10 Most Famous Animal Actors in History

The movie industry has always held a special place in its heart for cute animal movies. It's only natural, considering how successful heartwarming movies like Air Bud and Beethoven were.

Over the years, many furry friends have made an appearance on both the small screen and the silver screen. Of those, only a handful of animal actors remained popular and well-known throughout the years.

It takes a lot to be one of the few pet actors to remain in the public eye for years. This list pays homage to the most famous animal actors of all time, and tells us why we loved them on screen.

It's common knowledge that about nine different dogs played the titular role of Lassie during its multi-decade run. Of all the dogs to play Lassie in a movie or a television show, Pal was by far the most popular among casting directors.

His breakout movie, Lassie Come Home, originally wasn't meant to star him. Rather, the role went to a show dog. However, due to issues with the canine star, they chose to use Pal instead. Pal proved to be incredibly talented at following directions, and would continue to star in six other movies as Lassie.

Saying that Pal is one of the most famous animal actors is an understatement. He was so famous, that this animal actor's notoriety continued on for generations. When he retired, his son took on the family business of being a living, breathing piece of Americana.

If you have ever seen a live bear being used in a recent movie, chances are that you've seen Bart the Bear doing his role. Bart the Bear was a 1,700-pound brown bear that was trained by one of the best animal trainers in Utah.

During his run in showbiz, he starred in The Great Outdoors and On Deadly Ground alongside major names like Dan Aykroyd, Alec Baldwin, and Anthony Hopkins. He was a very loved animal on Hollywood sets.

When he passed, the gentle giant's trainer started the Vital Ground Foundation to honor Bart's memory. That alone makes him one of the most famous animal actors, an animal that inspired charity work through his talent.

Bart's son, also known as Bart the Bear or "Little Bart," continued his family legacy and starred in hit movies like Without a Paddle, Dr. Dolittle 2, and We Bought a Zoo.

The Wizard of Oz was one of the biggest movie hits in Hollywood history and actually launched Judy Garland to star-level fame. However, she wasn't the only actor on set to get their name known by silver screen fans through this movie.

Terry, the pint-sized terrier who played Toto, also gained his fame here. Despite being so tiny, she had a giant career. This furry little bundle of love starred along stars like Judy Garland (duh!), Shirley Temple, and many other big names.

With a face as cute as hers, it's not surprising that she allegedly sparked many families to adopt a dog. Though her career was most active in the 1930s and 1940s, people still remember her. That alone makes her one of the most famous animal actors ever.

This scruffy little feller couldn't get cuter if he tried, right? Well, he really didn't need to. When he started acting, audiences loved him. His first appearance was playing Eddie the dog on Frasier.

From there, his talents took him to play Skip from My Dog Skip. He shared this role with his son, Enzo—and together, they stole the hearts of millions across the world of movie-viewers everywhere.

Rin Tin Tin is one of those famous animal actors that had such a strong legacy, other actors that followed in his footsteps would later be named after him. The original Rin Tin Tin was a dog that was adopted shortly after World War II.

His owner, a WWI vet, brought him home from France and taught him how to do tricks. By 1920, he was starring in tons of silent films and helped spread the German Shepherd's reputation as one of the best dog breeds for families.

He was featured in commercials, starred in Where the North Begins, and became an American icon. Though he died in the 1930s, his progeny would continue to survive the Hollywood movie industry. Eventually, one of his descendants would play in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin.

If that isn't fame, we don't know what is.

Golden Cloud was one of the very few famous animal actors to become so well-known for a role, he actually had his name changed to the character he played.

Anyone who loves old school Western movies or TV shows probably remembers Roy Rogers. If you do, then you probably remember that he rode a horse named Trigger. That horse was played by Golden Cloud through the span of the entire Roy Rogers Show franchise.

Golden Cloud was incredibly talented, and was known for being able to dance on command. His most impressive trait, though, was that he was housebroken—which allowed Roy Rogers to bring him to theaters.

For a while, he also had his own comic book. Because, you know, that's kind of what happens when you're one of the most famous horses to ever hit the small screen.

Spike was an adopted Golden Retriever that had the fortune of being discovered by Disney executives. Though his name was Spike, most people will recognize him as the titular canine friend from Old Yeller.

His breakout success as a canine actor got him dozens of other roles, including on A Dog from Flanders,The She-Creature, and a multitude of commercials. Spike even had a special appearance on The Mickey Mouse Club due to the sheer number of kids who loved him.

Highland Dale was one of perhaps three or four famous horses to make it big in Hollywood. With Highland Dale, the massive number of roles he had says it all. From the 1940s to the 1960s, this ebony stallion was featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials that took the nation by storm.

Some of the more impressive credits racked up by this creature include The Black Stallion's title character, and the horse from Fury. He was capable of whinnying on command, playing "dead," and even untying knots.

"They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning!No one you see, is smarter than he!"

If you read those two lines and immediately thought of the theme song used in Flipper, then congratulations. You already know why Flipper the dolphin is one of the most famous animal actors in history.

Gidget has to be one of the only famous animal actors to gain almost all her notoriety from her commercial work. Back in the 1990s, she could be seen in almost every television screen as the "Taco Bell dog."

One of the things you might not know about Taco Bell is that the company ended up making her a household name. She was able to use the fame she got from her commercial work to star in Legally Blonde and a number of other major motion pictures later.