Kim Hayes 101 Dalmatians filming memories.

Kim tells us that she is  ‘legally a Disney Dog Mother eternally’ as she had two dogs the film.

Her story started when her Basset Hound, Sherlock, was talent spotted at a charity dog show in Harlow, Essex. One day, she received a call out of the blue and asked “to come to Shepperton Studios for a film rehearsal”, at the time she was not told what film it was. She duly went to the rehearsals with Sherlock. In retrospect she now assumes that they would not tell her over the phone what the film was, as the UK Kennel Club and many people, were against the making of the film on account of the deliberate breeding of Dalmatian pups for the film that would be left homeless and without owners.

On the day, there were many dogs and many dog owners, so Kim had to stand far away from Sherlock. She prayed really hard that he would not move. A woman with a megaphone ordered dogs to be removed if they moved. With so many people there Kim was well hidden from Sherlock’s view. Her prayers were answered, Sherlock did not move so she was called to the actual film shoot for the scene in the movie. It was something like two weeks before the shoot of the scene for the dogs that passed the rehearsals and managed to not move.

Kim decided to use her other dog Bessie, a St Bernard, to sit with Sherlock every day before they went to the film shoot to make sure that he was scene prepared. Seeking further stardom, she then decided to take Bessie to the film shoot in the hope that she could be in the film too. Bessie was an older dog she was 12 years old. The film shoot scene was not well organised, people were frantic for the best sitting spots for their dogs. Kim managed to get her dogs into about the 3rd row, being a St Bernard, Bessie couldn’t help but be seen, with Sherlock to the right of her. Kim had to pray really hard this time, for now she needed two dogs to sit and not move, when people all around were yelling and screaming “sit” or “stay” and were far from their dogs. Her rehearsals proved their worth and her prayers were answered, Bessie helping Sherlock to keep position, neither moved.

When the woman with the megaphone was satisfied a break was taken, no water was provided for the dogs to have a drink. Being the caring owner, Kim had taken a backpack with with ‘dog munchies’ and water. Soon the woman with the megaphone wanted everyone back in place for the next shoot, where the camera pans up to catch doves being released from the top of the church. Regrettably, Kim was unable to get back into her spot as other people with their dogs had already positioned themselves. Bessie at age 12 was very tired and laid down on the ground with Sherlock sitting beside her.

Whilst Kim was paid for completion of the contract with Sherlock she was never paid for Bessie’s role. She still feels that Bessie should have been paid as she had made the scene happen as it did.

Sherlock lived until 14 and a half years old but sadly Bessie passed away just before the film was released. Kim was invited to the film premier in Norwich at the Odeon Cinema and was naturally very surprised and proud to see in the first scene Bessie right in the centre of the screen. It was hard for her to see Sherlock paid for his part in the film when a bigger dog was in front of him and Bessie’s appearance not financially acknowledged.

Whenever she tells people that she had two dogs in the film they instantly think that they are Dalmatians without realising that other breeds appear in the film.

We couldn’t leave the story without a picture of the “Star” behind the words.