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Topic: Does anyone remember "The Family Dog", short?

Kara J. McVay
Film Handler

Posts: 95
From: Delaware, OH
Registered: May 2002

posted 07-03-2002 03:08 PM

This was a short on the front of I believe a Universal picture. It was between 1986-1991 when it came out, of course I don't remember the title of the film. It was a funny cartoon about a dog in a disfunctual family, all the dog wants is to go outside, in the end he just pees on the carpet. I would love to find this agian to show from time to time. Any help would be great

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"That's a chip up the nose, Ken" Fish Called Wanda

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Hillary Charles
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 748
From: York, PA, USA
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 07-03-2002 03:24 PM

I remember around that time an episode of the Steven Spielberg series, "Amazing Stories" entitled, 'Family Dog.' It sounds very similar to your description. My favorite part was when the family was watching home movies, and the mother says to the distracted daughter, "Look, Christmas!" and the little girl replies, "Christmas now?" Guess you had to be there...

I never knew it saw theatrical release. That definitely would have worked as such. Several years later they tried to turn it into a series, which wasn't nearly as good as the original. In one episode of the Simpsons, among other failed animated series, there is a tombstone for the "Family Dog."

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Jesse Skeen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1517
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 07-03-2002 07:36 PM

I have the laserdisc box set of the show, doesn't include the Amazing Stories episode though.

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Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.

Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 07-03-2002 08:03 PM

I remember that short running theatrically, but for the life of me, can't remember what it was attached to, what year it was, or what theater I was running at the time ...

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Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.

Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 07-03-2002 08:58 PM

After giving myself a headache, I want to vote for Casper (1995). I don't think it was as early as Kara said, as I was "on hiatus" for several of those years. A call to Universal should answer the big question. If you find out, let me know, or I'll go insane.

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Kara J. McVay
Film Handler

Posts: 95
From: Delaware, OH
Registered: May 2002

posted 07-03-2002 09:11 PM

It had to be 1986-1991 because that is the only time I was running a booth. It came on something between those years.

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"That's a chip up the nose, Ken" Fish Called Wanda

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Hillary Charles
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 748
From: York, PA, USA
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 07-03-2002 09:26 PM

Jesse,

There might be something with the copyrights on that episode (since it seems to have had different origins, like "Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge" used as an episode of "Twilight Zone" but not syndicated as part of that series).

Another thing about "Family Dog;" Stan Freberg was the voice of one of the burglars. I'm sure I have it on tape around here somewhere, but haven't seen it in years myself. According to imdb, the original was released in 1986.

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Mike Olpin
Chop Chop!

Posts: 1852
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 07-03-2002 11:41 PM

I don't think it was casper - but hey, I was about 12 when i saw it.

Anyway -- The Family Dog was a short Brad Bird created for Steven Spielberg's Amazing Adventures. In Brad Bird's Feature "The Iron Giant", The family dog makes a cameo as the oven mit making the funny face at Kent while he is on the phone in Hogarths kitchen.

As for the tallented Mr. Bird, he now has a job with PIXAR and is in the process of directing the studio's sixth full length computer animated feature.

Just thought you might want to know.

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Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 07-04-2002 01:18 AM

I think the Family Dog clip was on An American Tail: fievel goes west 1991.

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James B. Openshaw
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 106
From: Mt. Pleasant, SC, USA
Registered: Jun 2002

posted 07-04-2002 10:12 AM

I remember "Family Dog", the first time I saw it was in a theater right before "Land Before Time" started. The segment was a basic introduction of the family with the dog ending with the dog getting kicked out of the house from relieving himself in front of the family.
A couple of years later, it was on "Amazing Stories: The Movie Part 3" I think. It included that segment that I saw in the theater along with the "Christmas Film" and the "Burgular" segment.
I think it became a CBS show back in 1994 and there was a Nintendo Game based on it as well.

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Thomas Procyk
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1842
From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 07-04-2002 02:55 PM

Wasn't there a short-lived television show called "Family Dog?" (animated) I remember vaguely something about what you are talking about in regards to the short (dog in a disfunctional family peeing on the carpet) as the first episode. I may have that on video somewhere. I used to always tape premiere episodes of stuff.

=TMP=

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Jesse Skeen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1517
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 07-04-2002 03:03 PM

Yes, it was a short-lived series but was a victim of bad scheduling (each episode showed a different day at different times so no one could figure out when it was on- this was when TV was at least still watchable since it didn't have the on-screen logos yet.) The laserdisc box from Universal has all 10 episodes.
I never heard of this being shown theatrically, I was working when both American Tail II and Casper were out though and neither of those came with it.

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Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.

Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 07-04-2002 04:30 PM

The Land Before Time (1988) seems feasible. It fits the timeframe for both myself and Kara.

There are .tif images of the characters here, which are copyrighted 1986. Scroll down to "Family Dog".

There is an interview with creator Brad Bird here, where he discusses how he originally wanted the Family Dog to be a series of theatrical shorts. (!!!)

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Kara J. McVay
Film Handler

Posts: 95
From: Delaware, OH
Registered: May 2002

posted 07-04-2002 05:43 PM

Adam,
Yes that is him. Thanks

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"That's a chip up the nose, Ken" Fish Called Wanda

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 07-04-2002 06:46 PM

Yes...it was THE LAND BEFORE TIME

The dog wants to go outside and everyone is too busy to notice, so he pees on the carpet and gets kicked out...ends with him smiling because that's just what he wanted.

A great short.

So my question is...are you trapped in a time-warp or something...WANDA came out in summer of that same year...LAND BEFORE TIME (with FAMILY DOG) was a Thanksgiving release.

~Manny

"Oh no! It's K-K-K-K-Ken!!! C-C-Coming to K-K-K-K-Kill me!!!!"
--From "A Fish Called Wanda."

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