Lassie (1954–1974) User Reviews (31)

Lassie's last season, the year of the Great Puppy Giveaway

[ybmagpye · 6/10 · 25 April 2011]

In my early NCY kiddy-hood, I recall when Timmy buried Lassie's toys, assuming as she was lost, he would never see her. again. Then there was a bark, and Lassie was HOME! I remember the scene well because my quite grumpy maternal Grandfather watched the episode with tears streaming down his face. When I saw that I was one stunned kid I can tell you!

No one has mentioned the very last season of Lassie which was like Lassie on LSD. She was lost and lived on her own in the wild (though magically she didn't kill and eat prey, but somehow stayed healthy). She met and fell in love with a male farm collie. Then, Lassie gave birth to her love-puppies in a cave. Then, because that wasn't far fetched enough, she proceeded to travel the country side, finding unhappy people and gifting them with one of her puppies. She 'gave away' her own litter of babies. I think the show's writers were on some kind of drug. You think I made that all up? I did not!

Beautiful collie

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 21 September 2019]

After years making money for MGM in feature films Lassie the collie moved to the small screen where she ran seemingly forever on Sunday night under various owners. Her viewers and fans were intergenerational.

She first shows up on a farm with widow Jan Clayton, her son Tommy Rettig, and father-in-law George Cleveland playing one of those lovable and irascible codgers. That was for the first few seasons. But with Tommy Rettig growing up and George Cleveland dying a whole new family was introduced. Jon Provost became the new kid and his parents were John Shepodd and Cloris Leachman. But then the actors playing the parents were replaced with Hugh Reilly and June Lockhart. This combination lasted for about a decade.

When the family relocated to Australia and couldn't take Lassie, the collie became the property of forest ranger Robert Bray. Finally a pair of rangers ended up with a dog that had more years on television than dogs usually have in a lifetime. Her final masters were rangers Jed Allan and Jack DeMave.

This was one of the wholesomest shows on television. Nobody ever tired of seeing the kids or the rangers get in trouble and Lassie go get help if not be the help.

Lassie was an indelible part of growing up in the 50s and 60s.

definitely N*O*T about a boy and his dog...

[A_Different_Drummer · 8/10 · 23 November 2013]

(discussing the first series only with Tommy Rettig) ... remembered fondly by the boomers as a simple tale about a boy and his dog, this series, on deeper examination, was everything but. I will share a secret with you, and if you did not grow up watching this show, you will not have a clue what I am talking about. The show was really about tradeoffs. I mean, while you were watching Timmy and his wonder dog (-- a dog who could understand English, maybe other languages as well, bark in morse code, climb trees, tie knots, do CPR, and, if in the mood, chase cats --) have wonderful adventures on the farm, 99% of those watching (ie, the Boomers, those wonderful folks who are responsible for most of the problems in this world now, trust me on this) DID NOT LIVE ON A FARM, DID NOT HAVE A PARTY LINE, DID NOT HAVE A RESIDENT GRANDPA, DID NOT HAVE CHORES, DID NOT HAVE A MOTHER WHO BAKED FRESH COOKIES FROM SCRATCH, and most importantly did not have a dog who (see above) could take shorthand and play Canasta at the same time. To believe that these tradeoffs did not go through our juvenile minds is naive. We understood what we were missing. We understood that knowingly or otherwise we had made a choice. And the producers understood this too, hence the success of the show, it showed you a life you would never have in a place you would never be. I think another reviewer may have mentioned it, but much of the show, like everything else in the world, was not what it appeared to be. BELATED SPOILERS: "Lassie" was not one dog but rather one of a half-dozen or so that trainer Rudd Weatherwax was grooming for the role. (Whether the other Lassies were "aware" that only one of them could play the role at a time is matter for canine psychologists.) Oh yes, one final note. According to Weatherwax himself, Lassie one of the first cross-gender stars in mainstream TV - a male dog, playing a female. That will give new meaning to the catchphrase, "GOOD GIRL LASSIE." OK, enough reviewing. I have chores to do.

Talk about nostalgia....

[Pepito-5 · 17 November 2000]

I've watched a few episodes of the '54-'58 Jeff's Collie [Lassie] and it brought back some good child memories. Being Hispanic and living in New York City, I fantasized how nice it would be to live in the midwest, on a farm, where I could go out with a friend like Porky, on our bicycles, and do the things they did like going fishing, and having a great dog like Lassie to watch over us. I would hear how they greeted each other with what I believe was "Aquie! Aquie!" Which in Spanish means over here, over here. Next time anyone watches the show, listen to their greeting, aquie, aquie, and see if I'm right. Sorry to hear that Tommy Rettig [Jeff Miller] past away. I'll be looking for Joey D. Veira's [Porky Brockway] movies, to see what he looks like as an adult. I know what John Provost [Timmy Martin] looks like. Thanks to the TV network/s, and IMD.com, for helping us walk down memory lane.

Best show

[jacobchile · 7/10 · 17 June 2021]

Yes this show was so positive. Need more content like this in the world.

Loved as a Kid, Now I would Tell Timmy To Get A Switch

[verbusen · 7/10 · 25 February 2024]

I put this on from the Roku channels, its on 24/7. I used to watch this probably daily after school in the 70s, I most remember the theme song and Lassie, the rest is a blur, I guess that I flipped the channel dial around after the Lassie theme song to watch another show after school, like The Brady Bunch or Gilligan's Island, or Looney Tunes. Watching now in 2024, in my 60s, the stories always seem that Timmy gets in trouble in the woods and Lassie saves him from injury or death. This went on week after week for years, talk about formulaic TV! Lassie has nostalgic memories to it, but I prefer the Lassie films, this is like lame in 2024. I did look up Hugh Reilly to see what else he was in, seems like a nice father in the show. Maybe too nice? I mean Timmy is almost badly injured or outright killed or almost kills other people every week. I would break out the switch, especially in the 1950s. Anyway, I tuned in this Sunday morning and the first episode didn't have Timmy down a well (as the trivia points out, never happened) but his old Uncle Martin (played by kindly George Chandler (of WC Field's fame Fatal Glass of Beer) was down a deep well and needed his crow friend and Lassie to save him! I then saw Timmy go into a US Army active minefield they put up near their farm (lol), then an episode where Timmy broke some eggs he was delivering for his mom and substituted owl eggs from an owl's nest and got stuck in an abandoned barn and Lassie had to get help twice (L. Q. Jones saved them, twice, the second time Timmy's mom was in trouble too, lol), the final episode I started to watch but couldn't finish was a mountain lion in the area and they were putting bear traps all in the woods. The thought of either Lassie, Timmy or the mountain lion getting caught in a bear trap was too gruesome for me, so I flipped the channel (to I Dream of Jeannie's 24/7 channel, lol). I did get to remember Lassie's dog friend Mike, I always liked little Mike the dog as a kid. Thinking about it as a whole, the show ran so long that it did have some good guest stars on it, and the only Lassie shows I remember watching were with Timmy and I see now that Lassie was with several families over it's run so I upped my score a little. Great show to sample a little (at least of the Timmy ones) but after you see one you probably saw them all. Watch the Lassie films, they are epic.

Closure On Jeff's Transition

[AlanSKaufman · 10/10 · 23 December 2003]

On a December 1957 night when I was 8 years old, my favorite TV program, Lassie, was dramatically changing in an episode appropriately named "Transition". Jeff Miller, played by Tommy Rettig, then 15, would turn over his collie to the younger Timmy and finish the portion of the Lassie series later syndicated as Jeff's Collie. I was sad because Jeff was for me an idealized older brother and he and his wonderful mother Ellen, played by Jan Clayton, were leaving forever. Yet I was curious to see Timmy's new foster mother and I wanted to witness the formal transfer.

The opening scene marked the passing of Gramps, played by George Cleveland who had actually died before filming began. Suddenly, the picture on my parents' TV set disappeared due to a blown vacuum tube (this was before transistors). The sound remained but I could not visualize the new mother nor properly experience the transition. I was so upset that I stopped watching the series. Years later I heard about June Lockhart's role as Timmy's mother but I discovered the actress only after she left Lassie and began the Lost in Space show.

This past summer I revisited Jeff's Collie through reruns on a local channel. Imagine the lonely widow and her lonely father-in-law clinging to the memory of their lost loved one by raising his son in the highest ethical standards. Above all, there was Jeff, the lonely boy without his father, overcoming all obstacles in doing the right thing, lovingly guided by his mother, grandfather and almost magical dog. Alas, the "Transition" chapter was not shown, and once again, I was left without closure.

So now, after 46 years, I've finally been able to see it on the new DVD by Sony Wonder titled Lassie - Best of Jeff's Collie. While containing only 3 of the more than 100 Jeff's Collie episodes, this disc is nevertheless immensely satisfying. The quality of the images and sound is superior to the broadcast in the fifties. "The Inheritance" starts the saga of Jeff and Lassie. "Lassie's Pups" is a tearful heart warmer establishing her legacy. "Transition" literally concludes Jeff's relationship. Simply flipping between these few stories lets you contrast the beginning and the end, over and over.

By the way, the new mother was not June Lockhart, rather she was Cloris Leachman. June joined the series the following season as a replacement for Cloris. Both women are fine people, but neither was a match for Jan Clayton, who passed on in 1983.

Tommy Rettig is also no longer with us. Death and the mystery of life is especially sensitive to me as I've lost several friends recently, and I nearly died six years ago. Surely you've experienced what are called unexplainable coincidences. I was 46 when Tommy died at age 54. Closure on Jeff's Collie has occurred for me after 46 years when I'm now 54.

Whatever the time we have left, we can take comfort that Tommy and his TV family live on through the Best of Jeff's Collie. Indeed, it's the very best.

"Lassie" was NOT just with Jon Provost, please fix this listing

[mbaugh9170 · 5/10 · 30 June 2018]

This listing for "Lassie" is extremely biased. In 1954 when this TV series first aired Jon Provost was only about 4 years old. The ORIGINAL cast is not even mentioned here and one must look up the bios of each principal actor to even find their contributions. There were over 100 episodes without Jon Provost!

In this writer's opinion the best performances in the TV Lassie series were by the original cast: Tommy Rettig, Jan Clayton, and George Cleveland. Jon, June Lockhart and company, by comparison, never could match the sparkle of the original cast.

That said, when Lassie was acted by Jon Provost and June Lockhart it was nevertheless a fine show. But to us old timers we lost our "family" and the pain of it was inconsolable by the new cast.

Original cast episodes were miles ahead of others

[FlushingCaps · 9/10 · 26 September 2013]

It appears I've never reviewed this series, so I'll chip in. Condensed version: All the many other reviewers and message board commentators are quite right when they say the shows with Jeff were far better than what came later.

When I was a little kid, it was Timmy and Lassie. I think my family watched because my older sister was a huge fan of the Jeff episodes, and just kept watching, even though admitting it wasn't as good. As a kid I didn't like some elements, particularly that they seemed to want me to cry almost every week.

When Lassie became paired with Corey the episodes really got dull and we quit watching. There was no family, no fun times, just work at saving the forest every week. No wonder Smoky Bear never got a series.

Years later in reruns I got to see the episodes with Jeff. "WOW!" First of all, the characters were much more real--about as realistic as any TV family ever in the ways they interacted with each other. Jeff made mistakes, but wasn't in any way stupid. Ellen was usually doing all the right things in raising her son, but occasionally erred as well. Gramps was the funniest of the group, but was not a buffoon in any way.

With Jeff, it was the story of a boy, who had a dog who he was seen training to do some tricks. They sometimes showed how he had to spend time training Lassie to do anything. Most of Lassie's heroics were running home to "Get Gramps" and bring him to wherever Jeff was. Totally believable.

With Timmy, it was more like "Superdog" who understands hundreds of words and does all sorts of tricks, seemingly without any training at all. Nearly every week Lassie saved either Timmy or someone else from either death or serious injury.

I think almost everyone who likes Timmy better, does so because that is the era they first saw. Even though I fit that description, I don't like Timmy years nearly as much. I think the difference between the Jeff years and the Timmy years is like the difference between a Corvette and a VW Bug. The Bug might have lots of good points, but it's not nearly the auto a Corvette is.

I loved the comedy episodes, which were fairly frequent in the Jeff years. I remember Jeff phoning for help because "There's a lion in the yard." Another time Ellen's meeting with other women is disrupted by a seal Jeff put in the bathtub.

Two of the most dramatic episodes that I remember that did make me cry: First the one where Jeff tries to shoot a fox and finds out he accidentally hit Lassie. He cried "I shot my Lassie." I just thought that was about the most horrible thing that could happen to a boy's dog, from the boy's perspective.

The other episode came when Jeff, trying to help a blind soldier who had come home and whose parents didn't want him to know his collie had died, agreed to lend Lassie to this family for a couple of weeks, "just so it'll be easier" for the soldier. Somewhere along the way, with Jeff telling Lassie to stay with the other family, just got to me.

The series was mostly drama, but with Jeff there were not so many life-threatening episodes. There were poachers of various kinds and thieves, but lots of the episodes dealt sick or wounded animals or the family being worried about the health of the other members.

It was about a family that had a smart dog. The family was the center of the action, with the dog doing some nice tricks. It was rare for Lassie to do something so extraordinary you would think it hard to believe a dog could do that. I think the Timmy years saw "Superdog" nearly every week, which was the biggest flaw.

I'd like to give a rating to the different eras.

Jeff years 9

Timmy years 5

Corey years 2

I never watched the later years.

Memory Lane & Jeff's Collie

[wesworld5 · 15 April 2004]

I was 9 years old when Jeff's Collie 1st came on Sundays. It was our first B&W TV and I was glue'd to it. I had my favorite line-up on Sat mornings but could not wait until Sunday to see Jeff's Collie. I was from the midwest and could relate to Jeff and the farm. (later to work on one at 16) I truly believe all my values came from that great show. What a mother Jan Clayton was and even that grumpy Gramps, (whom I adored) as he was just like my Grampa. After reading all the comments so far. I see we all have the same opinion that this series was the best ever made, -BAR NONE. I am so happy that Discovery Kids plays all the series. I believe I'am in my second childhood sometimes in that I can't wait to see another episode every. The passing of Tommy, Jan and George has left a big hole in my heart, so thank God for film. I still look at all of them as alive each day and the're message will go on forever. I now collect all the movies that each of that cast was in thru-out their acting years. To me there is nothing wrong with holding on to memories like these as in this world, there is not much to hold on to.

Remembering the classic Lassie TV Show on its 65th anniversary

[raysond · 10/10 · 7 January 2001]

I too remember some of the episodes when I was a kid growing up,but by far out of all the "Lassie" series that ever depicted the true meaning of a boy and his dog was that of "Jeff's Collie". My friend and I had a debate is which who was the best character of all the shows and to our decision we came with Tommy Rettig for his performance to the show. He brings a astounding depth of passion and emotion to his character and by far this was the original and the first series that really brought "Lassie" out in the open and the first ever to do so during the early 50's. When Rettig left the show in 1957,he was replaced by actor Jon Provost and the tone set the collie along with his new family,The Martin's. The family consisted of June Lockhart and Hugh Reilly as the father. In other words during this run,and in some of the episodes with Provost who played Timmy,it was always up to Lassie to get him out of a tight situation and boy was Timmy one hard headed individual at times when it came to staying out of trouble! Good girl,Lassie! When the 1960's came along the collie went into another direction where during this time the Martin family would move to another country and this time Lassie was taken up by park ranger Corey Stuart played by Robert Bray and in this one Lassie had to defend her honor by helping out Ranger Stuart at times and in a two part episode called "The Tempest" it goes into that detail where Lassie fights for survival in a barron land when the Ranger is seriously hurt after a tragic accident(worth seeing and its in color). By the end of the 1960's,Ranger Stuart and Lassie went their separate ways,and the collie would take up with another family by the 1968-1969 season and from there her services would be needed once more and thus end the shows' trimuph run making it one of the all time children's shows ever.

Lassie made her debut on CBS-TV on September 12,1954 and remained with the network for the next seventeen seasons on Sunday nights where a total of 547 episodes were produced with Seasons 1 thru 11 producing 385 episodes in black and white until May 16,1965(which includes the Miller Years, the Martin Years and the eleventh season until Ranger Corey Stuart). On September 12, 1965 the series made the jump to color for 206 episodes until its last association with CBS on March 21,1971 when the show was part of the network's infamous purge of cancellation shows. After it was canceled by CBS in the spring of 1971 the series went into national syndication on October 7, 1971 where 44 episodes were produced until the final episode of the series on March 24, 1973. In all a total of 591 episodes were produced. The show's sponsor was the Campbell Soup Company throughout its entire 19 year run.

Originally written on January 7, 2001 but was revised on September 12, 2019 for its commemorate 65th anniversary.

"Jeff's Collie" THE PERFECT FAMILY SHOW.

[lrldoit · 10/10 · 13 July 2001]

Lassie first aired in 1954. It was created by Robert W. Maxwell. He created the perfect vehicle for teaching children (and adults) values and moulding young minds. Lassie brought in the viewers. The children learned as Jeff did. The episode, "The Leash" was especially notable as Jeff learned how to deal with the aftermath of a friend's tragedy and its implications.

Jan Clayton is outstanding as Jeff's mother, Ellen. Ellen Miller is in my opinion, the most well developed and realistic mother in the history of television. She is a real mother, period. Her advice to Jeff as well as so many touching scenes is simply something that has to be seen to be believed. Bravo to the most talented woman in America, Jan Clayton.

Beautiful show

[profhound · 4 November 2003]

I, too, have to chime in with the folks who prefer "Jeff's Collie" to the other incarnations of "Lassie". Tommy Rettig, rest his soul, was superb, as were Jan Clayton and George Cleveland (and the wonderful boy who played Porky, sorry, I've forgotten his name). Perfect family entertainment -- and a brilliant vehicle for teaching young and old alike the all-important lessons in empathy and do unto others. What better way to learn how to look beyond appearances and taking things at face value, than taking the time to understand what a dog is feeling or trying to tell us? Sometimes the storylines were amazing, considering the time. I saw a rerun last week that dealt with the evils of people who engage in pit bull dogfights! I feel very fortunate to have grown up with Lassie.

BTW, thanks to the poster who remembers the book "Lassie and the Secret of the Summer" -- I LOVED that book!

When entertainment becomes reality

[msbasssinger-23281 · 10/10 · 9 June 2021]

In 1957, when I was 3, my parents brought home a collie puppy for me (my name is Jeff, so out 2 and 2 together).

I named her Lassie, and we were constant companions

About 6 years later, as I was crossing a two lane highway by myself, I did not see the oncoming car from my left. But Lassie did.

She jumped on my back to push me out of the way, and saved my life. My parents, aunt, and granny were sitting on my granny's front porch and saw the whole thing.

If "Jeff's Collie" had never happened, I may never have had that collie to save my life.

A must-see CBS hit!

[Catherine_Grace_Zeh · 9/10 · 19 July 2006]

"LASSIE," in my opinion, is a must-see CBS hit! Despite the fact that I've never seen every episode, I still enjoyed it. It's hard to say which one is my favorite. Also, I really loved the theme song. If you ask me, even though I liked everyone, it would have been nice if everyone had stayed on the show throughout its entire run. Everyone always gave a good performance, the production design was spectacular, the costumes were well-designed, and the writing was always very strong. In conclusion, even though it can be seen on TV Land now, I strongly recommend you catch it just in case it goes off the air for good

great show, great memories

[Jay09101951 · 30 March 2003]

When i was growing up in the late 50's are early 60's there was only one program we ever watched at 7pm on Sunday and it was Lassie. I remember the 2 part episode when Tommy and Lassie were lost and

i cried at the the end of part 2 when Lassie found her way home . I was very dissapointed when the Martin's sold the farm and gave Lassie to Forest Ranger Cory Stewart. The show was never that same after that. Thanks to Discovery Kids Channel i can now see these wonderfull shows including the 1st three seasons 1954 to 57 when Jeff Miller and his family owned Lassie and the farm.

Lassie is a amazing show

[dasrose · 10/10 · 21 April 2021]

Could you please provide us the shell so that we could watch it in for 19 years, it's a halt Michelle.

Original cast was the best

[zoiemalone · 10/10 · 10 September 2019]

I was born in 1955 and always thought the Timmy years began the show. Then one day when I was in my 30s I was watching TVLand and "Jeff's Collie" came on. I was stunned I had no knowledge of this then settled in to watch these "new" episodes. I loved every one and quickly realized the Jeff years were BY FAR the best of the long series.

Lassie lives forever but not so little boys

[jeffhill1 · 17 March 2002]

I grew up with the Tommy Rettig "Lassie" series. Looking back on

it, I would say that I was addicted to that show and that I fantasized

that I was the Jeff who lived with Lassie on the Miller farm, not the

Jeff who lived in New Jersey suburbia with a teddy bear. When George

Cleveland died, the show decided that Tommy Rettig was too old to be

Lassie's boy and the scenario was that since Gramps was dead, they had

to sell the farm and go live in a crummy apartment in Capital City

where Mom would get some miserable job and Jeff would simply go to

school. Mom explained all this to Jeff at the kitchen table, adding

that they couldn't take Lassie to live in some crummy Capital City

apartment, so...... I was ten years old when seeing this unfortunate transition. I

remember it felt like it was my life that was being eviscerated. I

never enjoyed the "Lassie" show much after that.

Lassie with the US Forest Service

[SipteaHighTea · 10/10 · 24 July 2009]

I was not born when the Lassie series starting in 1954. The only episodes saw Lassie was from 1964 to 1968 when she was owned by the U.S. Forest Ranger Corey Stuart. I was sad when Corey Stuart was severely injure while fighting a forest fire and his character was taken out of the series. One of Lassie's episode was a guy dumping out all his garbage into a river and the guy with Lassie's help save a raccoon whose head was stuck in a tin can which was part of the man's garbage. The man look at the river and saw how he had despoil the river's beauty with his trash plus nearly causing an animal to die from it. He went back down the river to remove all the garbage. It show how we should protect, respect, and cherish nature and not treat it like a huge dumping ground for all our garbage. That is why we have agencies like Fish and Game and the Forest Service to protect the land from human misconduct.

Classic

[Atreyu_II · 21 January 2010]

After nearly 3 years as a user of IMDb, I can't believe I haven't commented on this yet. 'Lassie' was one of the TV shows I grew up with when I was a child. In my place they used to air this in a Turkish TV channel and, as you can guess, the show was dubbed in Turkish. I don't know why they wouldn't air this in another channel. Nevertheless, I loved to watch this, even if I didn't understand a word they said.

I am surprised that this show lasted 20 years. But I think that the episodes I watched were from the 50's, possibly with Tommy Rettig (who resembled a lot another young actor from that decade, Tommy Kirk).

This is one of those classic shows that stay eternally in our best memories. They don't make them like this in this generation. It's a great show, with expert dog training, beautiful settings (all natural, no fake sceneries), adventure, drama, courage and emotion. Plus, it's a show that teaches useful and good lessons and values. Lassie is the hero. She is a very brave, loyal and intelligent dog. And she saves many lives, always with a happy ending, even in the most dangerous situations which she even risks her own life.

This show increased the popularity of Rough Collies to a notorious level and became the trademark of these dog breeds. Anyone who grew up with this show associates for sure the name Lassie with this dog breed. Even if that person isn't familiar with the name of the breed, if you tell «It's a Lassie», the other person will almost for sure say «Ah yes, a Lassie! I know it!». "Lassies" are beautiful and very elegant dogs.

'Lassie' is a timeless classic that was once very popular, but today it's so unknown is such that it's almost an optical illusion. Ask any kid of this generation if he/she is familiar with this show and see if any of them says yes...

Lassie (1958-1964)

[Florida2 · 25 April 2005]

Of the variations of this series, the 6 seasons that featured June Lockhart, Hugh Reilly and Jon Provost seemed to hold the episodes that worked the best for me (the other variations of the series, while good, seemed to lack the small family environment that existed with the above), and, I must admit that "Lassie" is one of the reasons that I pursued a job in the field of meteorology in my adult years (and why to this day I still enjoy camping in National Parks or Forests) - as the Bible says, a good influence at a young age is very important, and I'm grateful that through television, the program "Lassie" was the good influence I needed. After watching some of these early episodes during the TVLand "Lassie" 50th Anniversary Marathon this past weekend (4/23-24/05), the program still remains in my mind as my all-time favorite television series during my grade school years.

In watching these episodes over the weekend, what also came to mind was the "poor simplicity" of a child living in those post-World War II times - some might think that what is shown in "Lassie" was an exaggeration for television, but, in reality was mostly true - of our favorite "toys" at that time (I was born in the mid-1950's), our green garden hose was one of our favorites during the summer months (a very inexpensive way to "go to the beach"), along with our clothesline, which we used to "transport" our stuffed animals on "long journeys" far from our house (with the use of wooden clothespins - a stuffed rabbit had the ears for just this purpose) - try explaining that to a child today!

People should also remember that this "poor simplicity" was also a reflection of the country's recent past at that time - while in today's world, 30 years ago means 1975, in 1960 30 years earlier meant 1930 - the height of the depression, and as older Americans know, it took the country many years to recover from those very poor and simple times, and could still be felt in some ways, even during the early 1960's.

Florida2

Tommy, we will miss you

[Zane-05 · 26 September 2000]

This is my favorite version of Lassie as well. I watched all the re-runs on the Animal Planet channel until I had seen them all. Tommy Rettig was a talented young actor; it's a shame he passed away. It's too bad they don't make classic TV programs like this one anymore.

A Lassie novel based on the Jeff's Collie series

[redwheelz · 4 May 2002]

I live and grew up in Melbourne, Australia. When I was a kid in the 1960s, I was given a book, a novel, called "Lassie: The Secret of the Summer", based on the Jeff's Collie cast of characters - Jeff, Porky, Ellen, Gramps. The story was that Jeff was trying to save up enough money to buy a record player for his room... and the Millers took in vacation guests on their farm. It was one of my favourite books of that time, in fact, I still have it somewhere. It was published by Whitman Publishing Co. of Racine, Wisconsin, I believe. I first saw the Timmy series of episodes -- and was confused when his parents changed actors suddenly. Later in the 1960s, another network reran the Jeff's Collie episodes from the 1950s. I loved the Jeff's Collie theme music -- wasn't it something classical... Mozart? All in all, a great childhood memory.

Peter Kohn, Melbourne, Australia

A childhood favorite!

[crazy-12 · 9 August 1999]

I watched that great series without fail. I always thought how great it would be to be a friend of "Jeff Miller". Of course, knowing he was really Tommy Rettig the boy actor gave me a strong desire to somehow be like him. I even dreamed of getting a part on the show. This was, of course, pure fantasy and yet I remember the intense dedication I had as a boy toward that show. I was not aware, until now, that Tommy had passed away. It saddens me to learn this. I am about the same age as he was.