Sidekicks

What was the deal with animal sidekicks back in the day?

Clyde here.
BJ and his chimp Bear.
Maybe that dog that was in that one movie with Tom Hanks.
Lassie and maybe Benji, to a lesser degree.

I am thinking a Clyde costume will be my default for Halloween, going forward.  Mainly so I have an excuse for punching people for being twats.  Just need a sidekick, for my sidekick costume, that says "Right turn." at appropriate moments.

Yeah, I just did a sidekick role reversal, right there.  I am self-centered.


Also, where do you land Chewbaca in this sidekick conversation, for you?

Mel Brooks reduced him to a talking dog in Space Balls, but he sorta had his shit together in the movies in spite of only being able to yell three sounds to communicate.  Do you think of Chewbaca as Hans Solo's smart, hairy pet or as his own fully developed persona?
I mean he blasted bad guys with some lazer-crossbow thing and fixed spaceships...
Fixed spaceships.
Like a goddamned rocket scientist.


I need some more coffee...