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.
Blake Lively’s Daughters Make Rare Public Appearance — People Are Noticing the Same Thing
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ daughters stole the show at a concert. Fans couldn’t stop talking about a detail they noticed about the girls, who rarely appear in public with their mom.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ daughters made a rare public appearance, joining their mother at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour show in Madrid on May 29. Videos shared on social media captured the family enjoying the concert from the VIP section, where fans couldn’t help but notice the girls’ striking resemblance to their famous mother.
Lively went for a laid-back but trendy vibe during the outing, sporting a neat white button-up shirt paired with denim shorts and stylish gold hoop earrings. Her blonde hair was styled in a loose, pretty down-do, adorned with clips that added a touch of flair with a side part.
The mother and daughters appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the performance, engaging in socializing and exchanging bracelets. Videos capturing their outing have been widely circulated on social media platforms.
However, fans were quick to notice the strong resemblance between Lively and her daughters, flooding social media with comments. Admirers gushed over the girls, saying things like, “They have their momma’s face. So cute,” “Blake with her minis,” or “Blake’s babies look like their mama, and I’m sure they’re kind too!!” someone else wrote.
On the contrary, another fan noticed a resemblance to her husband, writing, “They look so much like Ryan.”
Now, people are buzzing with speculation about whether Swift has revealed the name of Lively and Reynolds’ fourth child in her latest album. This is because Swift often includes their kids’ names in her songs.
Reynolds humorously addressed the speculation, saying, “We always wait for Taylor to tell us what the child’s name will be.”
Blake Lively’s public outings and interactions offer a peek into their family life.
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