Barney: The Stray Beagle Who Became a TV Star and Stole Our Hearts

by Dick Wolfsie

As he left for work on a very cold morning in 1991, TV reporter Dick Wolfsie nearly tripped over a tiny beagle on his front step. He invited the little stray into his home and left for work only to return eight hours later to a shredded couch, a well-gnawed pair of heels, mangled curtains and a damp rug. Dick’s wife issued an "The dog must go. Either that or you have to take him to work with you." And so a star was born. When Barney died in 2003, Dick received an outpouring of sympathy and condolences often reserved for heads of state. In The Stray Beagle Who Became a TV Star and Stole Our Hearts, Dick Wolfsie lovingly recalls the greatest Barney moments. For more than 12 years, Barney the beagle was the most celebrated dog in Indiana. With his faithful human sidekick, Dick Wolfsie, Barney made 3000 television appearances, 14 commercials, hosted his own late-night movie review show and even had a line of Barney boxer shorts. He visited hospitals, retirement homes and schools, and local restaurants named sandwiches and drinks after him. Whether on television or in person, Barney brought joy to people’s hearts wherever he went.

149 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2004

About the author

For the past 25 years on WISH-TV’s Daybreak, Dick Wolfsie has lent his unique brand of wit and humor to the screen. His video essays and personal stories are unique to Indiana television. Many have been syndicated nationally.

After 30 years in Indianapolis, this former high school and college English teacher has netted over 10,000 hours of television. Wolfsie’s work in the media has earned him over a dozen awards including a regional Emmy for best host, a national ACE award and a Casper Award for five years as host and producer of AM Indiana, a talk show broadcast from Union Station

Dick is the author of 12 books, including Mornings with Barney and his best seller, Indiana Curiosities. His latest book, Mopey Dick, is a compilation of his syndicated features. Coming in the fall of 2014, look for The Right Fluff, more of Dick’s published columns over the last three years,

Dick’s syndicated column appears in 40 Indiana newspapers and is also featured twice weekly on WFYI radio.

Reviews

[Dale]

A Heartwarming remembrance and tribute to Barney the Beagle

If you lived in Central Indiana from the mid-90s to 2003 you probably saw Barney - Dick Wolfsie's canine sidekick and faithful companion for literally thousands of segments of the WISH-TV morning show. He wasn't a prop or a gag (he was too poorly trained for that) - he was his own man (!) on the show. He was goodwill ambassador and class clown and all beagle.

Barney: The Stray Beagle Who Became a TV Star and Stole Our Hearts is a light-hearted book - full of Wolfsie's wonderful memories - the good and the bad. Really, it's a fluff piece - but this piece of fluff caused my eyes to tear up more than once as he spoke of the day his beloved Barney died and the immediate outpouring of love and concern that central Indiana expressed.

Truly a wonderful little book - be prepared to laugh (my wife and I read parts of it to each other and enjoyed it all the more) but also have the tissues handy!

Read all of my reviews (more than one thousand!) here: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/

[MariQ]

Owing a beagle or two in my time, of course I liked it and could relate to it. Spoiler alert though--- this takes you through to the end of Barney's life. He was a good little boy!