LASSIE Episode Guide: Season 10 1963-1964

As in 1957, the series was reaching an empasse: Jon Provost was getting too old for the role of Timmy and he also wanted to attend school full time. The initial idea was to bring in another boy, but then the Wrathers had another idea: why not give Lassie an adult companion, one who could bring her to all sorts of locations which would serve as inspiration for different stories?—after ten years, they were sorely running out of farm stories.

Some wondered if not having a child with Lassie would leave young viewers with no one to identify with. Interestingly enough, when studies were done, they found children did not identify with the young character on the series, but with Lassie herself!

For the series' new lead, the Wrathers chose Robert Bray, handsome enough to draw teenage viewers and rugged enough to be believable as a forest ranger. Furthermore, since the character was a forest ranger, he and Lassie could travel to different locales. He was to be introduced in the five-part episode "The Disappearance" and the producers would allow the ratings to decide if people would accept Lassie with an adult.

As if in transition to next season, the classic Lassie music changed this season. The new music was by Nathan Scott, whose distinctive style can be easily distinguished in the 1961 jet fighter movie, X-15. The tone of many of the episodes changes as well, with an emphasis on wildlife, fire safety, and other nature issues.

In rewatching this season, it appears that Timmy spends most of it saying "I'm sorry."

"Lassie and the Birdwatch" (09/29/63):

Timmy, trying to pass a critical arithmetic test, keeps getting sidetracked helping Lassie rescue migrating ducks trapped in the mud of a marsh being drained by the owner, Mr. Harbull. Harbull thinks perhaps his Labrador, Scuba, and Lassie can keep the ducks away—but the draining marsh proves to be not only dangerous for ducks. Mr. Harbull: Harry Carey Jr.
   • Note: The writers never could seem to let Timmy grow up. In this episode he's about thirteen. The test he's taken is on weights and measures, which is an elementary school subject.

"The Agreement" (10/06/63):

Matt Krebs and Cully argue when Krebs wants to cut down a stand of trees on a piece of property they bought together. Cully insists the agreement they made on the land shows that the trees belong to him, but a bear cub that has invaded Cully's home has run off with that official paper. Matt Krebs: Eddy Waller. Cully: Andy Clyde.
   • Trivia: Cully has a goat named Minerva.
   • Note: This may be the piece of property Cully and Krebs bought together in "Lady from Nevada." Judging from this episode, Timmy has it in him to be a lawyer! A little piece of the music from the Jeff episodes ends this episode. Cully's honey-making operation, which is later mentioned in "Bee Line," appears first here.

"Lassie to the Rescue" (10/13/63):

After yet another neighbor is almost hurt on a local cliff road, Ruth and her friends plan take steps to make sure it doesn't happen again when Paul says legislation will take another year. Then the danger of the road hits close to home. Ernie Evans: Nelson Olmstead. Claire Evans: Natalie H. H. Core.

"Jeeper" (10/20/63):

Mr. Boles' large friendly—and extremely undisciplined—dog, Jeeper, who even Timmy and Lassie consider a nuisance, finds missing three-year-old Johnny Wyatt, but it's Lassie who gets the credit in a newspaper report and on television. Mrs. Wyatt: Katherine Rose. Mr. Wyatt: Jack Searl. Sheriff: Harland Warde. Mr. Winston: Clarke Gordon.
   • Trivia: Ed Higgins is a reporter for the Calverton Times. Timmy keeps a scrapbook called "Lassie's Brave Deeds." The television station is WITV, which further confirms that the Martin farm is east of the Mississippi River.
   • Note: "Red," the dog that played "Fang" in Get Smart, plays Jeeper. The dog who plays Lassie in portions of this episode has a wide blaze and looks more like "Spook" than "Baby."

"A Time for Giving" (10/27/63):

When Timmy's friend Ricky returns to France and can't take his Yorkshire terrier with him, Timmy impulsively gives the dog to Cully, who has been lonesome since his hound Sam died. But after Silky inadvertently wrecks Cully's irrigation pump, spelling ruin for his field of corn, Timmy wonders if he's done the right thing in giving him the lively terrier. Cully: Andy Clyde. Doc Weaver: Arthur Space.
   • Note: Interesting—Ricky named the terrier "Bozo" because the dog was a clown and made him laugh—but Cully renamed him "Silky" (he states about the name "Bozo": "What kind of a name is that for a dog?") Why the rename? Copyright problems, perhaps? Or didn't they think "Bozo" was a good name for a dog either? Paul does not appear in this episode.

"Three Alarm" (11/03/63):

Ed Washburne lobbies the Town Council for a new fire engine to replace the Calverton Volunteer Fire Department's ancient truck, but a stingy but influential farmer convinces them that it's not needed, especially after Timmy angers him by trying to clean fire hazards out of his barn. Then his own barn catches fire. Washburne: Dick Foran. Charlie James: Charles Watts. Miss Hazlit: Sally Bliss.
   • Trivia: The Calverton fire truck is fifteen years old.
   • Note: Within the fire prevention film Ed shows to the schoolchildren is a clip of a burning cigarette tossed at the side of the road, a car driving away, and a sign that says "WARNING. CLOSED AREA. NO SMOKING OR FIRES." This particular clip is used in at least two other episodes, including "The Fire Watchers," to depict a real fire breaking out. A portend of things to come: this episode was written by Robert Schaefer and Eric Freiwald.

"The Treasure" part 1 (11/10/63):

While on a 2-day camping trip, Timmy and Cully visit the cabin of deceased John Barrett, who lived a Thoreau-like existance near a local lake. A plaque above his fireplace says "Look upward, friend. The eagle knoweth wherein lieth the world's greatest treasure." When they notice that an eagle found in the cabin clutches a pouch, they are determined to find out what "treasure" he may carry. Cully: Andy Clyde. Ranger Mike McBride: James Brown. Mr. Downey: Robert B. Williams.
   • Note: Cully talks about using kites for signalling during World War I. We previously heard about Cully's war experiences in "Shadrach." James Brown played "Rip Masters" on another canine TV series, Rin-Tin-Tin.

"The Treasure" part 2 (11/17/63):

Cully's leg is trapped under a boulder after he and Timmy are caught in a rockslide while climbing up to Solomon's nest. When he goes for help, Timmy finds a man Lassie stopped from shooting the eagle building a trap for it. Cully: Andy Clyde. Ranger Mike McBride: James Brown. Mr. Downey: Robert B. Williams.

"Lassie and the Winged Enemy" (12/01/63):

While searching the edge of the Martin apricot orchard for butterfly chrysalises for a nature study project, Timmy finds cocoons belonging to the destructive gypsy moth. The local forest ranger begin hunting for a local source, not knowing they are located on a boxcar about to be shipped out of state. Miss Hazlit: Sally Bliss. Ranger Mike McBride: James Brown. Freight Train Engineer: Rusty Lane.
   • Note: Gypsy moths were a severe problem in the 1960s; it isn't surprising Lassie did a story about them.

"High Tension" (12/08/63):

While trying to take an aerial photo from his kite to win a Camera Club contest, Timmy gets both kite and camera caught in the electrical lines over a neighbor's brand new stable—and then the structure catches fire. Al Livermore: Stuart Randall.
   • Note: One of Timmy's photos shown at the beginning has Lassie leading a colt. It appears the episodes may have been shown out of the order they were filmed in, as it looks like the blind colt of the story by the same name. Later, when the stable catches fire, the first horse you see becoming panicked at the smoke and fire is not wearing a bridle and is in a totally different type of stall from the four horses Timmy rescues. This is because this horse scene is an intercut from "Gentle Savage."

"Lassie's Gift of Love" part 1 (12/15/63):

Timmy and Mr. Nicholson, an elderly toy mender visiting the Martins start a Christmas project to feed hungry woodland animals—but when their presence draws wolves down from the hills to kill farm animals, they are forced to stop. Al Livermore: Stuart Randall. Matt Krebs: Eddy Waller. Mr. Nicholson: Lloyd Corrigan.

"Lassie's Gift of Love" part 2 (12/22/63):

While Timmy, Paul, and Mr. Nicholson bring the mended toys for the hospital into town, a wolf tries to break into the Martin barn. Giving chase, Lassie is inadvertantly trapped in the wolves' den with their young cubs. Al Livermore: Stuart Randall. Matt Krebs: Eddy Waller. Mr. Nicholson: Lloyd Corrigan. Ed Washburne: Dick Foran. Minister: Nolan Leary.
   • Note: As observed in "The Twister," here's another instance where you can tell "the woods" is an interior set: when Mr. Nicholson, Paul, and Timmy are searching for Lassie, you can hear the echo of their voices bouncing off the soundstage walls.

"Day of Darkness" (12/29/63):

The new colt on the Martin farm is born blind and Doc Weaver feels the kindest thing to do would be to put it down, but Timmy talks his parents into letting him work with the animal. Could a chance encounter save the colt when things don't work out? Doc Weaver: Arthur Space. Ralph Henderson: John Zaremba. Eddie: Mark Murray.
   • Trivia: Mr. Henderson runs the Riverview Orphanage.
   • Note: Don't you think it strange that, with his penchant for naming animals, Timmy never names the colt? It's almost as if he secretly knows the colt's time at the farm is transitory.

"Horse Thief" (01/05/64):

While hunting rocks for a geology project, Timmy is alerted by Lassie to a wild stallion, which he recognizes as Square Deal, the horse he and Ed Washburne once owned in partnership. The horse has stolen mares from area ranchers who want to kill him, but Timmy and Washburne are determined to save him. Washburne: Dick Foran. Sam Harper: . Tom: .
   • Note: Er? Wasn't Square Deal a chestnut originally? The horse in the episode looks like "Beaut," who played Fury on the series of the same name. Paul is away in this episode.

"Her Master's Voice" (01/12/64):

While on her way to fetch Timmy from school during an electrical storm, Lassie is stunned by a lightning bolt striking close by. When she awakens she cannot hear because her eardrums are shattered. In the meantime, Paul searches for a sourch of pollution in the well house. Doc Weaver: Arthur Space.
   • Note: The scene with Lassie bringing in Bessie is reused in "A Challenge for Lassie," but was used first in "The Twister." An inconsistancy: in "Judas Goat," Timmy buys a silent dog whistle; in this episode Doc Weaver says he gave Timmy the dog whistle.

"A Challenge for Lassie" (01/19/64):

After the farm suffers successive crop losses in drought, Timmy uses Lassie as collateral for the fee at the Midvale Field Trials, which offers a $200 prize to the winner. Sam Caldwell: Will Zuckert. Registrar: Willis Bouchey. Banker: Edward Kemmer. Dog Trials Announcer: Ted Stanhope.
   • Note: The name of the company on the side of the truck Timmy and Lassie hitchhike in is "Ramsey Bros. Farm." Ramsey must spell bad luck for Lassie; it's also the name of the company that takes Lassie away in "Lassie's Odyssey." The scene of Lassie herding the sheep seems to be from "The Black Sheep."

"The Disappearance" part 1 (02/02/64):

The Martins are enjoying their lakeshore camping trip—until a storm that nearly drowned Timmy and Paul leaves Lassie adrift n a lake. Grizzly Tatum: Arthur Hunnicutt. Cully Wilson: Andy Clyde.
   • Note: We never find out in the story where the Martins are camping, but the TV Guide story about the transition from Timmy to Corey states that they are at Lake Superior.
Bonita Granville Wrather's narration from the end of part 1

"The Disappearance" part 2 (02/09/64):

The Martins reluctantly leave camp without Lassie, not knowing she has been rescued by forest ranger Corey Stuart, who is staying at a friend's cabin across the lake. As the collie recovers, she forms a bond with the man. Corey: Robert Bray. Jed Bingham: Garry Walberg. Grizzly Tatum: Arthur Hunnicutt. Jim: Edward Faulkner. Sam Hoag: Walter Stocker. David Frasier: Tim McIntire. Pilot: Patrick Waltz.
   • Trivia: Corey has been a forest ranger for ten years.
   • Note: Tim McIntire was the son of John McIntire and Jeannette Nolan, who appeared in the movie Lassie: A New Beginning. He guest stars again in "The Strongest Instinct." Waltz also played a pilot in "The Journey."
Bonita Granville Wrather's narration from the opening of part 2

"The Disappearance" part 3 (02/16/64):

Lassie proves invaluable as she accompanies Corey on a search for a inexperienced hunter who is shooting animals out of season—and who has carelessly starts a forest fire with tracer bullets. Corey: Robert Bray. David Frasier: Tim McIntire. Jim: Edward Faulkner. Jed Bingham: Garry Walberg.
Bonita Granville Wrather's narration from the opening of part 3 and from the end of part 3

"The Disappearance" part 4 (02/23/64):

Lassie insisted on accompanying Corey when he goes on avalanche patrol; now she grows uneasy as he and ranger Tom Baldwin depart the station to blast two final danger spots. Meanwhile, Timmy learns Lassie is still alive. Corey: Robert Bray. Jed Bingham: Garry Walberg. Tom Baldwin: James Noah. Jeanne Baldwin: Gigi Perreau.
Bonita Granville Wrather's narration from the opening of part 4 and from the end of part 4

"The Disappearance" part 5 (03/01/64):

Lassie rescues Corey and partner Tom Baldwin, buried in the avalanche, and they make their way out of the wilderness, with Corey pulling an injured Tom on a makeshift sled. Corey: Robert Bray. Tom Baldwin: James Noah. Jeanne Baldwin: Gigi Perreau.
   • Trivia: Corey's home base is Oregon.
Bonita Granville Wrather's narration from the opening of part 5

"Lassie Counts Sheep" (03/08/64):

When Paul reports the theft of a lamb and fifteen other of the Martin sheep, he discovers that other farmers have had sheep disappear for a few days, then mysteriously reappear, no harm done. Then Lassie finds Frisky the lamb and her flockmembers with an elderly shepherd and his Old English Sheepdog Toby. Old Andrew: Wallace Ford. Sheriff Thompson: Harlan Warde.

"Lassie and the Moving Mountain" (03/15/64):

On a hike to Indian Cave to test Timmy's new CB radio, an expensive purchase Ruth disapproved of, Timmy and Lassie are caught in an earthquake and threatened by a crack in the dam at Rock River Canyon. Russ Beeler: Richard Geary. Sheriff Thompson: Harlan Warde. Don Hawkins: Kelly Thordsen.
   • Note: The radio unit cost...gasp...$45! In the endless debate of "where is Calverton?" this episode provides the most bizarre clue: there is a Rock River Canyon and dam, but it's in Michigan, near the Canadian border. Per the story, it's five miles from the Martin farm.

"Lassie and the Piglets" (03/22/64):

Timmy and Lassie find a litter of piglets and bring them home. When the county agent can't identify their breed, he suspects they are wild pigs—which means Paul won't be able to sell the seed corn that they came near, so it is imperative that the sow is found. Les Sims: Russell Thorson. Mr. Crane: William Keene.

"Guide Dog" (04/05/64):

Duke, a Seeing Eye dog, at first appears to be injured after saving his master from a careless motorcyclist, but instead seems to have lost his confidence. Timmy and Lassie take on the job of rehabilitating him. Doc Weaver: Arthur Space. Jim Stanton: Jon Lormer. (The motorcyclist is uncredited.)
   • Note: This looks like the same white German Shepherd who plays "Little Sarge." Paul does not appear in this episode.

"Bee Line" (04/12/64):

Paul rents a beehive when a lack of rain leaves the peach orchard without pollination, but a skunk raids the hive after Timmy won't allow Lassie outside because she's freshly bathed for a dog show. Timmy then tries to find bees to form a new hive. Howard Alexander: Paul Barselow.

"Hit'n'Run" (04/19/64):

Lassie is the only witness when a fellow member of the 4H club accidentally knocks Timmy off the road with his car, then runs away, so when the young man visits him in the hospital to bring him candy and see if he remembers anything, Lassie becomes hostile. Jerry Benson: Pete Wayne. Dr. Carney: Ray Montgomery.
   • Trivia: Jerry's father name is George.
   • Note: Television drama sure has changed; can you imagine anyone today picking up a person with a possible neck or spine injury? The airplane Timmy is working on is a "Mr. Mulligan," a racing plane from the 1930s. The bridge Lassie crosses turns up again in a Corey Stuart episode.

"Lassie and the Savage" (04/26/64):

Calverton is alarmed by the return of Blaze, a "untrappable" wolf dog, and steps are taken to hunt him down. In the meantime, a naturalist banding birds in the area takes a fall from a cliff—and the dog keeps trying to lead Lassie to him. Professor Standish: Arthur Franz. Al Livermore: Stuart Randall.
   • Note: Why are there curtains on the barn? They looked as if they were there in "The Blind Colt," too. Blaze looks as if he's the same white dog who played Little Sarge/Duke with some black dye sprayed upon his sides.

"The Samaritans" (05/03/64):

After a tornado, Timmy nurses an injured raccoon he and Lassie found in the woods, and the animal returns their kindness by returning again and again to Paul's patch of hybrid corn—with other raccoons! If he can't figure out how to get rid of them, Paul will have to shoot them. Mr. Foley: Lloyd Nelson.
   • Note: Shades of Old Yeller in this last of the Timmy episodes as Timmy and Lassie end up sleeping in the cornfield to guard the corn from the raccoons. The last scene you see is of Lassie collecting litter; how prophetic for the coming years!

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