Rin Tin Tin: "the Tom Cruise of the 1920s."

You may remember from our latest Fall Reading Guide that Susan Orlean (author of The Orchid Thief and Saturday Night) has a new book out: a biography of Rin Tin Tin.

Watch her discuss the book on The Colbert Report. I have to admit I had little interest in reading the book at first, but I’m swayed by this interview, in which Orlean talks about the extraordinary story of how a stray puppy found on a World War I battlefield became one of the biggest international film stars of all time. Colbert’s questions are great, too, as always: “Was it hard for Rin Tin Tin to go from silent film to talkies? Because I imagine he had a German accent.”

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