May 1 2008

Yesterday, I posted this question for film buffs and I did warn that it was tricky:

What fictional female has been played by males in several movies and in a television series?

Answer: The fictional female was the dog Lassie.  In the original children's book,  the clever collied was a  female dog, just as the name Lassie would suggest.  However, when the film Lassie Come Home was made in 1944, the producers decided to use a male collie for the part.  The reasons remain obscure, but it seems to have been partly because male collies are larger.

Anyway, the practice of using male dogs to play Lassie continued through the sequel films and into the 1950s television series. Obviously, careful camera work was needed to avoid showing the dog's genitals, but that would have been taboo anyway.  Try this question on people at parties.  It will be a rare person who guesses the answer.

George

P.S. Please visit my web page at:  www.checkmatefiction.com