[4], Rettig graduated in 1959 from University High School in Los Angeles. June Cleaver appeared in Hi Honey, I'm Home! Ward and June are concerned when they discover that Beaver's visiting friend Chopper has divorced parents but soon see that Chopper [8] With the group "The TR-4", he recorded the song by that title on the Velvet Tone label. Rettig also sang the popular ballad "The Streets of Laredo" in the episode. Still the Beaver, a television film that followed Leave It to Beaver. Rettig is remembered for portraying the character "Jeff Miller" in the first three seasons of CBS's Lassie television series, from 1954 to 1957, later seen in syndicated re-runs with the title Jeff's Collie. ( )Mad Mel Gibson, as a depressed man struggling with serious me… Rettig later told interviewers that he longed for a life as a normal teenager, and after four seasons he was able to get out of his contract. Tommy also appeared in the 1950 film as David in "The Lost Volcano" with Johnny Sheffield. Tommy Rettig Category: Childhood Stars Submitted by: Stuntpope Posted Date: 2010-10-20 Last Modified: 2019-12-16 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. That same year, at the age of 18, he was cast as Pierre in the episode "The Ghost of Lafitte", set in New Orleans, of the ABC western series The Man from Blackhawk, starring Robert Rockwell as a roving insurance investigator. [15] He was cremated through Inglewood Park mortuary, and his ashes were scattered at sea three miles off Marina del Rey, California, with the ashes of Rusty Hamer. Never Too Young - Wikipedia In the 1962 episode "Davy's Friends" of the syndicated western television series, Death Valley Days , narrated by Stanley Andrews , the actor Tommy Rettig , formerly of the original Lassie series, played Robison. Hawks manages to escape, but Wagonmaster Seth Adams (Ward Bond) makes the difficult decision not to attempt Billy's rescue lest the entire wagon train be vulnerable to attack. In the 1962 episode "Davy's Friends" of another Western, the syndicated series Death Valley Days, Rettig played Joel Walter Robison, a fighter for Texas independence. Rettig made a guest appearance as a grown-up Jeff Miller in an episode of the television series The New Lassie with Jon Provost that aired on October 25, 1991. Meet the cast and … The series, which featured Tony Dow of Leave it to Beaver and Tommy Rettig of Lassie fame, was set in Malibu, California. Tony was active in the hippie counterculture and appeared in the underground classic, Kentucky Fried Move (1977). On February 15, 1996, Rettig died of heart failure at age 54. All connections to that series are noncontiguous. Still the Beaver, a television film, lead to The New Leave It to Beaver. The clean-cut 1950s sitcom, about young 'Beaver' Cleaver, his brother Wally and their folks was a family favorite over its six-year run. Barbara Billingsley, who portrayed June Cleaver on the show, said in a TV Archive interview that he was dropped because his mother caused grief for the producers of the series. "It's a Small World" was the original pilot episode of Leave It to Beaver. Lassie , although a major prime-time program of the time, it is rarely seen in sindication, in sharp contrast to other contemporary programs with much shorter runs. On October 28, 1958, Rettig guest-starred in the episode "The Ghost" of the ABC/Warner Bros. western series Sugarfoot with Will Hutchins in the title role. [3] It was his work with a dog in The 5000 Fingers Of Dr. T. that led animal trainer Rudd Weatherwax to urge him to audition for the Lassie role, for which Weatherwax supplied the collie. Over such a long period the show went through child actors (such as Tommy Rettig and Jon Provost) and an unknown number of Lassies. Wally is chairman of the Blind Date Committee for a dance and has to find dates for people. [3] His character was a young farm boy who lived with his widowed mother, Ellen (Jan Clayton), grandfather (George Cleveland), and his beloved collie, Lassie. The Beaver focuses in part on the love triangle among a depressed man (Mel Gibson), his wife (Jodie Foster) and his favorite puppet. And Leave it to Beaver. Stephan Chase played Sam Houston, and Russell Johnson was cast as Sergeant Tate in this episode.[7]. I have met your brother Jimmy at the “Summer Magic” 50th anniversary screening at the Disney Studios and I am good friends with Kathy Garver, having directed her in three plays here in East Tennessee. In total, it ran for six seasons. Beaver trivia: Leave It to Beaver was the very first time a commode was ever seen on TV. He is remembered for portraying the character "Jeff Miller" in the first three seasons of CBS's Lassie television series, from 1954 to 1957, later seen in syndicated re-runs with the title Jeff's Collie. 'Leave It To Beaver' was before my time, but I cannot even tell you how many gay men from the baby boom generation I have known over the years who have said Tony Dow used to drive them wild in their adolescent/teen years. He left Leave It to Beaver in 1960 because his family had to move to Philadelphia and the show was shot in Burbank. For the last 15 years of his life, Rettig was a well-known database programmer, author,[13] and expert. He had been working in commercials and television westerns since the age of four, and was somewhat of an old hand at auditions. Directed by Norman Abbott. As an adult, Rettig preferred to be called "Tom". Ivo guest starred in an episode of the syndicated adventure television series , Rescue 8 and in two episodes of Leave It To Beaver . You vaguely see Scott's parents as they walk out of the grange hall, and, although Scott is mentioned in "The House Guest" and "The Sermon," this episode is the last appearance of Kelly Junge Jr as Scott. 115 talking about this. Not the bowl, but when Beaver and his friend brought home a baby alligator, they hid it in the tank and were seen taking the lid off the top Leave It To Beaver is one of the first American sitcoms, which ran for six seasons from 1957 to 1963. Apr 5, 2011 - Explore Child Star Photo Catalogue's board "D", followed by 198 people on Pinterest. [11] Rettig was subsequently cast as Frank in the 1965 episode "The Firebrand" of the NBC education drama series Mr. Novak, which starred James Franciscus. A young clairvoyant who hires Peter Gunn, Craig Stevens, to prevent the murder of his mother by her new husband Mark Eustis played by Hayden Rorke. Lassie was one of the first true super-smash television hits, alongside shows like Leave It to Beaver, that demonstrated just how potent television was as a medium - not just for storytelling, but for making obscene amounts of. After this brief spurt of activity Rettig was first seen on screen in 1950, playing Richard Widmark's son in Panic in the Streets. It has remained as the best family sitcom to date and fans are wondering what the cast is doing today. The record iwas produced by Joey Vieira, who under the stage name Donald Keeler played Rettig's sidekick Porky on "Lassie". When the hunters are attacked by a band of renegade Indians, they take refuge in an empty house. He And Leave it to Beaver. Directed by Norman Tokar. A rather fascinating career followed, as actor, writer, and director. Tommy Rettig of Lassie played his buddy JoJo. From 1964 to 1965, Rettig co-starred with another former child actor, Tony Dow, in the ABC television soap opera for teens Never Too Young. He also co-starred with another former child actor, Tony Dow, in the mid-1960s television teen soap opera Never Too Young and recorded the song by that title with the group, The TR-4. She had also co-starred on the television series, portraying Timmy's mother in the years after Rettig and Jan Clayton left the show. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. [1] He started his career at the age of six on tour with Mary Martin in the play Annie Get Your Gun,[2] in which he played Little Jake. Rettig is remembered for portraying the character "Jeff Miller" in the first three seasons of CBS's Lassie television series, from 1954 to 1957, later seen in syndicated re-runs with the title Jeff's Collie. In addition to his famous role as Jeff Miller in the Lassie television series on the CBS network, Rettig also appeared in 17 feature films, including So Big, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T., written by Dr. Seuss, and River of No Return with Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum. [16], "Tommy Rettig, Played Jeff in Original Cast of Television's 'Lassie'", "Having Weathered Lassie, Drugs and Self-Discovery, Tom Rettig Finds a Warm Haven as a Computer Nerd", "Results for 'au:Tom Rettig' [WorldCat.org]", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tommy_Rettig&oldid=1003449971, University High School (Los Angeles) alumni, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 29 January 2021, at 01:26. Tommy Westphall Universe is a FANDOM TV Community. He was also critical of the treatment and compensation of child actors of his day. It … Rettig is remembered for portraying the character "Jeff Miller" in the first three seasons of CBS's Lassie television series, from 1954 to 1957, later seen in syndicated re-runs with the title Jeff's Collie. The New Leave It to Beaver, also known as Still the Beaver, is an American television sitcom that ran on the Disney Channel from March 19, 1983 and then on TBS from September 8, 1986 to June 4, 1989. Leave It to Beaver is an American television sitcom that ran on CBS from October 4, 1957 to July 16, 1958 and then on ABC from October 2, 1958 to June 20, 1963. And Leave it to Beaver. “Leave It to Beaver,” which aired from 1957 until 1963, chronicled the misadventures of a suburban boy, along with his family and friends. I have been a “Leave It To Beaver” basically all my life (I’m 61) because (a) I thought it was great that your name was Jerry, too, and(b) I had an older brother like Wally. He also The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island, https://tommywestphall.fandom.com/wiki/Leave_It_to_Beaver?oldid=7782, June, Wally, and Beaver Cleaver appeared on the final episode of. 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