The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin

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.)

This year marks the 50th anniversary of two great family programs -- Lassie (q.v.) and the subject of this comment, Rin Tin Tin. I remember that the show was sponsored by the National Biscuit Company, Nabisco to you, and that the stars, like stars of other programs of the time advertised certain products. Needless to say, Rinty and Rusty sold a great deal of Shreaded Wheat, to say nothing of Oreo cookies.

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin was part of my growing up years and the call 'Yoooooooo, Rinty' echoes in my ears to this day.

'Lassie' and 'The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin' are proof positive that the dog is man's (and woman's) best friend.

Happy 50th television anniversary, Rinty.

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?

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!

The Scene: Board Room, Screen Gems TV Unit; Subsidiary of Columbia Pictures Corporation. A paunchy, Balding and Bespectacled 50ish man is presiding over a strategy meeting. The "Suits" have to make a decision about what to do with a property that they have an option on using in Movies or TV.

Bald Head: "Well, what are we gonna do with this, this,...Watzis name, Schultz?

Schultz: "Uh, the Dog, sir? It's Rin-Tin-Tin."

Bald Head: "Yeah, that German Shepherd from World War I, the Army Dog! Our option runs out and that'd be $8,000,000.oo down the drain if we don't do something with 'em! What we gonna do?"

Board Man 1: "That's the dog from France in World War II, right?"

Board Man 2: "No, genius, it was in the First Big War, 1918. The mutt is supposed to have saved Warner Brothers from going belly up!"

Bald Head: "Yeah, he was a sort of canine War Bride or somethin' like that! But we can't put him in a World War or anything like that! People are sick of War! We just finished that Korean "Police Action!" C'mon you guys! Think of somethin'! THINK!"

BOARD MAN 3: "Hell, why don't we put 'em in the Cavalry or somethin' like that?"

BALD HEAD: "The Cavalry!!! Are you nuts!?!?"

...............And thus if not exactly a Legend, a Series is born!

The Series THE ADVENTURES OF RIN TIN TIN successfully combined several popular themes into a highly successful Kiddie Western. We took a Dog, a Kid (an orphan, yet) and had the good Cavalrymen at Fort Apache's "B" Company adopt him and give him their Unit name as his Family or Surname.

They added a good sampling of veteran Hollywood Film Actors to give the thing a certain dependability. Lt. Rip Masters (Former "B" Movie Leading Man and a capable dramatic Actor name of James Brown), Sgt. Biff O'Hara (Joe Sawyer, always cast as the Sergeant, always), Jimmy Lyden (The former Henry Aldrich of the Movies) and a cast of seemingly thousands of guest starring actors; a veritable Who's Who of supporting players available then.

This Fort Apache seemed to have everything a boy could want. Heroes to hero worship, towns folk to rescue, horses to ride. They even had all kinds of Injuns! And not all the Apaches were bad. They had the renegades led by Geronimo and the friendly Apaches headed up by Cochise. Who said that all Hollywood Indians were bad? It certainly wasn't here!

THE ADVENTURES OF RIN TIN TIN provided us with a Western adventure all our own. And thanks to our folks, Clement J. & Bertha F.Ryan (nee Fuerst), we learned of the Origin of the FIRST RINTY and his coming to America from the Western Front in World War I France.

That's the sort of Mom and Dad we had!

NOTE: * From the old World War I Song (as if they're are any new World War I songs)!