Lassie — The Most Famous Dog of Them All
Lassie To The Rescue
Roddy McDowell and Pal, the original Lassie, in the 1943 movie "Lassie Come Home."
Lassie may be the most famous American dog of all time. She first came to life in "Lassie Come Home," by Eric Knight, published as a short story in the Saturday Evening Post in 1938, then as a novel in 1940. Just four years later the story was turned into a movie starring young Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowell and, of course, the very first Rough Collie to play Lassie, Pal, trained by Rudd and Frank Weatherwax.
Timmy (young Jon Provost) and Lassie in the TV series.
In 1954 the story was changed into a television series centered around the dog, titled Lassie. Lassie went through several owners on the series, which lasted until 1974. Her first owner was "Jeff Miller," played by Tommy Rettig, and the Miller family. Four years later the Miller family left and "Timmy Martin" (Jon Provost) and the Martin family took their place. Both farm boys frequently needed the help of their amazing dog to help them with their problems, week after week. Finally, Ranger Corey Stuart (Robert Bray) came, and, near the end of the series, Lassie went out on her own, with no regular human master.
Lassie with his old friends Timmy (Jon Provost) and Mrs. Martin (June Lockhart) at a luncheon.
Before Pal, the original Lassie, died, he was bred a number of times, producing lots of puppies. Today's Lassie is the ninth direct-line descendant of Pal to play the part. All offspring not chosen to be the next Lassie (or kept for breeding purposes) are adopted with spay/neuter contracts. All nine Lassies have been male even though the character of Lassie is a female role. The reason for this slight poetic license is that when female Collies come in season they tend to "blow their coat" — they shed that long, beautiful hair, which would make it difficult to film them looking the way the public expects their Lassie to look. Also, male Collies are a little larger than female Collies, so child actors can continue to play opposite them for a little longer before outgrowing the part.
Lassie at home.
Today's Lassie is just as popular as ever. A new Lassie movie (shot in the UK) was released in 2006. Lassie is out making promotional appearances all over America. This week Lassie is in Sacramento, CA, opposing AB1634. Her movies and reruns of her TV shows are on TV not only in the U.S., but in countries around the world, and her films are available on VHS and DVD.
Lassie getting a kiss from his owner/trainer Carol Riggins.
For those of you who like celebrity stats, the current Lassie is 7 years old and knows over 250 tricks. His real name is Laddie. His owner/trainer is Carol Riggins of Weatherwax Trained Dogs who works with trainer Bob Weatherwax. Laddie is intact and plans to have a family so he can pass on the "Lassie" heritage to the future.
July 10th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Glad you agree that this is the most famous dog of all but the photos should be attributed to our website at http://www.lassie.net since they are all owned by Colliewoode Productions, LLC.
July 11th, 2007 at 6:50 am
Thank you for letting us use the photos. The movie and television photos are from Wikipedia.com ("Lassie Come Home" entry) and Lassieweb.org (Title and Credit sequences), respectively.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:10 am
I would like to correct several mistakes that have been made on this Lassie article.
"Just four years later the story ws turned into a movie starring young Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowell, and, of course, the very first Rough Collie to play Lassie, Pal, trained by Rudd and Frank Weatherwax."
PAL WAS A WORKING ACTOR UNDER THE AUSPICES OF RUDD AND FRANK WEATHERWAX'S JOINT DOG TRAINING BUSINESS, BUT THE DOG WAS OWNED BY RUDD AND HIS WIFE AND LIVED WITH THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN.
"Before Pal, the original Lassie, died, he was bred a number of times, producing lots of puppies."
THIS PHRASE MAKES IT SEEM AS THOUGH PAL WAS BRED INDISCRIMINANTLY, JUST TO PRODUCE LASSIE PUPS. THIS IS NOT TRUE. RUDD BRED LASSIE ONLY TO SECURE THE LINE AND THE LOOKS AND TO CREATE THE NEXT GENERATION HEIR.
"Today's Lassie is the ninth direct-line descendant of Pal to play the part. All offspring not chosen to be the next Lassie (or kept for breeding purposes)…."
THE ONLY LASSIE OFFSPRING USED FOR BREEDING IS THE CURRENT LASSIE, AND THE ONLY BREEDER WAS RUDD AND THEN HIS SON BOB.
"…are adopted with spay/neuter contracts."
THE CONTRACT SPECIFIES THAT ADOPTED LASSIE PUPPIES ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR BREEDING PURPOSES. IT DOES NOT SPECIFY SPAY/NEUTER.
"Lassie is out making promotional appearances all over America."
THE COLLIE CURRENTLY CONTRACTED TO ACT AS LASSIE MADE APPEARANCES TO PROMOTE THE MOVIE.
"This week Lassie is in Sacramento, CA, opposing AB1634."
BOB WEATHERWAX BROUGHT HIS 9TH GENERATION COLLIE "LADDIE" TO SACRAMENTO TO SUPPORT THE OPPOSITION TO AB 1634. LADDIE WAS THE OFFICIAL LASSIE FOR FOUR YEARS (2000-2004).
"For those of you who like celebrity stats, te current Lassie is 7 years old.
LADDIE IS NOW NINE YEARS OLD.
"His owner is Carol Riggins of Weatherwax Trained Dogs who works with trainer Bob Weatherwax."
LADDIE HAS ALWAYS BEEN OWNED BY BOB WEATHERWAX. CAROL WAS AT ONE TIME AN EMPLOYEE OF BOB'S WEATHERWAX TRAINED DOGS KENNEL. SHE NEVER OWNED AN OFFICIAL LASSIE. HER PET LASSIE VIII SON SUBSTITUTED FOR HIS FATHER IN A FEW EPISODES OF A TV SERIES AND WAS CONTRACTED TO PLAY THE ROLE OF LASSIE BY THE COMPANY NOW OWNING THE LASSIE TRADEMARK.
April 12th, 2008 at 6:37 am
Thank you for making these factual corrections. Most of the information posted above comes from Wikipedia, Dogster, and Lassie.net. I apologize for any errors.
Carlotta