Local religious TV channel has been re-running early "Lassie" shows. Have programmed DVR for nostalgic reasons, hoping to eventually see the episode re: Jap. exchange student/JuJitsu demo that I haven't seen in 50+years. It ran on Sun. evenings where I lived in the 50s, and that day right after the show I was accosted by a local bully. I pulled the move on him shown in the TV show (flipping him onto his head), and he was so shocked/devastated, he never bothered me again!



Got me to thinking about Tommy Rettig. I guess he died of heart failure in the 90s, but I wonder if anyone knew he was one of Ed Roth's first customers when Ed started selling custom ordered, hand airbrushed/HotRod-themed sweatshirts? (He ordered an image of Lassie roasting over a spit). In his late teens he was apparently quite angry, as acting jobs for him were scarce, and he really resented losing his "Lassie" roll just because they thought he had outgrown it.



I always wanted to run into Ed, but he died before I could connect (he showed up regularly at major car shows). I sent him $5 cash when I was about 15, and ordered a custom-painted shirt. While walking away from the mailbox, I remember thinking: "Did I include a return address"? I guess not, as the shirt never came. I always wondered if Ed would return my money if pressed.






6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA