The Mother of 101 Dalmatians"
The Woman Behind The Hundred and One Dalmatians. Maybe you never heard of British Author Dodie Smith, but as a pet lover and movie fan, you’re probably very familiar with her most famous work. In 1956, Dodie created one of the most famous dog stories of all time, when she wrote The Hundred and One Dalmatians. Although it was originally described as a children’s book, Dodie’s work has become a hit with fans of all ages. The Walt Disney film version of her book is one of the popular movies of all time. Ironically, Dodie might never have hooked up with the spotted dog breed behind her famous story, had she not suffered a bout of the blues. Dodie was 38 in 1934, and busy establishing herself as a successful playwright in England. Whether it was because of the pressures of her career, the world-wide economic depression, or anxiety over the gathering war clouds that had started to gather in Europe, Dodie began to feel down. Her husband Alec and her best friend Phyllis decided to give Dodie a present to cheer her up. They presented Dodie with a squirming hatbox. When Dodie opened it, she found a cute Dalmatian puppy named "Pogo" inside. Apparently, Pogo was just what the doctor ordered. Not only did Dodie cheer up, her new four-footed friend served as the model for a key character in Dodie’s future classic book. Pogo also inspired a life-long love of the Dalmatian breed in Dodie No Cruella de Vil, Dodie was never without a Dalmatian for the remainder of her life. At times, she kept up to nine of the dogs. In 1956, she celebrated her love for the spotted breed by publishing The Hundred and One Dalmatians. Dodie passed away at the age of 94 in 1990. Her last dog, a Dalmatian named "Charley" died three weeks later of a broken heart.   |