Frank Inn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Frank Inn (May 8, 1916–July 27, 2002) was an American actor and animal trainer.
Born Elias Franklin Freeman in Indiana, at age 17 he came to Hollywoood and changed his name. He learned to train animals while recovering from a serious automobile accident in Culver City, California.
Frank Inn's career spanned more than 50 years and his animal stars included Cleo, a bassett hound in Jackie Cooper's 1950s television show, The People's Choice, Arnold Ziffel, the pig from Green Acres; the chimps from Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp and many of Elly May Clampett's exotic "critters" on the Beverly Hillbillies.
Possibly his most famous animal was Higgins, a brown mutt he rescued from an animal shelter in Burbank, California. The dog starred in Petticoat Junction in the 1960s, and in the 1974 feature film Benji, and its 1977 sequel For the Love of Benji. Inn trained Benji's son in the following three movies and did acting turns as himself in Benji the Hunted in 1987 and as a cook in the 1976 camel comedy Hawmps!
In his later years, Inn wrote poetry, assembled a museum of memorabilia from his long career and trained a new generation of animal wranglers.
The International Association of Canine Professionals honored Frank Inn as their first inductee into the IACP Hall of Fame.
The Patsy Award (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year) was originated by the Hollywood office of the American Humane Association in 1939. They decided to honor animal performers after a horse was killed in an on-set accident during the filming of the Tyrone Power film Jesse James.
The award now covers both film and television and is separated into four categories: canine, equine, wild and special. The special category encompasses everything from goats to cats to pigs. Frank Inn was the proud owner of over 40 Patsy awards.
Upon his death at age 86 after a brief illness, per his request, the ashes of Arnold Ziffel and Higgins were buried with him.
