Lassie's Revival

New Generation Poised To Fall In Love With America's Favorite Collie

(CBS) 
Today, another of Pal's descendants, Hey-Hey, is the ninth generation to carry the official mantle of "Lassie." Hey-Hey is a trained therapy dog, at a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Hospital visits were the idea of Lassie's original trainer and owner, Rudd Weatherwax — patriarch of Hollywood's leading dog-handling family. His successor, Carol Riggins, is always on her toes when Lassie is out on public display.

One of the worst-kept secrets in Hollywood is that the role of the most famous female dog in the world has always been played by a male dog. Because male collies are bigger, and maintain their heavy coat year-round, their size helps conceal the fact their co-stars grow bigger every TV season.

Between 1957 and 1964, Jon Provost played Timmy — the little boy with a knack for getting into trouble in all sorts of unusual ways.

"Well, you know, of course when we were working, Lassie was a female," Provost says. "I mean, a male playing a female. But you know, we always referred to him as, 'her.' But when we weren't working, you know, I referred to him as a male."

And by the way, the one thing Timmy never did was fall down a well.

If the plots were sometimes thin, there was no questioning their sincerity. And according to Provost, that's what makes them timeless.

"I do have one favorite episode," Provost says. "It was called, 'The Odyssey,' and it's where Lassie and I get separated. And we think that Lassie's gone, and Lassie's never coming home. And then of course, in the distance you hear the bark. And Lassie comes over the hill. People always say, 'Well, I always cried when I watched Lassie,' but it was a good cry. And everything always worked out."

That's just what the producers of the new "Lassie" movie are banking on — that adults who grew up on Lassie will bring a new audience of children into the fold.