Corey Stuart

Corey Stuart
Robert Bray as Corey Stuart
First appearance	"Disappearance" (1963)
Last appearance	"The Holocaust" (1968)
Created by	Jack Wrather Bob Golden Bonita Granville Wrather
Portrayed by	Robert Bray
Information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Forest Ranger
Family	Lassie (companion animal)

Corey Stuart is a fictional character in the long-running television series, Lassie (1954–1973). Stuart is a middle aged bachelor and a Ranger with the United States Forest Service. The character was portrayed by Robert Bray. Corey Stuart first appeared in the series as a one-shot character in the tenth season episode, "Disappearance" (1963). He was a hit with the audience and returned full-time the following season as the series' only human lead. His last appearance occurred in the two-part episode of the fifteenth season, "The Holocaust" (1968).

As the eleventh season of Lassie approached in 1964, series star Jon Provost was a fourteen-year-old with his contract up for a three-year renewal. Provost however was not interested in remaining with the show, and did not renew his contract. He later recalled,

"I was just tired of being Timmy everywhere I went. I couldn't see myself being Timmy until I was seventeen or eighteen years old...If they had let him grow up a little, maybe I would have wanted to stay on."

A few episodes in the last farm seasons were set in wilderness locations, and proved audience favorites. With Provost leaving the show, producers decided to scrap the farm scenario, and fashioned instead a plot about Lassie teaming up with Forest Ranger Stuart. The groundwork for their pairing was laid in the tenth season five-part episode, "Disappearance". Stuart rescues Lassie from a storm in the first part and reunites her with the Martins in the final-part. In the meantime, Lassie helps Stuart rescue others lost in the storm, stops a poacher on Federal land, survives avalanche and forest fire, and forms a profound bond with Stuart.

With the new plot good to go, the Martin family was shipped off to Australia to teach agriculture in the eleventh season opener. Lassie remained in the States due to Australia's strict quarantine regulations and found a home with Stuart. The two would share adventure in America's national forests and scenic wonderlands. The show transitioned to color filming in 1965 with the twelfth season, and episodes became mini-travelogues with some locations being seen for the first time on television on color.

Several actors tested for the role of Corey Stuart with Bray and a popular Western star competing in the finals. While the Western star was liked by the producer, sponsor, and advertising agency, Bray proved to have a more appealing on-camera relationship with Lassie and was awarded the role.

With the cancellation of the Martin characters and the farm plot, Lassie began a steady decline in ratings.