Sportsman Channel and Marine Vet & Actor R. Lee Ermey Join Forces for New “Saving Private K-9” Series Premiering in April
OutdoorHub 01.14.14
Series Produced by Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Studios Details Incredible Relationships Between Military and Law Enforcement Service Dogs and Their Handlers
Often called “man’s best friend,” our dogs are known to be loyal, stalwart companions that love and defend their owners at any cost. But the 2,500 trained canines serving America’s military and law enforcement are a breed apart. Sportsman Channel invites viewers into the lives of these military and law enforcement service dogs and their handlers with its new series Saving Private K-9. Hosted by actor and former Marine R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket), the show premieres Thursday, April 24 at 8:30 p.m. The series is produced by Pilgrim Studios, with Craig Piligian serving as executive producer.
Each episode of Saving Private K-9 highlights the dogs’ battlefield training, heroic accomplishments, and relationships with their handlers – as well as their impact on those who have worked with them. Viewers will see inspiring accounts of the selfless battlefield service and acts of valor that military dogs perform, as told by those who fought beside them. Additionally, the show will focus on the dogs’ lives post-service, which often involve rigorous rehabilitation and adoption.
“When R. Lee Ermey speaks, people listen. Sportsman Channel is extremely proud to bring Ermey on board to host Saving Private K-9,” said Marc Fein, Executive V.P., Programming & Production of Sportsman Channel. “Sportsman Channel is privileged to be able to bring the stories of these heroic dogs to life. Saving Private K-9 is a welcome addition to our line-up of lifestyle programming for the American Sportsman.”
“This show is a great opportunity for America to see our four-legged, sometimes forgotten, heroes in action,” said Ermey. “So many of us have no idea of the level of dedication and training it takes to prepare of a dog for a life of service. This show will shed light on that process.”
Ronald Lee Ermey served in the United States Marine Corps for 11 years, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant before injuries forced him to retire. After serving the Marine Corps in numerous endeavors as a civilian, he was promoted to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. Following his service, Ermey moved to the Phillipines, appearing in several Filipino films before making his U.S. film debut as a helicopter pilot in Francis Ford Coppola‘s Apocalypse Now (1979). Though most famous for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick‘s Full Metal Jacket(for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination), Ermey is a seasoned character actor who has appeared in The Boys In Company C, Purple Hearts, Leaving Las Vegas, Se7en, Dead Man Walking and the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, among others.
