Timmy Martin is a fictional character portrayed by child actor Jon
Provost in the television series Lassie (1954â€"1973). Provost debuted
in the first episode of the fourth season, "The Runaway" (1957), as
the fictional foster child of farm woman Ellen Miller. Both the
character and its portrayer were hits with the show's audience. In the
middle of the fourth season series star George Cleveland died
unexpectedly and producers were forced to overhaul the show. Timmy was
fostered by newcomers to the series Paul Martin and his wife, Ruth,
who purchase the Miller farm.Once the Timmy years of the show were
launched, Lassie enjoyed its highest ratings, with Timmy appearing in
all 226 episodes between his debut and his final appearance in the
first episode of the 1964-1965 season. The Timmy character appeared in
comic books, novels, Viewmaster reels, and other spinoff materials
related to the show. Provost briefly reprised the character as an
adult Timmy in the syndicated series, The New Lassie (1989â€"1990).
Jon Provost was nominated in 2003 for a TV Land award connected to his
participation in Lassie.[citation needed]Once the Timmy years of the
show were launched, Lassie enjoyed its highest ratings, with Timmy
appearing in all 226 episodes between his debut and his final
appearance in the first episode of the 1964-1965 season. The Timmy
character appeared in comic books, novels, Viewmaster reels, and other
spinoff materials related to the show. Provost briefly reprised the
character as an adult Timmy in the syndicated series, The New Lassie
(1989â€"1990). Jon Provost was nominated in 2003 for a TV Land award
connected to his participation in Lassie.[citation needed]In the
opener of the fourth season, "The Runaway" fictional midwestern farm
family Ellen Miller (Jan Clayton), her son Jeff (Tommy Rettig), and
her father-in-law, George Miller (George Cleveland), discover a
seven-year-old tattered runaway hiding in their barn. Timmy, they
later learn, has fled his aged and ill relatives, believing he is a
burden on their slim resources. Ellen contacts the boy's relatives and
a social worker, and all agree Timmy would benefit from a summer on
the farm.Midway in the fourth season, Ellen sells the farm to a young
couple, Ruth and Paul Martin (Cloris Leachman and Jon Shepodd), after
the death of her father-in-law. The Martins foster Timmy, and Jeff
leaves Lassie on the farm with Timmy when he moves to the city,
knowing the dog could never adjust to life in a busy city. Leachman
and Shepodd would finish the fourth season and then be dropped. Their
characters would be played thereafter by Hugh Reilly and June
Lockhart. During the years that Reilly and Lockhart were on the show,
the writers phased out all mention of Timmy being adopted, leading new
viewers to assume that June Lockhart and Hugh Reilly played Timmy's
biological parents. Timmy Martin Top Movies & Young Movies