From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lassie
Lassie Title Screen, (c1958)
Genre	Action and Adventure Animals Children's programs Drama
Format	Black and White (1954-1964) Color (1964-1974)
Created by	Based on the character created by Eric Knight Robert Maxwell
Starring	Tommy Rettig Jon Provost Jan Clayton June Lockhart George Cleveland Hugh Reilly Robert Bray Jack De Mave Jed Allan Ron Hayes Larry Wilcox Pamelyn Ferdin
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	588
Production
Running time	24 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	CBS
Original run	September 12, 1954 – March 24, 1973
External links
IMDb profile

Lassie is an American television series originally broadcast from September 12, 1954, to March 24, 1973. The series follows the adventures of a collie named Lassie. The show's run lasted 17 seasons on CBS before entering first run syndication for its final 2 seasons. Lassie was one of the longest running dramatic series on television.

Lassie first appeared in 1938 as a character in a short story written by Eric Knight for The Saturday Evening Post. Knight's tale of a collie traveling hundreds of miles to be reunited with her human friend was widely popular. The author expanded the story to a full length novel and published the work as Lassie Come-Home in 1940.^[1]

In 1943, the novel was realized as the MGM feature film, Lassie Come Home starring Roddy McDowall, Elizabeth Taylor, and Pal, a collie owned and trained by Rudd Weatherwax. Pal starred in six additional MGM Lassie films before Weatherwax, in lieu of back pay, received the rights to the Lassie name and the Lassie trademark.^[2][3]

Weatherwax left Hollywood and toured America with Pal for several years. Pal performed as "Lassie" in a variety of venues to great acclaim. Television producer Robert Maxwell persuaded Weatherwax that the dog's future lay in television.^[2] Lassie went into production and debuted on CBS Sunday, September 12, 1954.

Tommy Rettig as "Jeff Miller" with Lassie (1955)

The Miller Years (1954 – 1957). In the show's premiere episode, "The Inheritance", 11 year old Jeff Miller (Tommy Rettig) is bequeathed a rough collie named Lassie. Lassie shows little interest in making her home with Jeff but has a change of heart when she realizes how deeply he loves her. Rettig was joined by Jan Clayton as his widowed mother Ellen Miller and George Cleveland as his mother's father in law, George "Gramps" Miller. Donald Keeler played Jeff's friend, Porky Brockway. Florence Lake played Jenny, the telephone operator. Lake was the only performer to remain with the show for its first 10 "farm" seasons. Episodes during the Miller years focused on Jeff's adventures with Lassie on the farm and the neighboring vicinity.

At the opening of the fourth season, a tattered runaway named Timmy (Jon Provost) is discovered hiding in the Miller barn. When the Millers learn the boy's family consists solely of aged and ill relatives, they suggest to a social worker that Timmy spend the summer on the farm for its healthy influence. The suggestion is approved and Timmy joins the Miller family as a foster child.

The Martin Years (1957 – 1964). Midway through the fourth season in an episode called "Transition", Gramps dies. Ellen and Jeff decide to move to Capitol City so Jeff can attend its science high school. The farm is sold to Ruth and Paul Martin who fall in love with Timmy and adopt him. Before Jeff departs, he leaves Lassie on the farm with Timmy, knowing his beloved dog could never be happy in the city. Cloris Leachman originally played Timmy's adoptive mother, Ruth Martin, with Jon Shepodd as her husband, Paul. The two performers were replaced at the beginning of the fifth season by June Lockhart and Hugh Reilly. George Chandler joined the show in 1957 as Paul's day-dreaming uncle, Petrie J. Martin. Comic actor Andy Clyde joined the show in 1959 as Timmy's eccentric neighbor Cully Wilson. Producer Jack Wrather's daughter Linda played Timmy's classmate and neighbor Wilhelmina "Willy" Brewster while Wrather's wife and the show's co-producer, Bonita Granville Wrather appeared once as Willy's mother and occasionally did voice-over narrations.

Timmy and Lassie. Jon Provost's Lassie debut, "The Runaway", September, 1957.

The Ranger Years (1964 – 1970). The Martin years end at the beginning of the tenth season (1964) when Paul, Ruth, and Timmy move to Australia and the farm is put up for sale. Lassie remains in the States due to Australian quarantine restrictions and briefly finds a home with Martin family friend Cully Wilson. When Cully suffers a heart attack, Corey Stuart (Robert Bray), a ranger with the United States Forestry Service, offers her a home. Lassie's life is one of outdoor adventure with the ranger until he is seriously disabled fighting a forest fire. Two of his fellow rangers, Scott Turner (Jed Allan) and Bob Erickson (Jack De Mave), then befriend Lassie and provide her with a home. Unlike her life in the civilized environs of the Martin farm, Lassie's seasons with the rangers is one of wilderness adventure and perils.

Jan Clayton, Jon Provost, and Tommy Rettig (1957)

The Lassie Alone Year (1970 – 1971). Near the end of the show's 17 year CBS run, Lassie strikes out on her own for a year with no explanation to the viewer regarding the whereabouts of her ranger friends.^[4] Her year alone becomes one of aiding the needy humans and animals she encounters during her rambles. Lassie's year alone is viewed as the prelude to the final two seasons.

The Holden Ranch Years (1971 – 1973). Following Lassie's year alone, the show was cancelled on CBS. Lassie continued however, in first run syndication. The syndicated series picked up where the CBS series left off: Lassie is still on her own. Two young hikers pull her from a raging river and take her to Holden Ranch, a home for troubled boys. It is there that Lassie finds a new home and new adventures. After two syndicated seasons on the Holden Ranch, Lassie was brought to its close.

Over the course of the television show's 19 seasons, Lassie was portrayed by six male collies. Five of the six Lassies were descendants of Pal, the Lassie of the MGM films. Larger than the females, males were chosen for the role because they are more impressive on film, and shed once a year rather than twice a year, as the females do.

Lassie enjoys an outing in the fields with Jeff in the first season episode, "The Well" (1954), the only Lassie episode filmed in color before 1965. Lassie is portrayed in "The Well" by Pal, the dog who starred in the six MGM Lassie films of the 1940s. Pal appeared in the television series' premier episode, "The Inheritance" then retired from show biz. His son, Lassie Junior stepped into the role, and eventually Lassie Junior's sons assumed their father's dramatic duties. "The Inheritance" and "The Well" were both filmed in British Columbia as pilots for the series.

Pal starred in the 6 MGM Lassie films. His long career in show biz was coming to a close when he appeared in the two pilots filmed for the series. In "The Inheritance" (filmed in black and white), young Jeff Miller receives Lassie as a bequest. In "The Well" (filmed in color), an unused well on the Miller property becomes a source of contention. Both pilots were aired during the first season, (1954) with "The Inheritance" being the premier episode. When Pal retired after his two television appearances, his son Lassie Junior stepped into the role.

Lassie Junior, son of Pal, appeared through all three Jeff years (1954-1956) and two Timmy years (1957-1958). He retired to battle cancer, (from which he recovered) and never worked the series again.

Spook, son of Lassie Junior, was rushed into the show while his brother Baby was in training to take on the role. Spook never became comfortable in front of the cameras after an overhead light crashed to the floor on his first day. He appeared briefly in season five (1958), in all of season six (1959), most of season seven (1960), and very briefly in season eight (1961). Spook appeared in the well known opening credits of the Timmy-era show walking with Jon Provost down a country lane.

Baby, son of Lassie Junior and brother to Spook, shared Spook's thespian chores at the end of season seven. Baby appeared during the latter Timmy years (1961-1963) and two of the Ranger years (1964-1965). ^[5] Baby's large, expressive eyes made him the most popular and beloved of all the Lassies. Sadly, Baby died at the age of eight years – the only "Lassie" not to live at least seventeen years.

Mire appeared in the last Ranger years (1966-1969) and the Lassie alone year (1970).

Hey Hey appeared during the two syndicated Holden Ranch years (1971-1972).

Tommy Rettig as Jeff Miller in "The Well" (1954).

Jon Provost as Timmy Martin.

Countless animals -- dogs, cats, pigeons, horses, sheep, goats, skunks, raccoons, wolves, cougars, bears, elephants, ostriches, lions, tigers -- all appeared on the series. A few of the most memorable:

• Jeff Miller has a horse named Domino while his friend Porky Brockway (Donald Keeler) has a basset hound named Pokey. Domino and Pokey make several appearances in the early seasons. Pokey made so many appearances he was regarded by producers, crew, aand cast as a regular.

• In Porky's debut episode, "The Lion", an escaped lion wreaks havoc in the Miller kitchen while Jeff and Porky cower beneath the table. Several lions were used in filming the episode. When one lion eluded his handlers, the crew and cast stood with bated breath as the animal prowled about behind the scenery.

• In season four's "The Goose", Timmy visits with his new neighbor and classmate, Wilhelmina "Willy" Brewster (played by Linda Wrather, daughter of the show's producers, Jack and Bonita Granville Wrather). Willy's pet goose Melody is accidentally loaded onto a truck headed for market. Melody reappears with Willy in season five's "The Christmas Story".

• Timmy's burro Lucky appears in two fourth season episodes, "The Burro" (where she's named Josephine) and "The Elephant". Lucky also appears in one season five episode, "The Horse Show". In "The Horse Show", Timmy refers to Lucky as "he" while Uncle Petrie (George Chandler) refers to the burro as "she".

• In the Martin seasons, Ruth Martin (June Lockhart) has a cow named Bessie who is mentioned several times and makes at least one significant appearance. In "Bessie", Timmy and Lassie save the cow when Ruth sends her to the slaughterhouse.

• In "The Eagle" from season seven, Timmy gives "Mrs. Eagle" a goose egg to raise after her own egg is destroyed by a vandal. The performing eagle, a male named Solomon, reappears in the season eight episode, "Lassie and the Eagle", in season nine's "Eagle's Lair", and in season ten's "The Treasure", according to Ace Collins in the liner notes for the 50th anniversary DVD set. In the book Gifts of the Eagle by Kent Durden, the author states the eagle involved is a female named Lady.

• Timmy's neighbor and friend Cully Wilson (Andy Clyde) has a hound named Sam. The dog is one of Lassie's comrades in adventure and is frequently featured. In one poignant and profound episode, Sam is killed defending Cully from a rampaging maverick steer. Mad with grief, Cully stalks the steer with a shotgun. When he has the opportunity to despatch the steer, Cully's loving, gentle nature asserts itself and the old man finds he's unable to kill the helpless animal.

• Timmy adopts a raccoon and names him Melonhead. The animal is killed by teenagers speeding on the highway.

Jan Clayton as Ellen Miller and George Cleveland as George "Gramps" Miller in "The Well" (1954).

Andy Clyde as Cully Wilson.

The Miller Years:

• Arthur Space played Doc Weaver (1955-1964)
• Donald Keeler played Sylvester "Porky" Brockway (1954-1957)
• Florence Lake played Jenny (1954-1964)
• George Cleveland played George "Gramps" Miller (1954-1957)
• House Peters, Jr. played Sheriff Billings
• Jan Clayton played Ellen Miller (1954-1957)
• Tommy Rettig played Jeff Miller (1954-1957)

The Martin Years:

• Andy Clyde played Cully Wilson (1959-1964)
• Cloris Leachman played Ruth Martin (1957)
• Dick Foran played Ed Washburne
• George Chandler played Petrie J. Martin (1957-1958)
• Hugh Reilly played Paul Martin (1958-1964)
• Jon Provost played Timmy Martin (1957-1964)
• Jon Shepodd played Paul Martin (1957)
• June Lockhart played Ruth Martin (1958-1964)
• Kelly Junge, Jr. played Scott Richards (1957)
• Linda Wrather played Wilhelmina "Willy" Brewster
• Robert Foulk played Sheriff H. Miller (1958-1964)
• Sally Bliss played Amy Hazlit (1958-1963)
• Todd Ferrell played Boomer Bates (1958)

The Ranger Years:

• Darwin Joston played Ed (1966-1968)
• Jack De Mave played Bob Erickson (1968-1970)
• Jed Allan played Scott Turner (1968-1970)
• Mark Miranda played Neeka (1968-1970)
• Robert Bray played Corey Stuart (1964-1968)

The Holden Ranch Years:

• Jay W. MacIntosh played Elaine Baker (1971-1972)
• Josh Albee played Mike Bishop (1971-1972)
• Karl Swenson played Karl Burkholm (1971-1972)
• Larry Pennell played Keith Holden (1972)
• Larry Wilcox played Dale Mitchell (1971-1972)
• Mark Miranda played Andy Lopez (1971-1972)
• Pamelyn Ferdin played Lucy Baker (1971-1972)
• Radames Pera played Willy Carson (1971-1972)
• Ron Hayes played Garth Holden (1971)
• Sherry Boucher played Dr. Sue Lambert (1971)
• Skip Burton played Ron Holden (1971-1972)
• Stuart Lee played Lane (1971-1972)

• "The Inheritance". Pilot and premiere episode (1954). Eleven year old Jeff Miller (Tommy Rettig) is bequeathed a neighbor's collie named Lassie but the dog is reluctant to leave her dead master's house. Jeff discovers Lassie is guarding a cache of money from the thieving designs of a hired hand.

• "The Runaway" (1957). Jon Provost's debut. The Millers discover a runaway named Timmy (Jon Provost) hiding in their barn. They learn he has fled his aged and ailing aunt and uncle because he believes he's a burden on them. After contacting a social worker and Timmy's relatives, Ellen (Jan Clayton) and Jeff provide Timmy with a foster home on the farm.

Ruth and Paul Martin as portrayed by Cloris Leachman and Jon Shepodd in their debut episode, "Transition", (fourth season, 1957). The two would be replaced at the beginning of the fifth season.

• "Transition" (1957). Ellen and Jeff leave the show. Ruth (Cloris Leachman) and Paul Martin (Jon Shepodd) debut. Gramps has died. Ellen and Jeff decide to sell the farm and move to Capitol City. A young couple, Paul and Ruth Martin buy the farm, and, having fallen in love with Timmy, adopt him. Jeff realizes Lassie will never adjust to life in a busy city and leaves her on the farm with Timmy.

• "The Ring" (1958). George Chandler's debut as Uncle Petrie. The show's sponsor, Campbell's Soup, offered its first premium (a ring) in conjunction with this episode. 77,000 rings were mailed to viewers. Ruth feels the farmwork is overwhelming her husband Paul and invites Paul's uncle, Petrie J. Martin to join them on the farm. Timmy takes a dislike to him. When Petrie fashions a ring with Lassie's image on it, Timmy is won over. The two become friends.

• "The Storm" (1958). Debuts of June Lockhart as Ruth Martin, Hugh Reilly as Paul Martin, and Todd Ferrell as Boomer Bates.

• "The Water Boy" Debut of Andy Clyde as Cully Wilson. Cully helps Paul find water for a well with his divining rod.

• "The Odyssey" (1962). Three part program. Lassie goes to market with Paul and Timmy. While there, she is shut in a truck and carried hundreds of miles from home. Once freed, she travels through field and forest to be reunited with Timmy.

• "The Wayfarers". Three part final Martin family episode. September 1964. Part 1. Excited when his parents break the news that the family is moving to Australia, Timmy changes his mind when he finds out Lassie would be quarantined for six months and cannot come with them. Part 2. Lassie has settled in living with Cully -- and mostly occupied keeping Cully's mischievous Yorkshire terrier Silky in line -- when the elderly man suffers another heart attack. Lassie fetches Doc Weaver, but in the process of his getting Cully to the hospital, Silky escapes. Part 3. While Lassie and Silky wander Blue Canyon, where Silky is in danger from a marauding hawk, an old friend of the collie's shows up, Corey Stuart, who immediately heads out to find his missing friend.

The most recognizable Lassie theme song, "Whistle," was written by Les Baxter. ASCAP records suggest this theme was used on the show from 1958-1964, and then again in 1966 until the series ended.^[6] Other themes used over opening and closing credits included orchestral renditions of an aria from Gounod's opera Faust and the traditional tune, Greensleeves.

Lassie friendship ring, a premium offered by Campbell's Soup during the show's fourth season.

Lassie was sponsored for its entire run by Campbell's Soup. The company asked that their products be visible on the set and so, in episode after episode, Campbell's products are seen in background shots.^[2]

In 1956, the company sponsored a "Name Lassie's Puppies" contest with the grand prizes being Lassie's pups and $2,000. Company executives flew to winners' homes to hand deliver the puppies.^[2]

Campbell's offered two premiums during the show's 10 year "farm" seasons. One was the friendship ring from the fourth season episode, "The Ring" (1957). The company mailed 77,715 rings to viewers. In 1959, the company offered a wallet "made of rich brown plastic" and emblazoned with a picture of Lassie in conjunction with the episode, "Old Henry". 1,343,509 wallets were mailed to viewers who sent in 5 different labels from Campbell products. The labels represented 6.5 million cans of Campbell's products sold.^[2]

• Emmy Awards (1955, 1956) for Best Children's Series

• Peabody Award for excellence (1956)

• Honors from the PTA, the National Association for Better Radio and Television, Gold Star, and Billboard^[2]

• In 1960, Lassie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[7]

• One of Timmy's gingham checked shirts hangs in the Smithsonian institution.

• The television Lassie appeared on nine TV Guide covers.

Classic Media currently owns the rights to the Lassie series, however Warner Bros. (through Turner Entertainment) holds the rights to the Lassie films made by MGM (see Lassie main article). Reruns of the 1954-1957 episodes starring Tommy Rettig were later syndicated as Jeff's Collie while the Provost years were syndicated as Timmy and Lassie.

The TV series has since been revived twice, as the syndicated The New Lassie in 1989, (set in Glenridge, California, with Will Estes playing opposite Lassie), and later a Canadian-produced Lassie, which aired on the Animal Planet network 1997-1998. Corey Sevier starred opposite Lassie. The show was set in the fictitious village of Hudson Falls, Vermont.

Dell Lassie comic book.

Lassie generated books, comic books, punch out books, toys, games, and other items for the juvenile market. Some of the most prized period items for collectors include:

• Lassie themed clothing (pyjamas, bathrobes, shirts, sneakers)
• Lassie and Timmy punch out book published by Whitman
• Lassie friendship ring and Lassie wallet with paper inserts, mailing envelopes, etc.
• Lassie Halloween costumes

Other items prized by collectors include:

• Promotional photographs and materials
• Lassie and Lone Ranger tie-ins from the episode "Peace Patrol"
• Props and costumes with documented provenance from the show

• Timmy, (in his vegetable garden): A seed's been born!
• Ellen Miller (to Timmy): Oh, you little wiggle-worm!

Hugh Beaumont with Jan Clayton and George Cleveland in the first season episode, "The Well". The episode was one of two pilots filmed for the show and filmed in color to give potential sponsors an idea of the show's appearance for its eventual production in color.

• Leave It to Beaver players Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow, Jerry Mathers, Ken Osmond, Richard Correll, Stephen Talbot, Tiger Fafara, and Madge Blake all made guest appearances on Lassie.

• Contrary to popular mythology, Timmy Martin never fell into a well. Characters who fell into wells on the show include an entrepreneur ("The Well", season 1), Lassie ("Well of Love", season 17) and Uncle Petrie ("The Crow", season 4).

• There were never multiple dogs on the set performing as Lassie -- one to pull a rope, for example, one to open a door, one to jump from a window, etc. Doubles were used occasionally for distance shots (Lassie running through a field, for example) and stunts.^[2]

• Lassie, main article
• Lassie Come Home, original 1943 movie
• Pal, the first dog to play Lassie
• Rudd Weatherwax, Lassie animal trainer
• The New Lassie, American TV series (1989-1990)
• Lassie (1997 TV series), Canadian TV series (1997-1999)
• Timmy Martin (television character)
• Ruth Martin (television character)
• Paul Martin (television character)
• The Inheritance (1954 Lassie TV series episode)
• The Runaway (1957 Lassie TV series episode)
• Transition (1957 Lassie TV series episode)‎

• The Littlest Hobo

• Collins, Ace. Lassie: a dog's life. Cader Books, Penguin Books, 1993.
• "Lassie ... My Best Friend". Jack and Jill, November 1959.
• Lassie: 50th Anniversary TV Collection. Classic Media/Sony, 2004.
• "The Life and Times of Lassie". TV Guide, July 4, 1959.
• Provost, John. Timmy's in the Well: the Jon Provost story. Cumberland House Publishing, 2007.
• http://classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/lassie.html for information in re 1957 thematic music.

• Lassie fan site
• Lassie web