Rintintin

When I was little, I always got this series mixed up with Lassie. Dog hero - little boy who was friend of dog. Pretty similar, except for the cavalry part and the era being quite different. And, oh yeah - German Shepherd and Collie.

I was very small when I watched this show. It was in syndication at this time.

Basically, I remember Rinny helping rustle bad guys and being the mascot of the Cavalry troop. I also remember Rusty as being a red-haired freckle-faced boy who was cute, a la Beaver Cleaver.

This was an entertaining show - good moral stories with good ending - typical for the fifties.

And really, who could resist a show with a boy and a dog?

As a little girl, this was one of my favorite shows, and I had a major crush on Rusty. I have often wondered what became of him and the other actors on the show. From this website, it looks as though they are still around. I'm happy to see that. To say it was of a more innocent time is certainly an understatement! Today I happened to be in a nail salon (captive by a TV screen) where they played Britney Spears' videos until my head almost exploded. Contrast that kind of garbage with the stuff we got to watch, and it makes me glad to be old. I also liked to watch Sky King, Mickey Mouse Club, Captain Gallant Foreign Legion, Spin & Marty and The Three Stooges. Those were the days, as Archie & Edith would say.

Adventure packed story after story. Rusty gets into a danger situation and Rin Tin Tin saves him, either by himself or by going back to Fort Apache to get Lt. Rip Masters and/or Sgt O'Hara and Corporal Boone to save him. It was a must see for 5 years on Friday nights on ABC, than afternoon re-runs and Saturday morning re-runs for years.

Forty years ago my French colleague told me that the name Rin Tin Tin was French and should be pronounced "rrrran tan tan", nasally. It's the sound of the drumstick tapping on the drum; it's the cavalry's drum. Presumably this name goes back to the old days when French was spoken in some of the southern states of the US. (This comment really belongs under Trivia; I tried unsuccessfully to put it there.)

Being a fan of "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin", I was thrilled when I found out Rusty, Rinty and Lt. Masters were coming to Sheridan Village in Peoria, Illinois. I must have been 7 or 8 yrs. old, and I can remember standing in the parking lot, waiting for their arrival. It seemed forever. Suddenly, Rusty and Rinty came past me in a blur. So fast I didn't realize they were there! Then came Lt. Masters in his uniform. He looked 10 feet tall to me. They had to climb onto a trailer and Lt. Masters stepped right on my foot! He turned around and said "I'm so sorry". I nearly fainted. I was speechless, either from the pain or being in such famous company. Childhood memories!