Skippy (also known as Asta, 1931–1951) was a Wire Fox Terrier dog actor who appeared in dozens of movies during the 1930s. Skippy is best known for the role of the pet dog "Asta" in the 1934 detective comedy The Thin Man, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, and for his role in the 1938 comedy Bringing Up Baby, starring Katharine Hepburn ...

Mar 8, 2019 · Guiding Skippy (and subsequent Astas through their careers) were the most acclaimed dog trainers in Hollywood, actress Gale Henry and her husband, MGM FX man Henry East.

Aug 17, 2018 · He made his first appearance at only three months, in a Three Stooges movie. But it was 1934’s detective comedy The Thin Man that would make Skippy a household name, playing “Asta,” the precocious pup owned by hard-drinking society sleuths Nick and Nora Charles.

Dec 17, 2017 · The characters for the “Thin Man” films were based on Dashiell Hammett ‘s 1933 novel, “The Thin Man,” but in the book, Asta wasn’t a Wire Fox Terrier.

In another departure from Hammett, the dog Asta — an integral character in both the book and movies — was a male wire fox terrier, rather than the novel's female schnauzer. Over time a child, Nick, Jr., was also introduced, and elements of the Charleses' backstory fleshed out.

Asta was Hollywood's foremost canine scene-stealer, a charismatic dynamo of a wire-haired terrier (real name Skippy) born sometime during 1931.

Asta is an interesting dog character historically in film, because true to the terrier spirit, he is shown as being highly perceptive and intelligent, but also mischievous and more often than not, quite unruly.

Oct 30, 2009 · In Hammett's book, Nick and Nora Charles had a female Schnauzer named Asta, but Van Dyke was seeking a more dapper-looking dog than a Schnauzer and a more lively breed.

In the 1930s, Skippy (Asta) was a huge dog star. He lifted the hearts of people during the Depression, and everyone loved him. But Skippy had a head start. He was born into show biz. …

“Skippy’ was a Wire Fox Terrier who appeared in dozens of movies during the 1930s, the most popular among them the detective comedy series, The Thin Man, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. The movies were so popular, that Skippy was often credited as “Asta,” his movie name, in public and in other films.