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Lassie (1997 TV series) facts for kids

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Lassie
Lassie 1997 TV show.jpg
DVD cover
Starring Corey Sevier
Susan Almgren
Tim Post
Walter Massey
Country of origin Canada
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 52
Production
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) CINAR Films
Distributor Cinar
Release
Original network YTV
Original release March 2, 1997 (1997-03-02) – 1999 (1999)

Lassie was a Canadian TV show that aired from 1997 to 1999. It was shown on YTV in Canada and Animal Planet in the United States. This series was a new version of the classic Lassie stories. It was all about a brave Rough Collie dog named Lassie and her adventures with a boy.

The show starred Corey Sevier as 13-year-old Timmy Cabot. Timmy and his mom, Dr. Karen Cabot, moved to a made-up town called Hudson Falls in Vermont. His mom became the new vet in town. The show was filmed in Quebec, Canada.

Who Played Lassie?

In the first season, a collie named "Howard" played Lassie. Howard was special because he was an eighth-generation descendant of "Pal." Pal was the very first dog to play Lassie in the 1943 movie Lassie Come Home.

Just like all the Lassie dogs before him, Howard was owned and trained by Weatherwax Trained Dogs. This company was started by brothers Frank and Rudd Weatherwax. Later, another dog named "Hey Hey" took over the role. Hey Hey was Howard's son and a ninth-generation descendant of Pal.

What Was the Show About?

The Lassie TV series focused on Timmy and his family. It showed their daily lives and how they interacted with the people in Hudson Falls. Lassie was always there to help Timmy and his mom, often getting them out of tricky situations.

The show ran for three seasons and produced 52 episodes. It was a beloved series for many young viewers.

Meet the Cast

Here are some of the main actors and their characters in the show:

  • Corey Sevier played Timmy Cabot. He was the main boy character.
  • Susie Almgren played Dr. Karen Cabot. She was Timmy's mom and the town's vet.
  • Walter Massey played Dr. Donald Stewart.
  • Tim Post played Ethan Bennet.
  • Tod Fennell played Jeff Mackenzie.
  • Nathalie Vansier played Natalie.

Exciting Episodes

The show had many exciting episodes where Lassie helped solve problems and save the day. Here are a few examples:

Season 1 Adventures

  • "The Great Escape": Timmy finds an injured collie, Lassie, who escaped from a junkyard. They become friends, but her old owner wants her back.
  • "Lassie Comes Home": Lassie helps rescue her old owner, who gets trapped.
  • "Swamp Thing": Lassie tries to warn Timmy and his friend about an alligator in the swamp.
  • "The Raft": Lassie swims to bring a rope to save Timmy and Jeff on a runaway raft.
  • "Open Season": Lassie leads Timmy's mom to a baby deer whose mother was lost.
  • "The Great Emu Hunt": Timmy and Lassie get stuck in an old mine while looking for an escaped emu.

Season 2 Challenges

  • "Dad's Watch": Lassie helps when Timmy disobeys his mom and takes a special watch to baseball practice.
  • "Responsibility": Timmy is in charge of the vet clinic and loses a rabbit and a snake.
  • "Monkeyin' Around": A movie star and his monkey cause trouble in town.
  • "Pet Therapy": Timmy enters Lassie into a program where pets help people feel better.

Season 3 Rescues

  • "The Good Neighbor": Timmy tries to stop someone from illegally dumping waste.
  • "Mad Dog": Timmy and his friends worry that their dog, Buddy, might be sick.
  • "Bear Necessities": Lassie finds small traps set by people who hunt animals illegally.
  • "Graduation": Lassie's original owner returns, wanting to take her back from Timmy.

Lassie Book

A book based on the first episode, called The Great Escape, was written by Diane Muldrow and published in 1998.

DVD Release

The first season of Lassie was released on DVD in Canada in 2006.

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