Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[Mr. Sparkle]

Interesting that Walnut Grove, Sleepy Eye, Mankato and Rochester are all real towns on the show, but Winoka isn't. I wonder why they didn't go with a real town. 

Edited March 28 by Mr. Sparkle

[QQQQ]

Dang, I've lived in WI/ND my whole life and was today years old when I learned Winoka wasn't a real town 😅

[Mr. Sparkle]

9 minutes ago, QQQQ said:

was today years old when I learned Winoka wasn't a real town

[Blergh]

What was odd was that the distance from the [fictional] city of Winoka in the Dakota Territory to Walnut Grove was easily covered via covered wagon in a single day (from 6AM to early afternoon)  for the Ingallses yet it took about two or three days for the Blind School kids to walk it. Now, one must wonder if it would have taken so long if they had given had the kids ride the two wagons that Charles and Joe Kagan drove (and Harriet Oleson tagged along) or was there not enough room for everyone to sit.

Also, it was a bit much that they had all the students (as well as Mary and Adam) sleep outside in the pouring rain overnight while Charles, Joe Kagan and Hester-Sue got to sleep inside the two covered wagons- as did the uninvited Harriet!

Of course it was funny how Harriet was the ONLY one who complained about how tiresome the journey was while the blind kids stoically grabbed the knotted rope and did their best to keep up with the pairs of horse pulling the wagons.

[QQQQ]

I was wondering if the blind students' parents were consulted ahead of the move or was it assumed that they should just be grateful a new school was secured even if in a different state? And did any of the parents ever visit the kids once they moved to Walnut Grove? Or were these blind orphans? So many questions...

[kav]

12 minutes ago, QQQQ said:

I was wondering if the blind students' parents were consulted ahead of the move or was it assumed that they should just be grateful a new school was secured even if in a different state? And did any of the parents ever visit the kids once they moved to Walnut Grove? Or were these blind orphans? So many questions...

I do not think they were orphans because they went home for a while after the school burned down.

[debraran]

14 hours ago, crazy8s said:

well they certainly did have their share of criminals in WG. Creeper who stole food. (boy who was town funded to go to med school, never returned) Frank and Jesse James. escaped convicts that hold Laura and Mary hostage, the Older Brothers, Black Jake, Little Lou, Laura (music box), Albert (drugs from package) etc.

So rightfully so to lock the merchantile.

I thought the " a real door" was addressing the wolves howling and "that locks and has a key" was more about keeping out Indians, but they didn't want to say that.

I thought it was more of a PC way of saying that although odd. She did change, at least on the show in how she felt.

On a different topic with so much LHOP memorbilia being sold, some of it a  bit tchotchke, why back in the 70's, early 80's didn't they cash in on nice toys. They had large dolls that didn't look like any of the characters. What a huge profit they would have made with LHOP dollhouses. Adults and children would want them lol Lunchboxes? no, colorforms/paperdolls, "ehh" but a nice dollhouse is an heirloom like brio trains. House comes with family and you can add on barn and horses, wagon etc. I mourn an idea never realized. ;  )  Some fans own homes they did. The video below is fantastic with replicas. The store too.

 

[Blergh]

8 hours ago, kav said:

I do not think they were orphans because they went home for a while after the school burned down.

IIRC, most if not all the students were taken in by Walnut Grove citizens (though NONE by the Ingallses)  and it seemed that the majority of them had no living parents or might have had parents who'd permanently dumped them in the blind school and never visited them [BTW, this hasn't been unknown down the ages re parents of challenged offspring].  In any case, it seemed Mary and Adam considered them their de facto offspring. ..until Adam regained his eyesight and decided his talents were being stifled teaching them instead of being a legal eagle so he and Mary dumped them elsewhere without a backwards glance!

On an unrelated LHOTP RL note: a recent ZOOM interview with several cast members including AA got her to claim that JG himself appeared in the Schoolhouse Willie outfit when touring the reconstructed temp schoolhouse so AA got her husband to retrieve her Nellie ringlet wig from their car and THAT is when they did the recreated photos in the schoolhouse and the reconstructed temp Mercantile! Yeah, it seems that JG had either somehow preserved the Schoolhouse Willie outfit down the decades OR had had it reconstructed but I think it may have been the former since the pants appeared to have been somewhat worn.

Edited March 29 by Blergh

[debraran]

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

 

On an unrelated LHOTP RL note: a recent ZOOM interview with several cast members including AA get her to claim that JG himself appeared in the Schoolhouse Willie outfit when touring the reconstructed temp schoolhouse so AA got her husband to retrieve her Nellie ringlet wig from their car and THAT is when they did the recreated photos in the schoolhouse and the reconstructed temp Mercantile! Yeah, it seems that JG had either somehow preserved the Schoolhouse Willie outfit down the decades OR had had it reconstructed but I think it may have been the former since the pants appeared to have been somewhat worn.

He did have it on on his instagram and Alison noted he was in "part" right down to the stockings. lol

 

 

Edited March 29 by debraran

[Blergh]

13 minutes ago, debraran said:

I thought it was more of a PC way of saying that although odd. She did change, at least on the show in how she felt.

On a different topic with so much LHOP memorbilia being sold, some of it a  bit tchotchke, why back in the 70's, early 80's didn't they cash in on nice toys. They had large dolls that didn't look like any of the characters. What a huge profit they would have made with LHOP dollhouses. Adults and children would want them lol Lunchboxes? no, colorforms/paperdolls, "ehh" but a nice dollhouse is an heirloom like brio trains. House comes with family and you can add on barn and horses, wagon etc. I mourn an idea never realized. ;  )  Some fans own homes they did. The video below is fantastic with replicas. The store too.

 

That Little House dollhouse actually looked more spacious and comfortable for its inhabitants than the title abode and I must say whoever made it did a remarkably good job! Yeah, too bad ML didn't consider  marketing toys like that.

BTW, The Waltons DID market a dollhouse on a somewhat smaller scale than the family  home  complete with a few but not all members of the 11 person family as dolls (and came in a box that had Kami Cotler [who played the youngest child Elizabeth] pictured playing with it)!

[debraran]

39 minutes ago, Blergh said:

That Little House dollhouse actually looked more spacious and comfortable for its inhabitants than the title abode and I must say whoever made it did a remarkably good job! Yeah, too bad ML didn't consider  marketing toys like that.

BTW, The Waltons DID market a dollhouse on a somewhat smaller scale than the family  home  complete with a few but not all members of the 11 person family as dolls (and came in a box that had Kami Cotler [who played the youngest child Elizabeth] pictured playing with it)!

Wow, I never knew that, I was a teen then but don't remember commercials etc.  Yes, some replicas are gorgeous and that guy had many asking if they could pay for their own but I'm sure it takes a lot of time and labor.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1406152457/the-waltons-farmhouse-dollhouse-action

Edited March 29 by debraran

[Mr. Sparkle]

Classic one-shot guest star Lou Gossett Jr. has passed at 87. 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/louis-gossett-jr-dead-officer-and-a-gentleman-roots-948372-1235862761/?fbclid=IwAR3rUomwpNzaz523rjWFV6ivMRJKOCyCAkSAvGAYmQFb4T5ArQSU4zQ2GjI_aem_AZpVlX6NBehBfFaBb9MeSfgXhp2lVwm4PlqPel7R0Ad3YFloSdlaXp81Ee4FHPRKsQ-R2d2X0N2TJYx6xAk2POhz

[debraran]

On 3/29/2024 at 10:40 AM, Mr. Sparkle said:

Classic one-shot guest star Lou Gossett Jr. has passed at 87. 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/louis-gossett-jr-dead-officer-and-a-gentleman-roots-948372-1235862761/?fbclid=IwAR3rUomwpNzaz523rjWFV6ivMRJKOCyCAkSAvGAYmQFb4T5ArQSU4zQ2GjI_aem_AZpVlX6NBehBfFaBb9MeSfgXhp2lVwm4PlqPel7R0Ad3YFloSdlaXp81Ee4FHPRKsQ-R2d2X0N2TJYx6xAk2POhz

Great actor. Richard Gerre said of his performance with him in "Officer and a Gentleman"  "“I don't think we ever saw him socially. He was the drill sergeant 24 hours a day, and it showed clearly in his performance. He drove every scene he was in.” Gere also describes Gossett as “a tough guy with a heart of gold,” adding, “We were all so proud of him when he won his Oscar. He also offers “condolences to his family.”

Edited March 30 by debraran

[Blergh]

I saw footage of JG's Simi Valley Q&A session and a few things stood out. One is that he said that he got the part of Willie because he somehow made ML laugh a great deal instead of having going through an audition process and that he had  liked hearing ML laughing. So, no, there was nothing about ML taking up the reins as 'father-figure' for JG after Paul Gilbert's death (which MG said ML had done  for her) but it seems they got along very well.

 FWIW, he said he was 'currently' single but whether this means that he'd ever been married or had had a significant others (much less offspring) went completely unaddressed.

BTW, he laid great praise at the late Miss MacGregor for being an 'acting genius'!

[debraran]

5 hours ago, Blergh said:

I saw footage of JG's Simi Valley Q&A session and a few things stood out. One is that he said that he got the part of Willie because he somehow made ML laugh a great deal instead of having going through an audition process and that he had  liked hearing ML laughing. So, no, there was nothing about ML taking up the reins as 'father-figure' for JG after Paul Gilbert's death (which MG said ML had done  for her) but it seems they got along very well.

 FWIW, he said he was 'currently' single but whether this means that he'd ever been married or had had a significant others (much less offspring) went completely unaddressed.

BTW, he laid great praise at the late Miss MacGregor for being an 'acting genius'!

Yes, he said they'd be alike now with his spiritual journey and hers. Mike seemed to be fatherly more with the girls , mostly Laura but Richard Bull said Jon was ignored by their mom vs MG. She was more popular etc. He could have used it but I'm sure Katherine and Richard were there too. Obviously he felt little emotion leaving and wanting little to do with anyone which could have been home or work or both but I don't think he didn't love his TV family. If he sent any feelers out it was to Alison and early on some other cast members heard from him, Hard to remember there weren't phones unless attached to a wall or cordless and no email etc.

Although the money was good, I think he knows if he does other panels or events, questions will get more personal. You can control a panel, have questions you vetted from fans but once they know something they wont ask the same things. To be gone for 30 years from events and then be "naked" is hard. The elephant in the room that he didn't keep in touch with MG and sporadically with Alison and others wont get ignored forever. The silence from all the kids he knew there on the set and lack of info does too. I thought it was wonderful the French writer Alison tours with now, got the long interviews with Katherine and Richard and they spoke of him while others just barely mention he was there. If he chooses to write a book and not tour with it too much (you have to do something) he would risk opening old wounds but he can gloss over some and concentrate on what memories he has and if he has any photos, share those. Time will tell, but I don't see it unless he needs the money. This is the sweet spot, fans are still interested but it will slowly ebb. (except for the rabid fans who want to date him, lol )

There is a woman on his Instagram in photos with him, who she is, have no idea. Time will tell with that too, if a very significant other or friend.

Edited April 3 by debraran

[Blergh]

At this point, JG could be just weighing in whether or not to let the comeback be a one-time event or whether he's found that he enjoyed connecting with the fans and/or reuniting with the cast members.

Correct me if I'm wrong but was Sherri Stoner [who played Willie's last-minute wife Rachel Brown] in Simi?

[andidante]

I was watching Night Court (the one from the 80s,not the new one) and Matthew Labyorteaux was on an episode. He played the spoiled brat of an attorney. I was not very impressed by his acting in that one. LOL

 

[debraran]

I didn't see any pics of Sherri at Simi but maybe like Lynwood she came later. I doubt highly though both of them were in the same place without one photo together. She was on CT's list to come and I thought how it seemed odd not to have him too ; )

[Blergh]

One thing I thought was rather odd about 'Whisper Country' was that they never explained how Miss Rachel Peel had somehow intimidated not just the children who'd never known anything else but even had convinced the grown men and women of that community of her having some link to God Himself (if not demigod like powers) despite having never learned how to read.

 All I can think of is that she was the only daughter of a rather intimidating male preacher learned for herself all said  male parent's . .. techniques to manipulate to do the same to keep the family 'power' over her fellow congregants after his death instead of risking being chased out of town!

P.S. I also don't put her above claiming to  her congregants that she'd caused the 'outsider Jezebel's blindness which happened the very next episode!

Edited April 8 by Blergh

[Mr. Sparkle]

9 hours ago, Blergh said:

they never explained how Miss Rachel Peel had somehow intimidated not just the children who'd never known anything else but even had convinced the grown men and women of that community of her having some link to God Himself (if not demigod like powers) despite having never learned how to read.

Or why she had a Farrah Fawcett hairdo in the 1880s! 

[Blergh]

5 hours ago, Mr. Sparkle said:

Or why she had a Farrah Fawcett hairdo in the 1880s! 

I doubt this spurred Aaron Spelling to want to break her door down to cast her as a replacement Angel!

[Blergh]

Does anyone else wonder why Jonathan Garvey had no family members ever interact with him? I mean not only did Alice have a memorable episode with her mother (and ex-husband) but  even Nels and Harriet had memorable episodes with different branches of their respective families.

[debraran]

On 4/11/2024 at 9:11 PM, Blergh said:

Does anyone else wonder why Jonathan Garvey had no family members ever interact with him? I mean not only did Alice have a memorable episode with her mother (and ex-husband) but  even Nels and Harriet had memorable episodes with different branches of their respective families.

Merle's acting on LHOP was a bit wooden, probably how he thought of the character. Mr Edward's was more lively. Maybe he thought he was too boring or one dimensional to have more of a story line. You are right though, Harriet did, Nel's the Ingall's, Mrs. Whipple, the lady who faked her wake, etc.

[kav]

 What would be sell a complete wrapped set w/ boxed case of 9 paperback  books used?  We got one donated to the Friends of Library to sell.  We usually sell a paperback for $1.

[Zella]

6 minutes ago, kav said:

 What would be sell a complete wrapped set w/ boxed case of 9 paperback  books used?  We got one donated to the Friends of Library to sell.  We usually sell a paperback for $1.

The library where I work usually just charges the same amount for a set as it would for a standalone. Our paperback price is .50, so all the books together would be $4.50 or $9 with your standard price.

However, we also have a very successful silent auction the library does weekly. When we see things like sets in good condition, we pull it aside and let them duel it out on bids, and that often nets a better sale. If someone really wants it, they may well bid $10-20 for it, especially if it is wrapped.

Edited April 14 by Zella

[Blergh]

21 hours ago, debraran said:

Merle's acting on LHOP was a bit wooden, probably how he thought of the character. Mr Edward's was more lively. Maybe he thought he was too boring or one dimensional to have more of a story line. You are right though, Harriet did, Nel's the Ingall's, Mrs. Whipple, the lady who faked her wake, etc.

Not a bad point.

Oddly enough, Jonathan's intro episode had a 'humorous' subplot of him having a bit too much of a liking for booze and him doing his best to hide it from Alice and (of all folks) Mary- the resulting disposal of said booze caused Nels to get sloshed from it. It must have been near 200 proof for a mere jugful of it getting diluted in a rain barrel to have STILL been enough to have caused tipsiness.  

THAT would be the ONLY hint of Jonathan not being a teetotaller in the series ( apart from his numbing himself to mourn Alice) but I'm wondering if perhaps that late Merlin Olsen having been a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints [who are rather strict about their members drinking alcohol] might have been flatly refused to have played a boozing character more than one  or two episodes- even though  it might have made for some potential plotlines.

Come to think of it,though, neither Isaiah nor his then-wife Grace  ever had any family members visiting them- although we did learn of the tragic deaths of his first wife and their young daughter when there was an outbreak of some kind of plague! Of course, Mr. Edwards DID have both humorous and serious booze storylines.

 

[Zella]

3 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Not a bad point.

Oddly enough, Jonathan's intro episode had a 'humorous' subplot of him having a bit too much of a liking for booze and him doing his best to hide it from Alice and (of all folks) Mary- the resulting disposal of said booze caused Nels to get sloshed from it. It must have been near 200 proof for a mere jugful of it getting diluted in a rain barrel to have STILL been enough to have caused tipsiness.  

THAT would be the ONLY hint of Jonathan not being a teetotaller in the series ( apart from his numbing himself to mourn Alice) but I'm wondering if perhaps that late Merlin Olsen having been a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints [who are rather strict about their members drinking alcohol] might have been flatly refused to have played a boozing character more than one  or two episodes- even though  it might have made for some potential plotlines.

Come to think of it,though, neither Isaiah nor his then-wife Grace  ever had any family members visiting them- although we did learn of the tragic deaths of his first wife and their young daughter when there was an outbreak of some kind of plague! Of course, Mr. Edwards DID have both humorous and serious booze storylines.

 

I could see Olsen objecting for sure, but I also wonder if they decided it made him seem too Mr. Edwards like and that it would be better to have a clearer contrast in their personalities. 

[Blergh]

48 minutes ago, Zella said:

I could see Olsen objecting for sure, but I also wonder if they decided it made him seem too Mr. Edwards like and that it would be better to have a clearer contrast in their personalities. 

Those both could be valid points (and it's too bad that neither Mr. Olsen nor ML detailed why the 'quirk' got dropped).

 

Alas, the show somewhat dropped the ball by having him be little more than Charles's towering galoot sidekick and somewhat self-effacing spouse to Alice. Although, I will say that Jonathan Garvey [usually] was a conscientious father to Andrew.

[debraran]

Patrick talked of how Merle was so kind to him when his dad when sick. He never told him he knew but he was there for him. This is a nice interview.

I didn't realize that Patrick and Matthew were both adopted like the Gilbert kids.

[jason88cubs]

It's too bad we didn't get a episode with both Garvey and Edwards

 

Maybe a storyline of they fight over who is Charles best friend then they both realize they tire of Charles and his ego and they ditch Charles and become best friends instead

[Zella]

7 minutes ago, jason88cubs said:

It's too bad we didn't get a episode with both Garvey and Edwards

 

Maybe a storyline of they fight over who is Charles best friend then they both realize they tire of Charles and his ego and they ditch Charles and become best friends instead

I would pay money to watch them bond over how annoying Charles is. LOL

"Then he's always trying to get you to cry."

"And whipping that shirt off!"

[jason88cubs]

Charles: I got no money for a writing pad for my girls schooling

Garvey: Well there's your fiddle you can sell Charles

Charles: My fiddle? What kinda friend recommends his best friend gettign rid of his fiddle

Edwards: He's got a point there Charles. That'll put food on teh table and get a writing pad for those little girls

(Charles takes shirt off, arm on corner of builidng, head down)

Charles: I could but the girls just love that fiddle so much I wa shoping to borrow money from my best friend

Garvey: Well who's that?

Charles: Whoever gives me the money

(Garvey and Edwards look at each other)

Garvey: You thinking what I'm thinkin?

Edwards: You betcha!

(Edwards and Garvey take off walking)

Charles: Hey now where ya going!

Edwards: We are going to play cards! We wanna have fun for once!

 

(Edwards and Garvey walk with arms around each other laughing)

[debraran]

I had to laugh reading about his friendship with Jonathan in The Inheritance when Garvey buys the farm and he's like "anyone but you!" I wanted Mr Edwards to pop in and say "Ok I'll buy it, I'm upgrading from my shack". ; )

In the recap they reminded me that Nel's had to take a hit from fending off the real auction participants knowing "Charles would be good for all the goods"

Yea.....I don't think he ever had a good crop after that.

 

Edited April 15 by debraran

[crazy8s]

2 hours ago, debraran said:

Yea.....I don't think he ever had a good crop after that.

I don't think he ever had a good crop before that either.😂

[debraran]

7 hours ago, crazy8s said:

I don't think he ever had a good crop before that either.😂

I think he did once and Mary got kicked by the horse....those chores can be a pain.  It took him forever to pay for the shoes for the kids, all the crap he bought, poor Nel's. Good thing they had a nice cushion.

[Blergh]

On 4/14/2024 at 6:09 PM, debraran said:

Patrick talked of how Merle was so kind to him when his dad when sick. He never told him he knew but he was there for him. This is a nice interview.

I didn't realize that Patrick and Matthew were both adopted like the Gilbert kids.

He definitely seemed as though he'd have been a good friend had one had reason to have known him!

 I liked how he praised both Miss Parady and Miss MacGregor as colleagues and performers saying he enjoyed working with them- despite the fact that neither Alice nor Harriet seemed to enjoy being around Jonathan that much!

I also thought it was interesting how he used his experience of football blocking to build upon when doing performing blocking before the camera.

I don't know when this interview was taped but it doesn't seem that long before his sad death - yet he appeared surprisingly vigorous  here and, on a shallow note, almost younger in appearance as the elder Mr. Labyorteax who'd played his son Andrew!

Thanks for this!

Edited April 17 by Blergh

[jason88cubs]

I can't help but just laugh and be amazed everytime I see the Ingalls move to Winoka and expect to the town to adjust to their sleep schedule

 

"We are trying to sleep! Close the saloon!!!"

[Blergh]

6 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

I can't help but just laugh and be amazed everytime I see the Ingalls move to Winoka and expect to the town to adjust to their sleep schedule

 

"We are trying to sleep! Close the saloon!!!"

Mr. Standish," I'll close the saloon to suit your sleep schedule the day I give credit to a complete stranger offering zero assets or collateral!"

[Egg McMuffin]

On 4/13/2024 at 6:24 PM, debraran said:

Merle's acting on LHOP was a bit wooden, probably how he thought of the character. Mr Edward's was more lively. Maybe he thought he was too boring or one dimensional to have more of a story line. You are right though, Harriet did, Nel's the Ingall's, Mrs. Whipple, the lady who faked her wake, etc.

Merlin’s acting was wooden in everything I saw him in: Little House, Father Murphy, and Aaron’s Way.

[debraran]

10 hours ago, Blergh said:

Mr. Standish," I'll close the saloon to suit your sleep schedule the day I give credit to a complete stranger offering zero assets or collateral!"

and there was never anything but the "big, bad city" where everyone is drunk, nasty and mean and people die (John Jr) or get on drugs (Albert) or Walnut Grove where everything was "perfect" but people were still mean, bigoted at times, got raped, swindled, abused their kids, the list goes on. It was like they had to knock you over the head with how awful the city was but what did they do.....move there again! 

[jason88cubs]

woke up to LHOP on tv and I see Charles in bed , shirtless.......Can't i.d. the episode from the description! That only happened 50 times!!!

[Blergh]

Anyone recall the abused kid named Graham who  virtually all the adults in the town and even Mrs. Oleson wanted to have his male DNA Donor horsewhipped? It seems they were ready to read him the Riot Act when Caroline piped up that if the punished the abuser, they'd hurt the victim- so ALL they did was have Charles  sober the abuser up.  It seems the abuser drank and hurt his kid ALL because his late wife died in childbirth bearing him but that didn't stop him from having this tiny boy do virtually ALL the work in their house and farm !  Yeah, they were one-shot but does anyone truly think that getting an abuser off the sauce one time but otherwise attempting to mete zero consequences for abuse would guarantee the abuser to forever quit abusing their victim?!

[Mr. Sparkle]

That is classic Charles Ingalls, and really, classic TV. A few choice words solves serious problems for ever. Worked on Sprague and weird horse guy. 

[jason88cubs]

and why did Charles do it? Did he volunteer?

 

I can see someone saying "well who will do it"

 

Charles looks around stand up walks a few steps forward and says  "I'll do it!" and then expects maybe Oelson will extend credit to him for doing a good deed

ok woke up to a episode, Caroline walks up to Charles at work, he says if you wait 30-45 minutes I can give you a ride home

 

OK SO HOW FAR IS THEIR HOUSE FORM WALNUT GROVE!!

If it's 10 minutes or so what the heck is she going to do for 30-45 minutes waiting for him to get off work to take her home? It had to be a 20-30 minute walk then right?

 

But then if it's THAT far of a walk, what the hell is Laura thinking walking to Walnut Grove at night?!?!??!

[crazy8s]

It does explain why pa wasn't successful in farming. How could a real farmer just go off and rehab random guy? 

Goes to Mankato and Sleepy Eye at the drop of a hat for random reasons. Works at the mill while other men must be working full time at farming, tending to animals, equipment and the crops.

Points to Miss Beadle for doing the yet unnamed responsibility of mandatory reporter and seeking help for the boy.