European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 12, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Because of the time and because of its family values.�?�. Tommy Rettig played Jeff Miller in the first Lassie series on to his Mother in the series was Broadway musical Star Jan Clayton carouse and old time character actor George Cleveland was cramps. At 11, Tommy was already an experienced actor having appeared in the five thousand Fin Gen of or t and in River of so return with Mari Lyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum. Now 51, Rettig remembers a Lassie was a wonder Ful dog. I loved animals and 1 would come in every morning and Brush him and teach him tricks. My parents were divorced and Rudd was like a father figure to me. It was a wonderful experience while it tasted the Peak of my career. More people saw the show than any movies i he continued working sporadically until he was 26, then quit entirely. During the 1970s, Rettig garnered bad publicity with a number of drug busts. Then in 1981 he discovered something that turned his life around computers. A i fell in love with computers a he says. A now in a running Rettig Micro corporation making software for corporations. In be written four books and i make speeches to computer his firm is fixated in Marina Del Rey near los Angeles. Divorced after a .15year marriage Rettig has two sons in their Early 30s and a grandson 6. Jon Provost was 7 when he joined the reconstituted Lassie show in 1957, but he had been acting since the age of 1v7. The Mother role was first played by Cloris Leachman then by june Lockhart. Unlike Rettig Provost did not experience Tough times in his adult life. �?�1 have no bad feelings about the show it was work but i enjoyed it a Provost said from his Home in Santa Rosa North of san Francisco. A out of the show i got a respect for animals and nature which i continue to after Lassie Provost continued working As an actor then quit in 1969 to attend College in Northern California. For a time he taught disabled children but found that too emotionally draining after Selling real estate for several years he now works for a title company in Sebastopol. The father of a Young son and daughter he is now separated from his wife. Provost occasionally attends nostalgia conventions a Quot my in asks me a Why do they want your Auto graph a a a and played a recurring role in a recent revival of the Lassie series. For most of its history the Lassie franchise was owned by Texas oilman Jack Wrather and his wife former child actress Bonita Granville. The enterprising Broadway video company now controls the. Rights along with Wayne a world saturday sight live boneheads the Lone Ranger and sgt. Preston of the Yukon. Besides the feature film due in August 1994, spokesman Jan Murray says the company has plans for Lassie hero awards for people or animals doing heroic deeds a Plush toy a novelization and tentatively another , All this stemming from an englishman s Collie named Toots. 0 n v s a. V \ s j. A n n \ v % s v ssi x a we so Alassie a career movies a Lassie come Home 1943. Son of Lassie 1945. Courage of Lassie 1946. Hills of Home 1948. The Sun comes up 1949. The painted Hills 1951. Lassie s Grea t adventure 1963. The magic of Lassie 1978. Lassie 1994.television Lassie lbs 1954-1971 syndicated 1971 1974�?~a v 1q11 lassies Rescue rangers cartooni97j-. 1975. The sew Lassie syndicated 1989-1991. Ten year old Tommy Rettig and Lassie in 1953, the year before their television series the Pup Rin tin tin join the gang to it Hollywood has been going to the dogs Ever since the silent Days when a Mutt named Ben chased the Keystone kops and other members of Mack Sennett a a comedy factory. Then came Pete the Pup a pit Bull mix with a Black Circle around one Eye who took took part in the shenanigans of our gang later known As 77ie Little Boss Jack Warner often remarked that Rin tin tin was his favorite actor a because he never. Complains about his dressing room and i pay him in the dog supposedly found in an enemy Trench by capt. Lee Duncan during world War 1, is credited with saving Warner Bros from bankruptcy in the 1920s. Rin tin tin was a casually of talkies. He was fired because an executive declared Quot talking pictures re quire actors who can talk dogs Rin tin tin became a has been until 1954, when the dog enjoyed a four year run on Abc television. Other dog stars include strongheart a Rin tin tin clone Asia the wired hair terrier pet of Nick and Nora Charles in the thin Man series Daisy to Star of Blondie in films and to. Plus those Long running animated stain arts Pluto and goofy More recent favourites have been Benjie and Beethoven. Due in december Beethoven a 2nd. Dogs also have played Stellar roles in the voice of Bugle Ann the Call of the wild Gray friars Bobby the ugly Dachshund old Teller a rare instance in which a dog die Savage Sam the hound of the Baskerville k9 and lady and the tramp. A the Assur cited press december 12, t993 sunday Page 23
