'Benji': 50 Years of McKinney Film History
Almost 50 years ago, a scruffy little dog captured the hearts of millions when "Benji" opened in movie theaters ... on Oct. 17, 1974, to be exact. Most of this small indie movie was filmed in McKinney, securing a spot for our city on the Texas Film Commission's Classic Films Trail. (We still have visitors stopping in to inquire about the location of the "Benji house"!) Now, after attracting movie fans to our city for almost half a century, the McKinney community is showing its love for little Benji via some special celebrations.
This webpage will serve as your source of "all things Benji" so reference it for updates on events centered on this important piece of McKinney and Texas film tourism.
'Benji' 50th Anniversary Celebration: Oct. 19, 2024
Celebrate McKinney's biggest piece of Texas film history with a screening of the original film, "Benji" on the 50th anniversary of the film's release in theaters. Activities currently being planned for this special day include:
- Pet rescue opportunities both in Downtown McKinney and at the county animal shelter from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The two rescues that will be on hand with adoptable pets are Lift Me Up Rescue and Doodle Dandy Rescue.
- Pet vendor fair on the grounds of the McKinney Performing Arts Center from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Free showing of the G-rated film, "Benji," in the McKinney Performing Arts Center Courtroom Theater at 6:30 p.m.
- Seating is limited, so we recommend you reserve your spot(s) in the theater by grabbing ticket(s) on Eventbrite. (Limit of 6 tickets per reservation.)
Our Benji Lookalike Winner is... GINGER!
Meet Ginger, our Benji Lookalike Contest Winner, who honestly looks as though she's related to the original Benji (whose actual name was "Higgins"). Her owner told us,
"I rescued her off the street as a stray in August 2013 two weeks after my big dog, Titus, passed away. Ginger was covered in fleas. I gave her three baths to get rid of all the fleas. I’m estimating she might’ve been close to one year old, which would make her 12 years old now. Ginger loves taking long walks, enjoys back massages and prefers her scruffy, wind blown hair style. Ginger and I would like to thank the Daisy Riddle Family for supporting the Benji statue."
(Who doesn't love looking at sweet dog photos, especially ones that look like Benji?)
"Benji" Filming Locations
To dive deeper into the locations and even earn a special "Benji 50th Anniversary Badge," check out the special blog post at SetJetters.com. This website created a page showing all the "Benji" locations in McKinney and in Downtown Denton where a handful of the scenes were filmed. At our event, we'll have the McKinney locations marked with pawprints as well as having a self-guided tour map showing where to find them. Stop at the Visit McKinney table on the Tennessee St. side of the McKinney Performing Arts Center to grab a map and a special Benji sticker!
Past Events
Benji Statue Unveiling: Feb. 19 during Krewe of Barkus
On Sunday, Feb. 19, the City of McKinney Arts Commission and McKinney Main Street unveiled the statue of Benji (by artist Susan Norris) during the city's annual Krewe of Barkus Mardi Gras Dog Parade event in downtown McKinney. The statue was funded by the City of McKinney and administered by the McKinney Arts Commission with support from the Daisy Riddle Family in memory of their beloved dog. (Photo here is Elizabeth Riddle with the newly-unveiled statue and a photo of her with her pup Daisy.)
Benji Statue Ribbon Cutting: March 11
Once the statue's brick pedestal was complete, the City of McKinney officially placed Benji in his new permanent home on the southeast corner of Virginia and Tennessee streets on the downtown square. The ceremonial ribbon cutting, a free event, was held on March 11.
About "Benji": The original 1974 Benji film, was written, produced, and directed by Joe Camp and had a budget of $500,000. Every Hollywood studio turned down the film, so Mr. Camp formed his own film company to distribute the film himself! The movie went on to gross $45 million at the box office. And not only was the movie a hit with filmgoers but its theme song, "I Feel Love" by Charlie Rich, was Oscar-nominated for Best Original Song.
