Original: He is widely known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza ( 1959 -- 1973 ) , Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie ( 1974 -- 1983 ) , and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven ( 1984 -- 1989 ) .
Simplified: He is probably best known for his roles on the TV shows , Bonanza , Little House on the Prairie , and Highway to Heaven .