Only one star from the original film, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, went on to appear in the TV series, and that was “Mike,” a forty two pound Border Collie with one straight ear, and one floppy one. In our view, Mike’s portrayal of “Matisse,” a neurotic, spoiled family dog, was the best part of the movie, and below, you can see how he stole most of the scenes in which he appeared.
Future owner and trainer, Clint Rowe, discovered Mike chained to a house at a ranch in Northern California. Things got worse for Mike when he was kicked by a horse and spent seven weeks in a leg cast. Still, Rowe was able to teach Mike over one hundred tricks, and that landed him in commercials for Doublemint gum and Toyota. His audition for Down and Out in Beverly Hills was aided by his amazing blue eyes (climbing a rope-ladder with a bucket in his mouth didn’t hurt, either. This athleticism came in handy for scenes in Down and Out that included jumping off a diving board, and walking on ‘hot’ coals.
If Mike seems family to you in the clip below, it’s because you also saw him on the Letterman show, Good Morning America, and Entertainment Tonight, and an appearance in Little Richard’s music video for “Great Gosh a’ Mighty, It’s a Matter of Time.” Mike also had his picture in People magazine, Newsweek and USA Today. In 1986, Mike became the first dog actor to have his paws put in cement at the Tail O’ Pup, a Hollywood eatery shaped like a hot dog (chicken, however, was Mike’s go-to treat). Mike even had his own Facebook page. Sadly, dogs don’t live forever, and Mike has passed on. We love that we can still admire his talent on You Tube.
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Beware the Border Collie. Their trainability, agility, speed and character make them seem the ideal doggy companion but those traits also make them susceptible to disappointed expectations by inexperienced handlers as well as the targets of unscrupulous breeders. This breed is best admired on the field where the dedication of generations of farmers created a dog that is capable of working all day in all conditions to handle stock (cows, sheep, goats, pigs). Picture is of Gwynfor Owen’s Zac.
How perfectly you phrased it, Tam: “Disappointed expectations.” It breaks our heart when a dog pays the price for the consequences of a poorly matched family.