Little House on the Prairie
Cult TV show based on the series of books by Laura Ingalis Wilder.
The year was 1878, the rush for land was on, and among the many who sought a new life in the new land were the Ingalls; Charles, his young wife, Caroline, and their three daughters, Mary, Laura and Carrie. Packing their few belongings into a wagon, they said goodbye to friends and relatives and joined the trek westward that would lead them to their new home in Plum Creek, on the plains of Minnesota.
Little House on the Prairie was aired on the NBC network from September 11, 1974, to March 21, 1983. During the 1982-83 television season, with the departure of Michael Landon, the series was broadcast with the new title Little House: A New Beginning. A miniseries called The Little House Years was aired in 1979.
The show was a loose adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House on the Prairie books.
Although it differed from the original books, and many new characters and situations were added, Although predominantly a drama, the program did have some comedic moments, thanks to supporting cast members such as Mr. Edwards (played by Victor French) and the Oleson family: Nels Oleson (Richard Bull), Harriet Oleson (Katherine MacGregor), Willie Oleson (Jonathan Gilbert), and Nellie Oleson (Alison Arngrim).
The show's central characters are Charles Ingalls (Michael Landon), farmer and patriarch, with his wife, Caroline (Karen Grassle), and three daughters, Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson), Laura (Melissa Gilbert), and Carrie (Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush). The Ingalls family also adopts 10-year-old Albert Quinn (Matthew Laborteaux), whom the family meets when they move (briefly) to Winoka, Dakota Territory in a series of 1978 episodes. Later the Ingalls family adopts more children, James (Jason Bateman) and Cassandra Cooper (Missy Francis), a brother and sister who are orphaned after their parents are killed in a wagon accident.
Other essential characters included the friendly Nels Oleson, proprietor of the town's general store, Oleson's Mercantile; his malicious, gossipping wife, Harriet; and their two spoiled children, Nellie and Willie; and later, their adopted child, Nancy (Allison Balson). Also appearing in the series are Merlin Olsen (as Jonathan Garvey), Dabbs Greer (as Reverend Robert Alden), Karl Swenson (as Lars Hanson, the town's founder and proprietor of the town's mill), and Kevin Hagen (as Dr. Hiram Baker, the town's doctor). Malcolm in the Middle creator Linwood Boomer appears as Mary Ingalls's teacher-turned-husband, Adam Kendall, whom she meets at the school for the blind in the 1978-1979 season. In 1979, Dean Butler joined the cast as Almanzo Wilder, and he and Laura are married in the 1980-1981 season premiere.
Michael Landon directed the largest number of episodes (87); producer William F. Claxton (68).Co-star Victor French helmed 19 episodes.The most successful western-dramatic series ended in 1983, due to low ratings (after Landon's decision of leaving the show), but this show set the tone for one other series that is similar to Little House: Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman. In addition, the show is immensely-popular in reruns in syndication.
Cast
* Michael Landon as Charles Phillip Ingalls - A Farmer near Walnut Grove and father of Mary, Laura, Carrie, and Grace (1974-1982)
* Karen Grassle as Caroline Lake Quiner Ingalls - Charles' wife (1974-1982)
* Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary Amelia Ingalls - Charles' & Caroline's older daughter (1974-1981)
* Melissa Gilbert as Laura Elizabeth Ingalls - Charles' & Caroline's middle daughter
* Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush (who were identical twins) as Caroline Celestia "Carrie" Ingalls - Charles' & Caroline's younger daughter (1974-1982)
* Matthew Laborteaux as Albert Quinn Ingalls - Charles' & Caroline's adopted son (1978-1983)
* Richard Bull as Nelson "Nels" Oleson
* Katherine MacGregor as Harriet Oleson
* Alison Arngrim as Nellie Oleson (1974-1981)
* Jonathan Gilbert as Willie Oleson
* Kevin Hagen as Dr. Hiram Baker
* Dabbs Greer as Reverend Robert Alden
* Victor French as Isaiah Edwards (1974-1977, 1979, 1981-1983)
* Dean Butler as Almanzo James Wilder (1979-1983)
* Merlin Olsen as Jonathan Garvey (1977-1981)
* Linwood Boomer as Adam Kendall (1978-1981)
* Wendi and Brenda Turnbaugh (who were identical twins) as Grace Pearl Ingalls (1977-1982)