Jeffrey Wilson

This movie was made in my hometown Markdale, Ontario, my birth occurring about a year and 4 months after it was filmed and approximately 5 months after it premiered in theatres. It was a Hollywood "B" film, made by Twentieth Century FOX subsidiary, Regal Films Canada and directed by legendary "B" film director, Sam Newfield, generally known as the most prolific film director of the American sound age. The film starred the late Jim Davis, who later broke his "B" film stigma, becoming cast in his biggest role of his career: Jock Ewing in the 1970s primetime TV soap opus, "Dallas". At the time, Davis was appearing as a regular or semi-regular in a number of syndicated and network TV series, as well as many Hollywood western movies. His co-star was "B" scream queen, Allison Hayes, whose biggest claim to fame would be released the same year as WOLF DOG, "Attack Of The Fifty-Foot Woman," where she played jilted millionaire heiress Nancy Archer, imbued with the strange power of exponential growth upon a roadside "satellite" encounter. Many have dubbed the playfully campy flick the worst film of all time. Austin Willis was a very talented Canadian actor, who had a long and storied career in Canada and Hollywood. Besides this, he capably hosted Canadian TV variety series', "Your Canadian Hit Parade" in the late 1950s and "This Is The Law" throughout the 1970s. Canadian child actor Tony Brown stepped into the role of Paul Hughes with a pile of experience under his belt and does a remarkable job of capturing the range of torture, disillusionment and elation of an 11 year-old boy. I was privileged to have briefly met and visited with Tony in the 2010s. A list of Hollywood and Canadian film/TV stars enter here. Don Garrard, Juan Root, Ed Holmes, Les Rubie, John Paris, Daryl Masters and others. Markdale residents appearing as unpaid extras include the following: Ron Wyvill, Don Wyvill, Wilbert Wyvill, Bud Fraser, Sandy Uhrig, Grace Kell, Red Stewart, David Jackson, Walter Stoddart, Stella Summers, Paul Hutton, Const. Clarence Bowins, Const. Jack Johnston and a great many more who have evaded public identification. The fascinating sub-story of one-time TV "Lone Ranger" John Hart and his work visa woes, which ended with his wife Beryl (B) Braithwaite's name replacing his in the film's credits. The sub-story of Prince (called 'Dog" in the film) being a descendant of Rin-Tin-Tin, an Alsatian shepherd ("Thunder" in the film) with the "socially unspeakable" given name, as well as their publicity seeking Acton-based animal trainer Fred Pfeifle, who promised to display the animals at any screening of the film, anywhere upon request. And to me, the village of Markdale, Ontario, in all its rustic splendour, remains the key star of this film.