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True Grit: A Look at the Life of Sonny Seiler
White-haired and a little bit gruff, Frank “Sonny” Seiler is an important figure down South. He has contributed handsomely to the university where he got his start. He maintains a position of undeniable prestige in the legal community. He has even made his mark on Hollywood.
A member of the Savannah-based firm Bouhan, Williams & Levy since 1960, Seiler has developed an extensive litigation practice which has earned him a place in the publication Best Lawyers in America. Seiler also served as president of the State Bar of Georgia and gained widespread recognition after he got Jim Williams, the Savannah socialite made famous by the novel and motion picture Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, acquitted.
Seiler revisited the Williams’ trial when Clint Eastwood unexpectedly cast him as a judge in the film version of Midnight. Seiler helped Eastwood select filming sites, and his Southern accent left an impression on the director. Seiler told one Savannah reporter that playing a judge was the “opportunity of a lifetime.”
Seiler also calls Jack Thompson, the Australian cast as Seiler, an “excellent actor.” Seiler would know. He is a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild and has appeared in Robert Altman’s Gingerbread Man and Robert Redford’s The Legend of Bagger Vance.
When asked if he’s surprised by his own success, Seiler is evasive. He replies only: “Success is to be measured by others.”
There is no doubt that Seiler is successful or that he has worked hard for it. He graduated from The University of Georgia with a B.B.A. in 1956 and received his J.D. in 1957. As a student, he was elected to the ODK Honor Society and served as president of both the Interfraternity Council and the Gridiron Secret Society. He also was elected to Sphinx, which is the highest honor attainable for a male student. In 1996, the Sigma Chi Fraternity gave Seiler the highest honor awarded to its members by naming him Significant Sig. In 1998, UGA named Seiler the William W. Franklin Volunteer of the Year.
Seiler’s continued contributions to UGA are many, but one will always stand out. Seiler is the owner of Ugas I through VI--the much loved and nationally admired mascots of the Georgia Bulldogs. Seiler calls his work with the mascots “a labor of love for our University and all that it stands for.” When asked if he ever feels overshadowed by Uga’s fame, Seiler replies simply: “I do not compete with icons.”
Seiler and his family’s life with Ugas I through VI is documented in words and photographs on the glossy pages of Damn Good Dogs!, co-authored by Seiler and Kent Hannon. The book describes the high points of Uga’s career and gives insight into the diverse personalities of the Ugas. Seiler would not spill any details when asked about the most funny, aggravating and endearing things the Ugas have done. “[That] is for you to decide after you have done your homework and read Damn Good Dogs,” Seiler said.
10 Things You Never Knew About Uga
1. Uga I officially joined UGA in 1957 after the university’s former mascot, a brindle-colored bulldog named Butch, was inexplicably shot by a Warner Robins policeman.
2. Uga IV joined Herschel Walker at the 1982 Heisman Awards. He is the only mascot ever to be invited.
3. To honor his Sports Illustrated cover and his participation in Savannah’s annual St. Patrick’s day parade, Uga V received an honorary Doctor of Irish Literature degree from Armstrong Atlantic State University.
4. The honored guests listed on an invitation to a congressional reception in Washington included Vince Dooley and Mark Richt. But the name at the top of the list was Uga VI.
5. Emmy Award winner Deborah Norville shopped for Uga III’s t-shirt while she was a student at UGA.
6. Halfway through the 1986 season, Uga IV tore a crucial ligament in his left leg. He received nearly 100 get well cards, far outnumbering the cards running back Tim Worley got after suffering a knee injury the same year.
7. When UGA’s National Alumni Association was created in 1995, Uga V was the first member.
8. Uga V was the first mascot afforded the luxury of an air-conditioned dog house, provided by Fred Hazelwood, a Georgia fan and president of the Bahamian Bulldog Club in Nassau.
9. Uga I was a belated wedding gift from a friend of Mrs. Cecelia Seiler.
10. When UGA played its first football game in 1892, the unofficial mascot was a goat.
More about the book: Damn Good Dogs!