Petey landed the role of 'Tige' in the Buster Brown comedies. It was the role of "Tige" which has been attributed to Pete acquiring his classic ring around the eye. The ring was made with permanent dye, so Roach had no choice but to accept Petey the way he was.

    Petey was signed in 1927 to a three-year contract with six month options. His starting salary was $125 per week, which would be raised in increments of $25 per week to make him exclusive to Hal Roach Studios -- making him the second highest paid actor in the OG series (next to Farina). Pete's last appearance was in "A Tough Winter",
released June 21, 1930.

    He was poisoned, probably by someone with a grudge against Harry Lucenay. The OG kids were inconsolable upon learning of Pete's death. But since Lucenay was breeding a "Pete" line, he was able to substitute one of Pete's descendants. The second Pete has the circle on the opposite eye and the ears and front legs have a slightly
different coloring. The seconds Pete only stayed at Roach Studios for two years, because Lucenay was fired.

    And now, as his legend carries on, people are wondering what happened to the remains of the Tinseltown dog. Pete died in 1946, when Lucenay was 18. Lucenay joined the Army and after his discharge, settled in the Waco area in the 1950s when he married Helen.

    According to e-mails from roadsideamerica.com, Pete has sparked numerous rumors concerning his whereabouts. One reference mentions Pete was poisoned, leading to his demise. Another reference mentions cemeteries where Pete could be buried.

    But, Lucenay said, none of the rumors are true. Pete died of old age, not poison. And the final resting place of the famous pup ? that secret remains with Lucenay.

    But the one thing for certain, the black ring around Pete's left eye was not the work of a makeup artist. The natural skin coloration was such an oddity that it became certified by Ripley's Believe It or Not.

    When asked about the rumors and information circulating about Pete, Lucenay responded, "There's always going to be something out there. And in today's world, anything's possible."

    The last 'true Pete' OG comedy (meaning Pete #1 and his son) was "The Pooch" (1932). All subsequent Pete's were from an entirely different bloodline. After leaving Roach, Pete (#2) went to NY, and appeared in the Fatty Arbuckle short "Buzzin' Around" and in Paramount's "Broadway Highlights" newsreel, in which he is seen drinking a mug of beer as his initiation into The Lambs Club. In 1936, he once again joined OG, but only for a personal appearance tour."