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Timmy Martin [1957-1964], played by Jon Provost
Timmy makes his debut in the fourth season opener, "The Runaway" when he is discovered hiding in the Miller barn. The Millers take a liking to the seven-year-old boy and provide him a foster home. They learn his parents have been killed in an accident sometime in the past, and, since then, Timmy has been living with an elderly and ailing aunt and uncle. Timmy believes he is a burden on the two and runs away to save them the trouble of providing him a home. With the help of a social worker, Timmy is allowed to spend the summer on the Miller farm in a foster status.
When "Gramps" Miller dies at the end of Timmy's summer on the farm, Ellen and Jeff decide to move to Capitol City. They have no choice but to return Timmy to his elderly relatives. But the Millers sell the farm to Paul and Ruth Martin who fall in love with Timmy and adopt him. Timmy remains on the farm with his new parents. Jeff leaves Lassie on the farm with Timmy.
Timmy is a good boy although some commentators during the period of the show's production thought he set a poor example for young children in that he often went off on his own and sometimes disobeyed his parents. He has many interests and belongs to the 4-H and the Cub Scouts. Timmy is a sensitive but sensible boy. He has strong feelings for injured or suffering animals. He loves the natural world. He is intelligent and does well in school, His relationships with both his peers and adults are respectful and considerate. Timmy is a "well-adjusted" boy.
Timmy had few steady child friends in the series. In the fourth season, "Scott Richards" was brought in as a pal but vanished and never returned. In the fifth season, chubby "Boomer Bates" was introduced in an attempt to recreate something of the Jeff and Porky friendship of the early seasons but the character was unpopular and dropped. "Wilhelmina Brewster", a neighbor and classmate, was the only pal who lasted through several seasons. Played by Linda Wrather, the daughter of the show's owners and producers, "Willy" made sporadic appearances over several seasons. Timmy had many adult friends, notably Ed Washburne, the fire chief, and Cully Wilson, an eccentric old bachelor farmer and nature lover. Cully and Timmy were scripted into many episodes together, and, when the Martin years ended in the opening episodes of the eleventh season with the family emigrating to Australia, Cully briefly provided Lassie with a home before she found a permanent home with a Forest Ranger.
Left: Jon Provost as Timmy. |
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