Word of the Day
Asta (AS-tuh)
· Common clues: Film canine, "The Thin Man" dog; Film pooch; Hammett hound
· Crossword puzzle frequency: once a month
Asta was the urbane screwball dog who appeared in a number of films of the 1930s.
Like many stars of the time, Asta was not his real name. His real name was Skippy, but he chose the name Asta following his appearance under that name in The Thin Man, which was the film which really shot him to stardom. He was a wire haired terrier, completely comfortable with his looks in a town renowned for its obsession with beauty. He was of the opinion that a little excess facial hair was not necessarily a bad thing and resisted the studios' exhortations to have cosmetic surgery. His rugged good looks and charm were appreciated by his co-stars and by decades of moviegoers. His trademark wiry locks and beady eyes, combined with his amazing acting ability endeared him to everyone. He was very clean living - didn't take drugs or smoke and only drank the occasional glass of champagne or malt whisky. So what if he was taciturn and had an unfortunate habit of nuzzling other dogs' nether regions. The studios managed to hush up this foible as far as possible.
[Courtesy: Cal Westray]
|
|