Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[debraran]

Chris helped build a room Charles didn't have time for, help with the chores, play with the kids, make Carrie a toy and "see her" and make Caroline feel seen. (and he was never paid)

I'd take Chris any day.  : )

[Mr. Sparkle]

10 minutes ago, jason88cubs said:

"You know Chris the handyman helped me with dished and when I say handyman I mean he was handy with those hands and he was for sure a Man (sigh)"

(cut to Charles)

and injuries

Alright the picture was freakin' funny. 

[Blergh]

On 5/20/2024 at 7:46 PM, jason88cubs said:

How many times did Charles try to take off his shirt while selling clothes? lol

I imagine the customers might have asked if the store could throw a blindfold so they wouldn't have to look at Charles's shirtless state while trying on shirts!

On 5/21/2024 at 4:07 PM, jason88cubs said:

"You know Chris the handyman helped me with dished and when I say handyman I mean he was handy with those hands and he was for sure a Man (sigh)"

(cut to Charles)

and injuries

Charles' OK, but good luck trying to ring him up again since I don't think the phone directory has any 'Chrises' listed!'

[debraran]

Two photos I was able to make smaller to show the lightbulbs (re post to Blergh) and Carolyn talking to aunt Tess.  I still marvel how she lived with one room for most of her life and now she has a dining room with lights and lace tablecloth and everything most people in WG had. I wish we could have seen her more there because seeing the Carter's in their home never felt right and I wonder if it would have seemed odd to see them all in a moe modern home.

Edited May 24 by debraran

[debraran]

The ONLY time Charles had a month off and pay,,,,,, But we all know how that turned out

Edited May 24 by debraran

[Blergh]

9 hours ago, debraran said:

The ONLY time Charles had a month off and pay,,,,,, But we all know how that turned out

A whole MONTH vacation with FULL pay?! I've never gotten more than two and a half weeks in my entire working life and I only got PTO instead of FULL pay (and this covers from the 1980's to the '20's so how could someone in the late 19th century have pulled that off)!

Could Pa have had compromising pics of some big wig?!

Makes about as much sense as everyone in town  blowing up their houses and businesses then winding up homeless JUST to stick it to a railroad company.

[debraran]

Last picture I unfortunately had a crop way too much to fit here, shows a beautiful Victrola that Carolyn had and I thought would lessen the violin playing they had to hear every day lol  

I agree, Re the vacation that even on the little house on the Prairie set, anyone would have trouble getting a whole month off with pay   But Charles did have a way of getting things and losing things in the same day

Edited May 24 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

6 hours ago, Blergh said:

A whole MONTH vacation with FULL pay?! I've never gotten more than two and a half weeks in my entire working life and I only got PTO instead of FULL pay (and this covers from the 1980's to the '20's so how could someone in the late 19th century have pulled that off)!

Could Pa have had compromising pics of some big wig?!

Makes about as much sense as everyone in town  blowing up their houses and businesses then winding up homeless JUST to stick it to a railroad company.

A full month??!

 

Caroline realizing Chris the Handyman will have to stop making those afternoon trips over for some apple fritters for  a month

 

 

 

[Egg McMuffin]

To enjoy anything about season 10 (the post-series TV movies), you first have to accept that nothing in the season 10 universe makes a lick of sense. Charles and Caroline are wealthy, summer starts in December, and the Wilders are allowed to award custody of stray orphans to emotionally disturbed kidnappers.

[debraran]

53 minutes ago, Egg McMuffin said:

To enjoy anything about season 10 (the post-series TV movies), you first have to accept that nothing in the season 10 universe makes a lick of sense. Charles and Caroline are wealthy, summer starts in December, and the Wilders are allowed to award custody of stray orphans to emotionally disturbed kidnappers.

LOL So true. Nothing makes sense, even Albert. They moved to the city before but geez, a job at a store, Caroline doesn't work, and they live in an up and down 2 floor home with nice furniture, fully stocked kitchen, nice stove and everyone has a room. And Charles gets more time than any of us to take off with no lack of pay. And they didn't move before because??? I want a job in THAT store. 😄

[Blergh]

14 hours ago, debraran said:

LOL So true. Nothing makes sense, even Albert. They moved to the city before but geez, a job at a store, Caroline doesn't work, and they live in an up and down 2 floor home with nice furniture, fully stocked kitchen, nice stove and everyone has a room. And Charles gets more time than any of us to take off with no lack of pay. And they didn't move before because??? I want a job in THAT store. 😄

Yep, especially considering that most workers back then felt lucky if they got any days off besides Sundays and Christmas Day!

[debraran]

On 5/25/2024 at 9:21 AM, Blergh said:

Yep, especially considering that most workers back then felt lucky if they got any days off besides Sundays and Christmas Day!

yes some quick googles had me find

How many vacation days did people get in the late 1800s?

In the late 1800s, workers generally did not receive vacation days. During this period, workers commonly toiled ten to twelve hours a day, six days a week. They often worked even longer hours and had very few breaks or days off.

The period from 1894 to 1915 was one in which workers in the United States began to have more leisure time than their predecessors. One reason for this was that industrial employers began to decrease working hours and institute a Saturday half-day holiday, which gave workers more free time for leisure activities. (Other types of workplaces would soon follow suit.) Vacations began to be regularly offered to workers, although they were usually unpaid ones. The monotony of specialized industrial work and the crowding of urban expansion also created a desire in the worker to have leisure time away from his or her job and away from the bustle of the city. The Progressive movement was another factor which contributed to the increased value of leisure time for workers, as their health and well-being received more attention. Yet another factor was the installation of electric lighting in the city streets, which made nighttime leisure activities less dangerous for both sexes.

What was the average number of work hours per day in the late 1800s?

Hours were long, typically ten to twelve hours a day. Working in fields was longer. Sunday off. No pd vacations.

Really I didn't know that until Great Depression did people get paid time, but of course that started with upper class.

So a MONTH, paid vacation was reserved for Ingall's who "deserved it" as Caroline said, because he did sell a good hat. lol

 

[Blergh]

20 hours ago, debraran said:

yes some quick googles had me find

How many vacation days did people get in the late 1800s?

In the late 1800s, workers generally did not receive vacation days. During this period, workers commonly toiled ten to twelve hours a day, six days a week. They often worked even longer hours and had very few breaks or days off.

The period from 1894 to 1915 was one in which workers in the United States began to have more leisure time than their predecessors. One reason for this was that industrial employers began to decrease working hours and institute a Saturday half-day holiday, which gave workers more free time for leisure activities. (Other types of workplaces would soon follow suit.) Vacations began to be regularly offered to workers, although they were usually unpaid ones. The monotony of specialized industrial work and the crowding of urban expansion also created a desire in the worker to have leisure time away from his or her job and away from the bustle of the city. The Progressive movement was another factor which contributed to the increased value of leisure time for workers, as their health and well-being received more attention. Yet another factor was the installation of electric lighting in the city streets, which made nighttime leisure activities less dangerous for both sexes.

What was the average number of work hours per day in the late 1800s?

Hours were long, typically ten to twelve hours a day. Working in fields was longer. Sunday off. No pd vacations.

Really I didn't know that until Great Depression did people get paid time, but of course that started with upper class.

So a MONTH, paid vacation was reserved for Ingall's who "deserved it" as Caroline said, because he did sell a good hat. lol

 

Very good summation! BTW, who was watching the younger Ingalls kids while their folks returned to Walnut Grove? Aunt Tess. ..Carrie? 

[crazy8s]

44 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Very good summation! BTW, who was watching the younger Ingalls kids while their folks returned to Walnut Grove? Aunt Tess. ..Carrie? 

They were ditching the kids on chatterbox and healthy cooking aunt Tess.

Wasn't the reason he got the vacation because he had no time off in 2 years? He was back in Walnut Grove multiple times since they left Walnut Grove.

[jason88cubs]

I found it weird Charles left Walnut Grove in the first place when no one else did

 

He finally gave up

[debraran]

17 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

I found it weird Charles left Walnut Grove in the first place when no one else did

 

He finally gave up

Yes, but they went from fairly poor money wise to upper middle class it seems from lookng at their place. It was like the Oleson's. I spent more time looking at the dining room and knickknacks and lace table cloth  victrola, etc. That was very odd. Sadly I didn't see the sheperdess anywhere. ; (

Edited June 4 by debraran

[Blergh]

OK, but I wish they'd at least touched on what new job Charles DID get after he'd returned from Walnut Grove after Albert's morphine withdrawal. I mean, I seriously doubt that his initial Burr Oak employer would have hired him back - much less that Charles would have sought work with him. And that's not counting on doubting that the salary would have paid for so much as a victrola.

Then,too, Caroline had initially worked outside the home after their move but it seemed she no longer did so. Hence that new position must have paid LOTS of money for Charles to provide for the seven of them!

[debraran]

12 hours ago, Blergh said:

OK, but I wish they'd at least touched on what new job Charles DID get after he'd returned from Walnut Grove after Albert's morphine withdrawal. I mean, I seriously doubt that his initial Burr Oak employer would have hired him back - much less that Charles would have sought work with him. And that's not counting on doubting that the salary would have paid for so much as a victrola.

Then,too, Caroline had initially worked outside the home after their move but it seemed she no longer did so. Hence that new position must have paid LOTS of money for Charles to provide for the seven of them!

I listened on Amazon to the first 5 minutes again and he said he expected 2 wks but got 4. Caroline just referred to the mystery job as "nice of them" Then he said while asking for his dry cleaning, that he wished the kids were out of school so they could take a trip together. Geez...they never really had one of those. Money for trains was hard to come by Then he said he wanted to take her out to dinner and don't say we can't afford it, we can. . I really want to know who did the data on jobs and pay for this show. lol

Then he acts like an idiot with Caroline about Aunt Tess coming and "rearranging their furniture" (now that they have so much)and a guy asks him to "step outside" Later he gives in to aunt Tess and asks her to watch his kids while they go off together alone. But again, things sour of course.
But on a high note did find her 😉 Blurry shot on top of a clock on one of many fireplaces.

Edited June 5 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

I'll be honest I dont recall anything of the later episodes. I block them out lol

[debraran]

7 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

I'll be honest I dont recall anything of the later episodes. I block them out lol

Yes, watching it on prime, I only got to the part going to WG and I forgot most of the beginning. I get it, it's pretty painful on many levels.

[Mr. Sparkle]

At this point I can watch Bless All the Dear Children because it's so comically over the top. I can have Look Back to Yesterday on and watch with one eye. If I think about it, nothing really happens other than Albert dying. 2 hours of weeping and inspiration. 

For whatever reason I can't stomach The Last Farewell. If it comes on, I'll put something else on. It's pretty much the same plot as The Empire Builders without the last minute save. 

[jason88cubs]

In "Ma"s Holiday" did they leave the trip early to get home becuase MA was worried? or was that the Waltons

[Mr. Sparkle]

Yeah, after the play they went home. If I'm not mistaken Laura saw her parents in town and booked it home to clean up. 

[Egg McMuffin]

On 6/3/2024 at 10:33 AM, crazy8s said:

They were ditching the kids on chatterbox and healthy cooking aunt Tess.

Wasn't the reason he got the vacation because he had no time off in 2 years? He was back in Walnut Grove multiple times since they left Walnut Grove.

Yes, but that wasn’t vacation. That was family medical leave to deal with Albert’s addiction to morPHINE.

[Blergh]

One plot point they never touched upon in 'Sylvia' was that it would have made no sense for that voyeuristic, creepy blacksmith to have NEVER attempted to have assaulted any other  girl in Walnut Grove before he noticed Sylvia.

Of course, IMO what's rather sad and chilling in retrospect is that if he HAD victimized the sullen, nearly silent Carrie, it's doubtful that she'd have gotten the attention of either of her parents or any of her siblings even  had she attempted to overcome a lifetime of  indifference by everyone  in her household considering her to be nothing more than an  annoyance to tolerate  instead of showing any affection or interest in her.

[debraran]

11 hours ago, Blergh said:

One plot point they never touched upon in 'Sylvia' was that it would have made no sense for that voyeuristic, creepy blacksmith to have NEVER attempted to have assaulted any other  girl in Walnut Grove before he noticed Sylvia.

Of course, IMO what's rather sad and chilling in retrospect is that if he HAD victimized the sullen, nearly silent Carrie, it's doubtful that she'd have gotten the attention of either of her parents or any of her siblings even  had she attempted to overcome a lifetime of  indifference by everyone  in her household considering her to be nothing more than an  annoyance to tolerate  instead of showing any affection or interest in her.

Yes that's realistic, she was far from the only girl who was "developing" in WG and prime for abuse.

Poor Carrie, Grace just cried a lot for attention but Carrie was "just there" Sometimes when Caroline and Charles would take off to see Mary in town, in the middle of the night, because they just had to tell her something NOW, I'd wonder if they forgot Carrie was there. One time, maybe a blooper, they were in town and Carrie was no where in sight. Maybe wasn't a good time for actress, but say she was visiting her invisible friend at least. ; )

I think that's why I love The Handyman (but not the end) Forget Caroline, Carrie got so much attention from Chris, she talked to him more than in any episode, he played with her, made her a toy, "saw her". I felt more sorry for her than Ma at the end. I think the actress who said Mike scared her at times, loved Gil and from Karen said, they all did and felt comfortable acting with him. The photos don't lie and I added 2 more cute ones.  The best I've seen the Greenbush twins.

 

Edited June 9 by debraran

[debraran]

Edited June 9 by debraran

[Blergh]

It would have been MORE on-target had Mary brought up (during her rant)  the fact that Chris No-Name had been far more attentive to Carrie than either Charles or Caroline had been. ..but then, that would have opened up Mary to have been possibly called out for HER neglect of her next-to-youngest sibling.

[Egg McMuffin]

In fairness, Gil Gerard was just another actor on the show. Michael Landon was the boss, and people have different relationships with their managers than they do with colleagues.

[Blergh]

6 hours ago, Egg McMuffin said:

In fairness, Gil Gerard was just another actor on the show. Michael Landon was the boss, and people have different relationships with their managers than they do with colleagues.

Granted.

However, ML was also the adult- to say nothing of the star, exec producer and main writer so it would have been up to HIM to have at least approved if not  written scenes in which Charles, Caroline, Mary, Laura or Albert actually did more than just grudgingly tolerate Carrie's company.

Why he evidently greenlit Blanch Hanalis's script with Chris No-Name paying MORE attention to Carrie than ANY other adult had done since Season One (when at least  Mr. Oleson, Mr. Edwards and Doc Baker seemed willing to converse with her) is a bit of a humdinger.

[debraran]

22 hours ago, Blergh said:

Granted.

However, ML was also the adult- to say nothing of the star, exec producer and main writer so it would have been up to HIM to have at least approved if not  written scenes in which Charles, Caroline, Mary, Laura or Albert actually did more than just grudgingly tolerate Carrie's company.

Why he evidently greenlit Blanch Hanalis's script with Chris No-Name paying MORE attention to Carrie than ANY other adult had done since Season One (when at least  Mr. Oleson, Mr. Edwards and Doc Baker seemed willing to converse with her) is a bit of a humdinger.

I totally agree, but although he was on the set,  he didn't write or direct it so that might have helped. Seemed like everyone was exhaling more without him being everything.

[Blergh]

If ML disliked the Greenbush twins' performances SO much, I have to wonder why he didn't just recast/write Carrie out (e.g. a boarding school).

[Zella]

4 hours ago, Blergh said:

If ML disliked the Greenbush twins' performances SO much, I have to wonder why he didn't just recast/write Carrie out (e.g. a boarding school).

I think he had a mean streak. 

[debraran]

I think he picked them for a reason, they had done work on shows and commercials and were cute. I'm sure he could have done more than he did. As in The Handyman and another episode I can't remember, they did pretty well with more to do. Doing a one hour movie that wouldn't be shown often was a gift to their parents maybe because I heard (rumor?) that they asked. He knew it wouldn't be shown much. Maybe seeing how the girls had big parts and other kids, why couldn't they have a line or two might have been asked.That awful script and off writing, "Alyssa" and having the family treat her so badly, didn't jive with the show. I know the twins liked it and I'm glad but I have my own personal feelings on why it probably happened.

Later, Carrrie fell down a well, but that kept her pretty much out of the show until they got her out. cute and dirty.

I see how Mike couldn't lose a kid but have her interact more with the siblings, she never was given a chance to say how her day in school went, or needing help with homework have Ma help her, asking if she could have a pet or go fishing with Pa.In school I don't remember once she got to answer one question. Was she paid per word? Maybe not the most talented kids but worked well with Gil Gerard, she just beamed. (well so did Karen but we wont go there) lol

 

Edited June 12 by debraran

[Blergh]

I'm amazed that ML didn't attempt to have the  Ingallses  anachronistically celebrate Father's Day  roughly 30 years before Mrs. Dodd had thought of it.

I mean if Walnut Grove could have had a late middle-aged Colonel Sanders lookalike appear at roughly the time the man was born. ...

[jason88cubs]

13 hours ago, Blergh said:

I'm amazed that ML didn't attempt to have the  Ingallses  anachronistically celebrate Father's Day  roughly 30 years before Mrs. Dodd had thought of it.

I mean if Walnut Grove could have had a late middle-aged Colonel Sanders lookalike appear at roughly the time the man was born. ...

 

picnic celebration is planed in town,everyone having fun decorating, setting up games, bad storm rolls through day before,people screaming running for the school, heavy rain, thunder, lightning,  family's kid is under a tree , branch falls, Charles saves the kid but breaks ribs as limb falls on him

 

Laura worries about what she can get Charles for Father's day as Nellie is getting Nels something expensive

Doc is at Charles who has shirt off telling him to stay in bed. Family is in debt to Charles he says forget it. Town decides to throw picnic at Ingalls so Charles can join. Laura runs as she's afraid to give her card. Charles finds it, read it, cries, finds Laura tells her the only present he needs i his 3 daughters and Ma. Laura and kids hug Charles as Charles says "It sure makes a man proud to be a father" then winks at camera

 

[Blergh]

On 6/17/2024 at 9:56 AM, jason88cubs said:

 

picnic celebration is planed in town,everyone having fun decorating, setting up games, bad storm rolls through day before,people screaming running for the school, heavy rain, thunder, lightning,  family's kid is under a tree , branch falls, Charles saves the kid but breaks ribs as limb falls on him

 

Laura worries about what she can get Charles for Father's day as Nellie is getting Nels something expensive

Doc is at Charles who has shirt off telling him to stay in bed. Family is in debt to Charles he says forget it. Town decides to throw picnic at Ingalls so Charles can join. Laura runs as she's afraid to give her card. Charles finds it, read it, cries, finds Laura tells her the only present he needs i his 3 daughters and Ma. Laura and kids hug Charles as Charles says "It sure makes a man proud to be a father" then winks at camera

 

'Where does leave US?' whines Grace, Albert, James and Cassandra as they enter the scene.

[debraran]

On 6/18/2024 at 11:16 PM, Blergh said:

'Where does leave US?' whines Grace, Albert, James and Cassandra as they enter the scene.

The show was good and had a great fan base but you can see the desperation later in retrospect when ratings were "king" and any dips caused panic. Great shows didn't always have constant high ratings and new shows had to be shared with other family unless you had (gasp) 2 or 3 TV's. ; )  That said, bringing those extra kids started the slow leak,  they didn't replace at all, Mary and Laura or bring in an old audience. It made them start to look elsewhere.  Are they watching a show with rape or drug use, I can do that too. No you can't.

That's the one time I wish he did listen to others and not try to recreate the youth, don't bring Nellie back once in a bad wig, give them more comic moments. DON"T bring in Nancy, that sealed it for my family then I think. The burning of the blind school was the slow death in other families but other things he did were like a defibrillator . No one bonded with James so his show about (what was that about?) his coma was fodder for much humor and not like other emotional episodes.

Sometimes a show like MASH or All in the Family etc could change actors or themes and keep going but you stick with the core or you let it go. Sadly he should have let it go and done the dreaded reunion show he hated so much, a year or two later for Thanksgiving and that would have been a rating winner. I think it was for the Walton's who had 5 or 6. I don't think they watch to see how you aged (which is what Mike said) they watch to see old friends they loved and it's a special hour or two. I would trade the last few years for some good solid movies.

Edited June 20 by debraran

[crazy8s]

13 hours ago, debraran said:

That's the one time I wish he did listen to others and not try to recreate the youth, don't bring Nellie back once in a bad wig, give them more comic moments. DON"T bring in Nancy, that sealed it for my family then I think. The burning of the blind school was the slow death in other families but other things he did were like a defibrillator

I think it was opportunity missed to not develop Willie's character with some story lines.

May I Have This Dance where Willie gets married is on of my favorites.

How great would it have been when Percival was brought in to teach Nellie we saw Willie eavesdropping on their lessons and practicing cooking when no one was watching and discovering he loved cooking? Or scenes with Nels and Willie sharing love of cooking and willie deciding on that as a career in the restaurant.

i swear if the series had continued Jeb Carter would have been off to college and 6' tall Willie would still be in the second row of the schoolroom or being sent to the corner.

The children's story lines went downhill when they only ever did anything with each other or as a group. Laura, Mary, Albert had episodes where they did things with other friends outside school or family. The later episodes for the Ingalls kids were mostly scenes at meal time or school. Instead we got Nancy screaming "they hate me" or new comers Jeb and Jason Carter or Jenny stories. Couldn't Carrie and Jenny been friends and have adventures?? apparently no

 

[debraran]

18 minutes ago, crazy8s said:

I think it was opportunity missed to not develop Willie's character with some story lines.

May I Have This Dance where Willie gets married is on of my favorites.

How great would it have been when Percival was brought in to teach Nellie we saw Willie eavesdropping on their lessons and practicing cooking when no one was watching and discovering he loved cooking? Or scenes with Nels and Willie sharing love of cooking and willie deciding on that as a career in the restaurant.

i swear if the series had continued Jeb Carter would have been off to college and 6' tall Willie would still be in the second row of the schoolroom or being sent to the corner.

The children's story lines went downhill when they only ever did anything with each other or as a group. Laura, Mary, Albert had episodes where they did things with other friends outside school or family. The later episodes for the Ingalls kids were mostly scenes at meal time or school. Instead we got Nancy screaming "they hate me" or new comers Jeb and Jason Carter or Jenny stories. Couldn't Carrie and Jenny been friends and have adventures?? apparently no

 

I agree re Willie for sure.I loved how he stood up to his mom and how Nel's beamed looking at him. So proud.  They could have had some fun episodes if his wife got pregnant and with his Mom. His love of eating and Nels liking to cook would have been nice thing to explore too. Nancy ruined it and focusing on a new family in the little house didn't jive with me. BUT if Willie moved in there with his bride, that would have been cute.

I also think the movies could have shown growth with the characters and seeing them all together at Thanksgiving, even the Oleson's would be hysterical : ) (Nancy would have to be away at boarding school though.)

Carrie wasn't allowed friends and Chris was long gone but I agree, she could have handled more lines and having her mute all the times was ridiculous.

[Egg McMuffin]

The whole Nancy arc is bizarre to say the least. Let’s slap a wig on a child who looks nothing like Nellie, and pretend she’s a dead ringer for her. And worse, this is a psychologically damaged child who knows that the only reason she’s been adopted is to replace the child the mother really loved.

[Blergh]

On 6/21/2024 at 3:44 AM, Egg McMuffin said:

The whole Nancy arc is bizarre to say the least. Let’s slap a wig on a child who looks nothing like Nellie, and pretend she’s a dead ringer for her. And worse, this is a psychologically damaged child who knows that the only reason she’s been adopted is to replace the child the mother really loved.

And it wasn't as though Nellie had DIED but she'd grown up,married  and moved away with the potential of making future visits.

Yeah, why not have had a more extensive line of Willie having courted Rachel and their lives as newlyweds (dealing with Harriet as a mother-in-law) and it WAS cool to see Willie and Nels show mutual respect and admiration for each other after those early years of Willie eating into his family's profits via the candy supply and hiding behind Harriet's skirts.

[jason88cubs]

From what we saw, it's funny that Charles was the only one in Walnut Grove to have a musical instrument unless I am forgetting someone

[debraran]

There were a few piano's and Harriet had one, and Mrs Whipple's troubled son played something he was teaching Mary? I don't think most of them unless they made them themselves had money for guitars etc.

I think Mr Edwards did a mean harmonica. ; )

[Mr. Sparkle]

Toby Noe visited and played a mean "Rock of Ages" on the organ. 

In a few church social scenes there was a whole band, including Charles. 

[jason88cubs]

Saw this on moviechat.org and had me laughing, talking about Charles

 

1. Always talk about paying for stuff with cash. Immediately after moving to walnut grove he asks for credit at the mercantile. Gets mad when they tell him no.

2. Signs a deal where if doesn't complete job he will lose his oxen. Climbs up tree, falls and breaks ribs and doesn't finish job. Gets mad when guy takes his oxen.

3. Goes to town with his often shattered ribs and uses his children to turn the town against the businessman who legally repossessed the oxen. Townsfolk don't realize this will be an often done thing.

4. Builds tiny house and moves family in, forces two daughters to sleep in attic. Forces youngest daughter to sleep at the foot of his bed, forcing her to listen while he has sex for seconds at a time with his wife and to hear him as he eats popcorn and laughs. .

5. Goes out on the road to earn money after crops fail. Again. Starts blasting tunnels for railroad, a friend is blown up and Charles stuffs his remains in a travel bag and returns them to the widow.

6. Constantly runs around hitting people. Bully boys make Caroline drop her eggs so he attacks in a rage. Bully brothers break his ribs and then do unmentionable things to him.

7. Best friend and wife are getting a divorce. Charles is a witness to the case. Charles starts laughing at their misery and points out they are idiots. Laughs so hard he soils himself.

8. Talks about how a man is supposed to support his family, moves Winoka where he gets job for himself and his wife. Wife winds up working all the time while he smokes a pipe and eats pie.

 

9) Sends his adolescent daughter to live amongst a tight knit, uneducated community under the tight control of an illiterate and hostile religious fanatic.

10) Adopts multiple children he cannot afford.

11) Quits the only business he actually succeeded in- the freight company with Jonathan.

12) Leaves Caroline alone with Chris to finish adding onto the kitchen and the family.

13) Drags his catatonic, dying son out into the wilderness and builds an altar. Gets struck by lightning, knocked into a coma, and dreams everything that follows.

14) Fails to dodge a giant rolling wheel, breaks multiple bones and gets laid up for weeks, then attempts to refuse to "allow" his wife to work, preferring instead that his children go hungry and lose their home. Pouts like a child when defied.

15) Drives a wagon with his wife's dead mother in the back straight up to the front door of the house, rather than stopping somewhere out of sight and walking to the house and breaking the news to Caroline. Caroline, in blissful ignorance, joyously runs to the back of the wagon to greet her mother, only to be confronted with her coffin. Good job, Chuck.

[debraran]

error

 

Edited June 26 by debraran

[debraran]

On 6/25/2024 at 3:27 PM, debraran said:

That’s 😆 for sure ! So true   I know there are more events from the show.. He finally does get a job in the evil city and then for once has $$ coming out of  his eyeballs and even uses a dry cleaner which started in France actually not here back then.  He did so many things that were funny and kind of sad. Kept it interesting. Cash on the barrel and why can't I have credit/loan will be my favorite. ; )

I got Deans book today, hope the impulse buy won’t be regretted. Reviews online mostly like it but emphasize this not a “tell all “book and he won’t gossip. They said he does give explanations for why age difference on show was fine .  Well I’ll learn about his life , but not too personal stuff of LHOP. I’ll update when done. I read the first 3 main characters books and recently Karen’s and was hoping for a guys opinion on things. He does talk about how Michael could be very curt and his ego and they had a few rocky moments. He also said that the misogynistic jokes were pretty filthy and that wouldn't fly today. I'll have to see if there was something new than the excerpts show. Oh, and he backs up Karen's truth about Katherine not wanting to be in the 3 movies (good call) They didn't want to pay her well and never renegotiated her contract like many. Sadly he said the pain of that rejection never quite left her. She felt she deserved something from the years of giving it her best and such a BIG loss for LHOP. Shame on them.

 

 

Edited June 27 by debraran

[Blergh]

I'm not sure if he felt this way back in the day or has only recently reached this conclusion, but I think it's cool that Dean Butler recognizes how awkward it would have been for MG as a fifteen-year-old to have had her character of Laura fall for his character of Almanzo despite the performers' nine-year age gap (and the fact that in RL Mrs. Wilder was TEN years younger than her longtime spouse).

In any case, it appears they've made their peace about it enough for her to join her onset bestie AA in EACH having written a forward to his new autobio!

[debraran]

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

I'm not sure if he felt this way back in the day or has only recently reached this conclusion, but I think it's cool that Dean Butler recognizes how awkward it would have been for MG as a fifteen-year-old to have had her character of Laura fall for his character of Almanzo despite the performers' nine-year age gap (and the fact that in RL Mrs. Wilder was TEN years younger than her longtime spouse).

In any case, it appears they've made their peace about it enough for her to join her onset bestie AA in EACH having written a forward to his new autobio!

He said today the gap is minimal between them, but then it was like the Grand Canyon. The first take of kiss was halted by crying (by her mom) who didn't like it either. Melissa G really didn't want it, but her say at the time was not a concern. Mike or anyone else didn't give her a say and she would have preferred a first kiss to be with someone without razor stubble. He also wasn't her type and she was immature enough at that age to make that known. He understood he wasn't Rob Lowe and let it go. The chemistry I never felt though probably was real. He also said Mike had her chase him to make it seem less awkward.....not really though. He thought on their first introduction, she seemed she'd fit into a middle school and thought they would give them time to grow into a plausible relationship for TV. But it took months not years. He said people wrote about it then, in 1979 they said he had a tricky role to convince LHOP viewers it was ok for a very grown man to fall for a pubescent girl. Moms wrote letters to editors (lost on me at the time) Melissa told him when her book came out, you were a grown man with an apartment and I wasn't shaving my legs yet. Well, water under the bridge now. Making him act like a goof didn't help either.

I laughed at some of the Michael moments, throwing Dean, across a room, telling him when asking if there was historical things he could read (not knowing LHOP books) he said the only thing required is you read what I write. I wont say more in case someone wants to read it themselves unless asked.

I will say before you buy, know it's about his life, not LHOP which was 5 years the most. One pic of LHOP, no real interactions or thoughts on characters except Katherine and Alison and how hard her replacement had it.No mention except in passing of Jon Gilbert or Melissa Sue, even Linwood,. I know he came later but he did have interactions with more people but memory or caring about it, is not reflected. I admit I skimmed some pages, I wasn't a big fan like I was with James Garner and read his like I was savoring it. I'm not regretting purchase but not as full of LHOP as others for obvious reasons.