&sq=&lang=&file=File:Photograph_of_Thunder,_dog_star_of_the_silent_era,.jpeg) Thunder in 1925 | |
| Species | Canis lupus familiaris |
|---|---|
| Breed | German Shepherd |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | (Beneva) Tillo von Riedekenburg[1][2] September 7, 1921 Stuttgart, Germany |
| Died | Date undetermined California United States |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1923–1927 |
| Owner | Frank Foster Davis 1891–1976[3] |
Thunder the Dog (also credited as Thunder the Marvel Dog; born September 7, 1921 – death after October 1928) was a male German Shepherd that performed in American silent films from 1923 through 1927.[4] Although Thunder's filmography is rather brief, his six- and seven-reel features were much longer and more elaborate than the films in which many of his fellow canine actors appeared during the silent era. His releases did, though, have to compete in the 1920s with other feature films starring rival German Shepherds such as Peter the Great, Napoleon, Rex, and, most notably, Strongheart and Rin Tin Tin. During his career, Thunder worked for Paramount, Gotham Pictures, and Fox Film Corporation; and he shared screen time with Clara Bow, Dorothy Dalton, William Russell, Caryl Lincoln, and other prominent actors of the period.[5]
- ^ "A Canine Aristocrat", Motion Picture News, October 9, 1926, p. 1363. Internet Archive, San Francisco, California. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ "(Beneva) Tillo von Riedekenburg", AKC 369953 (German registry SZ 138465), Pedigree Database, Olafur Tryggvason, Kópavogur, Iceland. Retrieved March 21, 2020. Note that this database, the more reliable source, spells Thunder's registered name "Riedekenburg" not "Riedekenberg" as cited in Motion Picture News.
- ^ "Virginia Death Certificates, 1912–1987", Frank Foster Davis, May 24, 1976, Alexandria, Virginia. Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Richmond, Virginia; digital copy of original, Archives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.
- ^ News item in October 1928 refers to Thunder in present tense, indicating he was then still alive. "Finest Shepherd Dogs On Exhibition Thursday", The Daily Boston Globe, October 1, 1929, p. 10. ProQuest Historical Newspapers (Ann Arbor, Michigan), subscription access, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- ^ "Thunder", filmography, American Film Institute (AFI), Los Angeles, California. Retrieved March 7, 2020.