Robert Weatherwax, a professional dog trainer for film and television productions who took over the profession from his father, Rudd, Lassie's original owner, died Thursday. He was 83.
TAKING HOLLYWOOD BY STORM: The Weatherwax Trained Dogs (Full Movie)
Weatherwax was born on June 4, 1941, in Burbank, California — exactly one year before the birth of Pal, the dog who played Lassie in seven MGM films and the pilot of the TV series "Lassie." As Weatherwax and his sister JoAnne grew up, they were tasked with helping their father with his professional work, which included teaching their pets new routines. Their grandfather, W. S. Weatherwax, was an animal trainer during the silent era.
The Weatherwax family's furry clientele included influential screen dogs such as Skippy, aka Asta, who appeared in Golden Age comedies such as "The Thin Man" and "The Awful Truth"; Terry, who played Toto in "The Wizard of Oz"; and Spike, the floppy-eared dog known to audiences as Old Yeller.
As a young adult, Weatherwax apprenticed with his father on the series "Lassie" after serving in the U.S. Army. The CBS program ran from 1954 to 1974 and, of course, saw numerous Weatherwax dogs play the eponymous role over those two decades.
