Benji is the name of a fictitious dog who was the focus of several movies in the 1970s and 1980s and is also the title of the first film in the series. His character was a lovable mutt who had an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time, usually helping a person overcome a problem. Perhaps not as dashing as Lassie (another canine screen star), Benji was shown to have been just as smart.