The Voice of Bugle Ann

I have been watching for some reappearance of this film for many years, with no satisfaction. You see, I saw it as a child, and there are VERY few films that have remained with me from that long ago. (This very day happens to be my 77th birthday).

It is a touching tale involving a favored hunting dog that somehow gets caught in an animal trap and spends a stormy night baying for some help, but unreachable due to the raging storm. At least, that's the way I remember it. When the storm lets up, the anxious searchers who could hear him but could not locate or get to him find his trapped and dead body. It was so movingly done that I have never forgotten its effect on me.

Irv Thomas

Whenever my father would hear the music of a distant, musical hound, he'd say jokingly, "It's the voice of Bugle Ann!" For more than fifty years I've waited to see this movie and learn why it was so memorable for him. Happily TCM televised it today. At first I was afraid it was going to be too slow and rustically sentimental for me, but I stayed with it because it brought back memories of my dad and some of our hunts with hounds in the Midwest. Eventually Barrymore's great courtroom speech about man's most loyal and innocent friend and the haunting voice of Bugle Ann herself brought quiet pleasure, and I shucked off my modern day cynicism long enough to enjoy the wonderfully sentimental ending.

I cannot begin to tell the readers how Voice of Bugle Ann affected me!

As a little girl I knew that I loved all animals, big and small. Saturdays were my day to take my 15 cent allowance and walk to downtown Binghamton (NY) to see a movie at the Strand theater. This was my every Saturday routine.

5 cents would buy my way in to see the movie and I always headed for the front four rows of seats. I spent the remaining 10 cents on as much candy as it would buy.

I guess Lionel Barrymore was like a movie "father" to me and I adored him! And when I watched Bugle Ann and saw how loving he was with his companion and how hurt he was when Bugle Ann was lost to him, I couldn't stop crying.

This movie made a lifetime impression on me of how you should love and cherish any animal that God has put in your care. You should consider them a part of your family. You should express your affection for them whenever you're together. And, it's a good thing to sit down and talk to them about the things you have on mind, even your worries. Treat them as if they were another human.

I have a Yorkie mix and we are at one another's side 24-hrs. a day.

And something that has stayed with me from the age of 8 to my current age of 75...I have NEVER forgotten the beautiful bugle of Bugle Ann. I have heard it at times when we have driven through the Everglades. But, strangest of all, I will hear it at night time. I always tell myself "that's Bugle Ann and she's telling us she's OK by bugling..."

When, of course, I know that it's really a neighbor's dog.

This was the first movie my grandparents saw together...and they're still reminiscing about it. I want to get them a copy and watch it with them. I can't seem to find it online in VHS (video tape) anywhere...only the book at Borders. The TCM channel played it in July 2002, so I wonder if anyone taped it then? I would pay $$ for a copy! Thanks, --GB_TechWriter

This movie was filmed around my home town of Mendon Missouri. Mostly on the farm of Tom Bash. I believe he financed part of the filming of this picture. He was judge of the eastern district in Missouri in the 20's and Sheriff of Jackson County Mo. in the 30's. He offered to adopt my father Calvin Collins but my father refused because he was told he would have to wear shoes and have to finish his homework before he went fishing. Bash hosted many large hunts on his vast farm and they were attended by many dignitaries including Harry Truman. Lionel Barrymore attended parties at the Bash Ranch aside from being there to make this film.