Can you guess the iconic actor who went from living in a rundown New York “flophouse” for just $150 a month to owning a peaceful farm with his family?
This actor’s humble beginnings are a far cry from his current life of farm animals and fresh home-grown veggies. Growing up, he knew from an early age that he wanted to be an actor.
After trips to the movie theater, he would come home and immediately dress up as one of the characters from the film, fully immersing himself in the world of make-believe. His favorite childhood toy? A box of old clothes his mom had saved for him, which he used to fuel his imagination and creativity.
Wanted the ”real thing”
In 1976, fresh out of Philadelphia, he moved to New York City to chase his dream of acting. He spent months crashing on his sister’s couch before finding a cheap place through an ad in the Village Voice – a no-frills, budget-friendly “artist’s residence.”
Though the place was far from glamorous, it was exactly what he could afford at the time. In fact, the actor shared that it wasn’t even a single room – he had to move in with a roommate.
His roomie was a classical pianist, and the two shared the space for four years. In interviews, the actor fondly reminisces about the calming sounds of the piano that filled the apartment late at night.
While living in The Big Apple, the actor appeared in a production at the Circle in the Square Theater School. ”I wanted life, man, the real thing,” he later recalled to Nancy Mills of Cosmopolitan.
”The message I got was ‘The arts are it. Business is the devil’s work. Art and creative expression are next to godliness.’”
So, can you guess who this determined actor is?
He has a tall, lean frame and a signature look that’s a mix of rugged and charming.
With a square jaw and high cheekbones, he’s got a face that can go from intense to relatable in an instant. His light brown hair is often casually styled, and his deep-set eyes add a mysterious vibe. You might recognize his easy-going, yet timeless style that’s made him a fan favorite for decades. Can you guess who he is?
Alright, we won’t drag this out any longer.
While this Golden Globe Award winner was living in that tiny, $150-a-month space, he was also preparing for his big break.
Household name
Fast forward a few years, and he would go on to star in iconic films like Footloose, Beauty Shop, and The Woodsman, becoming a household name.
So here it is – it’s Kevin Bacon! From his early days as a young actor in New York to now living on a farm with his wife and their animals, his journey has truly been one to follow
Now, the actor is living a completely different life. He and his wife, fellow actress Kyra Sedgwick, now shares a 40-acre farm in Sharon, Connecticut. They have several animals, including goats, pigs, alpacas, and miniature horses.
”I love animals, they are a joy to be around, and they’re very, very calming for me,” Bacon said. ”But we also really love to go into the garden and get fresh herbs or tomatoes or basil or peppers or zucchini.”
And talk about how Bacon is living a completely different life today compared to his bachelor days in New York. He’s got more millions in the bank now – and doesn’t have to rely on his old roommate’s cooking skills anymore.
”He would cook,” Bacon said of his former roommate in New York.
”I didn’t know anything about cooking since I was used to going to the store and getting a sandwich or eating a slice of pizza.”
He added, ”And I watched my roommate, and he was a very frugal man so he was not going to go out and spend money to eat in a restaurant or even get something to go. He would make his own food and I got very inspired by that.”
Gradually, both Kevin and Kyra shares snippets of their daily lives on social media, with Sedgwick posting so many videos of her and their goats to TikTok that people now recognize her for it, rather than her acting roles.
“People were like, ’We love you singing with the goats.’ Kevin and I are like, ’Great, have you seen our movies or TV shows?’ But it makes people happy,” the actress and producer told People.
They even shared that his relationship with his animals has caused a shift in his eating habits — he no longer eats goat or pig products.
”It’s all about the animals,” Kevin says, adding that his wife won’t let him get any more animals, as he’d likely stop eating even more types of food. The couple also loves tending to their garden, growing fresh herbs, tomatoes, and peppers.
Interestingly, the Footloose star and Sedgwick aren’t the only celebs drawn to farm life. In fact, famed actress Jennifer Garner decided to buy back the farm her mother grew up on and transform it into an organic produce project for baby food.
Lassie’s Timmy Finally Spills the Juicy Secrets of TV’s Beloved Dog
For almost twenty years, many of us remember watching the adventures of TV’s most famous dog – Lassie.
This beloved Rough Collie and her human friends were on our screens for 17 seasons, from 1954 to 1973. The show even switched from black and white to color in the 1960s.
But one of the most unforgettable parts of the show was when 7-year-old Timmy Martin joined in the fourth season. Timmy and his family adopted Lassie, creating some of the most memorable moments in the series.
Jon Provost, who played Timmy on *Lassie*, just celebrated his 74th birthday. He looks back fondly on his time filming with his four-legged co-star and remembers how Hollywood discovered him at only 3 years old.
The actor, born in Los Angeles, recalls that when he was 3, his mom took him to an audition for a Jane Wyman movie. She was a huge fan and just wanted her autograph. But out of 200 kids, Jon got the part.
Acting wasn’t something that ran in the family. Jon’s father had a completely different job—he was an aeronautical engineer.
“My parents weren’t Hollywood people,” Jon said. “My father is from Alabama, and my mother is from Texas.”
At age 4, Jon Provost landed a role in a movie with Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby.
“I didn’t have an agent at the time. After that, I got one, and it led to more movies like *The Country Girl* with Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly. I did about 12 movies before I started *Lassie*,” he told Fox News.
Jon also shared memories of working with the three different male dogs who played the role of Lassie. He said he formed a special bond with the last dog who portrayed the famous female collie.
“I did the show for seven years, filming 249 half-hour episodes. I worked with three different Lassies,” Jon Provost told Fox News.
He shared that the last dog he worked with was by his side for five years straight. “We grew up together. For five years, we saw each other five days a week, and sometimes even on weekends.”
Jon also revealed how well-behaved the dog was on set. “The actors made more mistakes than the dog,” he laughed. “They were more of a problem than Lassie.”
After leaving *Lassie* at 14 years old, Jon Provost went on to star with big names like Natalie Wood and Kurt Russell. Despite growing up in Hollywood, he avoided the common pitfalls many child actors face.
“My parents let me pretty much do what I wanted to do. I didn’t have to take a job,” Jon said.
Looking back, he added, “When I left Hollywood, I thought it was good that I did.”
Today, Jon lives away from the spotlight in Northern California but still receives fan mail from his time on *Lassie*. In 1994, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The character Lassie became so famous that she even had her own radio series.
In 1979, Jon married Sandy Goosens, and they had two children, Ryan and Katie. However, after 14 years of marriage, they divorced in December 1993.
In 1999, Jon found love again when he married Laurie Jacobson, a well-known researcher and author.
I’ve always been a big fan of the adventures this sweet duo went on. And with a moral in every episode, it was the perfect show for kids.
Please share this with all the *Lassie* fans you know.
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