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.
Michael Strahan’s Daughter Reveals Heartbreaking Brain Cancer Struggle!
Michael Strahan’s daughter, Isabella, recently talked openly about her ongoing fight with brain cancer. In a heartfelt video on her YouTube channel called “Vlog 8: Recovering from Chemo at home,” the brave 20-year-old described the intense physical pain she’s going through during her treatment.
Isabella explained how agonizing the pain is, comparing it to a “heart attack.” She talked about trying to ease her headache by using an ice pack on her newly shaved head. She honestly shared, “Everything hurts,” and mentioned how her eyes, mouth, and jaw feel strained.
Isabella bravely shared about the intense pain she’s experiencing. She described her eyes feeling strained and painful when she looks to the sides. She compared the discomfort in her mouth to having all her teeth pulled out without replacements, saying even her jaw and tongue hurt when she drinks water.
Isabella admitted she would rather have radiation or brain surgery than endure chemotherapy because of the extreme pain it causes her. She called this journey the toughest and longest she’s faced, expressing worries about possible complications like heart pain, vision loss, or tooth decay.
Despite these challenges, Isabella is grateful to be home and sleeping in her own bed after being in the hospital. While she felt safe there, she finds comfort in familiar surroundings. Her vlog also showed moments from her hospital stay and special times with her father, Michael Strahan, and her twin sister, Sophia.
Isabella shared this update after she and her father talked about her illness on Good Morning America. She explained how she first noticed headaches and feeling sick, but didn’t worry until she woke up one day throwing up blood. Doctors later found out she had a serious brain tumor called a medulloblastoma. Michael Strahan was away from Good Morning America for more than three weeks because of “personal family matters,” though he didn’t say exactly what was happening.
Even with all these challenges, Isabella is staying strong. She finished her last round of radiation treatment in January after freezing her eggs because of her illness. Our thoughts are with Isabella and her family during this difficult time.
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