
Following in the pawprints of Rin-Tin-Tin and Lassie, a German Shepherd named Rusty became a bona fide dog star in his 1945 feature debut, The Adventures of Rusty. An attack dog with a heart of gold, Rusty was played by B-movie regular Ace the Dog, whose canine resume included tear-jerkers like Orphans of the Street and Pride of the Army.
In this film, Rusty is adopted by little Danny Mitchell, who really needs a new friend. Danny’s widowed father has just remarried, and the boy isn’t sure how to react to his new stepmother. Rusty makes a welcome companion, but the dog’s past keeps getting both Rusty and Danny in trouble.
Before he came into Danny’s home, Rusty had worked as a police dog, trained to kill. Danny knows the German Shepherd has a kind heart under his angry exterior, but not everyone is so convinced. Together, boy and dog work to clear Rusty’s name, while Danny’s new stepmother tries to find room in the lad’s heart for another new friend as well.
The Adventures of Rusty was a popular B-picture in its time, a classic “boy and his dog” tale that warmed the soul. Several Rusty sequels were filmed over the next few years, starting with Son of Rusty in 1947. Danny and Rusty kept the adventures coming through For the Love of Rusty, My Dog Rusty, Rusty Leads the Way, Rusty Saves a Life and the final entry, 1949’s Rusty’s Birthday, always faithful to each other, always touching the hearts and the tear ducts.