From almost the beginning of the medium, television shows have featured beloved pets, many of whom stole the show.
Cats, dogs, birds, and even a dinosaur, all made the list. Some pets were on screen to provide comic relief while others were integral parts of the cast. And while certain animal companions adored their human costars, others had to be bribed and cajoled into showing affection.
What we found most surprising was how many of our favorites came straight out of animal shelters and ended up becoming stars!
Whether they were on for a season or the entire run of a series here are 27 pets on TV that we’ll never forget.
1. Marcel - Friends
Marcel was Ross' pet Capuchin monkey on Friends Season 1. He first showed up as Ross' date for Monica's New Year’s Eve Party. Later, he ran off while Rachel was watching him, leading the the revelation that Marcel was an illegal exotic pet. Despite loving his little monkey, Marcel had to be sent to the San Diego Zoo when he reached sexual maturity and began humping every thing in sight.
Turns out that in real life, Marcel was actually a female named Katie. Katie had several other Hollywood roles including 30 Rock, the movie Bruce Almighty and she's also been spotted with Ariana Grande and Kendall Jenner. Not bad for a monkey.
2. Tiger - The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch started out with two pets but Carol's cat, Fluffy disappeared after the pilot. (We suspect foul play.) Tiger lasted a bit longer. The Bearded Collie was seen in a total of ten episodes but observant viewers will notice that Tiger was played by two different dogs. Tragically, the original Tiger was hit by a delivery vehicle during filming. The second Tiger turned out not to be as talented as the first and was simply fazed out with no explanation. Tiger, Tiger, Tiger. We miss you.
3. Elvis - Miami Vice
Detective Sonny Crocket worked undercover, living on a boat in Miami as a drug dealer…and he had the most unusual pet: Elvis the alligator. As Crockett once explained, the alligator was a former mascot for Crockett's alma mater, the University of Florida Gators, and was forced to retire after biting a wide receiver from the University of Alabama. Crockett took him in as his “resident drug-sniffer and watch gator.” Elvis was actually played by two gators: Elvis and his stand-in, Presley.
4. Lassie - Lassie
Lassie is probably one of the most well known dogs in the world. The girl starred on her own series from 1954-1974 with several different scenarios in play over the years. She was, however, portrayed by a boy. The horror! Lassie saved many people and other animals from terrible situations and always knew how to get help, where to get help and how to find her way. And if you don't still use the phrase "Did Timmy fall in a well?" then maybe you're not human... Who knows if that was really a phrase on the show, but it sure could have been. And Lassie would have saved Timmy. Or Tommy before him.
5. Fred - I Love Lucy
Little Ricky brought home a puppy on I Love Lucy season 6. When Fred Mertz threatened to make them get rid of the dog as there were no pets allowed in the building, Little Ricky managed to change his mind by naming the adorable little dog, Fred.
The cute Cairn Terrier was played by Danny who also played Fremont on Dennis the Menace. Actress Lucille Ball was a lifelong dog lover which is obvious when she's cuddling little Fred in scenes where he won't go to sleep.
6. Lucky the Cat - Alf
When alien Alf came to live with the Tanner family, things got a little complicated for their cat, Lucky because on Alf's home planet of Melmac, felines were considered a culinary delicacy. Thankfully, Alf refrained from eating the adorable kitty but Lucky did pass away in season 4. The Tanner family got a new cat and named it Lucky II.