Lassie
Lassie is a fictional collie dog character and a stage name for several dog actors. The fictional character was created by Eric Knight in a short story expanded to novel length called Lassie Come-Home. Published in 1940, the novel was filmed by MGM in 1943 as Lassie Come Home with a talented dog named Pal playing Lassie. Pal then appeared with the stage name "Lassie" in six other MGM feature films through 1951. Pal's owner and trainer Rudd Weatherwax then acquired the Lassie name and trademark from MGM and appeared with Pal (as "Lassie") at rodeos, fairs, and similar events across America in the early 1950s. In 1954, the long running, Emmy winning television series Lassie debuted, and, over the next 19 years, a succession of Pal's descendants appeared on the series. The "Lassie" character has appeared in radio, television, film, toys, comic books, animated series, juvenile novels, and other media. Pal's descendants continue to play Lassie today.
History
The character of Lassie was created by British-American author Eric Knight in ''Lassie Come-Home'', first published as a short story the ''Saturday Evening Post'' in 1938 and later as a full-length novel in 1940. Set in the Depression-era England, the novel depicts the length journey a rough collie makes to be reunited with her young Yorkshire master after his family is forced to sell her for money. In 1943, the novel was adapted into a feature film, ''Lassie Come Home'', by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) that starred Roddy McDowall and Elizabeth Taylor. The movie was a hit and enjoyed favorable critical response. MGM followed this with several additional films, including a sequel entitled ''Son of Lassie'' (1945), starring Peter Lawford and June Lockhart, and ''Courage of Lassie with Elizabeth Taylor. A radio series, "Lassie Radio Show" was also created, airing until 1949.
Between 1954–1973, the television series, Lassie was broadcast in America, with Lassie initially residing on a farm with a young male master. In the eleventh season, she changed to adult forestry workers as her companions, then had the collie her own for awhile before ending the series with Lassie residing at a ranch for troubled children. The long running series was the recipient of two Emmy Awards before it was canceled in 1973. A second series followed in the 1980s. In 1997, Canadian production company Cinar Inc. produced a new Lassie television series for the Animal Planet network in the U.S. and YTV in Canada. It ran until 1999.
In 2005, a remake of the original Lassie Come Home movie was produced in the United Kingdom. Starring Peter O'Toole and Samantha Morton, Lassie was released in 2006.
Lassie continues to make personal appearances as well as marketing a line of pet food and a current pet care TV show, Lassie's Pet Vet on PBS stations in the United States. Lassie is one of only three animals (and one of very few fictional characters, such as Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny) to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – the others being silent-film stars Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart. In 2005, the show business journal Variety named Lassie one of the "100 Icons of all time" – the only animal star on the list.
Portrayers
All collies to play Lassie in the television series were male because male collies retain a thicker summer coat than females, which "looks better on television." Also, the male is larger and a child actor can play opposite the dog for longer before outgrowing him.
The first canine actor to play Lassie was Pal, who appeared in seven MGM films between 1943 and 1951, and the two pilots filmed for the 1954 television series before he was retired. Pal was handled by Frank and Rudd Weatherwax, and Frank Inn. Eight generations of Pal and his descendants portrayed the beloved collie in more than ten movies and two television series, until the late 1990s. Lassie Junior, Spook, Baby, Mire, and Hey Hey played the role of Lassie in the long running television series. Hey Hey's son Boy played the collie in the 1978 film The Magic of Lassie, and Boy's son The Old Man took up the role of Lassie in the 80s series, The New Lassie of the late-1980s and early 1990s. During this time Rudd Weatherwax died and his son Robert became the handler of Lassie.
The 1997 Lassie series featured eighth generation Pal descendant, Howard as the titular character in the first season, however midway through the production he was replaced with a non-Pal descended dog due to some disputes with the production company. In response to fan outrage, Hey Hey II, a ninth-generation direct descendant of Pal, assumed the role for the final thirteen episodes of the show in 1999. in 2000, Classic Media acquired the Lassie trademark from the Weatherwax family in 2000, and subsequently ended the contract with the Weatherwaxes to supply descendant of Pal to portray the Lassie character in 2003. In the 2005 Lassie film, a non-Pal bloodline collie named "Mason" was used in the title role.
In late 2005, following the shooting of the movie, Classic Media contracted with Carol Riggins to supply "Hey Hey II", as the ninth generation Lassie in the Pal bloodline. Robert Weatherwax has disputed the use of these collies, claiming that Riggins was violating her purchase contract by breeding Hey Hey II. In the 2006 television series Lassie's Pet Vet, a Pal descendant from the Hey Hey II line appeared with veterinarian Dr. Jeff Werber. In January 2008, Lassie 10 (aka Rockie), a 10th generation direct genetic descendant of the original Lassie, was introduced.
Media
Books
<div style="float:left;width:50%;"> Lassie Come-Home
Lassie
Lassie: A Dog's Life
The Lassie Method
Magic of Lassie
Painted Hills
The Story of Lassie
Lassie: A Christmas Story
Challenge to Lassie
The Sun Comes Up
Lassie: The Prize
Forest Ranger Handbook
Lassie: A Boy's Best Friend & Buried Treasure
Lassie: Party Nightmare & Water Watchdog
Lassie: Skateboard Stunt & Danger Zone
Seafarer Books Lassie and the Lost Little Sheep
Lassie's Forest Adventure
Whitman Cozy-Corner Lassie: Rescue in the Storm
Whitman Novels Lassie and the Mystery of Blackberry Bog
Lassie and the Secret of the Summer
Lassie: Forbidden Valley
Lassie: Treasure Hunter
Lassie: the Wild Mountain Trail
Lassie and the Mystery of Bristlecone Pine
Lassie and the Secret of the Smelter's Cave
Lassie: Lost in the Snow
Lassie: Trouble at Panter's Lake
Big Little Books Lassie: Adventure in Alaska
Lassie and the Shabby Sheik
Lassie: Old One Eye
</div><div style="float:right;width:50%;"> Golden Books The Adventures of Lassie
Lassie and Her Day in the Sun
Lassie and Her Friends
Lassie and the Big Clean-Up Day
Lassie and the Daring Rescue
Lassie and the Lost Explorer
Lassie Shows the Way
Lassie: The Great Escape
Tell-a-Tale Books Hooray for Lassie!
Lassie and the Cub Scout
Lassie and the Deer Mystery
Lassie and the Firefighters
Lassie and the Kittens
Lassie Finds a Friend
Lassie's Brave Adventure
Lassie: The Busy Morning
Tip-Top Books Lassie: The Sandbar Rescue
Wonder Books Lassie's Long Trip
Marian Bray Lassie to the Rescue
Lassie: Hayloft Hideout
Lassie Under the Big Top
Lassie: Treasure at Eagle Mountain
Lassie: Danger at Echo Cliffs
The New Lassie The Puppy Problem
Digging Up Danger
The Big Blowup
Water Watchdog
Skateboard Dare
Dangerous Party
</div><br clear="all">
Translation
The word "Lassie" occurs as such in the following languages: English, German, Spanish, French, West Frisian, Scottish Gaelic, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian (Bokmål), Polish, Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish.
Translation(s) in other languages: Bulgarian: Ласи, Hebrew: לאסי חוזרת הביתה, Japanese: 名犬ラッシー, Russian: Лесси (персонаж), Thai: แลซซี.
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