Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for Lassie? (1 Viewer)

[Regulus]

There's a Facebook page of a group devoted to TV's most favorite K-9, Lassie. Someone posted a message concerning a proper release, and this person got a reply from Shout! Factory saying "we'll look into it". A light at the end of the tunnel? or just another train going the opposite direction.

 

[Regulus]

How did this get posted twice?

 

[Sky King]

There's a Facebook page of a group devoted to TV's most favorite K-9, Lassie. Someone posted a message concerning a proper release, and this person got a reply from Shout! Factory saying "we'll look into it". A light at the end of the tunnel? or just another train going the opposite direction.

It might have been just a corporate brush off from Shout to make them look like they're interested and keep you as a customer. Lassie is an under rated TV series from Jeff's Collie thru to the "Ranger Corey" years and LONG OVERDUE for a properly restored DVD release.
The limited DVD releases from Sony/Classic media so far, are pathetic. Poor picture quality overall and wavy audio in some of the Jeff"s Collie episodes. All the Timmy episodes open with the same 1959 opening.
It's amazing how many crap shows have been released on DVD ahead of this fine series. I guess there is no accounting for some people's taste.

 

[TV_Fan]

"We'll look into it" has the same meaning as "the check is in the mail".

 

[Neil Brock]

Most series with an overabundance of episodes have fared poorly with DVD releases. Gunsmoke seems to be chugging along but that's the exception.

 

[Regulus]

Sounds like it's "Just another train going the other direction".

 

[Neil Brock]

So, I just started watching the best of set and I had a question. In one episode, Jeff is willing to give up one of his eyes for Lassie because she's going blind. He loves the dog that much. Then he gives her up because he's moving to the city. Huh?

By the way, weren't the transition episodes as well as the Cloris Leachman season, never syndicated? At least originally anyway.

 

[smithbrad]

So, I just started watching the best of set and I had a question. In one episode, Jeff is willing to give up one of his eyes for Lassie because she's going blind. He loves the dog that much. Then he gives her up because he's moving to the city. Huh?

By the way, weren't the transition episodes as well as the Cloris Leachman season, never syndicated? At least originally anyway.

I don't know about earlier syndication, but when later syndicated on TV Land they were obviously included. Season 4 comprises the transition period as well as Cloris Leachman (the Martins) joining the cast. The first 12 episodes brought in Timmy with Millers and the last 28 episodes (for a total of 40) brought in the Martins. I guess the transition became complicated when the actor playing the Grandfather died part way through the season.

More then Jeff giving up Lassie, it always struck me odd how Timmy was basically conveyed to the Martins as part of buying the farm. I know they legally adopted him later. My understanding is that Cloris Leachman didn't like playing second fiddle to a dog. Unfortunately, her departure also messed up Jon Sheppod's role as Paul Martin since they didn't want to swap out one without swapping out both. I guess it would be too confusing on the youngsters if it appeared like she had two different husbands named Paul Martin.

 

[Regulus]

The syndicators originally LEFT OUT the seasons where lassie changed owners.

It all began when Tommy Rettig, who played Jeff told the studio he wanted out of this series. He agreed to play until the end of season four. It was originally planned to have the "Transition" episode be the final show with Jeff. (John Provost made his debut in episode one of season four playing a child who ran away from a bad foster home). Midway through filming the studio ran into a problem. The actor who played Jeff's grandfather passed away. As a result the transition episode was the 13th episode of the season. It begins with a funeral reception at the farm. It looks like Timmy was going to return to a foster home, but a childless couple purchases the farm and adopt Timmy, raising him as if he was their own. Fast-Forward to season 9. The producers knew that John Provost would eventually grow up and also want out of the series. To prepare for this several "experimental" episodes were made during seasons 8, 9 and 10. Timmy and Lassie would be separated, and Lassie would interact with other characters including Truck Drivers, Barnstormers and yes, Forest Rangers. The episode that got the best feedback from viewers would determine who would be Lassie's new owner. The episode called "The Disappearance", which introduced us to the forest rangers got the greatest feedback from viewers, sealing Lassie's fate. Now, how do we make Timmy part with Lassie for good? A stagehand gave the studio a solution. On a day he had off from work he visited the studio a visit, where he introduced them to the newest addition to his family, a small terrier. A neighbor gave him the dog because he got a job in Australia. Why? because in the early 1960s Australia had a STRICT quarantine law. If you had a pet that pet would have to be in quarantined for six months in Great Britain and then another quarantine for six months in Australia. Naturally the pet's owner had to foot the bill for all of this. That did it, episodes 1-3 had Timmy being told that his father had just got a business opportunity in Australia, and he gives lassie to Cully, who has a heart attack. After getting treatment he gives Lassie to the rangers. I never got to see the episodes from seasons 4, 9, 10 and 11 until I got those "lost episodes" from a collector.

 

[Tony Bensley]

The syndicators originally LEFT OUT the seasons where lassie changed owners.

It all began when Tommy Rettig, who played Jeff told the studio he wanted out of this series. He agreed to play until the end of season four. It was originally planned to have the "Transition" episode be the final show with Jeff. (John Provost made his debut in episode one of season four playing a child who ran away from a bad foster home). Midway through filming the studio ran into a problem. The actor who played Jeff's father passed away. As a result the transition episode was the 13th episode of the season. It begins with a funeral reception at the farm. It looks like Timmy was going to return to a foster home, but a childless couple purchases the farm and adopt Timmy, raising him as if he was their own. Fast-Forward to season 9. The producers knew that John Provost would eventually grow up and also want out of the series. To prepare for this several "experimental" episodes were made during seasons 8, 9 and 10. Timmy and Lassie would be separated, and Lassie would interact with other characters including Truck Drivers, Barnstormers and forest rangers. The episode that got the best feedback from viewers would determine who would be Lassie's new owner. The episode called "The Disappearance", which introduced us to the forest rangers got the greatest feedback from viewers, sealing Lassie's fate. Now, how do we make Timmy part with Lassie for good? A stagehand gave the studio a solution. On a day he had off from work he visited the studio a visit, where he introduced them to the newest addition to his family, a small terrier. A neighbor gave him the dog because he got a job in Australia. Why? because in the early 1960s Australia had a STRICT quarantine law. If you had a pet that pet would have to be in quarantined for six months in Great Britain and then another quarantine for six months in Australia. Naturally the pet's owner had to foot the bill for all of this. That did it, episodes 1-3 had Timmy being told that his father had just got a business opportunity in Australia, and he gives lassie to Cully, who has a heart attack. After getting treatment he gives Lassie to the rangers. I never got to see the episodes from seasons 4, 9, 10 and 11 until I got those "lost episodes" from a collector.

As I recall from reading about the messy situation between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard awhile back, Australia's strict pet quarantine is still very much in effect well into this 21st century!

Based on your above description, LASSIE's production team sure learned from earlier experiences, and had subsequent cast departures well mapped out. even with sometimes having to make adjustments on the fly. Thanks for sharing!

CHEERS!

 

[sjbradford]

The Leachman/Shepodd season was indeed originally left out of syndication. The “Timmy & Lassie” package started with season 5. Later on, Nick @ Nite and others that showed Lassie added that season back in.

And if you think Jeff is cold for abandoning Lassie because he moved to the city, you should see how Timmy leaves her. Not hug, not a tear, not even a look back at her. Just “You be a good girl for Cully” and he walks away from her.

 

[Neil Brock]

The Leachman/Shepodd season was indeed originally left out of syndication. The “Timmy & Lassie” package started with season 5. Later on, Nick @ Nite and others that showed Lassie added that season back in.

And if you think Jeff is cold for abandoning Lassie because he moved to the city, you should see how Timmy leaves her. Not hug, not a tear, not even a look back at her. Just “You be a good girl for Cully” and he walks away from her.

Wow, the writers must have never had a pet. When my cat died 2 years ago, I couldn't stop crying for a week.

 

[Wiseguy]

I don't know about earlier syndication, but when later syndicated on TV Land they were obviously included.

Syndication and TV Land are two different things. Syndication means sales to local stations. TV Land in particular shows different versions of reruns than true syndication including longer versions of opening credits (Barney Miller, Three's Company) and tags (All in the Family) never shown in syndication.