COLUMBUS, GA. — Fun Academy Motion Pictures and Variety — The Children’s Charity of Southern California are co-hosting March 27 the world premiere of the animated feature Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero to benefit both Variety and the Boys and Girls Club of Boyle Heights.

The premier will be at the Regal L.A. Live theater in downtown Los Angeles. Red carpet is 4:30 p.m., followed by a reception at 5 p.m. and screening at 6 p.m. Tickets and event sponsorships are available to allow kids from underserved L.A. communities to attend the premiere. All net proceeds will be donated by Fun Academy to Variety — The Children’s Charity of Southern California, which has been serving the Los Angeles area since 1941.

In theaters April 13, Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero is based on the true story of a stray dog who is still recognized today as the first dog promoted to the rank of sergeant in the U.S. Army. Stubby is the most decorated dog in American history and is widely considered the forerunner to the U.S. Army’s working dog program.

On March 28, Fun Academy and Variety — The Children’s Charity will co-host screenings in 15 cities across the U.S. and Canada to further benefit Variety programs that provide life-saving, life-changing and life-enriching equipment and services to children who have a disability or are disadvantaged.

The March 28^th screenings locations are spread across North America and benefit causes selected by each local chapter (or “tent”) of Variety — The Children’s Charity:

Screenings in the United States:

• Cathedral City, Calif. — Variety Tent #66: D’Place Entertainment Mary Pickford Theatre 14
• Deltona, Fla. — Variety Tent #70: Epic Theatres of West Volusia
• Wheaton, Ill. — Variety Tent #26: Studio Movie Grill
• Grand Rapids & Lansing, Mich. — Variety Tent #27: Celebration! Cinema Grand Rapids North / Celebration! Cinema Lansing
• Chesterfield, Miss. — Variety Tent #4: Marcus Theatres Chesterfield Galaxy 14 Cine
• Downtown, Nev. — Variety Tent #39:  Brendan Palms 14
• Williamsville, N.Y. — Variety Tent #7: Regal Transit Center Stadium 18
• Brooklyn, N.Y. — Variety Tent #35: National Amusements Linden Blvd. Multiplex
• Harker Heights, Texas — Variety Tent #17: Cinemark at Market Heights
• Fairfax, Va. — Variety Tent #11:  Cinema Arts Theatre
• Cedar Rapids, Iowa — Variety Tent #15:  Marcus Cedar Rapids Theatre

Screenings in Canada:

• Alberta, British Columbia — Variety Tent #61:  Westhills Cinemas
• Winnipeg, Manitoba — Variety Tent #58: Scotiabank Theatre Winnipeg
• Vancouver, British Columbia — Variety Tent #47:  Scotiabank Cineplex Theatre

Opening on about 3,000 screens across the U.S. and Canada and coinciding with the year-long 100^th commemoration of the United States’ role in World War I, Sgt. Stubby is directed by award-winning documentarian Richard Lanni in his feature film debut and stars Logan Lerman (Fury, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Percy Jackson & The Olympians), Helena Bonham Carter (the upcoming Ocean’s 8, the Harry Potter films, The King’s Speech, Sweeney Todd) and Gérard Depardieu (Life of Pi, Cyrano De Bergerac, The Man in the Iron Mask, Green Card).

Featuring an original score by Patrick Doyle (Brave, Thor, Cinderella, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), Sgt. Stubby is produced and distributed by Fun Academy Motion Pictures with animation by Mikros Animation, a Technicolor company.  Screenwriters are Richard Lanni and Mike Stokey II (Band of Brothers, The Pacific, Alexander, Born on the Fourth of July), with editing by Mark Solomon (Frankenweenie, Chicken Run, Shark Tale, the upcoming Sherlock Gnomes). Produced by Laurent Rodon and Emily Cantrill; and executive produced by Frank Lumpkin III, Tom Sheehan and Richard Lanni.

Source: Fun Academy Motion Pictures

Tom McLean has been writing for years about animation from a secret base in Los Angeles.