''Lassie's Rescue Rangers'' is an animated television series produced by

Filmation Filmation Associates was an American production company founded by Lou Scheimer, Hal Sutherland and Norm Prescott in 1962, before closing by Group W Productions on February 3, 1989. Located in Reseda, California, Filmation produced animated ...

and featuring Lassie, running from 1972 to 1973. The hour-long

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

, ''Lassie and the Spirit of Thunder Mountain'', was part of '' The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie''.

Summary

In the series, Lassie the

collie Collies form a distinctive type of herding dogs, including many related landraces and standardized breeds. The type originated in Scotland and Northern England. Collies are medium-sized, fairly lightly-built dogs, with pointed snouts. Many type ...

lives near Thunder Mountain with the Turner family. Ranger Ben Turner (voiced by

Ted Knight Ted Knight (born Tadeusz Wladyslaw Konopka; December 7, 1923August 26, 1986) was an American actor known for playing the comedic roles of Ted Baxter in ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'', Henry Rush in '' Too Close for Comfort'' and Judge Elihu Sm ...

) works with wife Laura (voiced by Jane Webb) and children Susan (voiced by

Erika Scheimer Erika C. Scheimer (born March 28, 1960) is an American former voice actress in cartoons of defunct animation studio Filmation. She is the daughter of Lou Scheimer, who was an integral member of Filmation and a voice actor in his own right. Car ...

), Jackie (voiced by Lane Scheimer), and Ben Jr. (voiced by Keith Sutherland) as the Forest Force, a ranger-rescue team that protects Thunder Mountain National Park. Lassie is the leader of the Rescue Rangers, a group of wild animals living in the park, working alongside the Turners to help protect the environment and keep it safe for visitors. The Rescue Rangers were eight animals including Groucho the owl, Toothless the mountain lion, Musty the skunk, and Robbie the raccoon. Also helping the Forest Force was Gene Fox (voiced by Lane Scheimer), a Native American, who was Ben Jr.'s, Jackie's and Susan's friend. Lassie herself and Toothless are the only animals who appeared in every episode. Also, Laura Turner was absent from "Lassie's Special Assignment," "The Impostors," and "The Sunken Galleon."

Reception

The sixteen-episode season was not well received. Lassie's trainer, Rudd Weatherwax, said, "That's not Lassie. That's trash." The

National Association of Broadcasters The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is a Industry trade group, trade association and lobbying, lobby group representing the interests of commercial and non-commercial over-the-air radio and television broadcasting, broadcasters in th ...

agreed: "The manufacturers of this rubbish have incorporated violence, crime and stupidity into what is probably the worst show for children of the season."

Episode list

References

External links

* {{Children's programming on the American Broadcasting Company in the 1970s 1972 American animated television series debuts 1973 American television series endings 1970s American animated television series 1970s American children's television series American Broadcasting Company television dramas American children's animated adventure television series Animated television series about dogs American English-language television shows Lassie television series Television series by Filmation Television series by Universal Television Television shows directed by Hal Sutherland Television shows set in parks American Broadcasting Company animated television series