Little House on the Prairie

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Image:LHbookCover.jpg Template:Commons Template:Wikiquote Little House on the Prairie (1935) is a children's book by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It went on to become a series of books, multiple TV series, multiple TV movies, and a cartoon. A historical site in Kansas also uses the name.

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Books

The Little House series (also known as "Laura Years") was written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and based on decades-old memories of her childhood in the Midwest region of the United States during the late 19th century. The best-known of the books is Little House on the Prairie, first published in 1935. The books are told in the third person, with Laura Ingalls acting as the central character and protagonist and are generally classified as fiction rather than as autobiography. Wilder's daughter, author and political theorist Rose Wilder Lane, assisted her mother with the editing of the books. The depth of her involvement, and the extent of her influence on the theme and content of the books, has been the subject of much debate in recent years.

The books have remained continuously in print since their initial publication by Harper & Brothers, and are considered classics of American children's literature. Several of them were named Newbery Honor books. They remain widely read, primarily by girls aged 8–12. Anecdotal evidence suggests, however, that they are also popular among older girls and adult women who first encountered them as children. The edition of the series currently in print contains illustrations by Garth Williams.

The success of the Little House series has spawned many related books including two series ("Little House Chapter Books" and "My First Little House Books") that present episodes from the original stories in condensed and simplified form for younger readers. Other related titles include sticker and craft books, cookbooks, diaries, calendars, and so on.

Also of interest are four series of books that expand the Little House series to include five generations of Laura Ingalls Wilder's family. The "Martha Years" and "Charlotte Years" series, by Melissa Wiley, are fictionalized tales of Laura's great-grandmother in late 18th century Scotland and grandmother in early 19th century Massachusetts. The "Caroline Years" series narrates the girlhood of Caroline Quiner, Laura's mother, in Wisconsin. The "Rose Years" (originally dubbed "Rocky Ridge Years") series follows Rose Wilder Lane from childhood in Missouri to early adulthood in San Francisco, and was written by her surrogate grandson Roger MacBride.

Noted children's author Cynthia Rylant has written a slender volume, Old Town in the Green Groves, that covers the two years in Laura's life between On The Banks of Plum Creek and By The Shores of Silver Lake, which are unnarrated in the original series of books. Two volumes of Laura's letters and diaries have also been issued under the Little House imprint: On The Way Home and West From Home.

An additional series, The Days of Laura Ingalls Wilder, by T.L. Tedrow offers tales of Laura's early adulthood in Missouri; unlike the core Little House books, the Tedrow series is not drawn from episodes in Wilder's life.

In recent years, controversy has surrounded the role of Wilder's daughter, author and political theorist Rose Wilder Lane, as either a silent editor or ghostwriter of her mother's books.

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Wilder's Little House Books

  • Little House in the Big Woods (1932)
  • Farmer Boy (1933) - about her husband's childhood on a farm in New York
  • Little House on the Prairie (1935)
  • On the Banks of Plum Creek (1937)
  • By the Shores of Silver Lake (1939)
  • The Long Winter (1940)
  • Little Town on the Prairie (1941)
  • These Happy Golden Years (1943)
  • The First Four Years (1971, published posthumously)
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TV series (1974–1982)

Image:LHMainTitle.jpg Little House On The Prairie was an American one-hour dramatic television program that aired on the NBC network from 1974 to 1982. During the 1982-83 television season, the series was broadcast with the new title Little House: A New Beginning (see below).

The show was a loose adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House on the Prairie books. Michael Landon starred as Charles Ingalls, Karen Grassle played Caroline Ingalls, Melissa Gilbert played Laura Ingalls, Melissa Sue Anderson played Mary Ingalls, and the twins Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush (credited as Lindsay Sidney Greenbush) played Carrie. Although it deviated from the original books in some respects, the television series, which was set in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, was (and still is in syndication) one of the few long-running successful dramatic family shows. Although predominantly a drama, the program did have some comedic moments, thanks to supporting cast members such as the Oleson family (Richard Bull (Nels Oleson), Katherine MacGregor (Harriet Oleson), Jonathan Gilbert (Willie Oleson), and Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson) and Mr. Edwards (Victor French).

Image:LH1974TheIngalls.jpg While Nels (proprietor of the town's general store, Oleson's Mercantile) was a true friend of the Ingalls, Harriet was not; she often caused trouble by spreading malicious gossip or scheming behind her husband's back to foreclose on the Ingalls' farm. Nellie, the Oleson's oldest child, was a carbon copy of her mother, often very nasty and scheming to humiliate Laura. Willie, five years younger than Nellie, was a typical mischievous child and often aided his sister in her schemes. Both Nellie and Willie would change their personalities for the better in later seasons - Nellie after she married Jewish businessman Percival Dalton (played by Steve Tracy) in 1980; Willie in early 1982 after having a heart-to-heart talk with Laura, who was by then his teacher at Walnut Grove School. However, much to Nels' chagrin, Harriet had learned nothing and forgotten nothing, always remaining true to her nasty, gossipy, scheming, troublemaking self. Furthmore, the Olsens adopt another "reeincarnation" of Nellie--Nancy Olsen.

In 1979, Dean Butler joined the cast as Almanzo Wilder, the man 10 years Laura's senior that she would soon marry. Several episodes during the 1979-1980 season dealt with their budding relationship as it blossomed into true love. Almanzo and Laura were married in the 1980-1981 season première.

In later years, the Ingalls family adopted several children. First was 11-year-old Albert Quinn (Matthew Laborteaux), whom the family met when they moved (briefly) to Winoka in a series of 1978 episodes. In 1981, the family welcomed 12-year-old James (Jason Bateman) and 9-year-old Cassandra Cooper (Missy Francis), a brother and sister who were orphaned after their parents were killed in an accident. Also in 1981, the Olesons adopted a young orphan named Nancy (Allison Balson).

Also appearing in the series were Merlin Olsen (as Jonathan Garvey), Dabbs Greer (as Rev. Robert Alden, pastor of Walnut Grove Church), Karl Swenson (as Lars Hanson, the town's founder and proprietor of the town's mill) and Kevin Hagen (as Dr. Hiram Baker, the town's doctor). Malcolm in the Middle creator, Linwood Boomer, appeared as Mary Ingalls' teacher turned husband, Adam Kendall, whom she met at the Blind School in the (1978-1979) season. Many of these characters were fictional, but still contributed to make Little House a success.

Michael Landon directed a majority of the episodes. However, other people such as Leo Penn and Victor French occasionally took their turn at the director's chair.

Little House on the Prairie was largely filmed on Big Sky Ranch at Simi Valley, California, not in Minnesota. Camera vistas sometimes pick up the rugged terrain, which is too mountainous for Minnesota. In one particular episode Laura runs way and climbs up a mountain. However, there were no mountains on the prarie! Nevertheless, the oak savanna is considered to be representative of the real Walnut Grove. Other television programs, including Gunsmoke and The Dukes of Hazzard, were produced at the same Big Sky Ranch lot.

The entire series has been released on DVD. The DVD sets include exclusive interviews by "Little House" historian Patrick Loubatiere with actors Alison Arngrim, Dabbs Greer and Dean Butler.

See the complete list of Little House on the Prairie episodes.

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Spin-offs & Sequels

Image:LHIntroGirls.jpg A spin-off series of sorts, Little House: A New Beginning, built around star Melissa Gilbert, lasted only one season and aired from September 1982 until March 1983. A new family, the Carters (Stan Ivar as John, Pamela Roylance as Sarah, Lindsay Kennedy as eldest son Jeb and David Friedman as youngest son Jason), moved into the Ingalls' old home. Meanwhile, Almanzo and Laura (who had since given birth to a daughter, Rose), took in their niece, Jenny (played by Shannen Doherty), when Almanzo's brother died.

Three made-for-television movie sequels followed: Little House: Look Back to Yesterday (1983), Little House: The Last Farewell (1984), and Little House: Bless All the Dear Children (1984). Two other Little House movies were made in conjunction with the Landon series: the 1974 pilot for the program and Little House Years (1979), a Thanksgiving special/clip show that aired in the middle of Season 6.

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Book

"Little House on the Prairie from A to Z" by Patrick Loubatiere (published October 2005).

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Other Versions

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Laura the Prairie Girl (1975)

A Japanese animated version of the Little House series was released in 1975 by Nippon Animation Co. Ltd. under the title 草原の少女ローラ (Sōgen no shōjō Laura; English: Laura the Prairie Girl). It ran 26 episodes, about 24 minutes each.

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Beyond the Prairie (2000, 2002)

Image:LHMovie-BeyondThePrairie2.jpg Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder, two television movies produced by Marcus Cole and aired in 2000 and 2002, presented episodes from the later books in the Little House series (from The Long Winter to The First Four Years).

The series starred Richard Thomas as Charles Ingalls; Lindsay Crouse as Caroline Ingalls; Meredith Monroe as Laura Ingalls; Barbara Jane Reams as Mary Ingalls; Haley McCormick as Carrie Ingalls; Walt Goggins as Almanzo Wilder; and Skye McCole Bartusiak as Rose Wilder.

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Little House on the Prairie (2005)

Image:NewLHPromo.jpg Made in 2004 and aired in April 2005, the six-hour (five-episode) miniseries Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie was broadcast on ABC as part of The Wonderful World of Disney anthology series. Unlike the Landon series, the 2005 miniseries stayed fairly close to the spirit of the books Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie. It will be released on DVD on March 28, 2006.

The miniseries starred Cameron Bancroft as Charles Ingalls; Erin Cottrell as Caroline Ingalls; Kyle Chavarria as Laura Ingalls; Danielle Chuchran as Mary Ingalls; and Gregory Sporleder as Mr Edwards. It was directed by David L. Cunningham.

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Historic site

Image:Little house on the prarie sign.jpg Image:Surveyors house little house on the prairie.jpg

The state of Kansas has designated the childhood home of the Ingalls as a historic site, which is open to visitors. It is the location from which the events of the book Little House on the Prarie take place. It includes a cabin modeled after the original, and the original post office. Much of the surrounding countryside retains its open and undeveloped nature.

De Smet South Dakota attracts many fans with its historic sites from the books By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, and The First Four Years. From 1879 to 1894 the Ingalls family lived in De Smet and the family homestead, a house in town built by Charles Ingalls, the Brewster School Laura taught at, and the surveyor's home the family lived in between 1879 and 1880 are open to visitors. Additionally, the bodies of Charles, Caroline, Mary, Carrie and Grace Ingalls, and that of Laura and Almanzo's unnamed infant son are laid to rest in the De Smet Cemetery.

Mansfield, Missouri is the chosen final home town of Laura. It was here, on her farm, that she wrote the "Little House" books. Each year the whole town celebrates with a festival, turning back the clock to the late 1800’s. During the festival the town square becomes a showcase for handmade crafts. There is a big parade, and folk music is played from the gazebo in the park. There is an elaborate musical pageant. Laura, Almanzo and their daughter Rose are all laid to rest in the Mansfield Cemetery.

Walnut Grove, Minnesota may be the most recognized name of all the towns Laura wrote about in her books, although it is the only town she did not mention by name, because Michael Landon's television series "Little House on the Prairie" of the 1970s and '80s was located here. Although the show depicts the family as living here through Laura's adulthood, in reality, they only lived here a few years.

In 1874, when Laura was seven years old, the family left their home near Pepin for the second time and settled just outside Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Laura writes of her early years here in On the Banks of Plum Creek. The family lived in a dugout in the creek bank until Pa could build a house. Laura and Mary began school again, and made both friends (the Kennedy children) and enemies (Nellie Oleson).

Laura's baby brother, Charles Frederic Ingalls (Freddy), was born in Walnut Grove on November 1, 1875, although Laura did not include this in her books because he only lived for nine months.

Pa had felt that Minnesota would be "the land of milk and honey", but a plague of grasshoppers destroyed the wheat crops two years in a row. Pa was offered a job managing a hotel in Burr Oak, Iowa, and the family moved there in 1876. A year later, the family returned to Walnut Grove.

Laura was nearly 11 years old now, old enough to earn money for the family by babysitting and doing odd jobs. At first, the Ingalls family lived with their friends, the Ensigns. Pa built a house in town, and worked as a storekeeper, butcher, then carpenter.

In the spring of 1879, Mary became very ill. Her illness was followed by a stroke, which resulted in blindness. Soon afterward, Pa's sister Docia came from the Big Woods and offered him a job with the railroad going west. Though Ma wanted to remain in Walnut Grove, Pa felt a better future could be found in Dakota Territory. He accepted Docia's offer gladly. Thus ended the Ingalls' stay in Walnut Grove.

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External links

es:La Casa de la Pradera fr:La Petite Maison dans la prairie he:בית קטן בערבה it:La piccola casa nella prateria nl:Het Kleine Huis op de Prairie ja:大草原の小さな家 pl:Domek na prerii simple:Little House on the Prairie fi:Pieni talo preerialla sv:Lilla huset på prärien

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