STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep. You may wonder how filmmakers got viewers to sit through a silent movie. People who've seen "The Artist" know one answer: the dog. Uggie plays a role like Lassie, a loyal friend who races to find a cop when there's trouble. Fans were outraged that Uggie did not get an Oscar nomination. Now Uggie's owner tells Life & Style magazine that movie was the Jack Russell terrier's last. He's retiring the 10-year-old dog. Uggie wants to relax. You're listening to MORNING EDITION.