McKinney partners with sculptor to create piece commemorating 'Benji' for film’s 50th anniversary

A new piece of artwork commemorating the famous canine Benji from the movie of the same name is coming to downtown McKinney.

At the June 7 McKinney City Council meeting, council voted unanimously to approve a $15,000 contract with nationally recognized sculptor Susan Norris to create the statue of the dog Benji.

The city’s downtown area served as the primary outdoor filming location for the movie “Benji,” which was filmed between 1973 and 1974, according to the city website. Released in 1974, “Benji” increased awareness about adopting shelter animals and showcased the abilities of older and senior dogs, the city website stated.

The artwork will be revealed at a ceremony in February next year, alongside a special film screening that will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the movie, according to Communications and Media Manager Denise Lessard. The sculpture will be installed on the sidewalk at the southeast corner of Tennessee and Virginia streets. Norris was selected as the artist after the city put out an open call for sculptors for the project earlier this spring, per the city website.

The original “Benji'' film grossed $45 million on a budget of $500,000, and its theme song received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song, according to Lessard.

This is a public art project from the McKinney Arts Commission. The statue is funded in part by the city of McKinney and the Daisy Riddle family in memory of their dog, Lessard said.