Brow Beat

Uggie, the Dog from The Artist, Has Died. Here’s What Reviewers Said About Him.

Uggie greeting his many fans.

ROBYN BECK/AFP/GettyImages

Uggie, the dog who skyrocketed to movie stardom after a scene-stealing performance in the 2012 Academy Award-winner The Artist, has died: According to TMZ, the 13-year-old had to be put down after struggling with a prostate tumor. The talented pooch’s career was an enviable one, as he took home the coveted Palm Dog at Cannes and became so beloved that thousands of fans even clamored for him to be nominated for an Oscar. Critics were, for the most part, as kind to Uggie as his fans were. Here are the glowing terms in which reviews of The Artist described the Jack Russell terrier:

  •  “A dog whose IQ seems to be higher than that of most actors of any species.” –Robbie Collin, The Telegraph
  • “Just cute enough without overkill.” –Ty Burr, Boston Globe
  • “An offscreen buddy as resourceful and courageous as Lassie.” –Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
  • “A dog as nifty as Rin Tin Tin.” –David Thomson, The New Republic
  • “[An] exceptionally talented last remaining friend, his clever little performing dog of the type so common in the silent era.” –Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter
  • “He puts shame to the digital Snowy of the upcoming The Adventures of Tintin.” –Jake Coyle, AP
  • “A scene-stealing pup.” –Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
  • “A barking echo of Asta, the wirehaired genius of The Thin Man, Bringing up Baby, and The Awful Truth.”  –Anthony Lane, The New Yorker
Of course, like any celebrity, Uggie had his share of detractors, among them Slate’s own Forrest Wickman, who wrote:
Uggie is little more than a hound for attention, and to reward such a groveling and ostentatious performance would make a mockery of the Academy Awards, as it has already made a mockery of the Palm Dog at Cannes, the most distinguished prize for superb canine acting.