Having covered Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mary Ingalls Kendall, and Caroline Quiner Ingalls in previous character profiles, it seems high time that Charles Phillip Ingalls got his turn. Though the Ingalls family are historical figures, just one family who symbolizes the American pioneers who traveled west in search of new opportunities, these character profiles focus on the fictional lives brought to life in the late 70s and early 80s on Little House on the Prairie. In case you haven't seen all the seasons yet, please know:
CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!
Michael Landon, who portrayed Charles Ingalls on the show, was a household name by the time Ed Friendly brought the idea of Little House on the Prairie to NBC. You can read more about how Landon came to play Pa in my conversation with Kent McCray. Landon appeared in more than 185 episodes of the show and two of the three movies that aired after the series ended. Please enjoy my profile of Michael Landon's version of Charles (Pa) Ingalls. Comments appreciated.
Viewers meet the rugged yet sensitive Charles Ingalls in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, as his wife Caroline bids farewell to their families. In their covered wagon, Charles, Caroline, and their three daughters (Mary, Laura & Carrie) embark on a southwestward journey to find a place with fewer people and more game to hunt.
From the very beginning, it is clear Pa and Laura, who he calls Half-pint, have a special relationship. He understands she is hurting when it appears their dog Jack drowned as they crossed the Mississippi into Kansas. They both are eager for the adventure of traveling to new places and meeting new people. And they share special and touching moments throughout the series, like:
- Their happy reunion when Pa finds Laura after she runs away ("The Lord is My Shepherd, Part 2"),
- Letting her know that Almanzo might be in love with her ("Sweet Sixteen"),
- Reconciling after their argument over when Laura can marry Almanzo ("He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not"),
- Laura helping Charles figure out what best to do when Caroline learns she can't have more children ("I Do, Again"),
- Charles agreeing to help so Almanzo and Laura don't lose their home ("Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow"),
- Their touching last moments in the little house on Plum Creek before Pa leaves to join his family in Burr Oak, Iowa ("Times Are Changing, Part 1"),
- Helping Laura accept that her beloved brother, Albert, is going to die ("Home Again, Part 2").
The Ingalls family builds a tiny cabin outside of Independence, Kansas, after leaving the Big Woods. They befriend a rough bachelor named Isaiah Edwards while there. But one day, soldiers arrive to tell them they have to leave. A distraught Charles, faced with starting over, leaves the plow behind, gives his cow and calf to Mr. Edwards, and loads up the family again.
This time, they arrive in the town of Walnut Grove, Minnesota, which allows Charles to fulfill Caroline's desire of being where the girls can go to school and the family can attend church. Charles makes a deal with Mr. Hanson to trade work at the mill for lumber, and builds a little house on the banks of Plum Creek. Clearing a place to plant crops, however, will be a harder chore.
Throughout the series, Charles symbolizes how challenging it is to make a living as a farmer, whether it be because of the elements ("The 100-Mile Walk" and "Going Home") or struggling finances ("The Long Road Home," "As Long As We're Together," and "Times Are Changing"). Luckily, he often gets by thanks to the frugalness of his family, the help of friends, or work--in town or far away--that supplements his income.
Charles is a man who believes that faith and family are of the utmost importance. While he expects his children to treat others the same as they would want to be treated, he's not afraid to defend his family when necessary ("The Bully Boys," "The Aftermath," and "As Long As We Are Together, Part 2"). His strong faith carries him through many trials and tribulations, like the loss of his infant son ("The Lord is My Shepherd"), Mary going blind ("I'll be Waving As You Driving Away"), the loss of his first grandchild in a fire started when his adopted son Albert is smoking in the basement of the blind school with a friend ("May We Make Them Proud"), and his adopted son James's life-threatening injury ("He Was Only Twelve").
Luckily, Charles has many friends to see him through the bad times. After the Ingalls family settles in Walnut Grove, Charles runs into Isaiah Edwards in Mankato and brings him back to Walnut Grove with him ("Mr. Edwards' Homecoming"). After Isaiah moves his family to California, Charles finds Jonathan Garvey to be a good friend. Jonathan helps him save Mary when she is held hostage by the James brothers ("The Aftermath"), and Charles is able to help Jonathan mend fences with his wife Alice ("The High Cost of Being Right" and "Crossed Connections"). And though these friendships can sometimes be tested ("A Promise to Keep"), these lifelong friends bring Charles a great deal of joy.
After moving his family to Burr Oak, Charles returns three more times to Walnut Grove: once in the hopes of rehabilitating his son Albert who has fallen in with a dangerous crowd ("Home Again"), again with Albert when Charles is sent to Minnesota on business ("Look Back to Yesterday"), and with Caroline when they take a trip to see Laura, Almanzo, and Rose ("The Last Farewell").
When Charles returns to Walnut Grove for that final time before the town is blown up, sending a message to Mr. Lassiter who has gained title to all of Hero Township, we see a man who remains committed to his family and who is willing to fight for what's right. He understands how his former neighbors feel when they stand to lose everything they have spent their lives building. He supports them, he stands alongside them, and he helps them look forward to a future different than what they've known, but with the final victory over land developers being theirs. In so many ways, this Charles Ingalls is the same man we meet in the "Pilot," a man of principle, great faith, and a sense of adventure that carries him through whatever comes his way.
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