Small Wonders – Jeff’s Collie

[from My Photo a Day Adventure blog]

Monday, August 2, 2021, 6:58 pm — A 1955 treasure trove! … Celebrating the original cast of tv’s Lassie … George Cleveland as Gramps … Tommy Rettig as Jeff … and, of course, Lassie! … Plastic playset figures by Robert Maxwell Associates, 1955 …

TV Guide … July 2, 1955 … Lassie and Tommy Rettig on cover, with Lee Aaker and Rin Tin Tin … Plus, a “paw-ographed” photo postcard, thanking a boy from Mankato, Minnesota, who entered a “name Lassie’s puppies” contest, signed by “Jeff Miller” …

One important person is missing … Jan Clayton, as Jeff’s mother, Ellen … The original cast, 1954-1957, the very BEST! … Syndicated as “Jeff’s Collie” … When George Cleveland died in 1957, his character, Gramps, died as well … Jeff and Ellen moved to the city and quickly realized Lassie would have a better life back at the farm with the new family … The following Timmy / Jon Provost years were sadly disappointing, lacking charm and natural spontaneity …

Lassie’s Stand-ins

Saturday, June 27, 2015, 10:55 pm — “Family” photo, November 1953 … before Lassie began her tv series journey, September 1954 … The Miller farm years are my absolute favorite … Tommy Rettig, Jan Clayton, George Cleveland … 1954-1957 … the years I wished I lived there! … never the same after that, totally lost interest …

“Lassie (center), famed movie dog who is now deserting the screen to appear in a television series, is in Hollywood with four of his offspring on Nov. 24, 1953, all of whom double and stand-in for him, and with 10-year-old Tommy Rettig, who’ll also star in the series. Lassie (who’s all male) is now 12 years old. His kid stand-ins are named Laddie, Young Laddie, Old Laddie and Young Pal. Laddie is a running specialist; Young Laddie, who weighs 65 pounds compared to Lassie’s 85, jumps off buildings into a blanket; Old Laddie is good for fight scenes because he can slash with his strong teeth without injuring a human and Young Pal does mostly swim scenes. Markings on all the dogs are identical.” (AP Photo/Don Brinn)

Jeff’s Collie on YouTube!

Saturday, May 3, 2014, 1:30 am — The original … and best …  Lassie series, aka Jeff’s Collie, with Tommy Rettig, Jan Clayton and George Cleveland … and, of course, Lassie! … 1954-1957 …  I recorded many of the them on DVD several years ago when it was on Animal Planet, with commercials.  They’ve been edited out on YouTube. Hooray!

THIS is the tv farm and family I wanted to grow up on and with …

Starring Tommy Rettig as Jeff …

Jan Clayton as his mother, Ellen …

George Cleveland as Gramps …

And, of course, Lassie …

• Jeff’s Collie episodes – by Collie Lover – missing 2-3 minutes per episode
• Lassie Episode Guide

Jeff’s Collie

Aug. 27, 2009 — Major discovery! The only known color episode of Jeff’s Collie! … The Well …

“The Well” (02/20/55):  [From – Lassie Episode Guide: Season 1, 1954-1955 at lassieweb.org]
A businessman wants to dredge an old well on the Miller property to use for his water company, but Gramps won’t let them, so he schemes to get at the water some other way. Mr. Saunders: Hugh Beaumont. Mr. Hazlitt: Tristam Coffin. Liz Barton: Hallene Hill.
• Trivia: Gramps says he’s 68, which was George Cleveland’s age at the time.
• Note: Hallene Hill turns up again four years later as Timmy’s elderly aunt. This episode and “The Inheritance” were the first two filmed as pilots for the series. They have a substantially different “look” than the other episodes in the series, and most of the incidental music is different as well. On the DVD release of four Lassie episodes, “A Mother’s Love,” the fourth “bonus” episode is an uncut, full color copy of “The Well,” which begs the question: if they shot a color version of this second pilot for the series (see notation under “Inheritance”), is there a color copy of “Inheritance” somewhere?

“Inheritance” (09/12/54): … [connection to The Well … From – Lassie Episode Guide: Season 1, 1954-1955 at lassieweb.org]
Premiere episode/pilot. Jeff inherits Lassie from the late Homer Carey, but the young collie seems strangely reluctant to leave the Carey home. Caleb Brown: Myron Healy. Matt Willis: Jim Hayward. Edgar Carey: Lee Erickson. Emmett Carey: Everett Glass.
• Trivia: This is one of only a few episodes where you see the front of the house.
• Note: Lassie in this episode and in “The Well” (the second pilot) is portrayed by “Pal,” the original Lassie of the movies. Subsequently the role is played by “Lassie Jr.,” Pal’s son.

• From – Lassie Episode Guide: Season 1, 1954-1955 at lassieweb.org]