Samm Hodges is one of the two creative minds behind Downward Dog, which is an American comedy centered a dog named Martin who is in a sometimes strained relationship with his beloved owner Nan. Furthermore, Hodges is one of the executive producers as well as the voice actor for Martin, which makes it even more unfortunate that the TV show has been cancelled as of June 24, 2017.
Here are 5 things that you may or may not have known about Samm Hodges:
Lived Out in the Woods for a Time
When he was a child, Hodges’s father moved the family out into the woods, meaning that Hodges lacked some of the basic amenities that we tent to take for granted when he was growing up. For example, since their new home didn’t have a shower, he had to haul water from a well for the purpose of bathing when he was still attending middle school. Although this sort of thing was commonplace for our not-so-distant ancestor, it is nonetheless strange and unfamiliar for most of us in modern times.
Has a Serious Stutter
Hodges developed a serious stutter at the age of seven, which was around the same time that his mother had died. As a result, he spent hours and hours practicing his spoken lines, created a persona so that he could play in a band in public, and even started writing because that enabled him to be more eloquent than otherwise possible. Even now, Hodges still struggles with the stutter, as shown by the fact that he has to plan out his lines so that he can make edits on the spot for more fluent speech.
Determined to Choose a Mutt
The co-creators conducted a nationwide search of US animal shelters for the perfect dog to play Martin. This was because they knew that they wanted the star of their TV show to be a normal dog in spite of his high opinion of himself, which was why they sought out a mutt rather than some kind of pedigree dog. Eventually, they managed to find the perfect dog in a Chicago mutt named Ned, who has since been adopted by the trainer.
Became the Voice Actor By Accident
Initially, Hodges created a temporary voice track for Martin in the belief that it would be redone by a professional by the time that it went to broadcast. However, his co-creator decided to use his temporary voice track, which charmed the actress who plays Nan, Allison Tolman so much that she insisted that they just use that and thus by extension, Hodges for the actual broadcast.
His Show Was Cancelled Because of Financial Reasons
Given its charm, it should come as no surprise to learn that Downward Dog has managed to build up a fair number of loyal viewers, which is helped by the fact that interested individuals have been spreading it through word-of-mouth on social media. Unfortunately, it was cancelled because ABC decided that it was costing too much to make for a TV show in summer, but also decided not to put it off until fall because that season is already stuffed full of returning comedies. As a result, Hodges and the rest of the cast and crew are now searching for other ways to provide the TV show with the financing that it needs to stay alive.
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