For almost twenty years, many of us remember watching the adventures of TV’s most famous dog – Lassie.
This beloved Rough Collie and her human friends were on our screens for 17 seasons, from 1954 to 1973. The show even switched from black and white to color in the 1960s.
But one of the most unforgettable parts of the show was when 7-year-old Timmy Martin joined in the fourth season. Timmy and his family adopted Lassie, creating some of the most memorable moments in the series.
Jon Provost, who played Timmy on *Lassie*, just celebrated his 74th birthday. He looks back fondly on his time filming with his four-legged co-star and remembers how Hollywood discovered him at only 3 years old.
The actor, born in Los Angeles, recalls that when he was 3, his mom took him to an audition for a Jane Wyman movie. She was a huge fan and just wanted her autograph. But out of 200 kids, Jon got the part.
Acting wasn’t something that ran in the family. Jon’s father had a completely different job—he was an aeronautical engineer.
“My parents weren’t Hollywood people,” Jon said. “My father is from Alabama, and my mother is from Texas.”
At age 4, Jon Provost landed a role in a movie with Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby.
“I didn’t have an agent at the time. After that, I got one, and it led to more movies like *The Country Girl* with Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly. I did about 12 movies before I started *Lassie*,” he told Fox News.
Jon also shared memories of working with the three different male dogs who played the role of Lassie. He said he formed a special bond with the last dog who portrayed the famous female collie.
“I did the show for seven years, filming 249 half-hour episodes. I worked with three different Lassies,” Jon Provost told Fox News.
He shared that the last dog he worked with was by his side for five years straight. “We grew up together. For five years, we saw each other five days a week, and sometimes even on weekends.”
Jon also revealed how well-behaved the dog was on set. “The actors made more mistakes than the dog,” he laughed. “They were more of a problem than Lassie.”
After leaving *Lassie* at 14 years old, Jon Provost went on to star with big names like Natalie Wood and Kurt Russell. Despite growing up in Hollywood, he avoided the common pitfalls many child actors face.
“My parents let me pretty much do what I wanted to do. I didn’t have to take a job,” Jon said.
Looking back, he added, “When I left Hollywood, I thought it was good that I did.”
Today, Jon lives away from the spotlight in Northern California but still receives fan mail from his time on *Lassie*. In 1994, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The character Lassie became so famous that she even had her own radio series.
In 1979, Jon married Sandy Goosens, and they had two children, Ryan and Katie. However, after 14 years of marriage, they divorced in December 1993.
In 1999, Jon found love again when he married Laurie Jacobson, a well-known researcher and author.
I’ve always been a big fan of the adventures this sweet duo went on. And with a moral in every episode, it was the perfect show for kids.
Please share this with all the *Lassie* fans you know.
Clint Eastwood, 93, makes rare appearance, worrying fans with “so different” look – “he’s unrecognizable”
Watching our favorite celebrities grow old can often be a strange thing to witness. Perhaps it’s because we see them steadily aging with every role, maybe it’s just because it reminds of us of our own mortality.
In any case, a recent sighting of Clint Eastwood certainly caused a stir after he attended a speaking event hosted by conversationist and primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall.
Frail Clint Eastwood is seen in rare public appearance
Clint Eastwood’s still going strong at 93! ❤️
Posted by Daily Mail on Friday, April 12, 2024
The event reportedly took place just a few weeks shy of Clint Eastwood’s 94th birthday. The location was the Sunset Cultural Center in Carmel-by-the-Sea, the city where Eastwood used to be mayor.
The legendary actor stepped out in a blue checkered flannel shirt, with gray slacks and sneakers, with long white hair and a bushy white beard.
Now, we hardly feel the need to say that Eastwood actually looking his age is nothing shocking, but there were a deal of people online who were taken back by the actor’s frail appearance.
One person wrote: “He’s unrecognizable! […] Age has obviously slowed him down just as it will most of us.”
“Aging is just so cruel,you’re a legend Clint,” another added.
“Is he ok omg!! He needs grooming help!” a third said.
“He should have at least shaved and gotten a haircut. He still looks strong though,” a fourth opined.
There were others who had nicer things to say about Mr. Eastwood, but the general feeling was one of surprise as to how he looks now compared to, say, just a few years ago.
As mentioned in the beginning of the article, the Million Dollar Baby legend is still working, with filming for what is expected to be his final film, Juror No. 2, having started last year.
“I love what I do,” Eastwood said in 2018. “I’ll probably keep on going. I feel good, but it depends on material. I probably wouldn’t do something just because it was marginal–I have to kind of think it has some validity and has some relationship to today. With a lot of other people, was it that their health went bad or did they just get bored with it? I often wonder, because I haven’t gotten bored with it.”
Let us know in the comments if you’re a fan of Clint Eastwood!
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