The Checkers speech or Fund speech was a television and radio address given on 
September 23, 1952 by Richard Nixon, who at the time, was the Republican vice 
presidential candidate and junior United States Senator from California. Senator
Nixon had been accused of improprieties relating to a fund established by his
backers to reimburse him for his political expenses. During the speech in which he defended himself, he stated that regardless of what anyone said, he intended to
keep one gift: a black and white dog (above) named Checkers by the Nixon children,
thus giving the address its famous name. Nixon’s speech was broadcast from The
El Capitan Theater, now known as the Avalon Hollywood in California. He had been staying at a hotel in Portland, Oregon prior to making the address. 

The Avalon Theater 

The television series Lassie followed the adventures of a female Collie named
Lassie and her human companions. The show debuted on Sunday, September
12, 1954 and aired till March 24, 1973 on the CBS network. It was one of the
longest running dramatic series on TV, with seventeen seasons before entering
first-run syndication for the final two seasons. Lassie was initially filmed in black
and white, making the transition to color in 1965. It was the created by producer
Robert Maxwell and animal trainer Rudd Weatherwax. In its first years Lassie
won two Emmy Awards and its stars, Jan Clayton and June Lockhart were both
nominated for Emmys.

Trainer Rudd Weatherwax with Mike and Lassie   

 

Filming a scene with the star of the show