Lassie

Probably the world's most famous dog ever, Lassie first appeared as a short story titled Lassie Come-Home written by Eric Mowbray Knight in The Saturday Evening Post in 1938. Knight expanded his tale into a full-length novel in 1940. The dog in the story was based on Knight's real life collie, Toots.

Knight's novel was filmed by MGM in 1943, as Lassie Come Home starring Roddy McDowall and Elizabeth Taylor. Altogether, 298 dogs were auditioned for the title role . A male Rough Collie called Pal  (June 4, 1940 – June 1958) was chosen to play the female dog. He would star in six more Lassie films and died in 1958 at the grand old age of 18.

Lassie was a Rough Coat Collie (see below). She helped make the Collie one of the most popular breed types in the world.

Pal's owner and trainer Rudd Weatherwax  acquired the Lassie name and trademark from MGM and appeared with Pal (as "Lassie") at fairs, rodeos and similar events across America in the early 1950s.

Pal in 1942

The long-running, Emmy winning television series Lassie debuted on September 12, 1954, and, over the next 19 years, and 571 episodes, a succession of Pal's descendants appeared on the series.

Despite "Timmy's In The Well" being what most people remember from the Lassie TV show that scene never happened. Timmy never fell down a well, he did however fall into abandoned mine shafts, off cliffs, into rivers, lakes and quicksand, to name a few.

Lassie is one of only three animals to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—the other two being silent-film stars Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart.