From 1987 to 1989, the same team that producted the wildly popular TV series, LA Law, also created a comedy-drama named Hooperman. The show centered around John Ritter’s character, Harry Hooperman, an amiable San Francisco cop who inherited his murdered landlady’s apartment building, and one Jack Russell Terrier with an intense dislike of the man. “Little Britches” was Ritter’s real life co-star, a fierce little lady trained by Cindy James, the first female animal trainer ever to get membership in the LA Teamsters Union in 1954.

As it happens, the membership wasn’t James’ only claim to fame. She was the stepdaughter of the alter Edgar Rice Burroughs, the creator of Tarzan (and thanks for asking, we think Johnny Weissmuller was the best Tarzan ever). But wait, the story gets better. James acquired Little Britches from a female detective when she was four months old. Little Britches, not Cindy James. Looking back on it, James called Britches “the dog from hell,” she was that tough.

Her favorite treat was “Rollover” a product from Canada not unlike a bologna roll. The only thing she liked as much was mice, which became problematic when she had a scene to do but couldn’t resist the Call of the Mouse.

Britches also appeared in the movie, Harry and the Hendersons, a commercial for Kibbles and Bits, an MCI commercial in which he appears with Jim Carrey, and ads for Church’s Chicken.

Little Britches slept in her trainer’s bedroom until the little dog died in 1999 at the age of fourteen.

Watch this Kibbles and Bits ad to see Britches in action.

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