1988: “Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop”, a.k.a. “Katts and Dog”
1990: “Rin Tin Tin Jr.”
1999: “The New Adventures of Rin Tin Tin”
Of the three, “K-9 Cop” is the only one I’m sure actually existed, and I don’t know if it originally had anything to do with Rin Tin Tin. According to one report, the dog in the Canadian series was originally called something else, and the name “Rinty” was dubbed in for the American market. “Jr.” and “New Adventures” are listed on IMDB, but information is scanty. For all I know, they could be hoaxes, or projects that never got out of development.
Rin Tin Tin was a major celebrity of the silent-film era, Rin Tin Tin Jr. made several movies in the 1930s, and Rin Tin Tin III costarred in a 1947 film with Robert Blake. In 1954, Rin Tin Tin IV joined the cavalry in “The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin”, which ran on TV for several years before Rin Tin Tin disappeared from the screen – or did he?
I loved K-9 Cop when I was a kid. I thought it was such a fun show. I’d heard that not too long ago about the name of the dog being dubbed over for America. That’s kinda strange I think, because who cares if the dog was named after Rin Tin Tin or just a dog!
The guy that played the cop on that show was in some movie, I think The Santa Clause, and I remember thinking that was so cool.
Although kids may not have cared about the name Rin Tin Tin, my guess is that someone hoped to lure their baby-boomer parents or grandparents who remembered the old “Adventures of Rin Tin Tin”. Kind of a cynical trick, if the series had no real connection to the old show.
Do you remember any details of the show? Who was the star, Katts or dog?
oh man I remember this show. I was such a nerd for it. I’d watch it on the Family Channel. I only remember it being called Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop.
The star of the show was the cop – Jon Katz or something. Dog was supporting role and he would basically bark on command and catch the bad guy at the end of every episode. But I still loved it.
I’m sure this love has a little bit to do with the schoolgirl crush I had on the cop’s nephew (?) who stayed with him. Andrew Bednarski. Cute kid.
I’m doing a research for a project (not homework!) about the 1950s TV show, and I want to mention any spinoffs, sequels or remakes. I don’t like depending on Internet message boards as primary sources, but I haven’t been able to track down anyone involved with “Katts and Dog” or the other titles I mentioned.