K-9
Short description
K-9 is an American action comedy about a San Francisco police detective whose unorthodox methods have left him without a partner. Working a major drug case and marked for death by the dealer he has been pursuing, he is given a police dog trained to detect narcotics. The animal has a mind of its own and cooperates only when it suits him, wrecking his car, his home and his personal life along the way.
Rod Daniel directed the film, the fourth in the chronological list of his features, following Teen Wolf, Stranded and Like Father Like Son. Steven Siegel and Scott Myers wrote the screenplay, and Lawrence Gordon and Charles Gordon produced it for Universal Pictures. Jim Belushi plays Mike Dooley, with Mel Harris as Tracy, Kevin Tighe as Lyman, Ed O'Neill as Brannigan, James Handy as Captain Byers and Daniel Davis as Halstead among the thirty credited cast members.
Released on April 28, 1989, the film runs 101 minutes. Made for a budget of 17 million dollars, it took about 78 million dollars worldwide, a strong return on its cost. Audience scores are modest but steady: 6.1 out of 10 on IMDb from roughly 38,000 votes, and 6.2 out of 10 on TMDB from about 1,088 votes. A critics' rating of 4.5 out of 10 from eleven reviews sits below those audience figures.
What's left behind the scenes
- The dog named Rendo, who played Jerry Lee, depicted how he "comes to life" after the surgery, completely unexpectedly for everyone present. This scene was not in the script at all, but the moment seemed so funny to everyone that they decided to film it (since all the actors and crew members were already in place) and include it in the film.
- The role of Jerry Lee was played by several dogs. Among them was a real police shepherd named Cotton, trained in narcotics detection. Together with his partner, Officer Patterson, the dog made more than 24 criminal arrests. In early November 1991, the dog became a true hero when he discovered over 10 kg of cocaine worth more than 1.2 million dollars. On November 18, 1991, the dog died in the line of duty—the brave dog was shot while apprehending a suspect in the murder of a police officer.
- If you read “K-9” in English, it sounds like “canine,” which means dog-like (from the Latin 'canis' – dog).
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
