LOS ANGELES - Lassie, that famous intrepid collie, is as American as shepherd's pie. That's right. The real Lassie is actually British and never knew an accident-prone Yank named Timmy. 

British writer-director Charles Sturridge was unaware of the dog's origins until he picked up Eric Knight's 1940 book "Lassie Come Home," the novel that started the world's love affair with Lassie.