a plastered Marvin slumped on the cross-legged horse which appears to be in almost as bad a state as its rider. People have asked if the horse was drugged but this was denied by the trainer who said sugar lumps were used to entice the horse to stand in an unusual way. Marvin won an Oscar as best actor and acknowledged Smokey's contribution in his acceptance speech.
Smokey went on to win the Craven Award for best acting by an animal and was rewarded with a generous supply of sugar lumps. Off to see the wizard It was actor WC Fields who warned "Never work with children or animals" which was probably wise advice as animals tend to be scene stealers. However, there have been scores of accomplished animal actors.
Starting things off was Toto the dog in the Wizard of Oz (1939). Toto was played by Terry, a Cairn Terrier. Things did not begin well when Terry's foot was broken after an actor accidentally stood on it.
However the determined dog recovered and the owner later changed its name to Toto following the huge success of the film. The terrier went on to star in 13 movies and along with the assorted Lassie and Rin Tin Tin dogs is regarded as one of the most famous canine actors ever. Leading lady Another celebrity animal is Crystal a "tufted capuchin" monkey.
Crystal featured in The Hangover Part II filmed on location in Bangkok. One of the stars, Ken Jeong, was full of praise for Crystal, commenting "she's amazing..
. and quite possibly the best actor I've ever worked with." Another actor impressed with Crystal was the late Robin Williams who worked closely with the monkey in the Night at the Museum series.
Williams grew quite fond of the monkey and on his final birthday he posted an Instagram shot of him with Crystal and the message "a visit from one of my favourite leading ladies." Hip-hop hippo Almost inevitably there had to be a Moo Deng song in the works to honour Thailand's celebrity pygmy hippo. Sure enough it has arrived.
Moodeng Moodeng only lasts 50 seconds and no doubt will be a huge hit. Judging from the lyrics it is what they would call "a novelty song". Also brace yourself for a second song entitled Moodeng: Little Hippo which will be released later this week.
Can't wait! It is noticeable that in the musical world the little hippo's name in English appears to have become one word, probably just to confuse everybody. Some may think that all this fuss made over a little hippo is a bit over the top, but as long as the creature does not suffer it's just a bit of harmless fun and a welcome break from all the depressing news we read every day. All I want for Christmas.
.. While most people are probably familiar with the Flanders and Swann ditty The Hippopotamus Song featuring "mud, mud, glorious mud" not so many will be aware of another popular number about the creature entitled I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas which does not mention mud.
It was recorded by 10-year-old American child star Gayla Peevey back in 1953 and if you wish you can see her on YouTube performing it on the Ed Sullivan Show a scary 71 years ago. It turned out to be a big hit. With the singer having been born in Oklahoma the local zoo launched a fund with which they bought a hippo named Matilda and presented it to the singer that Christmas.
She duly donated Maltida to the zoo where the hippo lived for the next 45 years..
