'Bush's Baked Beans' dog who played Duke in commercials has died

Sam, one of the dogs that played the role of Duke, the star of many Bush's Baked Beans commercials, has recently passed away

Throughout the years, several dogs were chosen for the part and Sam, who drew his last breath on June 27, 2018, was one of them, leaving an empty space in the hearts of those who knew him.

The news of his death was shared on Facebook by David Odom, a neighbor of Susan, Sam's owner and the one responsible for training him to appear in the commercials.

According to Odom's post, Sam had to be euthanized following a particularly aggressive cancer that he had been battling for quite a while. He was a described as a 'very special dog' to everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him.

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In the commercials, Duke is known for being a funny companion, often making snarky comments to his owner Jay. The dog's lips would move like a human's and he would often nearly reveal the company's secret family recipe.

Upon learning of Sam's passing through Odom's tribute, Bush's Baked Beans took to their own Facebook account to send their condolences to Sam's family and friends.

The company revealed that Sam hadn't been working for them for a while now, but that they were still heartbroken about the news, especially because he was part of the company's history.

Bush's Baked Beans respectfully thanked Sam for his valuable contribution, which helped the company established itself as one of the top bean sellers on the market.

Plus, out of respect for Sam and fans of Duke, who is considered to be an icon, the company guaranteed that they would continue to use the dog in their commercials.

Sam was only one example of several animal stars who died throughout the years. Gidget, the Taco Bell and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde died in 2009; Happy, who played a terrier with the same name in 7th Heaven, died in 2007, and Lucy, one of the cats who played Salem in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, passed away in 1998.