Volume III: Biographies

PANTHUS *

Dog (1916)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Panthus, a dog, appeared in the 1916 Thanhouser release of Prudence the Pirate.

Biographical Notes: Panthus was retrieved from the New Rochelle dog pound and used in a 1916 film. Once the photography for the feature had been completed, six Thanhouser studio employees drew straws for the ownership of the canine, and Robert Vaughn won, after which Panthus lived in the actor's home in Brooklyn. Two of the following articles, by Jerome Beatty, Thanhouser's publicity director at the time, indicate that at least for a while after his film appearance Gladys Hulette gave Panthus a home.

The Search: The following is from a Pathé Exchange, Inc. news release, circa September 1916: "Gladys Hulette, Thanhouser star, seeks the ugliest pup in the world. Other motion picture actresses may have overpowering ambitions for a herd of motor cars, some may seek jewels, a few may hope to marry the most beautiful man alive, but those desires are not a part of Gladys Hulette. She wants an ugly pup. Miss Hulette, who has just finished making The Shine Girl, a Thanhouser production that is to be released through Pathé, is now working with William Parke, her director, on a picture to be called Prudence, the Pirate. Miss Agnes C. Johnston, who wrote the story, entered in the cast 'Panthus, the ugliest puppy in captivity.' This pup is to be Miss Hulette's chum throughout her adventures in the picture. It's a great chance for a young dog who has ambitions to amount to something in this world, a world painfully free of big opportunities for intelligent dogs who lack pulchritude.

"'Don't,' Miss Hulette cries in warning, 'don't tell anybody to send me a dog! I don't want to start a home of uncomely canines.' All she wants is a photograph of your ugly dog. Miss Hulette will be the judge. From the photographs she will select the one that appears to be most suited to play 'Panthus' and will notify its owner to send it along. 'Panthus' will be returned unharmed after he has appeared in the picture."

Panthus' Pedigree: The following is from a Pathé Exchange, Inc. news release, circa October 1916: "Panthus, the ugliest pup in the world, knows what it means to have ups and downs, but, philosopher that he is, he finds more contentment in poverty than in luxury. One day Panthus was worth $5,000. The next day he was a tramp. Panthus is a prominent actor in Prudence, the Pirate, a Thanhouser feature starring Gladys Hulette, that is to be released through Pathé on October 22. He was found in the New Rochelle dog pound and given a prominent part in the picture. So well did he do at the start that Agnes C. Johnston, the 19 year old author of the play, promptly wrote more scenes for Panthus, and he's one of the features of the piece. After he had worked a couple of days Panthus left his silken couch and his dog biscuit and vanished. He was found in an alley and, much against his will, was returned to the studio. Edwin Thanhouser, taking no more chances, insured Panthus for $5,000 against death, injury, kidnapping or wanderlust with the Hartford Live Stock Insurance company of Hartford, Conn. Had Panthus disappeared during the making of the picture, of course all the scenes in which he had appeared would have to be retaken with whatever dog was substituted for him. The $5,000 was to cover partly the expense of whatever re-takes might have been necessary. When the last scene in Prudence was taken Panthus was cast adrift. Robert Vaughn, a Thanhouser actor, however, took pity on him - at the request of Miss Hulette - and now he has a happy home in Brooklyn."

"The Homeliest Dog in the World": The following article, by Jerome Beatty, appeared in The Motion Picture Magazine, January 1917: "Panthus is a philosophical cuss. One day he was worth five thousand dollars; the next day he was tramps yet he's happier now than he was when he had a price on his head. Panthus is the ugliest pup in the world, according to the experts at the Thanhouser studios, and yet he is playing an important part in Prudence, the Pirate, in which is starred Gladys Hulette. When Agnes C. Johnston wrote the scenario for Prudence, the Pirate, she demanded a dog actor of no mean ability, though necessarily of mean ancestry. One of her characters says, 'Here's the ugliest pup in the world,' and so the property man had to furnish him. In the New Rochelle dog pound Panthus was found, after the Thanhouser Company had advertised all over the country for the ugliest pup and had received scores of photographs of dogs that failed to qualify.

"To a silken couch in the studio Panthus was taken, and his ration was costly dog-biscuit. He didn't like it, and escaped after he had worked for a week. There was consternation in the studios. Panthus appears in nearly every scene in which Miss Hulette takes part. Several hundred feet of film had been made. If another dog had to be substituted, all that would have to be retaken. A frantic search of New Rochelle was made, and Panthus finally was found in an alley. He was captured and placed under guard. In order to protect himself against any further flights of Panthus, Edwin Thanhouser insured the pup's life for five thousand dollars. The policy was issued by the Hartford Live Stock Insurance Company, and insured Panthus against sickness, death, theft, or wanderlust. When Prudence, the Pirate was finished, Panthus was worth less than a nickel. The day before he was one of the most valuable dogs in the world. And Miss Hulette thinks so, too - she has adopted him for the rest of his short dog life."

Another Account by Jerome Beatty: The following account, by Jerome Beatty, appeared in Picture-Play Magazine, January 1917. The details differ slightly from the preceding: "The ugliest pup in the world has been captured and turned into an actor. His name is Panthus, 'because he pants so much,' according to Agnes C. Johnston, who wrote the part he plays. Panthus is a lucky dog. He not only gets his name in the papers and his picture on the screen, but he frolics through five joyous reels in the arms of no less a person than Gladys Hulette, who is the star of the play, Prudence, the Pirate, in which Panthus appears. But Panthus doesn't like acting. He was found in the dog pound at New Rochelle, and, rescued from death, taken to the Thanhouser studios and placed in a silken basket and fed upon beef-steak and dog biscuit - a brand of biscuit guaranteed to make the hair grow long and curly and to put sparkle into the eyes.

"After working three days, Panthus escaped. For 24 hours, led by William Parke, the director, a posse from the Thanhouser studios searched New Rochelle. They had to have him, for if Panthus vanished another dog must be obtained and all the scenes in which Panthus had appeared would have to be retaken. Panthus was found in an alley, far from his silken couch, trying to nose the lid off a garbage can. He was seized and taken back to the studios under guard. Throughout the taking of the picture he was watched as though he were made of pure gold. Each day his value increased, and when the feature was nearly finished he was worth thousands of dollars.

"Obviously, since he was in part of the play, he had to appear in all of it. If your leading man quits you in the middle of a production, you can't get a double for him. You have to start all over again with a new actor. For instance: In one exterior, Miss Hulette carried Panthus into a house. Later, the interior of the house was taken, showing them coming in. The spectators would have been rather shocked had they seen Panthus enter the house as a brown mongrel and then come into the hallway a St. Bernard! Before Panthus' last scene was taken he was worth $15,000. When it was finished, he was a tramp. He was not cast out, however, Miss Hulette has taken charge of him, and he is to be on a pension for life."

Thanhouser Filmography:

1916: Prudence the Pirate (10-22-1916)

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