Lassie once called Tazewell County home

Charles Owens, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
Updated ·3 min read

Oct. 7—TAZEWELL, Va. — Lassie once called Tazewell County home.

Long-time area residents may recall that the 1994 motion picture "Lassie" was filmed locally in Tazewell, Va. Most of the filming from the Paramount Pictures production occurred in the scenic Cove and Thompson Valley communities, not far from the municipal limits of Tazewell.

The Daily Telegraph reported in 1993 that the production company EEE-YAW-KEE spent 40 days filming the movie in Tazewell County between Oct. 11 to November 30 of that year. The movie's executive producer told the newspaper at the time that the production company would be spending between $2 million to $4 million in Virginia while filming "Lassie."

During that time county economic development officials said at least 33 local businesses, citizens and organizers were involved in the movie providing everything from food and lodging to security, banking and communications.

Area residents also were used as extras in the filming while the movie's cast and crew stayed at the former Holiday Inn of Bluefield, as well as at the Fincastle Motor Inn, the Daily Telegraph reported in 1993.

A number of well-known actors were in Tazewell County during the 1993 filming, including Helen Slater ("Supergirl," "The Legend of Billie Jean"), Michelle Williams ("The Fabelmans," "Venom") and Tom Guiry ("Black Hawk Down," "The Sandlot").

The release of "Lassie" in 1994 occurred in conjunction with the beloved collie's 50th anniversary. This year the "Lassie" franchise is celebrating its 80th anniversary.

Lassie has been featured in several movies and television shows over the decades with the first film being released 80 years ago on Oct. 7, 1943. That movie, "Lassie Come Home," featured a young Roddy McDowell and a young Elizabeth Taylor.

In today's edition of the Daily Telegraph, a special page can be found on A-6 celebrating 80 years of Lassie, including the 1994 motion picture filmed locally in Tazewell County.

Those who watched the movie — either on the big screen or later on television or DVD — will recall seeing Lassie sprinting through the rolling hills of Tazewell County.

For the 1994 film, the producers retained Virginia as the setting for the story, although the fictional town of Franklin Falls, Va. was created for the script. Although the bulk of the movie was filmed in Tazewell County, scenes for "Lassie" also were shot in Bland County, Va., Richmond, Va., and Summers County in neighboring West Virginia.

A year later "Lassie" arrived at the national box office. Local showings of the movie were held at the former AMC Cinemas 8 at the Mercer Mall, and at local cinemas that were in operation at the time in Tazewell County.

Area residents who watched the movie premier at the Mercer Mall walked away calling it good family fun.

A local movie review in the Daily Telegraph in 1994, written by a former newspaper staff writer, said trying to recognize local scenes and people in the movie was a big part of the experience. The reviewer said the plot to "Lassie" was simple. A family moves from Maryland to Virginia. They decide to herd sheep themselves, which puts them in direct competition with their rich neighbors. But in the end, the review reads, everything works out OK with the help of everyone's favorite dog.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com. Follow him @BDTOwens