Nick Charles and his wife Nora Charles, played by William Powell and Myrna Loy, respectively, had a four-legged sidekick named Asta, a charismatic wire-haired terrier born in 1931. Asta was trained by former silent screen comedienne Gale Henry and her husband, Henry East, who recognized his exceptional intelligence and trained him to perform complex tricks.
Asta's popularity led to a significant increase in the breeding of wire-haired terriers, and everyone wanted to own one or name their dog after him. Despite William Powell's interest in buying Asta, the Easts refused. Asta went on to star in several films, including "After the Thin Man" (1936),"The Awful Truth" (1937),and "Bringing Up Baby" (1938),and even had his own dressing room with exclusive access granted only to his owners.
As a true professional, Asta rarely needed a second take to complete a scene, and he even managed to convincingly fake drinking water from a bowl in "Bringing Up Baby." He contributed to the madcap antics of Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in the film and stole and buried a dinosaur bone, showcasing his mischievous personality.
Asta was slated to appear in a film with English musical star Gracie Fields but the project never eventuated, and he returned home to play "Mr. Atlas" in "Topper Takes a Trip" (1938). His last film appears to have been "Shadow of the Thin Man" (1941),and he entered his well-earned retirement.
