The Story of Bobo

While shooting The End of Innocence (AKA Annie, Teenage Emanuelle, Blue Belle, Love Fairy) for director Massimo Dallamano in 1975 Hong Kong, French starlet Annie Belle adopted a small Chow Chow mix puppy she named Bobo.  As the story goes, Annie found the adorable mutt wandering the city streets after midnight, and the kind-hearted girl saved him from becoming someone’s dinner.

From Harry Alan Towers’ biography, Mr. Towers of London:

“When I asked around if someone had lost their pet, the only answer I got was that in Chinese eyes, Bobo was edible and that was all.” (Pg 98)

Bobo would be a constant companion to Annie throughout the Hong Kong shoot, but was a nuisance to producer Towers and co-star Al Cliver, the latter paying the price for sharing a bed with Annie by being put on frequent Bobo potty duty during this production, and the next (Laure).

Look for Bobo throughout The End of Innocence: innocently leading Annie down the dark steps to her deflowering, comforting Annie after her betrayal by Philip (Cliver), and waddling down the airport ramp with Annie in the film’s final, self-empowering moment.

In one of the film’s most amusing scenes, Annie holds the pup tight as she takes control of her sexual life, spurns her shared lover-benefactors, and declares, defiantly…

“I sleep only with Bobo.”