Skippy

Skippy aka Asta (born 1931 or 1932; retired 1939) was a Wire-haired terrier dog actor who appeared in dozens of movies during the 1930s. Skippy starred in many movies. He is best known for the role of the pet dog "Asta" in the 1934 detective comedy The Thin Man, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. Skippy's name was changed to Asta after the first Thin Man film was released and he was listed under the name Asta in the Thin Man sequels he appear... More

Skippy aka Asta (born 1931 or 1932; retired 1939) was a Wire-haired terrier dog actor who appeared in dozens of movies during the 1930s. Skippy starred in many movies. He is best known for the role of the pet dog "Asta" in the 1934 detective comedy The Thin Man, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. Skippy's name was changed to Asta after the first Thin Man film was released and he was listed under the name Asta in the Thin Man sequels he appeared in. Skippy was trained by his owners Henry East and Gale Henry East, and also by Frank Weatherwax and assistant trainers Rudd Weatherwax and Frank Inn. In 1936, Skippy and several other movie dogs were profiled in the book Dog Stars of Hollywood by Gertrude Orr. At the time Skippy was said to be four and a half years old, giving him a birth year of 1931–32. He was said to be one of the most intelligent of animal stars then working in pictures. In addition to verbal commands, he also worked to hand cues, essential for a dog performing in...

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