The Best Live-Action TV Shows Starring Animals

Updated July 30, 2019 565 votes 63 voters 3.0k views25 items

List RulesVote up the best shows on television of all time that have an animal as the lead or one of the main cast members.

Actors work hard to bring characters to life. However, there are numerous live-action TV shows where the standout character isn't a human at all. In many cases, the humans get upstaged by an adorable animal that went through extensive training to perform the role well. From actual, expressive animals to puppets, many animals have graced the small screen over the years, and this is the time to honor the best of the best. Shows starring dogs, cats, horses, and much more have gone on the air and captured the hearts of millions.

All kinds of shows starring animals have been made. Comedies will often use talking animals to get a good laugh out of the audience. Dramas will incorporate animals and pets to humanize certain characters. Children's shows will educate kids about animals And there are shows that use animals in an outside-of-the-box way that is totally unique.

All of these shows feature animals in either a lead role or in the primary supporting cast. These shows have all come out in different eras, so people of all ages will find TV shows they/ve watched and enjoyed. These are the best shows that star animals of all time and you have the power to vote on your favorites.

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Wishbone
Amy Acker, Melissa Archer
Premiered: 1995
Genres (Tv): Children's television series
Animal: Wishbone, played by Soccer; also Slugger, Shiner, Phoebe, and Bear.

Wishbone is a half-hour children's television show that aired from 1995 to 1998 in the United... more
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17
7
Mister Ed
Allan Lane, Alan Young
Premiered: 1961
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Comedy
Animal: Mister Ed, played by Bamboo Harvester.

Mister Ed is an American television situation comedy produced by Filmways that first aired in... more
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18
10
Lassie
June Lockhart, Andy Clyde
Premiered: 1954
Genres (Tv): Action/Adventure, Drama, Children's television series, Adventure film, Action
Animal: Lassie, played by Pal.

Lassie is an American television series that follows the adventures of a female Rough Collie... more
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17
10
The Lone Ranger
Jay Silverheels, Clayton Moore
Premiered: 1966
Genres (Tv): Western, Action/Adventure
Animal: Silver, the horse, played by White Cloud.

The Lone Ranger is the central character of an American animated television series that ran 26... more
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16
10
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Melissa Joan Hart, Caroline Rhea
Premiered: 1996
Genres (Tv): Supernatural, Sitcom, Children's television series, Comedy, Fantasy television
Animal: Salem Saberhagen, played by a puppet and voiced by Nick Bakay.

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the... more
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16
Flipper
Luke Halpin, Tommy Norden
Premiered: 1964
Genres (Tv): Action/Adventure, Children's television series
Animal: Flipper, played by Kathy, the bottlenose dolphin.

Flipper, from Ivan Tors Films in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television, is an... more
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14
9
Green Acres
Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor
Premiered: 1965
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Comedy
Animal: Mignon, played by two different dogs.

Green Acres is an American sitcom starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move... more
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Married... with Children
Ed O'Neill, Christina Applegate
Premiered: 1987
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Comedy
Animal: Buck, played by a Briard of the same name.

Married... with Children is an American sitcom that aired for 11 seasons. It featured a... more
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14
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The Addams Family
John Astin, Carolyn Jones
Premiered: 1964
Genres (Tv): Black comedy, Sitcom, Comedy, Fantasy
Animal: Kitty-Cat, a lion, played by Zamba.

The Addams Family is an American television series based on the characters in Charles Addams'... more
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13
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The Beverly Hillbillies
Buddy Ebsen, Donna Douglas
Premiered: 1962
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Comedy
Animal: Duke, played by Stretch.

The Beverly Hillbillies is an American sitcom originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS... more
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The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
Lee Aaker, James Brown
Premiered: 1954
Genres (Tv): Drama, Children's television series
Animal: Rin Tin Tin, played by a German Shepherd of the same name.

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin is an American children's television program. Beginning in... more
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Frasier
Kelsey Grammer, Jane Leeves
Premiered: 1993
Genres (Tv): Sitcom
Animal: Eddie, played by Moose.

Frasier (NBC, 1993) is an American sitcom television series created by David Angell, Peter... more
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9
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Miami Vice
Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas
Premiered: 1984
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama
Animal: Elvis, played by the alligator of the same name.

Miami Vice is an American television drama series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by... more

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Lost
Naveen Andrews, Emilie de Ravin
Premiered: 2004
Genres (Tv): Supernatural drama, Science fiction, Mystery
Animal: Bpo Bpo, played by a Shar Pei.

Lost (ABC, 2004) is an American drama television series created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J.... more
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9
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7th Heaven
Stephen Collins, Catherine Hicks
Premiered: 1996
Genres (Tv): Teen drama, Drama
Animal: Happy, played by the dog of the same name.

7th Heaven is an American family drama television series, created and produced by Brenda... more
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9
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Gentle Ben
Burt Reynolds, Ron Howard
Premiered: 1967
Genres (Tv): Action/Adventure, Children's television series
Animal: Ben, played by Bruno the Bear.

Gentle Ben was a 1967 TV series based on the book Gentle Ben by Walt Morey.... more
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Dog With a Blog
G. Hannelius, Blake Michael
Premiered: 2012
Genres (Tv): Sitcom
Animal: Stan, played by Kuma von Clifford.

Dog with a Blog is an American television sitcom that premiered on Disney Channel on October... more
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Inspector Rex
Tobias Moretti, Karl Markovics
Premiered: 1994
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Action/Adventure, Drama, Adventure film, Comedy
Animal: Rex, played by Beejay; also Rhett Butler, Henry, and Nicky.

Kommissar Rex is a German-Austrian police procedural drama originally made in Austria and... more
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6
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B. J. and the Bear
Greg Evigan, Eric Server
Premiered: 1979
Genres (Tv): Action/Adventure, Television comedy, Drama, Comedy-drama, Comedy
Animal: Bear, played by the chimp of the same name.

B. J. and the Bear is an American comedy series which aired on NBC from 1979 to 1981. Created... more
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Annie Oakley
Gail Davis, Brad Johnson
Premiered: 1954
Genres (Tv): Western, Drama
Animal: Target, the horse, played by Trigger.

Annie Oakley is an American Western television series that fictionalized the life of famous... more
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5
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Baretta
Robert Blake, Tom Ewell
Premiered: 1975
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Action/Adventure, Police procedural, Drama, Adventure film
Animal: Fred, played by the cockatoo of the same name.

Baretta is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978. The... more
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Modern Family
Ed O'Neill, Sofía Vergara
Premiered: 2009
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Mockumentary, Family, Comedy, Family Film
Animal: Stella, played by Brigitte.

Modern Family (ABC, 2009) is an American comedy television sitcom created by Francisco... more
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8
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The Littlest Hobo
Animal: Hobo, played by London.

The Littlest Hobo is a Canadian television series based upon a 1958 American film of the same... more
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2
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Mad About You
Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt
Premiered: 1992
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Comedy
Animal: Murray, played by Maui.

Mad About You is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23, 1992, to May 24,... more
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Scrubs
Zach Braff, Donald Faison
Premiered: 2001
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Medical drama
Animal: Rowdy, played by a taxidermied labrador retriever dog.

Scrubs (NBC, 2001) is an American medical comedy-drama television series created by Bill... more

Wishbone