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'Mister Ed' paved the way for animals in the entertainment industry, breaking through the glass ceiling barn door by talking up TV viewers and being as charming as any leading man out there.

As the theme song said, "A horse is a horse, of course, of course, and no one can talk to a horse, of course. That is, of course, unless the horse is the famous Mister Ed!"

Yes, Ed was in his hay-day on TV for six glorious seasons, always easily bribed to tell a good story with a little peanut butter, making him a horse we can endorse. But he also gets the sniff of approval from his fellow four-legged friends in Hollywood.

As the 50th anniversary of 'Mister Ed''s big Oct. 1, 1961, network debut approaches, we gathered quotes from some of the biggest names in TV's animal kingdom to roast and pay tribute to the equine entertainer.

Check out our gallery for commentary provided by everyone from Flipper and Lassie to weed-smoking Wilfred and Annie's Boobs, the monkey from 'Community.'

Veteran TV and movie producer Herb Leonard died of cancer last night in Hollywood.

Besides directing the movies Going Home and The Perils of Pauline, and producing several movies including those two movies, Popi, and Friendly Persuasion, Leonard was also producer on three classic television shows: The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, The Naked City, and Route 66 (the original, not the remake in the 90s). Interestingly, he was a production manager on two famous serial dramas in the 40s and 50s: Atom Man vs. Superman, which became the Superman TV series, and Batman and Robin.

His last credits were Katts and Dog, a TV series in the late 80s, and a 1974 Three Stooges anthology film.