Uggie the Dog, Star of 'The Artist,' Dies at 13
Uggie at a 2013 event (Photo: Getty Images)
Uggie the dog, who won the hearts of moviegoers for his performance in the 2011 Oscar-winning film The Artist, has died. He was 13.
The beloved and talented Jack Russell Terrier was put to sleep on Friday, Aug. 7, after battling a prostate tumor, TMZ reported.
His owner, Omar Von Mueller, told the website that it was a difficult decision, but Uggie had been suffering with the tumor.
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“I will forever hold him dearly in my heart and never forget his infinite love for chicken and hotdogs,” Sarah Clifford, the dog’s trainer, told TMZ.
Uggie was most famous for his role in The Artist, the silent French comedy-drama starring Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo. It took home five Oscars at the 84th Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dujardin, Best Costume Design and Best Original Score.
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The canine star was the focus of a campaign called “Consider Uggie” appealing for him to win an honorary Oscar nomination of his own. Uggie went on to win the Palm Dog Award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, the 2012 Golden Collar Award, and received a special mention at the Prix Lumière Awards, the French equivalent of the Golden Globes.
Uggie at the 2012 Academy Awards with actor Jean Dujardin (Photo: Associated Press)
He also had his paw print immortalized on Hollywood Blvd. in a special ceremony (pictured above) outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
Uggie was rejected by two owners and on his way to the pound before Mueller took him in. “He was a crazy, very energetic puppy, and who knows what would have happened to him if he [had] gone to the dog pound. But he was very smart and very willing to work,” the animal trainer said.
Along with his starring role in The Artist, Uggie appeared in The Campaign, Water for Elephants and Mr. Fix It.
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He was named as Nintendo’s first-ever spokesdog in 2012 to promote their 3DS video game Nintendogs + Cats, and later became a spokesdog for PETA in an ad campaign that encouraged potential dog owners to adopt from shelters.
Aside from countless TV and red carpet appearances, Uggie also had his own Twitter account, Facebook page and released a memoir titled Uggie, My Story.
After retiring from the film industry at age 10, he spent his senior years living with Mueller, his family and six other dogs in North Hollywood.
Watch Uggie in action in 'The Artist' trailer
