Five Must-See Movies Starring Animals

By Karen Espig

In the current social media culture, we know that animals are popular, but did you know they also have long been the stars of the silver screen?The earliest movie with a canine star was in 1905 – Rescued By Rover,a silent film by Cecil Milton Hepworth. Then there was Rin Tin Tin, a rescued dog from a World War I battlefield, who starred in 27 Hollywood films.

From 1951 to 1973, there were even awards for animal stars. The award was created by the Hollywood office of the American Humane Society after a horse was killed on set during the filming of the movie Jesse James. The first PATSY (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year) was awarded to Francis, the talking mule who starred in 7 films.

Here are five movies starring animals that you should watch or rewatch, but believe…