Little House on the Prairie (NBC 1974-1984, Michael Landon)

In January of 1973, the long-running, Western-themed drama Bonanza was laid to rest after running successfully for over two decades. NBC wished to have a similar family-oriented drama to take its place and commissioned Michael Landon, who played Little Joe on Bonanza, to adapt Laura Ingalls Wilder’s novel Little House on the Prairie into a two-hour pilot for a potential television series. The pilot did well with viewers, and NBC gave the go-ahead for a series. The resulting show, also titled Little House on the Prairie, ran successfully for eight years.

The series told the story of the Ingalls family, who moved to Walnut Grove, Minnesota in hopes of finding success and a new home in a new town. Michael Landon portrayed homesteader Charles Ingalls, patriarch of the Ingalls clan, and his wife was the ever-patient Caroline. They were accompanied by their three daughters: Mary was the eldest, Laura was the middle daughter from whose point-of-view the stories were told, and Carrie was the infant.

Upon their arrival in Walnut Grove, the Ingalls found what author Laura Ingalls Wilder described as a ‘harvest of friends.’ There was fellow farmer Isaiah Edwards, Lars Hanson the mill owner, and the Oleson family: father Nels, his snobby wife Harriet, and their children Nellie and Willie.

For a visual change of scenery in the beginning of the 1978-79 season, the Ingalls, the Olesons, and the kindly Garvey family all moved to Winoka, another Dakota town. But then that same year, everybody moved back. For good family rearin’ and swingin’ square dances, you apparently couldn’t do better than Walnut Grove. The Ingalls adopted Albert, a doe-eyed homeless kid, in 1978, and in the 1981-82 season, the Ingalls also adopted Cassandra and James. Since the eldest of their brood was married and out of the house, Charles and Caroline still needed a few cute little ones scurrying around the homestead, who could get into trouble and then glean their life lesson advice from their still-patient, and ever-wise, patriarch Chuck.

The show’s narrative was serial-like in nature and included several supporting players and frequent guest stars as it conveyed the day-to-day struggles of Ingalls family. The storylines frequently involved much heart-wrenching drama, including several illnesses and natural disasters, but always found the time to emphasize the positive family values that won over the show’s core audience. Michael Landon maintained a tight control over the series, serving as executive producer as well as writing and directing several episodes (co-star and close Landon associate Victor French also directed some episodes).

Landon ceased acting in the show on a regular basis in 1982, although he still produced. The focus of the series shifted to Laura and her husband Almanzo, who remained in Walnut Grove after Charles sold the farm and moved to Iowa with Caroline and their youngest daughters Carrie and Grace. The modified series, retitled Little House: A New Beginning, ran only one more season, and the show ended its run in March of 1983 after 201 episodes.

However, the end of the series did not signify the end of the Ingalls family saga. The story was brought to formal close via a series of three two-hour specials: Little House on the Prairie: Look Back To Yesterday (1983), Little House: The Last Farewell (1984), and Little House: Bless All The Dear Children (1984).

production details
USA | NBC – Ed Friendly Prod. / 5 feature length episodes and 204×50 minutes / Broadcast 11 September 1974 – 17 December 1984

Creator and Executive Producer: Michael Landon
Books: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Producers: Michael Landon, John Hawkins, Winston Miller, B.W. Sandefur, William F. Claxton
Theme Music: David Rose

cast
Michael Landon as Charles Ingalls
Karen Grassle as Caroline Quiner Ingalls (seasons 1–8, one Post-series movie)
Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls Wilder
Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary Ingalls Kendall (seasons 1–7, 8)
Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush as Carrie Ingalls (seasons 1–8)
Matthew Labyorteaux as Albert (Quinn) Ingalls (seasons 5–9, one Post-series movie)
Richard Bull as Nels Oleson
Katherine “Scottie” MacGregor as Harriet Oleson
Alison Arngrim as Nellie Oleson Dalton (seasons 1-7, 9)
Jonathan Gilbert as Willie Oleson
Victor French as Isaiah Edwards (seasons 1–3, 6, 8–9, three Post-series movies)
Bonnie Bartlett as Grace Snider Edwards (seasons 1–3, 6)
Kevin Hagen as Dr. Hiram Baker
Dabbs Greer as Rev. Robert Alden
Charlotte Stewart as Eva Beadle Simms (seasons 1–4)
Karl Swenson as Lars Hanson (seasons 1–5)
Radames Pera as John (Sanderson, Jr.) Edwards (seasons 2 & 3)
Brian Part as Carl (Sanderson) Edwards (seasons 2 & 3)
Kyle Richards as Alicia (Sanderson) Edwards (seasons 2–3, 6, 8)
Merlin Olsen as Jonathan Garvey (seasons 4–7)
Hersha Parady as Alice Garvey (seasons 4–6)
Patrick Labyorteaux as Andrew “Andy” Garvey (seasons 4–7)
Linwood Boomer as Adam Kendall (seasons 4–8)
Ketty Lester as Hester-Sue Terhune (seasons 5–9)
Wendi and Brenda Turnbaugh as Grace Ingalls (seasons 5–8)
Dean Butler as Almanzo Wilder (seasons 6–9, three post series movies)
Lucy Lee Flippin as Eliza Jane Wilder (seasons 6–8)
Allison Balson as Nancy Oleson (seasons 8 & 9, three Post-series movies)
Jason Bateman as James (Cooper) Ingalls (seasons 7 & 8)
Missy Francis as Cassandra (Cooper) Ingalls (seasons 7 & 8)
Shannen Doherty as Jenny Wilder (season 9, three post series movies)
Steve Tracy as Percival Dalton (Season 6 & 7)