by Pat Rodgers
It is June 25, 1973, and the sleepy little town of McKinney has just been invaded by a movie set complete with actors, directors, and cameras. The McKinney Courier-Gazette reports, “Production begins on a family-friendly style show, “Benji” created by Joe Camp of Mulberry Square Productions of Dallas.”
Benji is a heart-warming movie about a stray loveable mutt who roams freely over his friendly Texas town. When two children Benji loved are kidnapped and held for ransom, Benji springs into action, taking it upon himself to foil the crooks and save the day. Along the way, he also falls in love with a beautiful Maltese named Tiffany.
The story of Benji, the huggable and scruffy little dog, put McKinney on the map. Recently, McKinney observed the golden anniversary of its famous canine hero with a celebration and unveiling of a statue in 2023 to honor its beloved pup.
People traveled from near and far to McKinney to visit Benji’s haunts and see the Benji House. They brought their children and grandchildren to experience this charming and old-fashioned movie. At a special screening, audiences sobbed during the sentimental scenes, gasped in horror when Benji’s lovable Tiffany was kicked, and applauded when the Oscar-nominated theme song,” I Feel Love” was sung by Charlie Rich.
Benji’s story began as a six-week-old puppy in an animal shelter in Burbank, California. Frank Inn, a pioneering animal trainer, recalls in his own words. “I had been training animals for movies and television for over thirty years when a friend invited my wife and me to the Burbank Animal Shelter to look at a “real cute puppy”. We found this little six-week-old brown furry puppy. He was cute but mostly looked lonely and afraid. Of course, we took him home.
Frank named him Higgins and worked with him every day. Before long Higgins was cast in the popular series, “Petticoat Junction” and became a regular member of the cast who never missed a performance for seven years.
After the show closed, Higgins, retired to the country. One lazy summer afternoon, Joe Camp drove into their lives and convinced Frank Inn that he wanted Higgins to star in a new film he had written. Joe, who had never made a feature film or worked with animals said, “I want the film to tell the story completely from the dog’s point of view. I need a dog, a lovable mutt that can act.”
Higgins went on to be the Benji we remember today. He and his offspring starred in multiple Benji movies. He was the second animal ever to be inducted into the Animal Actors Hall of Fame, Lassie being first. He was twice named Animal Entertainer of the Year.
Joe Camp had a childhood dream of making movies. He grew up watching Disney films. Lady and the Tramp was one of his favorite movies, and he began to wonder why there had never been a live-action version of Lady and the Tramp.”
An advertising executive, Joe Camp was inspired to begin writing movie scripts in his spare time. He wrote out the first Benji script in longhand. No studio would finance it, so Joe raised the money privately and formed Mulberry Square Productions.
His filmmaking techniques were legendary. Camp kept the cameras two feet off the ground to mimic the hero’s point of view. In 1973, the bulky 35mm cameras had to appear to soar up and down steep stairs, float over rooftops, race through alleyways and grassy fields, and make humans tower like giants.
Benji was a low-budget film, costing only $500,000; but would gross over 40 million, equating to 250 million today. Joe Camp remained passionate throughout his life about making family- friendly films and because of Benji, more than 1,000,000 dogs have been adopted.
Joe Camp, Frank Inn, and Benji are gone now but the legend lives on in McKinney. The old Benji haunted house has been given a beautiful new life by Ian and Elisa Maclean. They gladly share their story of Benji with those who come to see where Benji and the kidnappers hid out. Elise and Ian proudly display their many pieces of authentic memorabilia from the movie. The Collin County History Museum also features Benji and tells his wonderful story of intrigue and adventure.
Frank Inn, Benji’s trainer leaves us with these words: “It’s a wonderful feeling to know that Benji has made people all over the world happy – they laugh and cry and feel good inside. That knowledge has made me a very happy man.”
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