They're definitely not Lassies. Bull Terriers may not be the prettiest dogs on the block, but they sure had their moments. Their comical looks, distinctive egg-shaped head, and jaunty gait make them a breed with tremendous character. Here is a list of Bull Terriers that made it to the spotlight, and they can be considered celebrities in their own ways.
Bull Terriers in Literature
In Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens, Bullseye was a Bull Terrier. In The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford, a major character in the book is an old white Bull Terrier named Bodger. Brut, in the novel Answers to Brut by Gillian Rubinstein, is also a Bull Terrier.
Bull Terriers in Movies
In the popular animated film Toy Story, Scud is Sid's notorious Bull Terrier and horrible "toy-chewer machine". He has a white body with brown spots, and a red spiked collar. He has a patch around his left eye.
In the film Baxter, Baxter the Bull Terrier has a famous tagline - "Beware the dog that thinks."
Bull Terriers in Television and Video Games
In the Eidos Commandos series video game, Whiskey is a Bull Terrier. When he hears the dog whistle, Whiskey will come running to the commando, who will then be in charge of him. The commando determines where the dog will travel during the course of the game.
Also, in a short-lived Fox-television series, "Keen Eddie", which showed for only 13 episodes in 2003, Pete was a Bull Terrier.
Rude Dog was a white cartoon dog developed by Sun Sportswear in the 1980s and it was a stylized version of a Bull Terrier. To further market the character, Sun developed a Saturday morning cartoon called Rude Dog and the Dweebs. In the cartoon, Rude Dog ran an auto shop where he was assisted by the Dweebs, a motley group of mutt minions.
Bull Terriers in Business
One of the more famous Bull Terriers was Spuds McKenzie, which was the marketing dog of the year in 1987 when it first showed up in a Bud Light Beer Super Bowl Ad. By the end of the game, Spuds, the sly ladies-dog, was a marketing success. Controversy erupted when it was found out that Spuds was actually female. Nevertheless, when Spuds died in 1993, she was so popular that a few urban legends were created; one having Spuds die of electrocution while filming a commercial, and another suggesting that she died from being thrown from an airplane when her parachute failed to open while filming a commercial.
As can be seen from the above examples, Bull Terriers add some serious bite to their bark. Their distinct appearance and personable appeal captured audiences of different age groups and genders, as well as propelling various brands to fame or infamy.
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