The first dog movie star was likely Rin Tin Tin, a German Shepherd rescued from a World War I battlefield and adopted by an American soldier. The dog's film career spanned over a decade, starring in 27 films between 1922 and 1931. Rin Tin Tin's popularity paved the way for other canine actors, and by the 1950s, dogs had become a staple of family-friendly movies and TV shows.