Hot dogs of the '80s (the real kind)
It's National Puppy Day today. Seriously. It's not an official holiday -- and shouldn't be confused with National Dog Day (that was Aug. 26). While the '80s probably won't be known as the Dog Decade, we did okay by man's best friend.
TOP 10 DOGS OF THE '80s:
10. HOSE HEAD: The beer-gulping dog is owned by Bob and Doug McKenzie in 1983's Strange Brew. Later he dons a cape and saves Octoberfest.
9. UBU: Technically, his full name is Ubu Roi, and he was the mascot for UBU Productions, which produced classics like Family Ties in the '80s.
8. WONDER MUTT: Mark Harmon's best friend in 1987's Summer School isn't happy until he finds "Bob" at the end of the flick.
7. JERRY LEE: The dog partner to Jim Belushi in 1989's K-9 was an actual police dog in Kansas City, according to IMDB.com. He was killed in the line of duty in 1991.
6. MATISSE: The border collie owned by Richard Dreyfuss and Bette Midler's 1986 flick Down and Out in Beverly Hills had better acting chops than many of his human co-stars.
5. CHUCK THE WONDER DOG: Does Tim Matheson's adventurous dog from 1984's Up The Creek look familiar? Yep, same dog from Down and Out in Beverly Hills.
4. HOOCH: Tom Hanks' canine counterpart in 1989's Turner & Hooch was ugly and slobbery. Alas, he didn't make it 'til the credits rolled.
3. RONNIE: Better known as Rick Springfield's dog and the cover model for his album Working Class Dog. Springfield was devastated when Ron died at age 13. He has a tattoo in Ronnie's memory on his back.
2. EINSTEIN: Doc Brown's hairy pooch in Back to the Future becomes the world's first DeLorean/time-traveling pooch.
1. SPUDS MACKENZIE: This bullterrier was synonymous with Bud Light in the late '80s. In fact, he might have been more popular, given the stuffed versions, neon lights and T-shirts made in his likeness.
Relive the music, movies and culture of the greatest decade ever with Times online editor Steve Spears. A teen during the decade, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.
E-mail Steve Spears:
Benji is so 70s!
Posted by: Spears | March 28, 2009 at 08:31 PM
Whoo hooo! Glad to see Ronnie (Lethal Ron) on this list. How cute! Wasn't that just magical in '81 to go out looking for Rick's new album and see his DOG on the cover? I thought that was just classic & of course, unusual!
But yeah...as one commenter said, what about Benji? He's one of my favorite star pooches ever!
Posted by: Kelley68 | March 28, 2009 at 11:19 AM
VGF you are sooo right. How could you ever forget Alex from Strohs, dog buried a truck in it's front yard for crying out loud! Made me drink beer for the first time just because of that dog, stuff spuds, he was a sellout! ALthough I did like suds mcbrewski that I saw on many spring breaks in Lauderdale, Daytona and Panama city lol.
Posted by: Mick in Sydney | March 27, 2009 at 12:42 AM
Go Ronnie!!!!
Posted by: Jennifer | March 24, 2009 at 08:55 PM
Yay, Ron! Success never did spoil him :)
Posted by: Sabs | March 24, 2009 at 06:29 PM
benji was 70s,i think
Posted by: CHAD | March 24, 2009 at 07:29 AM
What about Benji??
How soon you forget the mongrel dogooders you heartless hounds.
Posted by: Johnny Vinyl | March 24, 2009 at 06:11 AM
Buck - yes!
he started out as a briard, then the character died, then was punished for his bad behavior by being reincarnated as a cocker spaniel and sent back to live w/the Bundys
Mike the Dog played both Matisse and Chuck.
And who can forget Alex the Dog, who was the mascot for Stroh's beer.
Posted by: Vegasgirlfriend | March 23, 2009 at 09:09 PM
Cool site. I shall visit again and I shall inform my best friends. Thank you!
Posted by: Sarah | March 23, 2009 at 09:05 PM
Sit, Ubu, sit! Good dog.
(woof)
Yes, I was big into "Family Ties"...
Posted by: Dr. Incognito | March 23, 2009 at 08:21 PM
i'd place spuds 3rd, and move up 3 and 2. ron is a legend, he maybe number 1.
Posted by: CHAD | March 23, 2009 at 07:07 PM
What about Buck from Married With Children?
Posted by: Lisette | March 23, 2009 at 05:21 PM
What about Leo the Dog from Tales of the Gold Monkey?
That show Ruled!
Posted by: Crockett | March 23, 2009 at 03:55 PM