For nearly two decades, from 1954 to 1973, Lassie, the beloved Rough Collie dog, and her human companions entertained us with their adventures on television. Lassie made a remarkable transition from black and white to color in the ’60s, but it was the adorable little boy who joined the show in its fourth season that stole our hearts – 7-year-old Timmy Martin.
Now, at the age of 72, Jon Provost, the actor who played Timmy, shares the joy he experienced while filming alongside his four-legged friend and how he was discovered by Hollywood at just 3 years old. As it turns out, Jon’s journey to becoming an actor was quite unexpected. His father was an aeronautical engineer, and his parents had no connection to the Hollywood scene.
But fate had other plans for Jon. At the age of 3, he accompanied his mom to an audition for a Jane Wyman movie, hoping to get her autograph. Out of the 200 kids auditioning, Jon landed the role. Little did he know that this would be the start of his acting career.
By the age of 4, Jon found himself acting alongside the likes of Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby. “I didn’t have an agent. I got one, and that led to more movies like The Country Girl,” Jon explained. He had already appeared in about 12 movies before his journey with “Lassie” began.
During his time on the show, Jon formed strong bonds with three different male dogs that played the role of the female Lassie. However, it was the last Lassie that he worked with for five years that held a special place in his heart. “We grew up together. For five years, we saw each other five days a week and sometimes on weekends,” Jon reminisced.
Contrary to popular belief, it was the actors who made more mistakes than the well-behaved Lassie. “They were more of a problem,” Jon chuckled. After leaving the show at 14 years old, Jon continued his acting career, starring alongside renowned actors such as Natalie Wood and Kurt Russell. Fortunately, he never fell into the pitfalls of being a child actor, thanks to the support and freedom his parents gave him. “My parents let me pretty much do what I wanted to do. I didn’t have to take a job. When I left Hollywood, I thought it was good that I did,” he shared.
Today, Jon lives a quiet life in Northern California, away from the limelight. Nonetheless, he still receives fan mail from his time on “Lassie.” In 1994, the actor was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a testament to the impact he made during his time on the show.
While Lassie’s adventures with Timmy hold a special place in our hearts, the canine character became so beloved that she even had her own riveting radio series. Jon Provost’s personal life also saw its fair share of ups and downs. After being married for 14 years, he went through a divorce in 1993. However, in 1999, he found new love when he married Laurie Jacobson, a well-known researcher and author.
I, for one, was a huge fan of the adventures this sweet duo embarked on. With every episode carrying a moral lesson, “Lassie” was the perfect show for kids. If you know any fellow “Lassie” fans, be sure to share this article with them and let the nostalgia flow!
