"Little House on the Prairie" Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb trailers and videos full cast and crew trivia official sites memorable quotes Overview 38 out of 43 people found the following review useful: The best and most touching show ever made. from Ireland 11 September 2003 I love that show,I grew up with it,I saw all the episodes about twenty times.Michael Landon was a marvelous man he knew the how to make the show works and to touch audience all over the world. The casting was perfect.The music was great,all the characters had their theme song. If only we could see more about the little house actors now because they were more talented than somme actors you get on television drama now.Mattew Laborteaux was a great actors especially in the episode I'll remember you and Fagin and who could ever forget Scottie Mc gregor and Alyson Amgrim as Hariet and Nelie Olson. My point is that THEY DONT DO SHOWS LIKE THIS ANYMORE and it's sad,they did try to copy it with Dr queen but still it wasn't the half as good.

I am hoping one day of somme sort of a reunion even if I know that it wont be the samme as the great Michael Landon died and that many of the others actors did too. Was the above review useful to you? 39 out of 48 people found the following review useful: Not as sappy as you might remember... Author: Child Of Fire 20 March 2002 I grew up watching 'Little House On The Prairie', as well as read some of the books on which the program was based. As a young kid, I was aware that some of the issues on the program were very serious, but I still considered it, like many of you, to be a 'family' program; sweet, sappy, and moralistic. As the years have worn on, I've watched the program in reruns. Lately, for the past 2-3 months, I've been watching back-to-back reruns nearly everyday, and have been extremely surprised at the darker layers to 'Little House' that I guess most people never picked up.

Here's some of the darker subjects tackled on 'Little House' - murder, corruption, child rape/abuse/endangerment, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, accusations of adultery, etc. From this list you'd think you I was talking about a show you couldn't watch with your family. 'Little House' also dealt with death, destruction of one's home, the evils of gossip, alcoholism, divorce, kidnapping, racism/xenophobia/religious persecution, personal crisis, loss of faith, etc. Sure some episodes tried to have a resolution at the end of 60 minutes, but most did not. The characters were not perfect by a long shot; not even the main character Laura or even the Reverend Alden. I highly recommend 'Little House' to adults wanting to try something different out. A much better show than other 'family' shows of the time, like 'Eight Is Enough' (good but not as good as LH), and much, much better than the 'family' shows of the past decade including 'Dr. Quinn' and '7th Heaven'. Was the above review useful to you?

34 out of 39 people found the following review useful: My favorite of many outstanding episodes from Merriam, Kansas 13 September 2000 I enjoy this series (I faithfully watch the reruns) for the same reasons millions of others do; the story lines that provide valuable lessons in life and the outstanding performances by regulars and guests. I would like to let readers know my all time favorite episode. It's the one titled "The Man Inside". This is the one about the fat man who decides to "leave" so his daughter will no longer have to be embarrassedd by him. Later, the children in the blind school open her eyes and help her realize what a great father he is. Was the above review useful to you? 28 out of 33 people found the following review useful: great from Germany 29 September 2003 The late Michael Landon spent his life as a part of our tv family. From 1959 when Bonanza came on the air until 1989 when Highway to Heaven was canceled, there was not a single year that he did not have a series on the air. That is a record that will stand for all time I believe.

He specialized in creating high quality family programming. People don't generally realize that Mister Landon wrote and directed the majority of the episodes of Bonanza, Little House and Highway To Heaven. Little House showed us a simple, strong loving family who stayed together and solved their problems with the power of love and understanding. Michael was everyone's favorite strict but loving father. Melissa Gilbert said she really looked upon him as a father figure and the chemistry between Half Pint and Pa showed it. Thru Mary's blindness and her baby's death to Laura's marriage and all the other problems the Ingalls stayed together. The show had a first class ensemble cast and everyone did a wonderful job at creating colorful characters from Victor French's lovable Mister Edwards to Katherine MacGregor's snobby, mean Mrs. Olsen. What I like is the fact that Harriet Olsen always got her "comeuppance" at the end of every episode as did Nellie, but they never really did learn their lesson. One episode I remember particularly well was the one where Richard Mulligan played a Cival War veteran who was still troubled by his experiences at the Battle of Shiloh. He had ran away in battle and was seriously addicted to morphine.

Mulligan was brilliant in the part and unlike most episodes, this one had a completely tragic ending. He killed himself. Also, the episode where Albert became an addict was excellent. People made fun of the scene where he vomits on Pa during withdrawal but that is exactly what happens to addicts when they go through it. Matthew Laborteaux visited rehab centers to research his part and it shows. It is a chilling look at the horrors of drug abuse. Was the above review useful to you? 27 out of 32 people found the following review useful: Love Little House 10 April 2001 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Sure, this series isn't as good as the books, but it's very enjoyable in its own right. Since I was too young to watch the show during its original run, I like to catch up on the reruns whenever I can. The acting was right on: Melissa Gilbert as Laura was perfect. She grew in the role and showed she was quite capable of carrying the show when Michael Landon left. But I can't help but be jealous of her because the gorgeous Dean Butler played her husband, Almanzo! They both did a great job.

Of course, it would be silly for me not to mention the other wonderful actors who made Little House so enjoyable to watch: Michael Landon and Karen Grassle as Pa and Ma Ingalls. Was there ever a cooler, prettier mother on TV than Karen Grassle??? Melissa Sue Anderson as gentle Mary Ingalls was incomparable, especially after she became blind. She was very convincing playing blind! Also noteworthy are Kevin Hagen as Doc Baker, Dabbs Greer as Rev. Alden, Victor French as Mr. Edwards, and Richard Bull and Katherine MacGregor as the nosy, rude, crass, but hysterically funny Nels and Harriet Oleson. And last but certainly not least is one of TV's best villainesses, Alison Arngrim as the snobby, bratty and whiny Nellie Oleson. What would LH have been without the great rivalry between Laura Ingalls and Nellie Oleson? Did they give the writers of Dynasty ideas for the mudfights between Krystle and Alexis??? It's hard to describe what it is about Little House I love so much. I think I love the extreme closeness of the Ingalls family, and the romance.

Whether it be the love and romance between long married Charles and Caroline, the sweet love and romance of Laura and her "Manly", among others, or also the fact I grew up watching the reruns on my grandmother's lap and we bonded to this show in a certain sense, I truly have a big spot in my heart for this show and also Laura Ingalls Wilder's wonderful books. My favorite episode is "Divorce, Walnut Grove Style", Laura and Almanzo's separation over the girl's song, and how they reconcile. What a wonderful show! Was the above review useful to you? 25 out of 30 people found the following review useful: This was an inspiring series Author: actorsmama 4 July 2003 I've also read the negative comments and I have none. I've noticed some of the things that were mentioned but so what? What's wrong with showing emotion and crying? What's the problem with bringing new characters on for just one episode? That's the way shows are done, which should be obvious to all adults by now - if they've watched at least, well.....*anything* in film.

I've been part of filming many times and I can tell you honestly that Michael Landon would have been a dream to work with. Melissa Gilbert is a pro and I absolutely adore her work. She remains one of my favorite actors to this day. The rest of the players are priceless. I'm 41 now and I was growing up watching this show and I just wonder how in the world could a parent NOT want their child to watch something like that? I learned so much from the storylines, and they taught me the meaning of goodness and purity. Little House was the epitome of good. They brought to light many situations and the best solutions to them and in most cases no one was ever hurt(unless an emotional learning experience). And not even Jack drowned. :o) If you want a wholesome show that the family will love and will benefit from, this is it. Not even the Waltons can top this one, and I love that show. Overlook the discrepancies that were mentioned here and you won't be sorry you took the chance. I came here to post because I saw that the first season of Little House is coming out and I would love for others to benefit.

I just wish they'd filmed it in the past 5 years so my son could've been part of it. :o) Was the above review useful to you? 15 out of 18 people found the following review useful: LHotP - Best Family Show! Author: lotsabears65 19 April 2006 I don't know what it is about this show, but it is one of my all time favorites. I am now in my early 40's and still watch it every time it airs. I own every DVD and even recorded every show long before DVDs were available. Michael Landon had a gift about the shows he wrote and directed. The best episode, in my opinion, is "The Lord is My Shepherd." The story lines and family atmosphere of these episodes says a lot. I can remember growing up watching these shows every Monday night - brings back fond memories of sharing those times with my family, particularly my grandmother, who adored Michael Landon as much as I did. I wish TV of today had the family values like it had many years ago. Shows such as "Little House" will forever remain a piece of history. Thank God Michael Landon left us such wonderful TV memories!

:-) Was the above review useful to you? 16 out of 22 people found the following review useful: Great and Cute Drama-series... from Miami, USA 30 January 2003 This TV-series is a classic! I love this show. It's great and it's cute...the cast is great and every episode of the series it´s extremely good. Melissa Gilbert is a magnifficent actress, she played her role very well from the start back in 1974 to the end in 1984. Was the above review useful to you? 19 out of 29 people found the following review useful: One of the best of the family-oriented shows of the 1970's from Durham, North Carolina 4 September 2005 The great Michael Landon spent his entire life as a part of the television generation. He has a career that span five consecutive decades from the late 1950's all the way until the early part of the 1990's.

From 1959 when "Bonanza" came on the air,all the way through the mid-1980's with "Highway To Heaven",and the short-lived series "Us",there wasn't a single year that he did not have a series on the air. That is a record that will stand the test of time. Landon specialized in creating high quality family programming that made him one of the hardest working individuals in television. What made him so unique and successful in all the shows he produced and starred in,that the general public didn't realize that Michael Landon was very technical in what he did since he wrote,produced,and directed many of the episodes for "Bonanza","Little House On The Prairie",and "Highway To Heaven",not to mention his short lived series "Us". Its was here during his most successful show,"Little House On The Prairie",that he was not only the executive producer,but in charge of his own production company and the necessary means in which he had his own studio as well, Michael Landon Productions through the powers that be with TV executives over at NBC.

"Little House On The Prairie",show audiences that Landon was way beyond his image as "Little" Joe Cartwright,for which he played for the 14 seasons that "Bonanza" ran on the air,and gave them new light into the character of Charles Ingalls,a strict but loving father who made a way out of no way to provide for his family during the times and struggles that went on the town of Walnut Grove. In about every episode it shows us how a strong loving family who stayed together and basically solved their problems with the love and understanding of one another through the hardships and trials that came their way,but made it through with hope and faith. "Little House On The Prairie",had enough staying power for the nine and a half years that it ran on NBC-TV(1974-1983)and from there became one of the best family oriented shows of the 1970's,and it stayed that way throughout the remainder of the early-1980's. The series produced 203 episodes,and also developed a spin-off as well,"Father Murphy",which ran for three seasons.

Not to mention three successful made for TV movies based on this series as well,from the premiere episode in 1974,to the fiery climax of the series in mid-1983. However,about the episodes,as one comment mentioned them as sweet and sappy as it was remembered,but in other terms it was a series that tackled some very disturbing issues that were relevant in its day while at the same time staying within the frame of the moralistic/family oriented genre. Some of it tackled even darker subjects,and this was a first in the family oriented dramas of the 1970's. But at the same time,it has some very touching moments. Also it had some classic episodes to boot too....Who remembers the episode were Laura Ingalls and Nelly Oleson duked it out against each other? But for most part,and as far as the characters were concerned,we got to see Melissa Gilbert's character of Laura transform during the series run from the development of a little girl to a beautiful woman,and it was during this series that she got married too.

The chemistry between Michael Landon as Pa and Melissa Gilbert as Half Pint was perfect in every aspect and it shows in the Golden Globes this show rack up,not to mention the Emmy nominations it received as well. As for the mom,Karen Grassle,there was no cooler mom that she was. The mom every daughter wanted to have. Compassionate,caring and down to earth. Oh yeah,let's not forget Laura's oldest sister,Mary(Melissa Sue Anderson),and the baby girl Carrie(played by twins Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush)who also grows up before our eyes during the show's entire run. And the family's faithful and reliable dog,"Bandit",who comes to the rescue just in case the children get into any danger. And as far as the townsfolk are concerned,out of all the characters in Walnut Grove, there was NOBODY so devious and deliciously evil as Nelly Oleson and actress Allison Arngrim,played it to the tee as well as her mom Harriet Oleson,played by Katherine McGregor...In other words..Nelly was the girl everyone loves to hate!!!

This was a show that was way better and way focus than the other family shows that came out during the 1970's,and "Little House On The Prairie" was that show! Not even its competition,"The Waltons"(which was on a rival network)does not even come close!!! Out of all the shows this one tackled subjects that were too intense for a family show and it shows in some of the episodes. Landon basically went by the books that were the basis for the series that were written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and from there it worked. If you want a wholesome show that the family can love then leave it to Michael Landon and Company to bring you the best. There are some lessons and messages in some of the episodes. This is why it became NBC's most successful show,until it was cancelled in 1983. Was the above review useful to you? 8 out of 8 people found the following review useful: Wonderful family show from United States 13 November 2005 This show debuted just after my birth, my mother watched it religiously and I was raised watching this show.

I have read and re-read all of the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and I now own every season available on DVD. Little House On the Prarie is a show that not only showed America what family is all about, it also tackled serious issues every week. I've read all of the negative comments and still can't see why anyone wouldn't love this show. Yes Michael Landon was a big part of the show, but the show was really about Laura and how she grew up, and as she grew up we got to watch a wonderful actress, Melissa Gilbert, grow up too. At 31 I now look back on this show with love and tenderness, remembering special times with my own mother as I watched it as a child. This is truly one of the best family shows that has ever been broadcast on TV. We need shows like this on TV now. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 7: Little House on the Prairie Community - TV.com Show Summary This award-winning family drama was based upon Laura Ingalls Wilder's 9-part series of autobiographical books. Television producer and NBC executive Ed Friendly became aware of this enduring story in the early 1970s.

He asked Michael Landon to direct the pilot movie, who agreed on the condition that he could also play Charles Ingalls. TIME: beginning in the 1870s. PLACE: the American frontier - more specifically, Walnut Grove in the state of Minnesota. THE CHARACTERS: Charles/Pa Ingalls: a homesteader farmer/woodworker; compassionate and loving, yet quick-tempered and ready to throw a defensive punch whenever necessary Caroline/Ma Ingalls: Patient and understanding wife and mother; the ideal prairie woman Laura Ingalls Wilder: The winsome, tomboyish second daughter of Charles and Caroline, who serves as the voice of the entire series, and eventually married Almanzo Wilder Mary Ingalls Kendall: Charles and Caroline's pretty and ultra-responsible oldest daughter, who longs to be a teacher and goes completely blind at the age of 15.

She later marries Adam Kendall, although this is a fictional piece created just for the TV series Carrie Ingalls: The cute third daughter of Charles and Caroline, who didn't have a large role but was always portrayed as a very sweet little girl Grace Ingalls: Charles and Caroline's fifth and final child, who was only about 4 when her role in the series ended Jack: the loyal, lovable family dog, who was replaced by Bandit when he died in Season 4. Albert Quinn Ingalls: The fictional adopted son of Charles and Caroline--an orphaned runaway whom the Ingalls meet while living temporarily in Winoka James Cooper Ingalls: The fictional adopted son of Charles and Caroline, who comes to live with them after the death of his parents Cassandra Cooper Ingalls: The fictional adopted daughter of Charles and Caroline, and the younger sister of James Supporting characters include: Miss Eva Beadle: The first teacher of Walnut Grove, who taught Laura to read and helped Mary realize her dream to teach Dr. Hiram Baker: the loyal town physician Reverend Robert Alden: The town's devout and hugely caring Church minister Mr.

Isaiah Edwards: The mountain-man/drifter-turned-farmer who settled in Walnut Grove, who had a drinking problem and, despite his happy-go-lucky exterior, had a lot of emotional turmoil in his life Grace Snider: A widow and town postmistress who marries Isaiah and adopts three orphaned children with him John Sanderson Edwards: the oldest adopted son of Isaiah and Grace, who lives with them after the death of his widowed mother, and becomes a writer Carl Sanderson Edwards: Isaiah and Grace's second adopted child, brother of John and Alicia Alicia Sanderson Edwards: The sweet youngest adopted child of Isaiah and Grace, and the younger sister of John and Carl Lars Hanson: The beloved founder of Walnut Grove, and proprietor of the Hanson Lumber Mill, where Charles and Isaiah worked Nels Oleson: father and proprietor of the mercantile (general store). Harriet Oleson: The rude, gossiping woman who spoils her children rotten and has a perpetual hold on her ever-patient husband Nellie Oleson Dalton: The bratty oldest child of Nels and Harriet, who butts heads with Laura throughout their childhood and later marries Percival Dalton (another fictional event).

Willie Oleson: Nels and Harriet's youngest child, who is mischievous but has more of his father's kindhearted traits; eventually marries Rachel Brown Adam Kendall: Mary's husband, who is also blind and wins her heart by teaching her to reclaim her life when she first goes blind. Has two children with Mary, but they both die in infancy Almanzo Wilder: Laura's charismatic husband, a farmer who has two children with Laura, one of whom dies in infancy John Carter: A blacksmith and family man who moves from Walnut Grove to New York in Season 9 with his wife and two sons, moving into the Ingalls house when they relocate to Iowa. Sarah Carter: A newspaper editor and loving mother, wife of John Carter.

Jeb Carter: John and Sarah's oldest child, fairly underdeveloped, but always a good kid Jason Carter: John and Sarah's adorable, endearing youngest son who was often Michael Landon's go-to kid for comic relief in some of the darker episodes from Seasons 9 and 10 Jenny Wilder: the sweet, effervescent fictional niece of Laura and Almanzo, who comes to live with them permanently after the death of her father, Almanzo's brother Royal. Nancy Oleson: A young girl that Nels and Harriet adopt once Nellie is grown; a monstrous, manipulative child who has her mother wrapped around her little fingermoreless Little House on the Prairie (Series) - TV Tropes Little House on the Prairie You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share Series / Little House on the Prairie × WMG This serene family drama on NBC , which ran from 1974 well into the 1980s, was based on the popular series of autobiographical books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Michael Landon and Karen Grassle played Charles and Caroline Ingalls, a pioneer couple with three daughters: Laura (Melissa Gilbert), Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) and Carrie (twins Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush). For its ninth and final season, the series was Re Tooled as Little House: A New Beginning; this was followed by three TV movies to wrap up the characters' storylines. This show provides examples of: Abusive Parents : Surprisingly frequent for the show. Guest character Todd from "The Angry Heart" had an abusive dad. James and Cassandra, the orphans Ma and Pa adopt later in the series, briefly lived with an abusive guardian. Albert's nightmares soon after his adoption imply he suffered abuse at a city orphanage. Laura Ingalls Wilder will get dirty and play baseball as a child but at sixteen she becomes more elegant and gets her first teaching job. Albert, who plays football in a number of episodes.

Accidental Athlete : In the Baseball Episode "In the Big Inning", as Charles is getting ready for a game against a team from Sleepy Eye, he and Half-Pint are at Jebediah Mumfort's farm, where they both witness Jebediah trying to hit a chicken hawk with a rock. He throws the rock so hard, it puts holes in the side of a barn. After this display, Charles convinces Jebediah to try out for Walnut Grove's baseball team. Of course, he's a natural and helps them win the big game despite all the cheating and poor sportsmanship of those evil people from Sleepy Eye. Adaptational Villainy : Harriet Oleson was generally kind and polite in the books, but in the TV series she's a malicious gossip. Nellie Oleson. In later years, Nancy Oleson, who is also a Doppelganger for Nellie. Jeb Standish in the Winoka episodes is a rare male example. His father, Standish essentially owns the town. Jeb bullies Albert, Laura and others with words rather than fists. Affectionate Nickname : Half-Pint for Laura, even into adulthood.

Beard of Sorrow : Charles grows one when he takes his comatose son James, on a pilgrimage to ask God to heal the boy. Bee Afraid : One episode in Season 6 has Albert selling Mrs. Oleson and Nellie a tree trunk filled with bees. They remain docile until Oleson's wagon begins to rock while they transport the hive home, causing the bees to angrily sting both the women as they lose control of their horses. Berserk Button : Pa's big one is hurting or attempting to harm his wife and/or children. Big Brother Bully : Nellie was a female example of this to her brother Willie, often coercing him to go along with her schemes. In the episode "Annabelle", we find out the usually kind-hearted Nels Oleson gave his sister Annabelle a hard time about her weight.

Big Eater : Willie Oleson, to the point where his father laments "Where does he put it all?" In "Here Come The Brides", Luke Simms eats so much that even Willie no longer has an appetite Elmer Miles in "For The Love of Nancy" "Boys Will Be Men", a surprisingly lighthearted and comedic episode about Albert and Andy successfully proving they can be men by walking to Sleepy Eye and back, while their fathers struggle to keep up with them. The episode where Laura and Almanzo babysit Royal's boys. Calling the Old Man Out : Willie calls out his mother when she tries to keep him from marrying the girl he loves. In "Gambini the Great," the eponymous stuntman Gambini gets one from his oldest son, who is concerned about his aging dad's death-defying stunts and also does not want to carry on the family tradition. Card-Carrying Villain : The Oleson women, though they get their Pet the Dog episodes every once in a while.

Catch Phrase : Hariet Oleson "Oh for HEAVEN'S sake!" Christmas Episode : "Christmas At Plum Creek", "Blizzard", "A Christmas They Never Forgot" and the TV movie "Bless All The Dear Children". Chuck Cunningham Syndrome : The Edwards family vanishes between the 3rd and 4th seasons. It is mentioned that they moved away from Walnut Grove. The Edwards' oldest son, John, is in the second episode of the fourth season, and the rest of the Edwards family appears in a Season Six episode (when Laura and Pa visit them), and Mr. Edwards turns up again in Season Eight and becomes a regular after he moves back to Walnut Grove. Circus Episode : Season Five's "Annabelle" has Mr. Oleson's estranged sister working as the Fat Lady in a touring circus, while Laura appears in it disguised as a clown. Class Clown : Willie Oleson. He even has his own corner. Designated Victim : Poor, poor Mary. If something bad had to happen, it was going to happen to her. Laura's niece Jenny.

Her first appearance had her so devastated by her father's death that she tries to drown herself in the lake, arguably not fully realizing the implications of suicide, but still getting an angry lecture from Laura. One of her last appearances involved her contraction of brain damage as a result of nearly drowning—again—while going after a treasured locket. Apparently, the writers were bent on trying to drown this character but weren't allowed to actually do it. Don't Make Me Take My Belt Off : Misbehaving children are frequently threatened with or given whippings. However excessive or particularly brutal corporal punishment is presented as child abuse. Historical Beauty Update : Pretty much the entire Ingalls family, but Pa Ingalls especially. Hot Teacher : Averted in "Back To School, Part One". Albert dresses in his Sunday clothes on his first day of school, in anticipation of meeting the new teacher, Miss Wilder. Then he gets a look at her. Although, in the previous season's episode "The Sound of Children" Albert does get a crush on substitute teacher Miss Elliott. Nancy Oleson. In real life, the actress who played her, Allison Balson, is a folk singer. Nancy's predecessor, Nellie.

Unlike Balson, Allison Arngrim — by her own admission — cannot sing worth a lick. Hollywood Heart Attack : Charles' friend Jack Prescott in the episode "The Legacy." Hollywood History : Although set in the 1870s (at the series' start in 1974), many of the stories reflect the values and morals of the 1970s and early 1980s. Michael Landon's hairstyle is clearly the thick, bushy style of the 1970s. Reverend Alden's usual preaching style and temperament reflects the changing, liberal views of the Bible that were coming into vogue in the 1970s, compared to the then-standard fire-and-brimstone style. Hourglass Plot : Laura and Nellie to some extent. In the early seasons, Laura is a likable heroine but becomes less nice when she grows up and gets married (attacking a woman she believes is having an affair with her husband, constantly snipping at her students, picking fights with her husband). On the other hand, her Alpha Bitch rival Nellie mellows out considerably when she grows up and gets married. Laura always had a short fuse and an attitude problem.

She actually mellowed out as she got older. I Am Not Pretty : Laura feels this way, especially in comparison to her sister Mary. I Have No Son : Invoked by Gambini in "Gambini the Great" to his oldest son Stephano. He comes around. If I Were a Rich Man : When Laura thinks she's found gold, she dreams of her family being extremely rich. They are dressed in beautiful clothes, own every business in town, and live in a castle. She can't resist adding a sulking Nellie Oleson and family glaring at her in sheer jealousy, all of them wearing dusty feed sacks and living in a ramshackle hut. Imaginary Friend : Carrie invents one in an episode. Improbable Hairstyle : This was filmed in the 1970s , you say? Michael Landon's massive perm is the most noticeable giveaway, but the longish, feathered 'dos on the younger men and boys sure don't help much. Plus, Landon is always freshly shaven, even when he spends several days somewhere without a razor. The real Charles Ingalls wore a full beard.

Infant Immortality : This trope is averted with the show being true to the infant mortality rates of the harsh frontier. Several babies and children die on this show. The Ingalls' first son, Charles Jr., dies of what seems to be leukemia before he even turns a year old. Mary's infant son is killed during a fire at the blind school. And she miscarried a year before that. Laura and Almanzo's unnamed newborn son dies suddenly during the night after becoming ill a few days before. (It is believed that he was conceived too soon after his parents recovered from diphtheria causing his illness and death.) Later the couple's hired handyman's infant dies and Laura and Almanzo attend the funeral. Laura later admits that the thing that really broke her heart was hearing the child's name being spoken due to never having the chance to name their own before he died. (The child's real life grave-marker reads Baby Son Wilder) Laura and Mary's friend Ellen drowns while the three are swimming together. Innocent Swearing : When the Ingalls move to Winoka in Season 5, Carrie learns and repeats the word "damn" from saloon patrons. This prompts Pa to give her a talk about good words vs.

bad words. Instrumental Theme Tune : Composed by David Rose. Yes, the same guy who did "The Stripper". Irish Explosives Expert : In an early episode, an out-of-work Pa joins an Irish "powder monkey" who knows where the two of them can get jobs blasting tunnels for the railroads. It Will Never Catch On : Mrs. Oleson's view of a southern colonel's idea of opening a restaurant that only serves fried chicken. Interesting in that the colonel was supposed to bring about the notion that this colonel was Colonel Sanders or at least that Mrs. Oleson was offered a chance to get in on the ground floor of a highly-successful restaurant idea, but she was too dumb/ignorant to realize it. Never mind that Colonel Sanders wasn't born until 1890 and that his idea only worked because of some clever marketing, a specific recipe, specific cooking techniques, and the fact that he could appeal to travelers who would otherwise not want to stop long enough to wait for chicken to cook (the cooking techniques took care of this problem). "Too dumb/ignorant"??

Her outright refusal of the colonel's offer is very understandable given that she had just been released from an unreasonable contract with another operator of a chain of restaurants. Also, the colonel's "gimmick" is that only fried chicken will be served, and Mrs. Oleson's last venture was unsuccessful in part due to her customers wanting more variety than the three or four choices offered. If anything, the lesson of the day was more that having been "burned" by a bad experience can blind one to legitimate opportunities. Also, at the time the books and series are set, the concept of "restaurant" wouldn't have applied in a community that size. Outside of big cities, restaurants fell into two primary categories: saloons and workingmen's diners, or the Harvey House chain of railroad-station eating houses. The concept of a family restaurant would not come along for several decades. Last Episode, New Character : Sherwood Montague. Rachel Brown also qualifies as this, since she marries Willie in the penultimate regular episode and was never seen before this. Longest Pregnancy Ever : While most characters on the show announced their pregnancy and gave birth in the same episode, Laura's pregnancy lasted almost a year in real time.

In "I Do Again", which aired in March 1981. she announces she's pregnant. She doesn't have her baby until a February 1982 episode. Loads and Loads of Characters : At any given point in the series, there were anywhere from 15 to more than two dozen characters that could be considered "regulars." In Season 1, for instance, there were the Ingalls, the Olesons, Miss Beadle, Dr. Baker, Rev. Alden, Mr. Edwards, and a number of schoolchildren that appeared in multiple episodes. This fluctuated throughout the rest of the series, with some only appearing as background characters and others having entire episodes about them. By the same token, since the regular character list was so extensive, most episodes only had a few characters at a time appear in any given episode, with others absent completely. Love at First Punch : Nellie falls for Percival after a mild food fight with him. Mandatory Line : Happened frequently due to the show having Loads and Loads of Characters . Supporting cast members and sometimes even the lead cast members would appear briefly in an episode where they served no real purpose, just to comment on the plot.

Mayï¿½December Romance : There are two. The first is between Dr. Baker and Harriet's niece Kate Thurvald. The second is between Isaiah Edwards and Laura's friend Jane Canfield. Neither one ends well. Melodrama : In almost every episode. Misplaced Wildlife : Owing to its being filmed in California, the calls of the California Quail can often be heard. The show is set in Minnesota. Missing Mom : The reason for why Nancy, the orphan with a severe behavior disorder who is adopted by the Olesons, is orphaned. However, Nancy's sob story explanation (she had loved her mother and couldn't figure out why she abandoned her) conflicts with the actual explanation: Her birth mother had died while giving birth to Nancy (today, the condition is known as preecclampsia); since a Disappeared Dad was also at play ï¿½ authorities were unable to determine and/or track down her biological father (given that DNA testing was more than 100 years from being perfected) ï¿½ she was sent to an orphanage. Eventually, Charles uncovers the truth and reveals it to both Laura and the Olesons, and it is Mrs.

Oleson, the series anti-hero, who helps Nancy come to terms with the truth. Mood Whiplash : Occurs often when an episode has a Downer Ending (examples include the first part of "I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away," "May We Make Them Proud," and "Gambini the Great.") We go from the melancholy ending to cheery music and that shot of a young Melissa Gilbert running through the grass with arms outstretched. The Mountains of Illinois : In this case, Minnesota. My Friends... and Zoidberg Nellie begins her commencement speech with "Fellow classmates, friends...and others" N-Word Privileges : The word "nigger" is used outright in at least three episodes, each dealing with racism. These include: "The Wisdom Of Solomon," where a young African American boy named Solomon (played by a pre- Diff'rent Strokes Todd Bridges) remarks to his classmates what he hates about being black: "Being called a nigger." "Blind Journey," a two-part episode depicting a journey students and staff of the School of the Blind take from Winoka to Mr. Hanson's old house near Walnut Grove; although Mrs.

Oleson is revealed to be strongly bigoted with hints of racism (revealed in her disappointment over African American teacher's aide Hester Sue Terhune (1950s pop vocalist Ketty Lester) not being an elite social lady), even she never utters the n-word (in fact, Harriet has a change of heart during the trip and comes to view the black children in a positive light). This is left to racist farmer Judd Larabee (Don Barry, the former title hero in the "Red Ryder" westerns) when he sees the Ingalls and other Blind School folks treating Hester Sue as a friend. "Barn Burner," where Larabee uses the epithet several times in an episode framed around African American farmer Joe Kagan (Moses Gunn, in a post- Good Times role). First, the farmers form a cooperative and on Charles Ingalls' persuasion invite Kagan, over Larabee's strong objections; later, when Larabee is accused of setting Jonathan Garvey's barn on fire and could hang for his crime, Kagan serves on the jury.

Ironically, Kagan is the only one who believes Larabee is innocent, and manages to continue his arguments long enough for Garvey's son, Andy, to admit he left a lighted lantern too close to the barn. Larabee is acquitted and upon finding out that Kagan thought he was innocent, doesn't even thank him . (Larabee made his final appearance in this episode, as it is soon revealed that he dies not long afterward, his family having left him and the townspeople shunning him.) "Dark Sage" where a black doctor named Caleb Ledoux arrives at Walnut Grove and can't find work because of his skin color. A racist farmer won't let the doctor treat his wife, despite her needing medical attention and calls Dr. Caleb the epithet. he ended up saving the farmer's wife and baby by performing an emergency cesarean section, something no one else in the town, even the regular doctor who believed medicine belonged to the white man, could do. The farmer is heavily chastised for being willing to let his wife and baby die before accepting help from a black man. New Neighbours as the Plot Demands : This show was extremely guilty of this. Nitro Express : Done with blasting oil in one episode.

No Accounting for Taste : Nels and Harriet Oleson argue constantly, and more than once, they've even separated, but the show makes clear on more than one occasion that it is a love match . No Celebrities Were Harmed : In the episode "Harriet's Happenings", Sterling Murdoch, who runs a newspaper in Walnut Grove that prints malicious gossip, is a thinly veiled Rupert Murdoch . At the end of the episode, Charles publicly berates Sterling and Harriet for their actions. Michael Landon was very vocal about his dislike for tabloids and the stories printed about his personal life, hence the premise of this episode. Nuclear Candle : In one episode, one of the girls is kidnapped and trapped in a pitch-black cellar; when her captor checks on her while holding a small candle, it's suddenly as if a spotlight was shining down. Obfuscating Disability : Nellie Olson fakes paralysis after falling off a horse so her parents will give her presents and Laura will be her slave out of guilt.

Covered Up : Laura proves Nellie is faking it by rolling Nellie down a hill to a pond, which looks just like the rolling-down-a-hill scene in Mac and Me shot 15 years later. Guess which one got the Memetic Mutation ? In the episode "Family Tree", Albert tricks his biological father into letting the Ingalls adopt him by pretending to be blind. In "Blind Man's Bluff" a boy injures himself and pretends to be blind to keep his parents from divorcing. Inverted in "Dearest Albert, I'll Miss You" when Albert's pen pal, Leslie, hides the fact that she uses a wheelchair from Albert. Obnoxious In-Laws : Harriet doesn't take it kindly that her daughter married a Jew, and Percival often enjoys snarking about Harriet's pompous personality. In addition, big time between the Olesons and Percival's family. Though Harriet and Percival's mother get along better, the Jewish father not so much.

Sibling Team : Laura and Albert Sinister Minister : A variant, Reverend Danforth from the Season 6 episode "The Faith Healer." He's not evil, but he's deluded himself into thinking that he really does have the spiritual gift of healing. This has made him so prideful that he maliciously tries to take Reverend Alden's church from him. He's also the secondhand cause of young Timothy Dodds' death. Timothy's dad took him to Danforth to treat a burst appendix, against medical advice. Timothy was then convinced his pain was gone, only to die of said burst appendix one scene later. Smoking Is Cool : Charles smokes a pipe in many episodes (Michael Landon was a real-life smoker). Despite the apparent glamorization, Charles does discourage Albert from taking up the habit in a segment played for laughs (Albert is sitting by the fireplace, mimicking his adopted father).

However, Albert does trying smoking a pipe again, with much more dire consequences; this comes in the 1980 episode "May We Make Them Proud," where Albert and a friend sneak into the basement of the School for the Blind to smoke, are shooed out and in haste, stuff a still-burning pipe in a box of towels. Later that night, the fire spreads to the upstairs, and ultimately traps and kills Alice Garvey (mother of Albert's best friend, Andy) and baby Adam Kendall (son of Mary and Adam Kendall). Snowed-In : Several episodes, often set around Christmas, including 1976's "The Blizzard" and 1981's "A Christmas They Never Forgot." The former was moreso an effort by worried parents to find their children who were about to be lost in a fast-moving blizzard; the latter featured the family (along with their friend, Hester Sue) sitting around the table sharing Christmas memories. Laura's Christmas memory includes flashback clips from the original pilot movie, where they meet Mr. Edwards.

Spelling Bee : One of these happens during the episode "Harriet's Happenings" Street Urchin : Albert, before the Ingalls take him back to Walnut Grove with them. Sudden School Uniform : When Mrs. Oleson took over the school. Yes, she owned the only store in town that sold clothes. Or cloth, for that matter... Suspiciously Similar Substitute : Nancy Oleson, for Nellie John Carter for Charles Ingalls. Not only does John move into Charlesï¿½ old house, but he also takes Charles' place at the mill and on the town council. He also stands up to the greedy railroad builders much the way Charles would have. Sweet Polly Oliver : In "Oleson Versus Oleson" Harriet disguises herself as a male ranch hand in order to spy on Nels and the other men at the mercantile, since the women in town have all moved into the hotel, leaving the men to take of the children and run the households themselves. Small Name, Big Ego : Mrs. Oleson never really catches on that her pompous, arrogant behavior does not enhance, and in fact diminishes, her family's standing.

Television Geography : Note the title, taken directly from the book, with its reference to the lush, rolling grasslands characteristic of much of central North America. The TV series is specifically set about midway through the trek, in Minnesota. Anybody surprised that the onscreen scenery routinely featured Southern California-style mountains, trees, scrub-brush, chaparral, etc? Didn't think so. You might find some people convinced the show took place in Kansas. This perception wasn't helped by the fact that the Wichita NBC station ran promos that stated the Ingalls were "Kansas' first family." Also, the pilot did take place in Kansas. Some viewers may have assumed they moved to a different part of Kansas rather than all the way back to Minnesota, especially after Charles bumps into Mr. Edwards again after only a few episodes. Thanksgiving Episode : "The Little House Years" is this as well as a Clip Show . Cast Of 'Little House On The Prairie': Where Are They Now? | Made Man Facebook Twitter Stumble Google+ Save Have you ever wondered about the cast of "Little House on the Prairie," and where are they now? "Little House on the Prairie" was a popular television show based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Many of its cast members went on to have successful acting careers or were already successful before joining the cast. So stop wondering "where are they now?" and find out today. Michael Landon and Karen Grassle played "Pa" and "Ma," or Charles and Caroline, from the beginning of the show to its end. Landon went on to play an angel on the television show "Highway to Heaven." He passed away in 1991 after a battle with cancer. Karen Grassle made a few television appearances after "Little House on the Prairie" and continues to work as an actress on the stage. Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush, who shared the role of Carrie Ingalls, the youngest Ingalls girl. While the twins had a few jobs after the show ended, including a spot as the Doublemint twins, both have left acting. Melissa Sue Anderson, who played Mary, the oldest, continues to act and appear in small roles on television and in films. Her latest role was in the TV movie "Marco Polo." Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura on "Little House on the Prairie," struggled with drugs and alcohol in her teenage years.

She went on to have relationships with actors such as John Cusack and Tom Cruise, was married to Bo Brinkman, another actor, and is now married to Bruce Boxleitner. She has two children. Since "Little House on the Prairie," Gilbert has appeared in more than 40 TV movies and appeared on several shows. Alison Arngrim, who played the bossy, mean Nellie Oleson on "Little House on the Prairie," became an AIDs activist in the early 80s. Steve Tracey, who played her husband later in the series, passed away from the disease, prompting Arngrim to write the memoir "Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson And Learned To Love Being Hated," and later developed it into a one-woman show. show comments

Question: With Michael Landon and Karen Grassle as the mother and father, what was the surname of the main family in the TV series Litle House on the Prairie?
Answer: INGALL