Benji

Benji is the main protagonist of the film series Benji. He has had 6 movies, 3 television specials, a TV show, 2 documentaries, and a video game for the Commodore 64. He was created by Joe Camp.

Appearance
Benji is a small brown mix-breed dog. His ears are a dark brown and has some one patches on his nose. He has a black collar with a gold tag.

Movies

 * Benji (1974)
 * For the Love of Benji (1977)
 * Oh! Heavenly Dog! (1980)
 * Benji the Hunted (1987)
 * Benji's Film Festival (2001)
 * Benji: Off the Leash! (2004)

Television specials

 * Benji's Very Own Christmas Story (1978)
 * Benji at Work (1980)
 * Benji Takes a Dive at Marineland (1981)

Cameos

 * Hawmps! (1976)

TV shows

 * Benji, Zax, and the Alien Prince (1983)

Documentaries

 * Benji's Life Story (1976)
 * The Phenomenon of Benji (1989)

Video games

 * Benji: Space Rescue (1983)

Biography
Benji is the name of a fictional dog who has been the focus of a series of movies from 1974 through 2004. It is also the title of the first film in the Benji series. While there is only ever one Benji at a time, there have been four dogs to play Benji, the first was Higgins who is best probably known for having played the character "Dog" on the 1960s television series Petticoat Junction and later starring in the 1974 movie Benji. He was trained and owned by Frank Inn, while Joe Camp is the creator and director of the films.

Higgins was originally a rescue dog adopted from the Burbank Animal Shelter by trainer Frank Inn, and according to him was the smartest dog he had ever trained. In 1971, Higgins starred in Mooch Goes to Hollywood. As a senior dog (aged 11) he was then retired from acting, but in 1974 starred in his final and greatest role, the loveable mutt in Joe Camp's family film Benji.

The second dog to play Benji was Higgins' daughter, Benjean. She starred in three movies (For the Love of Benji, Benji the Hunted, and Oh Heavenly Dog), four television specials (Benji's Very Own Christmas Story, Benji Takes a Dive at Marineland, Benji at Work, and The Phenomenon of Benji), and a TV series (Hanna-Barbera's Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince). Benji the Hunted was the only Benji movie distributed by Disney. In that film, Benji had to protect the Cougar cubs from the villainous Timber Wolf. In Benji: Off the Leash!, Benji is female. Joe Camp's son is currently working on the remake of the first film.

The dog photographed on the cover of Joe Camp's book Benji & Me was the third Benji. He was distantly related to Higgins and Benjean but never starred in any films. The fourth and current Benji is a female dog named Moochie, and is unrelated to the previous Benjis. Moochie was adopted from the Humane Society of South Mississippi in Gulfport after being abandoned and rescued from the streets of Pass Christian. She began filming her first movie a year and a half later. Benji Off the Leash was released in 2004.