5 Greatest Animal Actors

warhorse600 They're talented, they're successful, and they have an earning potential that would make you writhe in envy if they weren't so darn cute. No, I'm not talking about The Saturdays - I'm talking about all those animal actors who brought their thespian gifts to the large and small screens and became massive stars in their own right. Some of the creatures listed within may be instantly recognisable, whereas others have been massively successful without their visages necessarily having been emblazoned upon your memory (at least one has a resume that many of its human counterparts would kill for). Check out this list and then waste no time in taking your beloved household pet down to RADA, just in case they have hidden depths. For the record, I desperately wanted to include the T-Rex from the Jurassic Park films, but I'm reliably informed that it was animatronic...

5. Terry The Dog

Toto Wizard Of Oz Terry You'll find her body at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in LA, where she lies under the name that was her most famous role: Toto in The Wizard of Oz. Terry, the cairn terrier owned by Carl Spitz and coveted by co-star Judy Garland, had her name changed in 1942 to capitalise on her fame, and was known as thus until her death in 1945. Terry had appeared in 14 other feature films, including Bright Eyes and The Chocolate Soldier, but it was Oz that she became most famous and popular for. Her fee for the film reflected this; at $125 a week, or $2118 in today's money, it was more than most human actors in the film and certainly a larger salary than many working Americans at that time. Terry may not have been the biggest canine in Hollywood, with Rin-Tin-Tin and Lassie that of doggy royalty, but she was certainly one of the most fondly regarded. Terry wasn't the only cairn that troubled the silver screen. Her offspring, Rommy, appeared in Reap The Wild Wind and Airforce.
Contributor
Contributor

I am a freelance writer, currently residing in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. I was raised by wolves in the woodlands of Northumberland, but am still posher than Colin Firth having dinner with The Queen. I write all of my pieces by swallowing a cocktail of scrabble tiles and vodka, then regurgitating them over my jotter. Hope this explains the typos.