Lassie (TV series): Difference between revisions

Six different dogs portrayed Lassie over the course of the series; all were owned and trained by professional trainer Rudd Weatherwax, and the five successors were descended from the original, whose off-screen name was Pal. Pal was the original Lassie, who had starred in the 1943 film ''Lassie Come Home'' (based on a novel by Eric Knight) and six sequels; when the film series ended, Weatherwax acquired the Lassie trademark (in lieu of unpaid wages, according to one account), and the television series resulted. All six dogs were actually male; male collies were thought to be more visually impressive, and less subject to seasonal shedding issues.

 

 

* [[An Aesop]]: Frequently prefaced with the words "You see, Timmy..."

* [[And Starring]]: "Starring [[Hugh Beaumont]], [[June Lockhart]], Jon Provost as Timmy, and, of course, Lassie."

* [[Heroic Dog]]/[[Heroic Pet Story]]: One of best known examples.

* [[Missing Episode]]: One episode in which Timmy comes across a fallen satellite and is exposed to radiation wasn't shown originally due to a widespread radiation fears at the time. It was eventually aired much later.

* [[Pet Baby Wild Animal]]: In one episode, Lassie adopted a raccoon, which was later killed by a speeding car. Everyone learned an [[Very Special Episode|important lesson]] about careful driving.

* [[Product Placement]]: For Campbell's Soup, the show's major sponsor.

* [[Stage Names]]: Pal and his successors were all credited as "Lassie".

* [[Syndication Title]]: The early seasons were syndicated as ''Jeff's Collie'', and later seasons as ''Timmy and Lassie''.

* [[Too Dumb to Live]]: Considering all the non-well based trouble Timmy [http://sickbastard.wordpress.com/2007/07/10/timmy-fell-down-what-well/ got into] it is a miracle he's alive at all.