Photos: The Hollywood Museum Presents An Acting Animals Tribute Exhibit

On the evening of April 6th, in advance of "NATIONAL PET DAY," (April 11th), Founder/President of the Hollywood Museum, Donelle Dadigan, hosted a tribute exhibit to Acting Animals.

Many of these fan favorites animals are simply known by one name including Lassie, Flipper, Cheeta, Trigger, Bengie, Pyewacket, Tramp or Old Yeller, Rin Tin Tin, Spuds MacKenzie, Morris the cat, Gentle Ben and more. The exhibit also features celebrated personalities and their personal pets (listed below), as well as the critically acclaimed book, "In Good Company" (Briton Publishers) by author/photographer, Johanna Siegman, which includes many personalities with their furry loved ones.

The tribute speakers included Donelle Dadigan (Founder/President the Hollywood Museum), Ed Begley Jr. (Young Sheldon/St Elsewhere), Vernon Wells (Road Warrior/Commando), Stanley Livingston (My Three Sons/Don't Eat The Daisies), Barry Livingston (My Three Sons/Notorious Nick), Johanna Siegmann (Photographer/Author of "In Good Company"), Liza Asner (Ed Asner's Daughter), Elaine Ballace (Rich and the Ruthless), Erin Murphy (Bewitched), and Joanne Worley (LaughIn/Actors and Others for Animals).

Among those personalities in attendance to pay homage to our furry acting friends and family members were, Jerry Mathers (Leave it to Beaver), Kathy Garver (Family Affair), Alice Amter (Big Bang Theory), Kate Linder (Y&R), Darcy Donovan (Modern Family), Tyrone DuBose (Unsung), Darby Hinton (Daniel Boone), Geoffrey Mark (Best Selling author), Diana Lansleen (Y&R / Days of Our Lives), Kathy Kolla (Plastic Dreams), Jax Malcolm (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Meredith Thomas (Keeping Up With the Joneses), Natasha Blasick (Paul T Goldman), Conner Dean (911), Vanessa Angel (Super Genious Babies), Lauren Samuels (West End Star), Mandy Fason (Love Simon) and more

Celebrity exhibit participants included a who's who of stage and screen talent including, Chita Rivera, Liz Abbott, Caroline Beck, Ed Begley Jr., Adrienne Barbeau, Stanley Livingston, Barry Livingston, Peter Marshall, Jon Provost, June Lockhart, Judy Norton, Adam Schiff, Erin Murphy, Michael Learned, Lydia Cornell, Alice Amter, Joan van Ark, Stefanie Powers, Linda Purl, Jerry Mathers, Ann Walker, Lee Purcell, Bruce Davison, Donna Mills, Rebecca Wisocky, Michael Feinstein, Loretta Swit, Joanne Worley, Ruta Lee, Diana Lansleen, Geri Jewell, George Chakiris, Joanne Worley, Dee Wallace, Darby Hinton, Alison Arngrim, Carolyn Hennesy, Gabrielle Stone, Julie Newmar, Michael Learned, Toni Tennille, Garrett Bennet, Darcy Donovan, Steven Wishnoff, Raissa Katona Bennet, Brad Pitt, George & Erin Pennacchio, Jenny Bilfield, Carlos Carrasco, Laura Cohen, Michael & Tom d'Angora, Patricia de Leon, Kathy Garver, Jax Malcom, David Dubinsky, Danielle Eskinazi, Lorraine Feather, Paula Ficara, Roslyn Kind, Frances Fisher, Heather Frank, Justin Frank, Joel Friedman, Tracey Gluck, Gina Hecht, Katie Hoff, Richard Karn, Ron King, David Koz, Norman Lear, Tanya Moss, Lu Parker, Bill Peterson, Arcadio Poveda, Meredith Thomas, Elaine Ballace, Gretchen Reinhagen, Allan Rich, Claudia Russell, Alex Rybeck, Arturo Sandoval, David Scharf, Mark Schiff, Dave Scott, Columbus Short, Jackie Speier, Molly Stern, Gabrielle Stone, Gene Stone, Tierney Sutton, Eric Swalwell, Gregory Tororian, Steve Wastell, Gren Wells, Vernon Wells, Adrienne Wilkinson, Mark Winkler, Richard Yniguez, Ed Asner, Margarita Zavala, Betty White, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, many more etc

People are their most genuine selves when they're with their pets. No matter how experienced or nervous someone is about being photographed, interviewed or even in crowds, as soon as they are with their pets, everything changes. The "In Good Company" coffee table book of fine art portraits, features notable people from a wide range of fields (arts, science, literature, performance, music, etc.), with their pets. A portion of profits will go to support Apex Protection Project, a Los Angeles-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization, created to save the wolf species through education, rescue and advocacy. Unlike traditional pet portraits, these unique images depict the relationship between people and their beloved pets. They portray everyday moments between them, which are intimate and mundane, often humorous, whimsical, or touching, and always genuine. Each person provides me with personal details of their relationship with their pet in order for me to envision a concept that is particular to them.

Photo Credit: Bill Dow, Courtesy of The Hollywood Museum

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