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A dog barks. "What's that, girl? Timmy's in the well?" Whenever people hear this catchphrase, they know it's about Timmy and Lassie, the world's favorite boy-and-his-dog team of the 1950s and '60s.
Timmy's in the Well is the story of Jon Provost, television's first child superstar, and the low-down on Lassie, one of television's most enduring shows. It is filled with celebrity anecdotes, rare photos, and memorabilia. Since his original seven-year run on the show, Provost has become a household name in 125 countries. His episodes continue to air in more than 50 countries, the checked shirt and jeans he wore as Timmy hang in the Smithsonian, and he has his own star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
Timmy's in the Well illustrates what happens to a middle-class American family touched by fame. Jon's first job came at age three, forever altering the course of his life and the lives of his family. With nearly a dozen film appearances in a mere five years, Provost was named the top child movie actor of 1958 by the New York Film Critics. Yet he could barely read, hardly knew his siblings, and had few friends under the age of 35.
At the age of twenty and on the verge of being swallowed up by Hollywood, Provost escaped to Northern California, only to learn that a "normal" life was not possible. Unprepared to make a living, he was gripped by depression and fell into a well that was deeper and darker than any he'd ever faced. But he found his way out of that well - on his own and without the dog.
More than 200 interviews add texture and humor to this thoroughly researched story. Among them are other child and teen stars, like Jay North and Jeanne Russell (Dennis the Menace), Keith Thibodeaux (I Love Lucy), David Cassidy (The Partridge Family), Davy Jones (The Monkees), Paul Petersen (The Donna Reed Show), Stanley Livingston (My Three Sons), and many more.
Jon Provost's story includes a vivid portrait of the inner workings of Hollywood of the 1950s and '60s, and it is populated with some of the biggest names of the day: Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, Jane Wyman, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Kim Novak, Lucille Ball, Anita Eckberg, Rod Steiger, William Holden, June Lockhart, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Sidney Pollack, Kurt Russell, Elvis, Nancy Sinatra, Dino Martin, Davy Jones, and Mr. Ed.
Much of what it has to say is "between the lines" "Timmy's In the Well" is a VERY interesting and entertaining book that should appeal not only to nostalgia buffs but also to anyone interested in the psychological effects of fame on the famous as well as those close to them.
The book chronicles the life of child superstar Jon Provost, who shot to international fame in the late '50's and early '60's playing Timmy Martin on the long-running CBS series "Lassie." By the age of 14, Provost had tired of the never-ending grind of series production and voluntarily walked away from a lucrative contract extension offer to pursue the life of a normal teenager, a pursuit he found frustrated by his spotty education, his dysfunctional family life, and his own ambivalence to his fame.
Co-authors Provost and Jacobson have structured the book's narrative in a way that effectively allows Provost to establish some pungent observations while maintaining a pleasantly conversational, sometimes almost detached, tone; they do this by the clever and effective device of alternating between Provost's recollections and those of his parents and siblings, professional peers, co-workers, friends and fans.
The result is a revealing mix of often conflicting viewpoints on certain issues and events that draws the reader to some inevitable conclusions about Provost's work environment, relationships with his age-group peers, parents and siblings, and the effects of mammoth fame on a typical American family that was wholly unprepared to absorb its impact. The fact that all contributed significantly to this book seems a testament to the strength of their basic bonds, an advantage many of Provost's professional peers did not enjoy.
"Timmy's In The Well" documents a remarkable journey! I am slightly bleery-eyed and a bit cranky this morning because I made the mistake of beginning to read Jon Provost's autobiography co-written with his authoress wife Laurie Jacobson, "Timmy's In The Well". I started reading this book an hour before bedtime but just couldn't put it down! I kept saying to myself just another two pages and lights out, but that cost me another hour of sleep on a work night!
From page one these two writers had my attention with a child's wide-eyed look at the waning days of Hollywood's golden age in the early 1950's. Jon Provost shows enormous respect and admiration for the many people he worked with over the decades, and even provides hundreds of photos underlining all the major events in his life and his show business career. He is never negative but always tells the truth for the discerning reader between the lines.
Laurie Jacobson has always been a compelling writer of Hollywood's many past scandals and hauntings, but here she takes Jon Provost's own words and pulls the reader directly into the story.
This book is much more than you will expect and be prepared to sacrifice your sleep finishing it! It's quite a journey.
Wonderfully written. A great story! Once I began reading "Timmy's in the Well: The Jon Provost Story" I could not put it down. Laurie Jacobson has done an outstanding job of writing this book and I applaud Jon for opening up and revealing so much of his life and experiences as a child actor and beyond for his fans.
Having grown up as a boy who couldn't get enough of the Lassie series, this was a real treat. Strongly recommended!
Wonderful! Two words - BUY IT!
Seriously, you will not be disappointed. A wonderfully informative read and a thoroughly entertaining journey.
Highly recommended!
Great Insider's Look at Classic TV--Not Just Another Kid Star Bio "Timmy's In the Well" is a really fun and informative read for anyone interested in how TV shows got made in the days before CGI, super-agents, and big budgets. I'm someone who rarely watched "Lassie" and knew Jon Provost more from his brief turn in "Country Girl" than as the titular Timmy...but I can nevertheless highly recommend this autobiography as a warm, well-written, and entertaining behind-the-scenes story. I received this book as a gift and completely surprised myself by not being able to put it down! Unlike so many whiny star autobiographies, Provost comes across as a funny, hard-working professional whose long career just happened to start at a younger age than most. Employing an unusual and engaging format, the authors turn to colorful comments from co-stars, crew, family members, fellow child stars and even fans to help tell the story of a child and a medium growing up together. Provost's candid examination of the impact his stardom had on his family and siblings is refreshing in its straight-forwardness...and he recounts his years of seemingly non-stop appearances at fairs, theme parks, and local parades with a fondness that is particularly endearing. Yes, there are some adult themes in the book, as the author recounts growing up in Hollywood in the 1960s and '70s, but all such passages are handled with maturity and sensitivity and won't be an issue for mature readers. This is a skillfully crafted story, but it isn't a kid's book; it's about a child who became a valuable commodity in a very competitive, hard-edged industry. In the end, the reader gets a portrait of the almost gypsy-like life of the working child actor in the early days of television, while also gaining an appreciation for an actor who seems to have survived both Hollywood and growing up in a turbulent era while retaining a kind heart and a sense of wonder at it all. I highly recommend this book!Timmy's in the Well: The Jon Provost Story (100s Visual)
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