| Pete the Pup | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Petey |
What kind of dog is Petey from ‘The Little Rascals’?
The first dog to play Petey in The Little Rascals was Pal, an American pitbull terrier. Many sources say Pal was hired in 1927 and his career ended in 1930 when he died of suspected poisoning. How terrible is this story!
Others say Pals puppy Pete replaced him in the show after his death.
Yet, the research we found shows that the second Pete was an American Staffordshire Terrier named Lucenays Peter. His famous circled eye was added by Hollywood make-up artist Max Factor.
Starting with Hook and Ladder on August 27, 1932, other dogs continued to play Petey in Our Gang, but none of them matched the cinematic impact of Pal, the Wonder Dog or his son, Lucenay’s Pete.
After the release of The Pooch on June 11, 1932, Harry Lucenay was fired by Hal Roach Studios. He left Hollywood and took Lucenay’s Pete across the country to Atlantic City were he signed autographs at the Steel Pier.
During the Buster Brown series, Pal‘s natural semi-ring around his right eye was fully completed using permanent dye. When he joined Our Gang, Hal Roach had no choice but to leave it alone. The result was one of the most instantly identifiable canines in motion picture history.
The only problem was that Harry Lucenay requested that Factor draw the circle around the dog’s left eye to differentiate him from his father who had the circle around his right eye.
Pal, the Wonder Dog made his Our Gang entrance as Pete the Pup in The Glorious Fourth, released on June 26, 1927.
Who did Petey belong to in ‘The Little Rascals’?
The first dog to play Petey in The Little Rascals was owned and trained by Harry Lucenay.
FAQ
Are any of The Little Rascals still living?
The pooch who originated the role of Pete the pup in “The Little Rascals” (formerly, “Our Gang”) was a pit bull, named Pal the Wonder Dog, who had a partially discolored circle around his eye.