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Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

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jason88cubs
jason88cubs

Walnut Grove was  a nice quiet town, a town with happiness, a friendly town, with a wave and a smile. No tornadoes, no plagues, hardly any sickness. The one day it all changed. A creepy feeling crawle

Egg McMuffin
Egg McMuffin

WKRP creator Hugh Wilson spoke of his frustration at trying to beat Little House in the ratings. “Every time we gain on 'em, they set a house on fire or blind another child.”

Jacqs
Jacqs

We are still a family even though we are now just a thread. Just imagine us as now being Pa's two room shanty which he never bothered expanding, despite Grace, Albert, James, Cassandra etc...

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alexa

alexa

I finished the series, and then went and did a search for the Final Farewell on amazon.  I still really love the whole blowing up the buildings thing in that episode.  I was reading about it afterwards online, and though many say Landon did it because he was mad about the cancellation--the real reason (according to an interview that was done) was that he understood the cancellation due to lower ratings, but he had to return the acreage that he was using to what it was like before when they were done with it (something like that).  So he wasn't sure what to do with the buildings, and someone came up with the idea of the storyline to blow them up.  

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Snow Apple

Snow Apple

2 hours ago, alexa said:

I finished the series, and then went and did a search for the Final Farewell on amazon.  I still really love the whole blowing up the buildings thing in that episode.  I was reading about it afterwards online, and though many say Landon did it because he was mad about the cancellation--the real reason (according to an interview that was done) was that he understood the cancellation due to lower ratings, but he had to return the acreage that he was using to what it was like before when they were done with it (something like that).  So he wasn't sure what to do with the buildings, and someone came up with the idea of the storyline to blow them up.  

I thought I read somewhere that he didn’t want any other production to use “his” buildings but I don’t remember where. Maybe it was just a fan theory or something.

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alexa

alexa

(edited)
22 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

I thought I read somewhere that he didn’t want any other production to use “his” buildings but I don’t remember where. Maybe it was just a fan theory or something.

That is what I thought too, but there was a source that had an interview with him or someone on the show that said, let's set the record straight...and they went on to say that about how they had to remove the buildings anyway as part of the original agreement of using the land, etc.

 

Found it:  https://www.cbr.com/tv-legends-revealed-why-did-michael-landon-blow-up-the-little-house-sets/

Also found this interesting in the above article:  Actor John Ivar, who played the head of the family that moved into the "Little House,” took home the actual set for that house, rescuing it from destruction. A replica was put up in its place, but it was destroyed in a fire in 2003.

 

Edited by alexa
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Snow Apple

Snow Apple

9 hours ago, BigBingerBro said:

Tornados can be hit or miss like that and considering it was a time before meteorology and breaking news, I thought it was legit

Tornados are crazy unpredictable things. I saw on the news once (in the 90's?) of a house totally destroyed but the houses next to them looked like nothing happened. It was a strange sight.

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CountryGirl

CountryGirl

1 hour ago, Snow Apple said:

Tornados are crazy unpredictable things. I saw on the news once (in the 90's?) of a house totally destroyed but the houses next to them looked like nothing happened. It was a strange sight.

I grew up in NW Ohio and am no stranger to tornadoes and know exactly the randomness of them at times. One of my older sisters was in highschool at the time (out in the country, roughly 20 miles to the west of my school) and could see it coming from a distance. There was this jerk in her class who kept saying how all of their homes would be taken out. There was a row of houses across the street from the highschool. Most had a few shingles missing but nothing more. Only one was completely destroyed. It was his. 

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CountryGirl

CountryGirl

Speaking of tornadoes, IIRC, Laura's books never mentioned them, but we had at least two tornadoes on the show that I recall:

1- The tornado that takes out the fields (poor Pa was always losing the crops) and kills the calf. Charles almost sells the farm back to a couple who had lived there years before. The first appearance of the guy who would also play Zachariah (Gold Country crazy guy) and Uncle Jed Cooper.

2 - The tornado that took out Laura and Almanzo's first home not long after she gave birth to Rose. Pa and Ma lied to her about how bad the damage was (saying it was just a few broken windows) when the house was beyond repair. But then we wouldn't have had one of Laura's most infamous quotes: "I've got a baby, a cat, and a plate. And no home. No home!"

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jird

jird

31 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

2 - The tornado that took out Laura and Almanzo's first home not long after she gave birth to Rose. Pa and Ma lied to her about how bad the damage was (saying it was just a few broken windows) when the house was beyond repair. But then we wouldn't have had one of Laura's most infamous quotes: "I've got a baby, a cat, and a plate. And no home. No home!"

That was pretty crappy of them not to tell Laura about her house. I always hated any episode where anyone (usually Pa and Ma) lied to someone about something that they deserved to know. (the house, Mary going blind, etc.)It was just really unfair. Plus, Pa could have saved the town a whole lot of trouble if he'd said, "Hey Mary, the reason you can't work for those nice gentlemen anymore is because we suspect they're the James brothers."

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alexa

alexa

(edited)
4 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

Speaking of tornadoes, IIRC, Laura's books never mentioned them, but we had at least two tornadoes on the show that I recall:

1- The tornado that takes out the fields (poor Pa was always losing the crops) and kills the calf. Charles almost sells the farm back to a couple who had lived there years before. The first appearance of the guy who would also play Zachariah (Gold Country crazy guy) and Uncle Jed Cooper.

2 - The tornado that took out Laura and Almanzo's first home not long after she gave birth to Rose. Pa and Ma lied to her about how bad the damage was (saying it was just a few broken windows) when the house was beyond repair. But then we wouldn't have had one of Laura's most infamous quotes: "I've got a baby, a cat, and a plate. And no home. No home!"

I know in her books when they were in South Dakota there were at least a couple mentions of tornado like storms.  I remember her detailing what Pa told her he found out about what happened to some other homesteads in the area--the strange happenings of a door coming flying back to a house that was completely gone and also some deaths.  

This is one I remember that Laura mentioned while being out with Almanzo

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1562&context=usdeptcommercepub

 

 

Edited by alexa
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alexa

alexa

4 hours ago, jird said:

That was pretty crappy of them not to tell Laura about her house. I always hated any episode where anyone (usually Pa and Ma) lied to someone about something that they deserved to know. (the house, Mary going blind, etc.)It was just really unfair. Plus, Pa could have saved the town a whole lot of trouble if he'd said, "Hey Mary, the reason you can't work for those nice gentlemen anymore is because we suspect they're the James brothers."

That was so strange Pa didn't say more about the James brothers!  lol

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Snow Apple

Snow Apple

1 hour ago, jason88cubs said:

and the Banker was a scrooge because he took his jobs eriously and wouldn't just give Charles a loan

Charles always had the attitude of "I'm Charles Ingalls! How dare you!"

Remember when Mary needed an operation and he and Mr. Edwards went to look for a job? He almost beat up that foreman who had no more job openings. I know he was desperate, but he was just a jerk.

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jason88cubs

jason88cubs

15 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

Charles always had the attitude of "I'm Charles Ingalls! How dare you!"

Remember when Mary needed an operation and he and Mr. Edwards went to look for a job? He almost beat up that foreman who had no more job openings. I know he was desperate, but he was just a jerk.

Oh yea I remember. Or when him and Garvey was eating at the fancy restaraunt and he yelled at the waiter

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CountryGirl

CountryGirl

46 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

Charles always had the attitude of "I'm Charles Ingalls! How dare you!"

Remember when Mary needed an operation and he and Mr. Edwards went to look for a job? He almost beat up that foreman who had no more job openings. I know he was desperate, but he was just a jerk.

Yes and when he couldn’t have cared less about the Chinese man who died working in the mines and didn’t want to stop working during his funeral. 

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debraran

debraran

(edited)
9 hours ago, BigBingerBro said:

Didn't the banker eventually close down and move away, so the building was taken over by the Walnut Gove newspaper rag sheet run by Harriet's cousin?

I always wondered how a banker could survive in Walnut Grove when so many seemed to live week to week. No matter how much money Charles got doing jobs with Hanson, trips he took to get more money on his own or for the mill, they always seemed broke. Extra money went into a jar. Most people wanted loans but how could they pay him back? Harriet spoke of farmers leaving in the middle of night but I guess their farm was left. IDK, I suspend reality for most of it, but that was always just a way to have Sprague in a couple of shows. I still think it's funny "cash on the barrel" Ingall's wanted a loan for 7 dollars or something like that to buy Caroline dishes. I don't know what came first, that show with widow or Handyman, but Mary still didn't learn her parents weren't in a soap opera. ; )

Edited by debraran
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alexa

alexa

(edited)
10 hours ago, Superclam said:

I think he left when the town collapsed and everyone moved to Winoka. Anyway, he was only in about 4 episodes. 

The bank was back afterwards in several episodes over the years.  I can’t remember all of them, but the banker had a role in the episodes.  What I can’t remember is if it is the same banker because he is a familiar character to me, and that could simply be from watching the show in the past as well.

Even in season 9 it was there with whatever banker had been there a while, for the episode with the little person Harriet wouldn’t let him hire.

Edited by alexa
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Mr. Sparkle

Mr. Sparkle

23 minutes ago, alexa said:

Even in season 9 it was there with whatever banker had been there a while, for the episode with the little person Harriet wouldn’t let him hire.

Yes, I remember that one. What a crappy episode. 

Per wikipedia, Ted Gehring played Ebenezer (!) Sprague in 4 episodes, and in true Little House tradition, played another character in a different episode. It looks like he was a guest on just about every tv show in the 70s and 80s. 

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alexa

alexa

31 minutes ago, Superclam said:

Yes, I remember that one. What a crappy episode. 

Per wikipedia, Ted Gehring played Ebenezer (!) Sprague in 4 episodes, and in true Little House tradition, played another character in a different episode. It looks like he was a guest on just about every tv show in the 70s and 80s. 

A lot of the characters resurface which is why it is hard for me to remember their timelines, lol.  I also remember the episode where the phone system came in and they used the banker to help Albert/Laura trick Harriet into buying stocks or something.   There were random episodes like that with the bank over time.  

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Mr. Sparkle

Mr. Sparkle

38 minutes ago, alexa said:

A lot of the characters resurface which is why it is hard for me to remember their timelines, lol.  I also remember the episode where the phone system came in and they used the banker to help Albert/Laura trick Harriet into buying stocks or something.   There were random episodes like that with the bank over time.  

I've seen Little Lou recently, and I know the new banker was in it, but I wouldn't recognize him with a gun to my head. In the same vein, I reiterate what a crappy episode this is. Harriet is prejudiced and rude, and then she learns a valuable lesson, until the next time she is prejudiced and rude. And of course, we never see Little Lou again. 

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alexa

alexa

2 hours ago, Superclam said:

I've seen Little Lou recently, and I know the new banker was in it, but I wouldn't recognize him with a gun to my head. In the same vein, I reiterate what a crappy episode this is. Harriet is prejudiced and rude, and then she learns a valuable lesson, until the next time she is prejudiced and rude. And of course, we never see Little Lou again. 

I do like at the end of the episode they did say he was in Walnut Grove working for the banker for many years.  So I guess like with all other characters that are there for a one time story, they did at least tell us his long term story.  Kind of like Keisha?  The odd bird lady that ended up staying in Walnut Grove long term per what they said but we only saw her main storyline and then when she lived at the Lake that Harriet too her house from her temporarily.

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methodwriter85

methodwriter85

15 hours ago, alexa said:

A lot of the characters resurface which is why it is hard for me to remember their timelines, lol.  I also remember the episode where the phone system came in and they used the banker to help Albert/Laura trick Harriet into buying stocks or something.   There were random episodes like that with the bank over time.  

It was a wasted opportunity to not have Alison Arngrim guest star as a different character. They could have put a dark wig on her and made her a sickly sweet character that still manages to drive Laura up a wall.

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debraran

debraran

(edited)
12 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

I personally think Nels is the best part of LHOP

 

Love that guy

Me too, lot of facets to his character. He came from money (it seemed) but was kind and smart. He put up with a lot of verbal abuse but had his outlets, great one liners and his hunting and fishing. I think he showed his children an alternate version of what to be like vs Harriet and Willie seemed like he saw and I know Nel's was very proud of him when he met his wife.

Richard Bull also gave some honest and good interviews. I know he liked Jonathan and thought his mom ignored him and gave all the attention to Melissa. He said he was good on the set and very smart. Actually said in one interview, maybe the smartest child on the set. That was the first time I read anything nice about Jon, everyone else said "He left" or Allison said he didn't like to study lines (but he did fine) I'm glad Michael used Richard later in Highway and I'm glad he gave us the many years on LHOP>

Edited by debraran
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jird

jird

On 12/9/2020 at 5:36 PM, Snow Apple said:

Charles always had the attitude of "I'm Charles Ingalls! How dare you!"

 

I saw the episode yesterday where he and Almanzo were having a contest to see who could get their deliveries to the city first, and Charles took the dumb shortcut and ran into a fence, and he got out and was all set to cut the fence down until the farmer showed up with a gun. He's out on someone else's property, and thinks it's just fine to cut the fence because it's in his way.

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jason88cubs

jason88cubs

In the episode "Survival", I know they were not expecting a snow storm but you think they would know/be smart to take plenty of extra resources just in case. From what I remember they took enough, just for the trip they were making. I feel like people back then would take 3-4 days extra worth of stuff just to be safe

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debraran

debraran

(edited)
14 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

In the episode "Survival", I know they were not expecting a snow storm but you think they would know/be smart to take plenty of extra resources just in case. From what I remember they took enough, just for the trip they were making. I feel like people back then would take 3-4 days extra worth of stuff just to be safe

It did seem odd being practiced pioneers but everyone makes mistakes and it of course made for a better show. I remember my kid wondering if they ate the horses, how would they ever leave? LHOP showed some hard edges at times but they left out the daily ones. You'll never see Caroline or Charles getting the deer ready to eat, skinning, cutting, etc.  You will never see the whole process of canning or washing clothes or making butter or cheese or even gathering water to fill a tub. You never see them having to use a bathroom when snowed in or late at night or really ever. You see glimpses and I really feel that is better TV but it gives people the idea that living then was more doable. I think that is what Karen Grassle meant when she wanted it "grittier" but Michael knew people wanted a sanitized version of that time. Everyone would look good even when sick, always clean and hair sparkling, breakfast "would be served" and cakes made quickly, turkey's will be killed and then almost done over the fire in a few minutes. (How I wish I could do that!) ; ) 

We have a place called Sturbridge in MA where it's a replica of a town back which recreates life in rural New England during the 1790s through 1830s. Before Covid, you could stay without phone in a home and you would do what they did, dress like them, sleep like them, eat how they would eat, do a chore they would do, etc. Most liked it but many said they had no idea even in a controlled environment, how hard it was without electricity and using what was available then. Pretty cool I must say. This was from 2017 article

https://www.courant.com/ctnow/hc-boarding-with-bixbys-old-sturbridge-village-20170822-story.html

Edited by debraran
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jason88cubs

jason88cubs

Did the Oelson's pay people to get their meat for them? Never saw Nels hunting and with him running the store I wonder if they just paid people or gave credit to people for the meat?

2 hours ago, debraran said:

It did seem odd being practiced pioneers but everyone makes mistakes and it of course made for a better show. I remember my kid wondering if they ate the horses, how would they ever leave? LHOP showed some hard edges at times but they left out the daily ones. You'll never see Caroline or Charles getting the deer ready to eat, skinning, cutting, etc.  You will never see the whole process of canning or washing clothes or making butter or cheese or even gathering water to fill a tub. You never see them having to use a bathroom when snowed in or late at night or really ever. You see glimpses and I really feel that is better TV but it gives people the idea that living then was more doable. I think that is what Karen Grassle meant when she wanted it "grittier" but Michael knew people wanted a sanitized version of that time. Everyone would look good even when sick, always clean and hair sparkling, breakfast "would be served" and cakes made quickly, turkey's will be killed and then almost done over the fire in a few minutes. (How I wish I could do that!) ; ) 

We have a place called Sturbridge in MA where it's a replica of a town back which recreates life in rural New England during the 1790s through 1830s. Before Covid, you could stay without phone in a home and you would do what they did, dress like them, sleep like them, eat how they would eat, do a chore they would do, etc. Most liked it but many said they had no idea even in a controlled environment, how hard it was without electricity and using what was available then. Pretty cool I must say. This was from 2017 article

https://www.courant.com/ctnow/hc-boarding-with-bixbys-old-sturbridge-village-20170822-story.html

Agree. They did show  a"Clean " version of life back then. I don't think people realize how busy people were back then. Relaxation time was very very little. Charles doing morning chores, working at the mill, more chores after, tending to hsi crop. That's easily a 13-14 hour day of just work

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BigBingerBro

BigBingerBro

3 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

Charles doing morning chores, working at the mill, more chores after, tending to hsi crop. That's easily a 13-14 hour day of just work

Women didn't have it any easier.  Cooking over a fire, with foods that spoil easily, canning, butter and cheese making.  Laundry and mending took days.  Taking care of chickens and milking.  Household cleaning.  Caring for children.

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Snow Apple

Snow Apple

3 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

Did the Oelson's pay people to get their meat for them? Never saw Nels hunting and with him running the store I wonder if they just paid people or gave credit to people for the meat?

Didn't Caroline sell eggs to the Oleson's? I'm sure they have to buy meat from the other farmers, or maybe there's a butcher shop we don't know about? The teachers, millers, and bankers need to buy food too since they don't farm. Not the doctor though because he gets paid in produce.

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jason88cubs

jason88cubs

On 12/5/2020 at 9:36 AM, Superclam said:

I always wondered when they left Winoka and went back to Walnut Grove. I had never seen the episode before. I think they didn't show it in syndication often because it's a full 60 minutes without commercials. 

Anyway, I watched it on Amazon this week and it's a pretty good episode, especially the second part when they get back to WG. By the next episode (Fagin) are all their financial problems temporarily solved? 

Also, how creepy is the scene with that "old" lady, when they pan in on her face and her husband goes "she's only 45 years old." 

It was a bad move,. The Winoka episodes just didnt work in my opinion. Everything came off too forced

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Katy M

Katy M

(edited)
54 minutes ago, VCRTracking said:

Holy crap I love the idea of Landon and Bixby being bitter rivals like Bette David and Joan Crawford!

 

That whole thing is bizarre.  1. Why not just not use the theme instead of stealing it and trying to use so little that it wouldn't be recognized?  2. Did Michael Landon come out and say that he was jealous of all "true handsome men" or did someone notice a pattern? 3. Who decides what makes a someone a "true handsome man?"  Is there a graph or a checklist somewhere?

From BB's IMDB page

Quote

Bill Bixby and Michael Landon only met once: during a competition for a game show, in the 1970s. On opposing teams, both were very competitive and both wanted to win but, whereas Bill understood that it was a friendly game, Landon took it extremely seriously, to the point he ignored Bixby's congenial disposition and completely snubbed him. The two never worked together in any scripted show.

I don't think they could have had too much of a rivalry going if they were only ever in the same room once. You need more personal contact to be entertaining about it.

ETA: I like game shows, so I decided to see if I could figure out which one it was.  It was something called Baffle, which was only on one year 73-4, and I have no idea what it was.

Edited by Katy M
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debraran

debraran

(edited)

I thought most knew Michael had an eye for women and liked his body or had an obsession to being in shape. He didn't take care of the insides as well but did like to make the package appealing. Except for Chris the handyman, no one was ever like Michael on the set at the same time when he was younger. He was what he was, he had his good points and bad. His wife knew if it wasn't Cindy who got pregnant, it would have been another. He was known to be cheap with some things, but did have a set where people can go home at a decent hour, probably gave gifts, but salaries, not as generous. I felt bad some long timers couldn't get a raise. He was a family man in some ways and knew what people wanted on TV but had a hard side, a rough side that wasn't always nice. I never tried to figure out what was "real" or fake since he wasn't in my family or circles, I just enjoyed his shows.

Edited by debraran
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