The detectives followed up to see if the pressure against the Easts was real or not. They made an appointment to visit their kennels. Henry East wasn’t there, but they met with his wife.
Gale set up a film projector in their private screening room. “You recall that Asta’s real name is Skippy?”
“Of course,” Babs and Guy said, both embarrassed, because they answered in unison.
She dimmed the lights. “My husband made this publicity reel about our star performer. Maybe you’ll uncover a theme.”
Babs said they were always open to suggestions. “Besides, we always enjoy taking the afternoon off to go to the movies.”
“My husband told you we’re firm about forbidding the actors to interact with him between takes. That can break a dog’s concentration. At first, we were lax and made exceptions. Asta’s so hard to resist. After he bit Myrna Loy, we had to put our foot down.”
Gale continued. “If you include the short documentary made this year about famous movie dogs, Asta has been in twenty films since 1932, although he didn’t receive screen credit in all of them. Don’t laugh, but his first film title was called Merrily We Go to Hell.”
“He’s been a busy boy,” Guy said.
“All the way to the bank,” Gale replied. “When he started earning more than what my husband made in the prop department at MGM, we realized he had talent, and this wasn’t just a fad. On-screen, he’s had names from Ragsy to Rex to Pom to Habeas in a legal-themed film, I Am the Law, and to Mr. Atlas in Topper Takes a Trip. Most of the stunts in Topper gave the audience the impression our little pup did all the work, but those tricks were done with wires. He did have one memorable scene where he showed off his skills.
“Constance Bennett, who plays the ghost Marion Kerby, comes back with her dog rather than with her husband, played by Cary Grant in the first movie. Kerby meddles in the affairs of Cosmo Topper and his wife, who thinks she wants a divorce, but a handsome baron, in league with a group of con men, tries to woo her away from her husband.”
The three of them watched the scene play out where the female ghost stole the man’s swim trunks while buried in the sand. Then the dog (or Mr. Atlas, in this case) dug in the sand and tried to expose him—naked.
“Besides the Thin Man movies, one of Skippy’s most famous roles was when he played George in Bringing Up Baby,” the narrator said. “He wrestled and played with the giant cat. One of his most important stunts was when he stole and buried a rare dinosaur bone of Cary Grant’s.”
“My favorite scene was when Cary Grant got caught wearing Katharine Hepburn’s frilly robe, and the dog kept chasing and nipping at his heels,” Guy said.
The Thin Man scenes came at the end. “He performed a variety of tricks from hiding his head behind his paws playing hide-and-seek to playing dead,” Gale explained. “Our dog was so good at following directions, he rarely needed to do more than one take on a scene—another reason why everyone wanted to cast him in their films.”
Gale turned up the lights when the short film ended. “I’m sure you know dogs live about twelve to fifteen years, depending upon the breed and its upbringing. Since Asta was born in ’31, my husband and I considered retiring him in the next year or two. He’s already sired puppies to take over his roles. Some have looked similar, but none of them have been as smart or cooperative.”
Babs brought up their being in Weatherwax’s office when Gale’s husband phoned about receiving threatening calls.
“He never identifies himself, but he tries to coerce us into selling our dogs,” she explained.
“Does he indicate why?” Babs asked.
“He’s interested in purebreds, not mixed breeds, and the amount he quoted was far above their normal market value.”
The phone rang. Gale raised her voice and looked worried.
“Who was that?” Guy asked.
“Someone with a German accent requesting certain hostile breeds that are hard to handle. They don’t work well for films, so we avoid getting them.”
“Didn’t you tell them your movie dogs aren’t for sale?” Guy asked.
“Of course, but they’re relentless. They’ve called in the middle of the night and woken my husband and me at least twice.”
“Has he or anyone else contacted you asking for a ransom?” Guy asked.
Gale hesitated. “For Asta? I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“I’m assuming you’ve already filed the standard police reports,” said Babs.
“Of course, but the cops are after sensational cases like the Fatty Arbuckle scandal, and the dog pound employees can’t make arrests.”
“I’m failing to see the comparisons between the two missing dogs—referring to the Easts’ and Basil’s,” Guy said to Babs.
“With Leo, he’s owned by a celebrity,” Babs explained. “But with Asta, he is the celebrity. Quite a difference.”