Lassie: A Timeless Television Classic

Lassie truly is a common household name in America. Lassie may be easily considered one of America's most famous dogs throughout the twentieth century. Many children over multiple decade's time have grown up watching Lassie episodes on Saturday morning TV. Here is a brief history of a timeless, lovable, and remarkable fictional pet known as Lassie.

Lassie was first created by British-American author, Eric Knight, for a short story titled Lassie Come Home that appeared in a Saturday Evening Post issue in 1938. He later wrote a novel of the same title that was published in 1940. This novel was about a collie dog, named Lassie, and her boy owner.

The story is originally set in England during their economic depression. Because of the hardships that befall the boy's family, Lassie is sold to a wealthy Scottish nobleman. Because of Lassie's loyalty and love for her master, she runs away from her new home. This novel is primarily a tale of the separation and then reunion of Lassie and her boy.

This novel was met with such popularity that MGM Studios made the novel into the first Lassie film, which is also titled Lassie Come Home in 1943, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowell. The film received favorable critic reviews, in addition to widespread popularity from the general public audiences. Since the first Lassie film, ten more have been released throughout the years.

After the first film's debut, Lassie joined the radio waves in 1946 with her own radio show. As Lassie continued to become a common household name of the time, her story soon made her appearance in another brand-new medium: television. The Lassie series ran for nineteen solid seasons, coming only second to Gunsmoke, which ran for twenty seasons. Lassie then appeared in three (3) other successive television series throughout time. Over all, loveable Lassie has appeared in 691 TV episodes, which have been aired in over one hundred countries worldwide, not to mention re-runs are still popping up on TV today.

What has made Lassie such a timeless and unforgettable story? Some believe the TV show Lassie was at the forefront of the first American family dramas on television. Lassie was a pet that was truly treated as a family member whose sole responsibility was to be a best friend to the boy Timmy. The general public loves heartwarming stories of loving families and loyal pets that are desirable and endearing.

Lassie's legacy has certainly made a mark in Hollywood as well; Lassie received Emmy Awards in consecutive years (1955 and 1956) in the Best Children's Series category. Lassie has also been immortalized in Hollywood's Walk of Fame when she was awarded a star in 1960. Finally, in 2005, Variety magazine proclaims Lassie in their top 100 icons of the twentieth century list. Though Lassie has received multiple awards and recognition throughout the years, she still remains a faithful, loveable, loyal friend who has been immortalized in millions of hearts worldwide.

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