Book Review: Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond by Dean Butler

 

Dean Butler brought Almanzo James Wilder to life for legions of Little House on the Prairie fans in the late 70s and early 80s. Now, learn about his life, his career, and more in Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond.

Since Dean signed my hardcover book when I saw him in Farmington, Connecticut, last year, I downloaded an Audible copy of the book to read this wonderful memoir of his early life, details of his career--including roles I had totally forgotten about like CHiPs, personal interactions with family, friends and fans, the complicated relationship with his father, former love interests and his appreciation for his beloved wife Katherine, and people he considers influential. 

Coming from an affluent family allowed him to pursue his dream of becoming an actor, but as Butler shares, it didn't come easily for him. With advice from his father, he would eventually return to finish college, something he expresses gratitude for. He discusses how even back in his Little House days, he was interested in work behind the camera, and shares how he came to work on the talk show, Feherty. It was also nice to hear more about his theater work. 

Prairie Man is told in a way that is respectful of those involved. Honestly, I couldn't expect the Dean Butler I've been lucky to meet more than once at events to be any different. There were a few surprises along the way, which I won't spoil, but Dean, like Almanzo, is that quiet and shy guy who occasionally allows his stubbornness and pride to get in the way. He even admits how much like his most notable role he is--which won't surprise any Little House fan. 

I'm not sure if Dean recalls this, but back in the days of the Dean's Divas Yahoo Group, we had asked if he was ever going to write a memoir. As an aside, I appreciate the mention of Dean's Divas in the Acknowledgments.

For those of us who have followed Dean's career for decades, Prairie Man is a welcome addition to books by other Little House on the Prairie cast members. And if you follow the Little House: Fifty for 50 Podcast, you'll know he is already at work on a second book very different from his memoir. 

While I don't think we learn anything new about Butler's time on the show that he is most well known for, Prairie Man provides insight into a life that has spanned close to seven decades, many years of which have involved his connection and commitment to the legacy of a young American pioneer girl who has captured the hearts of generations. 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Citadel
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 25, 2024
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0806543299
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0806543291

I purchased a hardcover and audio version of this book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Big News for Little House on the Prairie Fans

 

Photo credit: PLP

Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder) and Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson Dalton) recently announced Prairie Legacy Productions, LLC as the new home of officially licensed LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE™ fan events.

With Butler and Arngrim as Co-Managers, this venture has already begun coordinating its first 2025 Little House on the Prairie Cast Reunion, taking placing in June 2025 at the Columbia State Historic Park in California. Event information can be found here.

Little House: Fifty for 50 Anniversary Podcast

 

Have any of you been listening to the Little House: Fifty for 50 Anniversary Podcast with Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder), Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson Dalton), and host Pamela Bob? 

Honestly, I'm not much of a podcast person. I tend to fall in love with one, binge listen, and then wander off. I like catching the short clips on social media, though. Dean and Alison are such amazing supporters of the Little House on the Prairie world and in keeping the love of the show alive decades later. Pamela is a great host, and the conversation flows so naturally. If ever I fell in love with a podcast, it would probably be this one. 

Here is the website for the podcast: https://littlehouse50podcast.com When you visit, you will find other places where you can listen. Hope you enjoy it!

Where Have I Been Lately?

 

This was going to be the year. The 50th Anniversary of Little House on the Prairie was a year I planned to follow along with all the events, listen to the podcasts, keep this blog active and share how much this show meant to me growing up. 

So... how has that turned out? Dismal? Paltry? Lame? 

Thank you to all the loyal readers who keep checking in no matter how often I post. Today, is the first day I've taken off since August 31, when I attended the Little House on the Prairie Cast Reunion in Farmington, CT. Here are some photos.

Dean Butler (Almanzo) signed my copy of Prairie Man

Met Sherri Stoner (Rachel Brown Oleson)

Met Pamela Roylance and David Freidman (Sarah and Jason Carter)

Reconnected with Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle/Mrs. Sims)

This wasn't the most well-run event, but the cast members were amazing. 

Other than that, real estate has been moving swiftly along, taking up a lot of time. I submitted my NaNoWriMo project from 2023 to a publisher. They sent out a thoughtful rejection a week ago. I have a backup plan, but I'm waiting a bit so I can look at the manuscript with fresh eyes. 

I've also begun plotting the second novel in the series. Likely will tackle NaNoWriMo again this year. So, my middle grade historical languishes while I attend to the small town romances I'm writing. My fifth children's book is also languishing, waiting for the publisher to have an artist ready. Life happens. 

Hope you are enjoying fall or spring, depending upon where you are in the world. Here in New England, the fall colors are peeking out from the greens of summer. Enjoy your weekend. 

Coming in June 2024: Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond by Dean Butler

 

An illuminating, insider’s journey through the world of Little House on the Prairie and beyond, from Dean Butler, who starred as Almanzo Wilder, the man Laura “Half Pint” Ingalls married—on the iconic show still beloved by millions of fans as it reaches its 50th anniversary.

With a foreword from Melissa Gilbert (Laura) and Alison Arngrim (Nellie)!

Cast just before his twenty-third birthday, Dean Butler joined Little House on the Prairie halfway through its run, gaining instant celebrity and fans’ enduring affection. Ironically, when the late, great Michael Landon remarked that Little House would outlive everyone involved in making it, Butler deemed it unlikely. Yet for four decades and counting, Butler has been defined in the public eye as Almanzo Wilder—a role he views as the great gift of his life.

Butler had been cast as a romantic lead before, notably in the made-for-TV movie of Judy Blume’s Forever, opposite Stephanie Zimbalist. But Little House was, and remains, one of the most treasured shows in television history. As the eventual husband of Laura “Half-pint” Ingalls—and the man who would share actress Melissa Gilbert’s first real-life romantic kiss—Butler landed as a central figure for the show’s devoted fans.

Now, with wit and candor, Butler recounts his passage through the Prairie, sharing stories and anecdotes of the remarkable cast who were his on-screen family. But that was merely the beginning of a diverse career that includes Broadway runs and roles on two other classic shows—Moondoggie in The New Gidget and Buffy’s ne’er-do-well father, Hank, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Coming of age during a golden era of entertainment, Butler has evolved along with it, and today enjoys success and fulfillment as a director and producer—notably of NBC Golf’s Feherty—while remaining deeply loyal to Little House. 

The warmth, heart, and decency that fans of Laura and Almanzo fell in love with on Little House echo through this uplifting memoir, a story, in Butler’s words, about “good luck, good television, and the very good—if gloriously imperfect—people who made it so.”

Available for pre-order now at Amazon!

Do You Remember "The Little House Years?"

How many of you remember the three-part clips episode, "The Little House Years?" It's easy to forget, since it isn't included on the DVDs. I spoke to Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder) about it once. He eluded to a rights issue, but didn't know the exact nature of the issue.

Sitting around the table at Thanksgiving with Mary and Adam Kendall, Laura shares some of the family's journeys and memories. This is one great way to share the history of the Ingalls family with adopted brother, Albert.

I don't remember all of them, but scenes from when they left the Big Woods, when they bought the house on Plum Creek, when Charles lost his crop and had to travel to find work with the railroad, when Laura ran away, and several others are included. You also catch a glimpse of a young Shawna Landon in the library picking out a copy of Laura Ingalls Wilder's book.

It is my sincere hope that this part of season 6 is one day released. Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving.

Little House TV Cast Reunion in Walnut Grove

Did any of you get a chance to attend the Little House TV Cast Reunion in Walnut Grove. I heard Stan Ivar and Hersha Parady were unable to make it, but based upon all the photos on the Facebook page and from fans, it was a blast. 

Watching all this unfold online made me miss my divas and wish that we could have all gotten together like we did in 2014.

Well, maybe we will make the 50th reunion. 

Nite of Dreams Production Presents a Little House on the Prairie Tribute Dinner in March 2016

From the Nite of Dreams website: http://niteofdreams.com/event/little-house-on-the-prairie/

Join Alison Arngrim, Allison Balson, Dan McBride, Radames Pera, Charlotte Stewart, Rachel Greenbush and Dean Butler for a very intimate dinner on March 19th, 2016 at the beautiful Anaheim White House in Anaheim, California.

A cocktail hour with a cash bar, a photo op with the cast, pass-around hors d’oeuvres, an elegant three-course dinner (wine included), a Q&A, special tributes and a chance for you to offer your own tribute and say “thank you” to the cast for all they have given you throughout the years.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share a table with the star of your choice, have up-close and personal conversations, hear behind-the-scenes stories – and much more – all while being wined and dined at one of the most beautiful restaurants in South Orange County.

We will post a direct link to discounted rooms at the magnificent Anaheim Majestic Garden Hotel, just steps from Disneyland, in the next few weeks. Stay a while longer and visit the “happiest place on earth!”

And… with an upgraded ticket, you’ll have a chance to be one of only 15 guests to join Alison Arngrim on Sunday, March 20th, on a tour of Big Sky Ranch, complete with transportation and lunch!

Don’t miss out!! We look forward to meeting you in March!

When: March 19, 2016 @ 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Where: The Anaheim White House, 887 S Anaheim Blvd,  Anaheim, CA 92805

Cost: $350-$750

Contact: Carolyn at 949-439-9504 or carolyn@niteofdreams.com 

Tickets go on sale January 19, 2016!

Little House on the Prairie Cast Reunion Thursday on Home & Family

This Thursday, October 8, on Hallmark Channel's "Home & Family" the cast of "Little House on the Prairie" is reuniting! The cast including Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls), Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder), Matthew Labyorteaux (Albert Ingalls) Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson) and Lindsay Greenbush (Carrie Ingalls) will be featured throughout the episode. Segment highlights:

- A guided tour of the show's original filming locations with Alison Arngrim
- A tribute to Michael Landon (Charles Ingalls) by his children Michael Landon Jr. and Leslie Landon with never before seen family photos

- Melissa Gilbert will share a recipe from her cookbook (gingersnap pumpkin pie) and discuss her decision to run for congress

- Dean Butler shares a Christmas DIY from his own family traditions
- Home & Family's Debbie Matenopulous talks about Laura Ingalls and offers travel tips to trace the cross-country journey of the Ingalls family

Home & Family airs Weekdays at 10/9c on Hallmark

DVD Review: Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder

Last summer's road trip to visit many of the Laura Ingalls Wilder sites left me with a renewed sense of awe over how much she experienced in her lifetime. So, imagine my delight when, earlier this year, I was approached by Friendly Family Productions to review Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder. This special new edition includes not only a 56-minute documentary on my favorite writer, it also includes 35 minutes of bonus features that are narrated, directed, and co-produced by Dean Butler, who played Almanzo Wilder on the classic Little House on the Prairie television series. Butler's Legacy Documentaries banner also brought Wilder fans, Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura, which we reviewed here.

This documentary does not journey through Laura's entire life. Staying true to the Legacy Documentaries brand, it captures the defining moments of Wilder's life, and does so in a touching way that only those who have been part of Wilder's legacy can accomplish. While Laura's early life and marriage to Almanzo are mentioned, they only serve to sharpen the focus of the documentary, which remains strongly on Wilder's writing career: how the loss of her family, along with the concern that the pioneering era was slipping away, inspired her to put pen to paper; how farm life inspired her journalism work for the Missouri Ruralist; how the sometimes tense relationship with her daughter, Rose, shaped her writing, and how through that experience Wilder grew as a writer; the creation of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and the series' continued popularity with young readers.

As was done with the Almanzo Wilder production, historical photographs, book excerpts, reenactments, and expert insights give viewers a glimpse into the life of one of America's most beloved writers. While many of the photographs are ones Wilder aficionados have seen before, they have been used in new ways to bring a special touch to Laura's story. The artwork of illustrator Cheryl Harness captures the essence of Wilder's Little House series and brings this legacy to life through animation. Discussions with Laura Ingalls Wilder biographer, John E. Miller, and Pamela Smith Hill, editor of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography, add depth to this engaging story covering Wilder's legacy.

Bonus features include topics on Native Americans and African Americans on the prairie, the beautiful work of American artist Harvey Dunn, and the Morgan Horse. Viewers are encouraged to travel behind the scenes with director Dean Butler as he chronicles his work on this documentary, and there is a discussion with illustrator Cheryl Harness on her contributions.

Produced in association with Friendly Family Productions, Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder is a must have for any Wilder fan.


Directors: Dean Butler
Producers: Dean Butler, Robin Bernheim-Burger, Trip Friendly (Executive Producer)
Format: Color, Closed-captioned
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Friendly Family Productions, LLC
Run Time: 91 minutes


I received a free copy of this DVD from Friendly Family Productions. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Home Again

Back home from the most amazing trip I've ever taken. Lots of fun with friends. And I finally got to meet Dean Butler! What a wonderful guy. Lindsey Rachel Greenbush (one of the twins who played Carrie Ingalls) got a huge kick out of Dean's Divas arriving in Walnut Grove. She asked to be an honorary Diva. This picture was taken on Friday soon after the Divas drove into Walnut Grove.

I'll share more memories from my eight-day trip that brought me through parts of Wisconsin, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa over the coming days. Right now, it's about 3 a.m. and this Diva is tired.

Dean Butler Welcomes You to Walnut Grove This Summer

Happy LHOP Anniversary Dean Butler!

On this day in 1979, Dean Butler began shooting scenes for Little House on the Prairie as Almanzo Wilder. Though the story of Almanzo and Laura's relationship was very different on the show from what Laura Ingalls Wilder portrayed in the books, Dean always seemed to capture the quiet nature of the real life Almanzo. I, and other fans, are so appreciative of Dean's efforts to keep Laura's legacy alive for new generations of fans everywhere.

Happy Birthday, Laura!

For the memories you've shared...

For the life you lived...

For the stories you've inspired...

For the friends you've brought together...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURA!

One-Room Schoolhouse Dedication Event with LHOP Cast Members

Join Ingalls and Wilder biographer, Bill Anderson, along with Little House on the Prairie cast members, Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder) and Lucy Lee Flippin (Eliza Jane Wilder) at the One-Room Schoolhouse Dedication Event this coming Saturday, August 24th,  at the Wilder Farm in Burke, New York.

Take a self-guided tour of the new schoolhouse. There will be period activities and demonstrations, food, music, games, and book and DVD signings. Admission fee is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 - 16, and free for children 5 and under.

This event runs from 10AM - 4PM, and the dedication ceremony is planned for 1PM. Visit the Wilder Homestead website for more information at http://www.almanzowilderfarm.com/

Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder DVD Now Available at Legacy Documentaries Site

photo credit: www.legacydocsshop.com

Now available for purchase from Legacy Documentaries is the "untold story of Laura’s life from both a fictional and historical perspective." Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder is the story of one of the world's most beloved children's authors. With her Little House series, Laura Ingalls Wilder captured the pioneering spirit for generations of young people.

Dean Butler portrayed Almanzo Wilder on the classic family drama, Little House on the Prairie. As president and executive producer at Peak Moore Enterprises, Butler's Legacy Documentaries brand and his continued interest in Wilder's legacy led to the documentary DVD release of Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura, in addition to bonus content for the Little House on the Prairie TV show DVD set. Now, Wilder fans can add to this collection with a new DVD about Wilder's life that includes "literary and history experts, excepts from the Little House books, Helen Sewell illustrations, dramatic reenactments, digital animations, archival photographs and a beautiful original score."

Visit www.legacydocsshop.com to purchase this DVD. 

Happy Birthday Almanzo!

Oh, how my life would be different if Laura Elizabeth Ingalls had never met Almanzo James Wilder. I would never have met many of my online chums. Historic sites would never have existed. And television shows and movies about life on the prairie as seen through the eyes of a young girl might never have been inspired by a set of books that might never have been written.

Thankfully, a young Laura Ingalls did meet the dashing hero we read about in The Long Winter. Almanzo Wilder would court her. He would go and fetch her from her teaching job with his beautiful Morgan horses. And a couple of years later, the two would marry.

Now, we have books, televisions shows, movies, and annual events to remember the legacy created by the Wilders. We are grateful for all this pioneer family has meant to us. We are thankful for the small screen portrayals of Almanzo that actors Dean Butler and Walter Goggins brought us.

On Almanzo's 156th birthday, we fondly remember everyone's favorite farmer boy. Happy birthday, Almanzo!

Favorite Little House on the Prairie Episodes

Little House on the Prairie ran for nine seasons and three post-series movies. Fans have been clamoring for a reunion show for years, though as time passes it seems less likely that it would be possible. Some of the actors have passed away--Michael Landon, Kevin Hagen, Dabbs Greer, Merlin Olsen, Victor French--and some have moved on to other careers.

There are fans who like the earlier episodes where the Ingalls girls are still young and growing up. Others, like me, enjoy the older seasons where Adam Kendall and Almanzo Wilder are a part of the town. And every fan has his or her favorite episodes.

"Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow" remains my favorite, though there are others that come in a close second. It is television drama at its best, and contains so many elements of what made the show a success. A two-part episode, it is partially based on the tragedies the real Wilders experienced as a young married couple.

Almanzo contracts diphtheria. Ordered to bed by Doc Baker, when a hailstorm threatens his wheat crop, Almanzo races out to save it and ends up suffering a stroke. The real Almanzo experienced this as well. Unlike his TV counterpart, he would suffer its effects for the rest of his life. In addition, the real life Laura also contract diphtheria, and Rose was sent to live with her grandparents, Caroline and Charles, while they battled their illness.

Now paralyzed, Almanzo (played by Dean Butler) is unable to make the mortgage payments. Deeply in debt, and with a very pregnant Laura no longer able to work, the Wilders are concerned about their future. Things go from bad to worse when Almanzo's older sister, Eliza Jane arrives to take care of Almanzo.

Feeling lonely, Eliza Jane hampers Almanzo's recovery, hoping she can find him a proper job in Minneapolis that he can perform from his wheelchair. Almanzo and Eliza Jane make plans to sell the house in Walnut Grove, but a tornado destroys it. In real life, the Wilder's home was destroyed by a fire not long after the death of their infant son.

The loss of the house on top of Almanzo's illness and the thought of leaving the place that has been her home for most of her life, cause Laura to give up and retreat to bed. Almanzo decides he must be the husband that Beth needs. With the help of Charles, he learns to walk again, and then begins rebuilding a small home in Walnut Grove.

Beth and Manly have an emotional reunion in front of the frame of their new home, where Laura sees Almanzo walk for the first time since his stroke. "Welcome home, Beth," announces Almanzo before they embrace.

I hope you'll consider sharing your favorite Little House on the Prairie episodes with us.

DVD Review: Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder

This highly anticipated DVD release produced by Legacy Documentaries in association with Family Friendly Productions, tells the story of the legacy that Laura Ingalls Wilder created through her writing.

Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder is an in-depth look into how Laura came to write her famous children's books and the legacy she has left behind. Through interviews with historian and author John E. Miller, author Pamela Smith Hill, and Tanya Hart, Assistant Professor of History at the University of Kansas, viewers learn not only more about the time period in which Wilder lived, but also how her books came to be published, and about her relationship with her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane.


Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder, Little House on the Prairie, NBC) co-produced, directed and narrated this moving story of Wilder's life. As with Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura, this production includes: live reenactments, animated colored Garth Williams illustrations from the Little House books, historical photographs, original artwork, and readings from Wilder's books. Those with an interest in this time period will find information on how Wilder's work--her articles and her books--preserved this history for generations to come, and how her work brought to life the equal partnership between frontiersman and frontierswoman. What I especially enjoyed was the time spent discussing the collaboration between mother and daughter and the evolution of both women's careers.

Actress Katherine Cannon reads the excerpts from the Little House books, and the beautiful music of Jay Asher adds so much to this production. For those of us who enjoyed the music of David Rose from the Little House on the Prairie television series, Asher's work makes us feel in familiar territory. With his own unique style, Asher captures the vibrant, romantic, sometimes difficult life that Wilder lived.


Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder also includes bonus material, the best of which is the Director's Diary, where Butler takes you through the experience of shooting this documentary in various locations. Other bonus items are the trailers for Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura and the Pa's Fiddle Project.


Every Laura fan will want to own a copy of this beautifully created story of Wilder's legacy. This DVD is on sale at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove, MN. Visit them online at http://www.walnutgrove.org/museum.htm or contact them toll free at 1-800-528-7280.



I purchased a copy of this DVD from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove, MN to share with my family. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way. 

Happy Anniversary Bess and Manly!

 

 

These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder tells the story of Laura and Almanzo's courtship and their wedding that took place a few days early to avoid the church wedding his sister and mother wanted to plan.

 

Almanzo and Laura--Manly and Bess--spent 64 years together--until Almanzo passed away in October of 1949. The First Four Years was a book Laura wrote about the early years of their marriage. It was not published in her lifetime. Roger Lea MacBride, Rose Wilder Lane's heir, discovered the manuscript with Rose's belongings after her death in 1968. A decision was made to publish the manuscript without any editing, so the tone of the book is a bit darker than that of the other Little House books--though it does end on an optimistic note.

 

Those first four years of marriage were difficult ones. Laura did not want to be a farmer's wife, but she consented to try it for three years. Those were years of joys and years of sorrows. A hailstorm destroys their crop and their debts begin to mount. Their daughter Rose is born and that year they are able to make enough to pay off some of their debts. A hot wind destroys their crops the next two years. They contract diphtheria and Almanzo suffers a stroke. Laura gives birth to a son, who dies a few weeks later. Their home is destroyed by a fire and they are forced to work for room and board at a neighbor's place. But Laura is sure their luck will change.

 

Eventually Bess and Manly left De Smet, SD and traveled to Missouri, where they built a place they called home for the rest of their lives. Rocky Ridge Farm was where Laura penned her famous children's books.

 

 

The pioneering era ended long ago, but the pioneer girl who traveled across the prairie by covered wagon is still remembered. Her books teach us about the history of this country and the many things that make it wonderful. The Little House books display the importance of family, faith, love, perseverance, optimism, and respect. When I had the chance to speak to Dean Butler, who portrayed Almanzo Wilder on Little House on the Prairie, he mentioned how the stories are evergreen. These timeless stories resemble the values that remain just as important today as they were when Laura lived through them and wrote about them.

 

Happy anniversary Laura and Almanzo. Through your lives, we have learned--and hope to learn--so much.