From Frank Clynes, Mar 31, 2015

Back in 1963, I was returning to WTEV-6 with film of a highway auto accident, when I happened by the New Bedford Common park playground. I noticed a Golden Retriever climbing the ladder on one of the slides, so I stopped to get film of it. The dog belonged to one of the kids and was following them up, down and around the slides after them, without any coaching. Later, the anchorman asked me to cut 20 seconds of it, for the end of the newscast.

After the show we received numerous calls, asking if it would be shown again on the eleven. This time I cut a 2 minute segment with appropriate music. The next day a reporter returned to the scene for a follow up. Kids were interviewed and the dog showed off some of his other tricks. That piece was also aired on both newscasts. On the third day, I drove past the playground and saw a news team from a rival TV station taking pictures of the dog.

Today, cute dog stories have become the established kicker for newscasts across the country. If they ever catch the guy who shot the first one, I hope they hang the son-of-a-bitch.