What breed of dog was Lassie?

Lassie first appeared in Eric Knight’s 1940 novel Lassie Come-Home, which became a 1943 film starring a young Roddy McDowall and Elizabeth Taylor. The story of a loyal collie crossing Scotland to return to her boy captured hearts worldwide.

Although Lassie is a female character, she was played by male dogs. Males are larger and keep a fuller coat year-round. The first, a collie named Pal, began as a stand-in and won the role; his descendants played Lassie for generations.

The TV series ran from 1954 to 1973, one of the longest-running shows in American history. The famous line “Timmy’s in the well” was never actually said on the show.