Spike

Spike 19521962 was a lopeared yellow Mastador MastiffLabrador Retriever crossbreed and a dog actor best known for his performance as the title character in the 1957 film Old Yeller in which he costarred with Tommy Kirk Beverly Washburn Dorothy McGuire Fess Parker and Kevin Corcoran Spike was rescued as a pup from a shelter in Van Nuys California and became the pet and pupil of animal trainer Frank Weatherwax Spike also appeared as Patrasche in 20th Century Foxs A Dog of Flanders with Donald Crisp and David Ladd in 1959 and as King in the 1956 film The SheCreature In 1961 Spike was the star of The Silent Call playing as Pete with Roger Mobley David McLean and Gail Russell the entire film focused on his efforts to reunite with his human family who had been forced to leave him behind while traveling from Nevada to California Various television episodes of the period in which Spike appeared included The Mickey Mouse Club and Lassie and he appeared in every episode of The Westerner with Brian Keith