Hugh Goodwin (December 19, 1927 – August 16, 2017), better known as Jon Shepodd, was an American actor. On television, he was the first actor to play the role of Paul Martin in the long-running series '' Lassie'' Shepodd appeared as a guest star on Lassie in Season 3 in the episode "Lassie's Day" (broadcast February 10, 1957) as "Al" the delivery man for Martha's Bakery. He was liked well enough to secure the main role of Timmy's father, Paul, in Season 4 when the series transitioned from the Miller family to the Martin family.

Career

''Lassie''

As Paul Martin, Shepodd made his second Lassie series appearance in the middle of Season 4 in the episode "Transition" (broadcast December 1, 1957) playing opposite

Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won many accolades, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nomina ...

as his wife Ruth Martin. In this episode the Martin couple agrees to adopt Timmy, and to take over the farm for the departing Miller family, who are moving to the city after the death of Gramps. Lassie is given to Timmy by Jeff, and thus remains on the farm. Both Shepodd and Leachman appeared for the remainder of the fourth season (27 episodes). Leachman, however, did not have a signed contract and left at the end of Season 4, citing her role was not challenging enough for her. The producers decided to release Shepodd in the wake of the departing Leachman as they felt casting him with a "new wife" would be difficult to explain to an audience composed mainly of children. The characters Paul and Ruth Martin were thereafter played by

Hugh Reilly Hugh Reilly (October 30, 1915 – July 17, 1998) was an American actor who performed on the Broadway stage, in films, and on television. He is best remembered for co-starring from 1958 to 1964 as the father, Paul Martin, in the CBS television ...

and

June Lockhart June Lockhart (born June 25, 1925) is an American actress, beginning a film career in 1930s & 1940s in such films at ''A Christmas Carol'' and '' Meet Me in St. Louis''. She primarily acted in 1950s and 1960s television, and with performances on ...

Films

In the film '' Attack'' (1956), he plays Cpl. John Jackson, the orderly to the unpopular Captain Cooney (

Eddie Albert Edward Albert Heimberger (April 22, 1906 – May 26, 2005) was an American actor and activist. He was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor; the first nomination came in 1954 for his performance in ''Roman Holiday'', ...

).Shepodd Jon Shepodd references
nytimes.com; accessed May 1, 2016. In an opening sequence, Jackson irritates the other men in the unit who are queuing up for coffee, when he jumps the queue. He appeared in such films as ''The Power of the Resurrection'' (1958), '' What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' (1962), and ''

The Garment Jungle ''The Garment Jungle'' is a 1957 American film noir crime film directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Lee J. Cobb, Kerwin Mathews, Gia Scala, Richard Boone and Valerie French. Plot Alan Mitchell is a returning Korean War veteran who joins hi ...

'' (1957).

Death

Shepodd died in August 2017, in London at the age of 89.Jon Shepodd, the First Paul Martin on 'Lassie,' Dies at 89
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Filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Shepodd, Jon 1927 births 2017 deaths American male film actors American male television actors Male actors from Birmingham, Alabama