One of the first jobs Bill Berloni had as a college acting major was working on a production of the musical 'Annie" for a small Connecticut theater. They needed a dog to play Annie's sidekick, Sandy. But the budget was tight. So Berloni decided to start his star search in an unlikely place: the Connecticut Humane Society.

That was the beginning of Berloni's long career as an animal trainer for Broadway shows and Hollywood films. He still frequently recruits rescued animals for roles -- including Bruiser, the chihuahua (pictured here with Berloni) who hit it big in the stage version of "Legally Blonde."

Berloni chronicles his experiences in his new book, "Broadway Tails: Heartfelt Stories of Rescued Dogs Who Became Showbiz Superstars." He did a great interview yesterday with Terry Gross on the National Public Radio program "Fresh Air." I sadly tuned in late, during the last few minutes.

But I did catch Berloni's hysterical tale of a bulldog who had the supporting dog role in "Legally Blonde's" California production. Apparently, the novice actor was so excited and happy during his debut that he did what bulldog's in such a state apparently sometimes do: vomited all over the stage, in front of the audience. But the show must go on and so it did, after the cast cleaned up.

Click here for an excerpt from Berloni's book and to listen to his NPR interview.