Original title
The Littlest Hobo
Released
10/11/1979
Origin country
CA, US
Genre
Action & Adventure, Drama, Family
Production companies
Glen Warren Productions
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
6
Number of episodes
114
The Littlest Hobo is a Canadian television series based upon a 1958 American film of the same name directed by Charles R. Rondeau. The series first aired from 1963 to 1965 in syndication, spanning six seasons and was revived for a popular second run on CTV from October 11, 1979 to March 7, 1985. It starred an ownerless dog. All three productions revolved around a stray German Shepherd, the titular Hobo, who wanders from town to town, helping people in need. Although the concept was perhaps similar to that of Lassie, the Littlest Hobo's destiny was to befriend those who apparently needed help. Despite the attempts of the many people whom he helped to adopt him, he appeared to prefer to be on his own, and would head off by himself at the end of each episode. Never actually named on-screen, the dog is often referred to by the name Hobo or by the names given by temporary human companions. Hobo's background is also unexplained on-screen. His origins, motivation and ultimate destination are also never explained. Although some characters appeared in more than one episode, the only constant was the Littlest Hobo himself.
The Littlest Hobo was a dog who showed an uncanny knack for arriving at a time of peril. After performing heroics, the shrewd stray resisted entreaties to stay, preferring instead the open road.
Hobo saves animals from a forest fire and aids a poisoned child.
Hobo rescues a defecting ballerina from kidnappers.
Hobo saves two draft horses from the glue factory. Note: This episode was trailed at the end of #1.21 "Guardian Angel")
The Hobo witnesses a drunken hit-and-run and haunts the perpetrator, playing his conscience against him. Hobo pursues a hit-and-run driver.
Hobo rescues a politician's son from kidnappers.
Hobo protects an elderly prospector from greedy land-grabbers. Jasper: Leon Ames. Laura: Lynn Griffin. Glenn: J.P. Linton. Cal: Shawn Lawrence. Ralph: Ben Gordon.
Hobo comes to the aid of a wheelchair-bound boy in rehab.
A different dog, and then the littlest hobo has to come and stand in for that dog.
A struggling actress resorts to stealing (and writing IOUs) to make ends meet and the Hobo tries to keep her out of trouble.
An ex-convict has a bright future ahead of him, if he goes straight, but is compelled to perform one last bank robbery.
The Hobo plays matchmaker to a young couple who, in between being separated by their respective parents, find time to bicker among themselves.
The Hobo tries to give support and guidance to a couple of quarrelsome human transients--one old man and one young girl.
The Hobo journeys onward, trying to keep his transient companions out of trouble, when Kate is captured by the authorities and placed in an orphanage run like a military academy.
Canadian Family Adventure series 1979-85 114 episodes x 30 min colour Videotape
Hobo stalks an ominous carnival patron.
Hobo investigates the disappearance of zoo animals. Carol Lynley.
A con man tries to cheat wealthy small-town residents.
Hobo protects a photographer who snapped a shot of a bank robbery and decides to sell his picture to the papers. James Stephens.
Hobo and an insurance investigator help recover a missing truckload of diamonds.
Hobo reunites a runaway boy with a family who wants to adopt him.
A teen is dropped from a basketball club for arson.
Hobo contracts botulism trying to save two children.
London hears the screams of a girl named Peggy, who says that she is running from a giant ape loose in a forest. In the neighboring small town of Red Hill, rumors are already spreading about "Bigfoot" being in the vicinity.
In a forest, London encounters three wolf-hunters: a crotchety man and his two sons, one intent about the hunt, the other squeamish. The Hobo decoys hunters away from a wounded wolf and her cubs.
Hobo discovers a man and his mute daughter are being blackmailed into performing fraudulent séances for bereaved victims.
London finds a wallet dropped by a man leaving a park, picks up the wallet, follows the man to the man's home, and gives the wallet to the man.
Hobo helps a bungling investigator.
A wealthy woman announces that she's leaving her money to her dog.
Two brothers compete in a bike race to try to earn money for their mother's birthday.
A seismologist takes his family along on a field assignment, where they are threatened by impending earthquakes of which only the Hobo appears to be fully aware.
The quakes continue to imperil the now separated members of the family and an armed poacher who prefers his privacy only adds to the danger.
The biggest quake of them all strikes and causes a cave-in, trapping Marti with the poacher.
A boy with a leg injury has his heart set on buying a pure-bred dog, but needs to raise the money fast, so the Hobo helps him with a dog-sitting service. This episode was written by Charles Eisenmann, the owner and trainer of London and the other German Shepherds who portrayed Hobo.
The Hobo must escape from a dog catcher's van and round up several unruly dogs which quickly bring havoc to wherever they roam. This episode was written by Charles Eisenmann, the owner and trainer of London and the other German Shepherds who portrayed Hobo.
A criminal steals a secret laser.
A bookie tries to fix a lumberjack competition using extreme methods.
Hobo is mistaken for a sheep-killing wolf.
A hero firefighter dodges a medical order relieving him of duty, endangering his own life.
The sick firefighter continues to put himself in harms way, while Hobo tries to call attention to the problem.
Hobo joins the Farrells on a luxury yachting expedition, which enters a storm and shipwrecks the crew on an uninhabited island.
The elusive stranger turns out to be a Soviet air force pilot who has been stranded on the island for some time.
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