The New Lassie
The New Lassie is an American children and family oriented drama series which aired in first-run syndication from September 8, 1989 to February 15, 1992. The series stars Will Estes (then using his real name of Will Nipper) as Will McCullough, Lassie's new master. Real life husband and wife Christopher and Dee Wallace-Stone co-starred as Will's parents.
| The New Lassie | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Children/Family Drama |
| Starring | Will Nipper Christopher Stone Dee Wallace-Stone Wendy Cox |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 49 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Al Burton |
| Producer(s) | John Ward |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 25 mins. |
| Production company(s) | Al Burton Productions Palladium Entertainment MCA TV |
| Distributor | MCA TV |
| Release | |
| Original network | Syndication |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | September 8, 1989 – February 15, 1992 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Lassie |
| Followed by | Lassie |
The New Lassie is essentially a sequel to the 1954 series, and was the latest in the line of works featuring the Lassie character, which debuted in the 1943 film Lassie Come Home, followed by several more movies and the aforementioned television series, which ran from 1954 to 1973.
Synopsis
The series centers on the McCulloughs, a middle-class family living in suburban Glen Ridge, California. The McCulloughs are the owners of the then-present-day descendant of Lassie. Real life spouses Christopher and Dee Wallace-Stone played Chris and Dee McCullough, with Will Estes (credited by his given name of Will Nipper) and Wendy Cox appearing as their young son Will and teenage daughter Megan respectively.[1]
Jon Provost, who starred in the original Lassie series, portrayed Chris' brother Steve McCullough who was revealed in a later episode to be the adult Timmy Martin in an episode guest-starring June Lockhart in a reprisal of her role as Timmy's foster mother Ruth Martin. In the episode titled "Roots", Timmy reveals that he was never officially adopted by the Martins, and thus couldn't go with them to Australia when they moved there (at the beginning of season 11 of the original Lassie series). Subsequently, he was later adopted by the McCullough family, and began going by his middle name of Steven (Steve).[1]
Cast
- Will Nipper as Will McCullough
- Christopher Stone as Chris McCullough
- Dee Wallace-Stone as Dee McCullough
- Wendy Cox as Megan McCullough
- Jon Provost as Timmy Martin/Steve McCullough
Guest stars
Guest stars with a Lassie past included Roddy McDowall, who had starred in the first movie Lassie Come Home (1943)[2][3] and Tommy Rettig,[4] who had played Jeff Miller in the early years of the original television series (later syndicated as Jeff's Collie).[5] Other guest stars included Leonardo DiCaprio and Todd Bridges.[6][7]
Episodes
Season 1 (1989–90)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Occurrence at Glen Ridge" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Steve Feld | September 9, 1989 |
| 2 | 2 | "City Lights" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Mark Burley | September 16, 1989 |
| 3 | 3 | "Bingo Was Her Name-O" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Alan Moskowitz | September 23, 1989 |
| 4 | 4 | "Heatwave" | Bruce Green | Paul Hunter | September 30, 1989 |
| 5 | 5 | "Lassie at Last" | Dennis Donnelly | Joel Rogosin | October 7, 1989 |
| 6 | 6 | "Halloween" | Scott Baio | Michael Thomas Mann & Bruce Rush | October 14, 1989 |
| 7 | 7 | "Roots" | Alan Cooke | Bud Wiser | October 21, 1989 |
| 8 | 8 | "Tinker" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Joel Rogosin | October 28, 1989 |
| 9 | 9 | "A Dog and His Boy" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Bud Wiser | November 4, 1989 |
| 10 | 10 | "New Generation" | Robert Caramico | Bud Wiser | November 11, 1989 |
| 11 | 11 | "Once Upon a Time" | Tony Dow | Christopher Stone & Bruce Cameron | November 18, 1989 |
| 12 | 12 | "Quality Time" | Larry Stewart | Mark Burley | November 25, 1989 |
| 13 | 13 | "Guess Who's Coming to Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner?" | Christopher Stone | Joel Rogosin | September 8, 1990 |
| 14 | 14 | "Still Life" | Alexander Singer | Christopher Stone & Bruce Cameron | September 15, 1990 |
| 15 | 15 | "Trapped" | Scott Baio | Bob Hamner | September 22, 1990 |
| 16 | 16 | "Just Another Saturday" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Susan Goldberg | September 29, 1990 |
| 17 | 17 | "He's Back" | Dennis Donnelly | Christopher Stone & Bruce Cameron | October 6, 1990 |
| 18 | 18 | "Wild West" | Alan Cooke | Teleplay by: Bud Wiser Story by: Mitchell Cohen & Bruce Cook | October 13, 1990 |
| 19 | 19 | "Pot Hunters" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Cathryn Michon & Eric Vennerbeck | October 20, 1990 |
| 20 | 20 | "Watch Your Step" | Dennis Donnelly | Alan Moskowitz | October 27, 1990 |
| 21 | 21 | "Burglary" | Dennis Donnelly | Michael Thomas Mann & Bruce Rush | November 3, 1990 |
| 22 | 22 | "Snake Pit" | Renny Temple | Teleplay by: Mitchell Cohen & Bruce Cook Story by: Bud Wiser | November 10, 1990 |
| 23 | 23 | "Livewire" | Tony Dow | Jack Kaufman | November 17, 1990 |
| 24 | 24 | "Kindness is Contagious" | Christopher Stone | David H. Vowell | November 24, 1990 |
| 25 | 25 | "Witness" | Bruce Green | Jack Kaufman | December 1, 1990 |
Season 2 (1991–92)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 1 | "The Diary of Sandy Frank" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Bruce Rush | September 7, 1991 |
| 27 | 2 | "Best of Show" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Bud Wiser | September 14, 1991 |
| 28 | 3 | "On the Beach" | Christopher Stone | Bud Wiser | September 17, 1991 |
| 29 | 4 | "Leeds, the Judge" | Christopher Stone | Christopher Stone & Bruce Cameron | September 21, 1991 |
| 30 | 5 | "The Gathering of the Clans" | Corey Allen | Christopher Stone & Bruce Cameron | September 28, 1991 |
| 31 | 6 | "The Stranger" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Ken Peragine & Howard Friedlander | October 5, 1991 |
| 32 | 7 | "The Kitty Saver" | Robert Caramico | Robert Weatherwax & Arthur Anderson | October 12, 1991 |
| 33 | 8 | "Slumber Party" | Mary Kay Place | Bud Wiser | October 17, 1991 |
| 34 | 9 | "The Amazing Lassie" | Larry Stewart | Bud Wiser | October 25, 1991 |
| 35 | 10 | "The Cave" | Christopher Stone | Mark Burley | November 2, 1991 |
| 36 | 11 | "Lassie P.I." | Larry Stewart | Bud Wiser | November 9, 1991 |
| 37 | 12 | "Hit and Run" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Jack Kaufman | November 23, 1991 |
| 38 | 13 | "Nikki's Family" | Christopher Stone | Bud Wiser | December 7, 1991 |
| 39 | 14 | "Dog Day Afternoon" | Arthur Anderson | Christopher Stone & Bruce Cameron | December 14, 1991 |
| 40 | 15 | "The Represa" | John H. Ward | Steve Stark & Michael Hitchcock | December 21, 1991 |
| 41 | 16 | "The Commercial" | Robert Caramico | Christopher Stone & Bruce Cameron | January 4, 1992 |
| 42 | 17 | "Fallen Idol" | Scott Baio | Mark Burley | January 11, 1992 |
| 43 | 18 | "Punch Drunk" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Jennifer Burton & David Lang | January 18, 1992 |
| 44 | 19 | "A Rabbit's Tale" | Robert Weatherwax | Teleplay by: Bud Wiser & Steve Stark Story by: Jon Provost | February 1, 1992 |
| 45 | 20 | "A Will and a Way" | Christopher Stone | Christopher Stone & Bruce Cameron | February 15, 1992 |
| 46 | 21 | "Hostage: A Dog's Life" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Jack Kaufman | February 22, 1992 |
| 47 | 22 | "Twin Pekes" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Steve Feld | February 29, 1992 |
| 48 | 23 | "The Computer Study" | Sigmund Neufeld Jr. | Tom Rettig & Joe Perret | March 7, 1992 |
Production notes
The collie featured in The New Lassie was a fifth generation of Lassie. The dog was trained by Robert Weatherwax, the son of Rudd Weatherwax who trained the original Lassie. Robert was assisted by his only son Robert Jr.[8]
Syndication
After its cancellation, reruns of The New Lassie aired on TV Land Canada in 2007.[9]
References
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2007-10-17). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present (9 ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 973. ISBN 0-345-49773-2.
- Gussow, Mel (4 October 1998). "Roddy McDowall, 70, Dies; Child Star and Versatile Actor". New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- Gussow, Mel (2 December 1997). "Roddy McDowall: The Las Has Come Far From 'Lassie'". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- King, Susan (18 November 1990). "Jeff Comes Home Again to 'Lassie'". LA Times. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- AP (19 February 1999). "Tommy Rettig, 54, Actor on 'Lassie'". New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- Maytum, Matt (13 July 2010). "The Evolution of Leonardo DiCaprio". Games Radar. Future Publishing Limited Quay House. p. 1. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- "Todd Bridges Gets New Start With 'New Lassie'". Orlando Sentinel. 29 August 1990. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- "A new Lassie comes home to TV this fall". Anchorage Daily News. May 19, 1989. p. B5. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
- "TV Land Canada Reveals Fall 2007 Premiere Dates" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-06-29.