Tommy Rettig Biography
- Home /
- Tommy Rettig /
- Biography
- Born Dec. 10, 1941
Thomas Noel Rettig (December 10, 1941Β β February 15, 1996) was an American child actor, computer software engineer, and author. He is remembered for portraying the character "Jeff Miller" in the first three seasons of CBS's Lassie television series, from 1954 to 1957, later seen in syndicated re-runs with the title Jeff's Collie. He also co-starred with another former child actor, Tony Dow, in the mid-1960s television teen soap opera Never Too Young and recorded the song by that title with the group, The TR-4.
Rettig was born to a Jewish father, Elias Rettig, and a Christian ItalianβAmerican mother, Rosemary Nibali, in Jackson Heights in the Queens borough of New York City. He started his career at the age of six, on tour with Mary Martin in the play Annie Get Your Gun, in which he played Little Jake.
Rettig was selected from among 500Β boys for the role of Jeff Miller, to star in the first Lassie television series, between 1954 and 1957. His character was a young farm boy who lived with his widowed mother, Ellen (Jan Clayton), grandfather (George Cleveland), and his beloved collie, Lassie.
Return to Tommy Rettig Autograph Profile
When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
© 2026 Real Autograph Collectors Club