Strongheart : the world's first movie star dog
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references.

This book is based on the real life of Etzel von Oeringen, known as Strongheart, whose hugely popular movies introduced Americans to the German shepherd. The breed, developed in Germany at the end of the nineteenth century, was highly intelligent, brave, and loyal, and was adoped by the German army and police. Larry Trimble, a pioneer movie director and animal trainer, was auditioning dogs to star in a movie when he first encountered Etzel in a kennel in White Plains, New York. This event was described In the May 18, 1924 edition of the New York Times. Larry also told the Times how he taught his star, who had been trained as a police dog, to become an actor and to learn how to have fun. Strongheart's first film was "The Silent Call." Only one of his films is still available, "The return of Boston Blackie."