The Grinch and Max first appeared in the 1957 children’s book,How the Grinch Stole Christmasby Dr. Suess, and the two have been together in every adaptation since.The Grinch is one of the most recognizable holiday characters, and his dog Max has always been the beloved companion right there with him each time. Though Max has always appeared inthe numerous adaptations ofHow the Grinch Stole Christmas,how often he is featured and what he looks like has changed over the years.
Within the story,Max primarily serves as the Grinch’s companion, as the two characters live on a mountain and do not interact with any of the Whos down below. In his plot to steal presents from the Whos, the Grinch also uses Max to imitate one of Santa’s reindeer. To sneak into Whoville the Grinch dresses as Santa and Max, as a reindeer, pulls his sleigh. In each version ofHow The Grinch Stole Christmas,Max is a lovable and cute counterpoint to the Grinch, but it is not always clear what kind of dog he is.
Max’s Dog Breed In The 1966 Grinch Special Explained
The Animator Chuck Jones Modeled Max After His Own Childhood Dog
The 1966 animated Grinch TV specialhelped set the tone for how Max came to look in future versions, but animator Chuck Jones got inspiration from the past.Max was modeled as a fox terrier because Jones had a fox terrier when he was a child. Additionally, because the movie was animated, it gave Jones more room to play around with Max’s appearance to allow him to show emotions and have reactions to the Grinch’s plans.
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Though it could be argued that Max does not look too much like a fox terrier with his reindeer disguise on, the inspiration is clearly there. The 1966 special was Max’s first appearance in film, and his subsequent appearances changed slightly, though they generally share a similarity to Jones' animation.
Max Was A Mixed Breed Dog In 2000’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas
The Role Of Max Was Given To Several Real Dogs In The 2000 Movie
In the 2000 live-action adaptation ofHow the Grinch Stole ChristmasMax’s dog breed is not fully known because he is a mixed breed. This movie also expanded the story to make it full feature length, meaning that Max was featured more throughout. And because Max was a real dog in this adaptation,the production ended up using six dogs to play Max.
because there are scenes in which Max is included in dangerous stunts or dons different types of clothing, the production made sure to take safety precautions for all the dogs
All six dogs who played Max were mixed-breed dogs rescued from shelters and were given haircuts to look similar. They were trained over the course of several months, and certain dogs had certain skills to portray onscreen. Additionally, because there are scenes in which Max is included in dangerous stunts or dons different types of clothing, the production made sure to take safety precautions for all the dogs (viaHumane Hollywood). Happily, all the rescue dogs were also adopted by cast and crew members at the end ofHow the Grinch Stole Christmas, creating a happy ending in the film and real life.
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!
Cast
Chuck Jones directs this animated adaptation of the classic Dr. Seuss tale, where the Grinch, disturbed by the joyous Christmas celebrations of Whoville, disguises himself as Santa Claus to steal the town’s holiday decorations and gifts, accompanied by his canine companion disguised as a reindeer.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a 2000 holiday comedy from director Ron Howard. The film stars Jim Carrey and is based on the Christmas book of the same name. Despite getting mixed reviews upon release, Carrey’s performance was praised and the film is now considered a fan-favorite Christmas movie.
