Looking Back On Life With Lassie

It's a special year for the classic TV show, "Lassie," it was 50 years ago that Jon Provost made his debut as young Timmy Martin. Provost has written a book about his experiences called "Timmy's in the Well."

He visited the Early Show to discuss his role on one of America's most enduring programs, and his book.

"Explain what the title is. Everybody who hears it, most everybody gets it," said co-anchor Harry Smith.

"Right. It's an urban legend because Timmy never really did fall in a well," Provost said. "But everybody gets it."

"Lassie would come in to the scene, bark, bark, bark," Smith said. "What would you say?"

"What is it, Lassie? Where do we need to go? Who needs help? I mean that's how it always was," Provost said.

"The barn's on fire," Smith said. "Timmy's in a well."

"Exactly, exactly," Provost said.

"How did you get this part?" Smith asked.

"I was under contract with RKO. And I had made seven movies before "Lassie," Provost said. "I was in Japan filming a movie for RKO - 'Escapade in Japan.' I came back from Japan, I met the producers for "Lassie," they knew they wanted me in the part. They liked my look and knew I could act. But they didn't know how I would react with Lassie and how Lassie would react with me."

"Did you do a screen test?" Smith asked.

"No. I had to go live with Lassie for three days to see how Lassie and I got along," Provost said. "Obviously we got along great, and Lassie -- I got two paws up from Lassie. That's how I got the job."

"That was it," Smith said. "This is such an important television show for me -- 1958 it goes on the air -- I'm not sure I ever missed an episode."

"We did over 250 half-hour episodes in the seven years," Provost said.

"Unbelievable. In the end, was being a child star -- especially being an icon from TV a good thing or bad thing?" Smith asked.

"I enjoyed what I did and, you know, to be associated with Lassie like, you know, Lassie is an American icon. And it's great," Provost said. "But, you know, we all have bumps in the road in our lives and I wanted to get this book out. That's why I called it 'Timmy's in the Well.' I didn't fall in the well on Lassie, but I might have fallen in a well or two somewhere else along the way."

Smith noted that in the show, Lassie was always referred to as "girl." He asked provost what sex all the Lassies were.

"All males," Provost said.

"What a sweet cast," Smith noted. "Who played your mom?"

"June Lockhart. She's doing great. She's -- she doesn't mind -- 83. She called me a few months ago," Provost said. "My mother would forget my birthday, but June never would."