Although he looked much older, Chic Sale was only 51 when this film debuted. Sale made a career out of playing cantankerous old men--something he did convincingly well even in his 40s.
"Old Shep" is a highly sentimental short film--perhaps too sentimental. However, it does have some lovely cinematography and at least looked nice. It begins with the vet telling the farmer (Sale) that his dog, Old Shep, is too old and sick and should be put to sleep. However, the farmer just can't bring himself to kill his dog. And, believe it or not, that IS the entire film!! If you are looking for a complete story, this is NOT a film to watch. Old Shep is old and sickly and dying--and when the film ends, none of this has been resolved. However, the acting is good and Warner Brothers did a nice job in creating a nice sentimental sort of picture.