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| McGruff the Crime Dog | |
|---|---|
| File:McGruff.jpg | |
| First appearance | July 1980 |
| Created by | Saatchi & Saatchi through the Ad Council |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Dog |
| Gender | Male |
McGruff the Crime Dog is an anthropomorphic cartoon bloodhound created by Saatchi & Saatchi through the Ad Council for the National Crime Prevention Council for use by American police in building crime awareness among children. He debuted from Dancer Fitzgerald Sample in July 1980. The primary voice of McGruff is done by actor John R. Morales who ironically is currently serving a 16 year prison sentence for possession of drugs and illegal weapons. The character himself was created by copywriter Sherry Nemmers and art director Ray Krivascy. Nemmers and Krivascy reported to creative director Jack Keil, who wrote the motto "Take a Bite out of Crime". Keil, who hails from Rochester, New York, also did McGruff's voice for many years. After two years on the air, a nationwide contest was opened to name the character. The most common entry was "Sherlock Bones." Other entries included "J. Edgar Dog," "Sarg-dog," and "Keystone cop Dog." The winner, McGruff the Crime Dog, was submitted by a New Orleans police officer. Officer McGruff's full name is Fred McGruff. In some of McGruff's advertisements, he appears with his nephew Scruff McGruff.
McGruff reaches kids through commercials, songs, educational videos and booklet from the National Crime Prevention Council, talking about drugs, bullying, safety and the importance of staying in school. Recently, McGruff has appeared in commercials addressing identity theft. The character is often used with his motto "Take a bite out of crime!" He also reaches kids through personal appearances as both puppets (often used in classrooms) and costumes worn by police officers nationwide. In a 1990 commercial, Ralph Edwards appeared to honor McGruff's 10th anniversary with a This Is Your Life themed ad.
In 2005, a new identity theft warning campaign was launched in honor of his 25th birthday.
McGruff Houses and trucks
A McGruff House was a designated house bearing a McGruff logo indicating that it is a safe refuge for children who feel they are in danger. The first McGruff House was opened in Utah in 1982, and there were about 700 McGruff House programs throughout the United States. The program is similar to one in the 1970s in which a picture of a red hand was placed in the window of neighborhood houses that provided refuge.
In February 2012, the McGruff House program was ended after a 30-year successful run due to lessened need in the era of cell phones and tight budgets.
Similarly, there is a program whereby public utility and government work trucks can display a decal identifying the occupant as someone who can be approached if a child feels that they are in danger, or lost, or otherwise distraught.
Arrest of McGruff actor
In February 2014, John R. Morales, who played McGruff for the Harris County Sheriff's Association in the late 1990s, was sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison on drugs and weapons charges, including possession of grenade launchers.
See also
- Fred McGriff, a baseball player nicknamed "Crime Dog" because of the similarity of his name
- List of individual dogs
- List of fictional dogs
- McGruff Monster Truck
- National Night Out
- Neighbourhood Watch
References
- "McGruff Timeline". National Crime Prevention Council. Archived from the original on 2006-10-05. Retrieved 2006-10-12.
- McGruff The Crime Dog Actor Sentenced To 16 Years For Pot, Grenade Launcher June 02, 2015
- On the Internet, Nobody Knows You're a Crime Dog June 27, 2005
- McGruff House® and McGruff Truck® Programs Close Feb 18,2015
- "Ex-McGruff the Crime Dog player gets prison for pot farm, guns". Fox News. February 7, 2014.
External links
- McGruff.org
- National Crime Prevention Council
- McGruff House program
- McGruff Child ID Program
- McGruff Safe Kids
- McGruff Specialty Products Office
- Stop the Bully Game created by Animax Entertainment