Benji

Benji is the name of a fictional dog who has been the focus of several movies from 1974 through the 2000s. It is also the title of the first film in the Benji franchise.

The eponymous canine character is a small, lovable mixed-breed dog with an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time, usually to help someone overcome a problem.

Joe Camp is the creator and director of the Benji films. The first dog to play Benji was a shelter dog named Higgins, trained by Frank Inn. Later, Higgins' offspring Benjean took over the role for a few films.

Filmography

Films and television specials

Television series

Documentary

References

External links

Benji (1974 film)

Benji is the first film in a series of five theatrical features about the golden mixed breed dog named Benji. It was written, produced, and directed by Joe Camp and filmed in and around Denton, Texas. Released in 1974, it was a critical and box office success, grossing $45 million on a budget of $500,000. The film also received an Academy Award nomination for the Best Original Song for the theme song "I Feel Love," written by Euel Box and performed by country singer Charlie Rich. The film was turned down for distribution by every studio in Hollywood and Camp had to form a distribution company to distribute the film worldwide, without the help of Hollywood. Despite the challenges, Variety reported that Benji ranked #3 among the top Box Office films of 1974.

Plot

Benji is a lovable stray dog living in a small Texas town where he befriended many of the locals, each of who calls him by a different name; but the people he likes best is a local family, the Chapmans: local physician Dr. Chapman (Peter Breck), a widowed father of two school-age children, Paul and Cindy (Allen Fiuzat and Cynthia Smith, respectively); and their housekeeper Mary (Patsy Garrett). Benji visits the Chapman residence daily and Mary and the kids keep him well fed. But Mary and the kids have to keep this activity concealed from Dr. Chapman, who is wary of feeding stray animals due to the possibility of germ issues and doesn't want a stray dog hanging around.

Benji (2012 film)

Benji or Benji: The True Story of a Life Cut Short is a 2012 documentary film about the short life and 1984 death of Chicago South Side basketball player Ben Wilson who played for Simeon Career Academy. The film debuted at the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival on April 20, 2012. The Tribeca viewing was a world premier.

Debut

The film was presented three times on three different screens at the film festival: April 20 at 6:00PM (BMCC Tribeca PAC), April 21 at 3:30PM (SVA Theater 1 Silas) and April 28 at 9:30PM (Tribeca Cinemas Theater 1).

Background

ESPN HS recognizes Wilson as the best American high school basketball player in the national class of 1985 based on play during the 1983–84 season, acknowledged by his selection as the 1984 National Junior of the Year. Wilson led Simeon to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state championship in 1984 as a junior. Simeon poised for defense of its state championship with transfers that included Nick Anderson. Like Chicago South Sider, Anthony Davis, Wilson experienced a tremendous growth spurt in high school that he was able to endure without loss of agility and coordination. Like Chicago South Sider Jabari Parker, he was preparing to lead his team in defense of its state title as the presumptive best player in the nation. Directors Coodie and Chike come from a music video background that includes Kanye West's Through the Wire. Coodie Simmons was a 13-year-old seventh-grader from the Beverly community area at the time of the shooting of Wilson, which was the 669th death in Chicago that year.