Friends of the Famous - F

Flipper, deemed the famous aquatic version of Lassie, was actually played by three different dolphins and filmed according to their varied talents such as close-up shots, athleticism and stunts. Incredibly cognizant, the dolphins enjoyed watching themselves when the popular Flipper TV show screened on air. All three dolphins lived with their friend and trainer Milton Santini, in the Florida Keys at a location now known as the Dolphin Research Center.

Fred, the avian hero and friend of Baretta in the undercover detective show (late seventies) starring Robert Blake, charmed the producers with his vast vocabulary when they were looking for more of a raven-type sidekick than a virtuoso cockatoo. Though he had a stunt-double for many of the flying scenes and was notorious for vicious bites, Fred won a PATSY award in both 1976 and 1977 and lived to be about seventy years old.

Redneck spoofing star of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, Jeff Foxworthy doesn’t consider himself overly religious, but aside from Sunday Morning Worship he leads a Bible study group for homeless guys every Tuesday morning. What started out years ago as a group of about fifteen hopeful soul-seekers, now numbers over one hundred regular visitors.  Meanwhile, the Foxworthy family has had many pets, including dogs, cats and hamsters. He has but one bit of advice on cats and that is that because “they only throw up at night, right before you fall asleep,” you should always wear your slippers in the morning!

Succeeding the sitting president upon his sudden demise, Willard Fillmore became the 13^th president of the United States in 1850; at which point his entire cabinet offered their resignations. Nonetheless, the last president (to date) not affiliated with either the Republican or Democratic parties, managed to serve out the remaining three years of his predecessor’s term during the height of the ongoing slavery crisis and facilitate the finalizing of the much- debated passing of the Compromise Act of 1850; a major concession by both parties.  Perhaps in reference to the debate or simply wry humor, Fillmore named his two ponies Mason and Dixon.

Have you ever met a dolphin, or named a pet after an event or personal persuasion? Do your pets ever get the sneaky sickies?