For nearly two decades most of us can remember tuning in to see the latest adventures of the most famous dog on TV – Lassie.
This much-loved Rough Collie dog and her human companions graced our screens for 17 seasons from 1954 to 1973 and even made the transition from black and white to color in the ’60s.
But who could forget the adorable little boy who joined the show in its fourth season when he and his family adopted Lassie – 7-year-old Timmy Martin.
Now Jon Provost, who played Timmy, has celebrated his 74th birthday and shares the joy he had filming with his four-legged friend and how he was discovered by Hollywood at just 3 years old.
The Los Angeles-born actor said when he was 3 years old he was taken to an audition for a Jane Wyman movie because his mom was a huge fan and hoped to get her autograph. But, out of the 200 kids auditioning for the part, Jon got it.
It was far from evident that Jon would become an actor. His father worked with something completely different – he was an aeronautical engineer.
”My parents weren’t Hollywood people. My father is from Alabama and my mother is from Texas,” Jon said.
At age 4, he landed a role in a Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby movie.
“I didn’t have an agent. I got one and that 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.
Three different Lassies
Recalling the bonds he formed with the three different male dogs that played the part of the female Lassie, Jon said he developed the biggest bond with the last dog to play Lassie.
“I did the show for seven years, 249 half-hour episodes. I worked with three different Lassies. The last dog I worked with, I worked with him for five years alone,” he told Fox News.
“We grew up together. For five years, we saw each other five days a week and sometimes on weekends.
Revealing how well behaved the dog was he added: “The actors made more mistakes than the dog. They were more of a problem,” he laughed.
After leaving the show at 14 years old he starred alongside the likes of Natalie Wood and Kurt Russell and never fell into the Hollywood child actor trap saying: “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.”
Today Jon lives out of the limelight in Northern California but still gets fan mail from his time in “Lassie”. In 1994, the actor received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Meanwhile, Lassie, the canine character, became so popular that she even had a “Lassie” riveting radio series.
Jon Provost wife
In 1979, Jon Provost tied the knot with Sandy Goosens. Together, they had two children, Ryan and Katie.
After being married for 14 years, the two divorced on December 20, 1993.
In 1999, Jon Provost found love again when he married Laurie Jacobson, a well-known researcher, and author.
I was such a fan of the adventures this sweet duo got up to. And with a moral to every episode, it was the perfect show for kids.
Please share with all the “Lassie” fans you know.
Woman Who Is Allegedly Having an Affair With Prince William Speaks Out on the Rumors
Amid swirling rumors around the health of the Princess of Wales and her absence, a new shocking report has surfaced alleging that Prince William is having an affair. Here’s what we know about it and the mystery woman.
Kate’s long disappearance.
Speculation about Prince William’s fidelity has come into the spotlight once again. On an episode of The Late Show, host Stephen Colbert mentioned, «The kingdom has been all fluttered by the seeming disappearance of Kate Middleton… Kate’s absence may be related to… William, having an affair.» The conversation didn’t stop there, as he added, «The other alleged woman is — The Marchioness of Cholmondeley… there have been rumors of an affair since 2019.» This has reignited conversations about the royal couple’s private life.
«According to tabloids back then, when Kate supposedly confronted him about it, he laughed it off, saying there was nothing to it. Always a good response when your wife accuses you of cheating,» he continued.
The allegations run deep.
In April 2019, there were quiet talks about Prince William and Rose Hanbury. People whispered that William might not have been loyal to Kate, especially after a supposed falling out between Kate and Rose. The gossip came back into the spotlight when the palace didn’t share why Kate was in the hospital.
Kate has been resting away from the public eye since she left the hospital. The royal household said she won’t be back to her royal responsibilities until Easter is over. Rose, a former model who is married to David Cholmondeley and has three kids, is closely connected to the royal family. Her grandmother was a bridesmaid at Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding, and her son was part of King Charles III’s coronation ceremony.
Back in 2019, a magazine claimed there was an affair, which shocked the high society. Kate seemed to be uneasy with William’s public behavior and kept her distance from Rose, which made people think there was a problem.
Rose has finally spoken on the matter.
Lady Rose Hanbury, 40, addressed the whispers about her and Prince William recently. The mother of 3 made a public statement via her lawyers denying the rumors saying the rumors of her having an affair with William «are completely false.»
A recent photo shared by Kate became a huge topic of controversy. Check it out here.
Preview photo credit Wojciech Olkusnik/East News, IAN VOGLER/AFP/East News, PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
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