Martin Scorsese Wants Blackie Nominated for Golden Collar Award

(EndPlay Staff Reports) - Blackie the doberman, who starred as a train station officer's attack dog in "Hugo," is close to getting a nomination at Dog News Daily's 1st Annual Golden Collar Awards.

Blackie has legendary director Martin Scorsese to thank after Scorsese penned an opinion piece in The Los Angeles Times asking why Blackie hadn't been nominated for "best dog in a theatrical film."

Dog Daily News agreed to add Blackie if by Feb. 6 it received 500 write-in "Nominate Hugo's Blackie" posts on its Facebook page. If it receives that many, the Golden Collar nominating committee will ask the panel of 14 judges to add Blackie as the sixth nominee.

The BBC reported that more than 400 supporters had done so within 24 hours since his letter was published.

Scorsese stated in his letter that he "listened in vain for Blackie's name to be called, and then to all the hullabaloo over a certain Jack Russell terrier named Uggie" nominated for two separate pictures.

"OK, let's lay all our cards on the table. Jack Russell terriers are small and cute. Dobermans are enormous and – handsome.

"I'm proud of Blackie, who laid it on the line and dared to risk the sympathy of her audience," he added.

Dog Daily News replied that – upon its conditions being met – it would do what Scorsese asked "rather than engage in a war of words over the merits of the brilliant and nimble Jack Russell versus the imposing stature of a handsome Doberman."

Uggie received nominations for both the movies "The Artist" and "Water for Elephants."

Other dogs nominated for "best dog in a theatrical film" include Cosmo from Ewan McGregor's film "Beginners," Denver from comedy drama "50/50" and Hummer from the Charlize Theron film "Young Adult."

Dog News Daily will announce winners on Feb. 13.