Five facts about the famous Mr. Ed.
1. The golden palomino’s real name was Bamboo Harvester, and he was born in California in 1949.
2. Every day, Mr. Ed ate 20 pounds of hay and drank a gallon of sweet tea.
3. The horse didn’t obey anyone except his trainer, Les Hilton, so Hilton had to be on the set at all times, telling Ed where to look, how to move, and what do to. On the show (which ran from 1961 to 1966), even when it seems like Ed is involved in what’s going on, he’s really just looking at Hilton off-screen.
4. Ed did most of his own stunts. He was trained to do everything from opening the barn door to answering the telephone.
5. The horse couldn’t talk, however. His trainer used a nylon bit to get him to move his lips. (The rumor that Hilton gave the horse peanut butter to make him lick his lips isn’t true.)