Coming in August: Red Tail Feathers by Wendi Lou Lee

 

From the actress who starred as “Baby Grace” on the beloved series Little House on the Prairie comes an uplifting memoir about finding the grace of God in every chapter of life. With candor and insight, Wendi Lou Lee takes us through her early days in show business to life-changing events of adulthood, including her brain surgery in 2015. Starting with a red-tailed bird camouflaged by a shrub, Red Tail Feathers traces Wendi’s reflective journey of discovering God’s grace in all of life’s circumstances and challenges you to do the same.

Red Tail Feathers reminds us to keep our eyes wide open so we can recognize God’s goodness as we dare to discover the beauty of grace around us. When we do, He exceeds our most wild and simple dreams.

Visit Goodreads to add Wendi's upcoming book to your "Want to Read" list. 

Available Now: Back to the Prairie by Melissa Gilbert

I bought this new book from Melissa Gilbert when it came out. I am in the middle of reading it now. Did any of you buy it yet?

The New York Times bestselling author and star of Little House on the Prairie returns with a new hilarious and heartfelt memoir chronicling her journey from Hollywood to a ramshackle house in the Catskills during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Known for her childhood role as Laura Ingalls Wilder on the classic NBC show Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Gilbert has spent nearly her entire life in Hollywood. From Dancing with the Stars to a turn in politics, she was always on the lookout for her next project. She just had no idea that her latest one would be completely life changing.

When her husband introduces her to the wilds of rural Michigan, Melissa begins to fall back in love with nature. And when work takes them to New York, they find a rustic cottage in the Catskill Mountains to call home. But “rustic” is a generous description for the state of the house, requiring a lot of blood, sweat, and tears for the newlyweds to make habitable.

When the pandemic descends on the world, it further nudges Melissa out of the spotlight and into the woods. She trades Botox treatments for DIY projects, power lunching for gardening and raising chickens, and soon her life is rediscovered anew in her own little house in the Catskills.

Visit Goodreads to purchase from your preferred retailer. 

New Arrival: Kent McCray: The Man Behind the Most Beloved Television Shows by Marianne Rittner-Holmes

Picked up a copy of this book with the gift card I received for Christmas. Can't wait to read it!

 

Ask people who Kent McCray is and the question will draw a blank stare. Ask people if they remember Bonanza, The High Chaparral, Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven, and a smile will invariably come to their faces as they recognize the titles and share how these beloved shows influenced their lives. In fact, all four series are still being broadcast 30 to 55 years after their original debuts. They are more than historic; they are iconic because they continue to reach out to new generations of viewers on a global scale.

It all started in 1951. The world was no longer at war; peace-time technology focused on the new medium of television; and AT&T connected the East and West Coasts via coaxial cable creating an explosion in television programming and broadcasting. This was the stage Kent McCray entered in that same year. A live stage. One that put the young NBC production specialist among the likes of Red Skelton, Milton Berle, Ralph Edwards, Groucho Marx, and Bob Hope. He became part of the history of television as it evolved from live TV to videotape to film, from black & white to color.

Kent McCray shares stories that span 50 years of television including production obstacles and solutions, his extraordinary collaboration with Michael Landon, and his legacy of philanthropy, all against the backdrop of current events that helped shape the television industry.

Join Kent McCray as he revisits his incredible life and works that live on to this day.

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Ten-K AlphaDox Publishing; 1st Edition edition (September 18, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0998296007
ISBN-13: 978-0998296005
Order at Amazon!

Lessons from the Prairie by Melissa Francis

Check out what I bought for my birthday! Listening to it right now. One little thing I have an issue with is in the description; Little House on the Prairie was not a soap opera. 

"Lessons from the Prairie delivers one belly laugh after another as Melissa tees up an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to tackling life's toughest challenges, and making your life happier." - Megyn Kelly

For fans of the beloved TV show Little House on the Prairie, a self-help book by Melissa Francis, bestselling author of Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter and child star of Little House, revealing important life lessons inspired by a childhood on set.

Melissa Francis was only eight years old when she won the role of a lifetime: playing Cassandra Cooper Ingalls on the world's most famous prime-time soap opera, Little House on the Prairie.
Now in Lessons from the Prairie, she shares behind-the-scenes stories from the set, and lessons learned from the show's dynamic creator, Michael Landon, that have echoed throughout Melissa's adult life. With novel insights on hard work, making mistakes, and even spirituality, Francis shares inspirational and practical life lessons that will appeal both to her current TV fans, and fans of one of the most adored TV shows of all time.

You can order your copy at Amazon.

Green Bay Gazette Interview with Alison Arngrim

Alison Arngrim, who portrayed nasty Nellie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie, was recently interviewed by the Green Bay Gazette. You can read her interview at http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/entertainment/2014/07/09/years-little-house-nellie-still-queen-prairie/12433371/

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.

2014 LHOP 40th Anniversary Cast Reunion in Walnut Grove

Next year is the 40th Anniversary of Little House on the Prairie. Talk around the Internet says several reunions are planned. The only one I have any real knowledge of is the one taking place in July in Walnut Grove. It coincides with their annual Wilder Pageant. A Facebook group has been set up for anyone who is interested in learning more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/555880417812526/ 

Here is the current list of stars scheduled to appear:

Hersha Parady - Alice Garvey
Charlotte Stewart - Mrs.Eva (Beadle) Simms
Alison Arngrim - Nellie Oleson
Dean Butler - Almanzo Wilder
Lucy Lee Flippin - Eliza Jane Wilder
The Greenbush Twins - Carrie Ingalls
The Turnbaugh Twins - Grace Ingalls

Patrick Labyorteaux Series Premiers on Nick at Nite in October!

Patrick Labyorteaux (LHOP's Andrew Garvey) left the prairie behind many years ago. Since then, Labyorteaux has remained active in the industry, in the role of Bud Roberts on JAG, and most recently on Dexter, iCarly, and the films In My Sleep and 2012: Ice Age.

He and his wife, Tina Albanese, are creators/executive producers of an upcoming new series that premiers on October 6th on Nick at Nite. See Dad Run, stars actor, producer, writer and director Scott Baio. "A multi-camera scripted half-hour, the series follows David Hobbs (Baio) an actor who, after ten years of starring as America's favorite TV dad, becomes a stay-at-home father to honor the deal he made with his soap star wife (Alanna Ubach, Meet the Fockers) so that she may return to the limelight. Mark Curry (Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) also joins the series as David's friend, Marcus. The series is currently in production on the former Happy Days stage in Los Angeles."

You can read the entire press release at http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/03/4690172/nick-at-nite-premieres-scott-baio.html

The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House by Melissa Anderson -- Book Review

In her new memoir, The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House, Melissa Anderson, who played Mary Ingalls on the classic family show Little House on the Prairie, shares her memories of several Little House episodes and her career during her time on the iconic show.

Taking readers from her initial meeting with beloved creator, actor and producer, Michael Landon, through After-School Specials, Love Boat episodes, The Equalizer, and more, Anderson speaks fondly of the career she temporarily left behind to raise her family.

Out of the three books recently written by Little House on the Prairie cast members, this is the one I wanted to read the most. We still hear a lot about Melissa Gilbert and Alison Arngrim, but Anderson walked away from the business and had maintained her privacy for years. Knowing she was finally ready to discuss with fans her Little House years, found me pre-ordering the book from Amazon as soon as it was posted. Despite the fact that I have over 60 books in my TBR pile, the minute this book arrived on my doorstep, I cracked it open and began reading. Perhaps that's why my disappointment seems so great.

I wanted to get to know more about Melissa Anderson, her relationships with the cast and crew of my favorite show, and how she handled being a child star. It ended with me not feeling I learned much more than when I started.

The Way I See It is mostly recaps of Little House episodes in which the character of Mary played a significant role. In addition, there are spots where the dialogue from the episodes is quoted. Having been a fan since childhood, I could probably recite most of these episodes back from memory.

While Anderson shared some memories of Michael Landon and Karen Grassle, the rest of the cast and crew received minimal nods. She didn't speak ill of them, but I felt after so long on a show, she would have more to share about those people she grew up around. I wasn't looking for dirt on who she might not have gotten along with, but it seems like her need for privacy prevented her from offering anything new to readers.

I admire Melissa Anderson. She's beautiful, she's talented, and I would love to see her back on the small screen again. She gave up her career to raise her family and she's not sorry about it. While I am glad I purchased the book so that I can add it to my Laura Ingalls Wilder/LHOP collection, I wish she had been willing to open up more about the role that defined her career.


Title: The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House
Author: Melissa Anderson
Publisher: Globe Pequot Press
ISBN: 978-0-7627-5970-5
SRP: $22.95

And the Survey Says...

It was no big surprise that most of those who voted in our recent survey said they were planning on buying Alison Arngrim's and Melissa Sue Anderson's books when they come out this spring. An equal amount (7%) said either they were not planning on buying them or that they were buying Melissa's book. It looks like none of our readers plans to buy only Alison's book.

I go back to my earlier post about Almanzo's birthday and how we're not quite sure what the future will bring for fans of Laura. It certainly seems like a good time to be a Little House on the Prairie fan, with three of the major stars from the series coming out with books over the past year.

We wish these ladies well. Maybe Dean will start writing down his story soon.

A diva can hope, can't she?

Spring 2010 Brings Autobiographies from Little House on the Prairie Cast Members

It looks like the time for Little House on the Prairie cast member autobiographies is here. Melissa Gilbert's Prairie Tale is a New York Times Bestseller. And this year will see the release of two more cast autobiographies, one from Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson) and the other by Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary Ingalls Kendall).

I own Prairie Tale, and plan to review it at The Book Connection, hopefully before I receive Arngrim's and Anderson's books, which I already have on preorder at Amazon. These books are due to come out around the same time, and I've received notices from Amazon that they will be shipped earlier than originally expected. Anderson's book looks like it will be out about a month before Arngrim's.



There aren't many details out about Arngrim's book, that I could quickly find, anyway, except that the title is Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated, and that it will be released around June 15th by a new imprint of HarperCollins, It Books.

Anderson's book is being released at the beginning of May from Globe Pequot. This is the product description of The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House:


When other girls her age were experiencing their first crushes, Melissa Sue Anderson was receiving handwritten marriage proposals from fans as young, and younger, than she was. When other girls were dreaming of their first kiss, Melissa was struggling through hers in front of a camera. From age eleven in 1974 until she left the show in 1981, Melissa Anderson literally grew up before the viewers of Little House on the Prairie.

Melissa, as Mary, is remembered by many as “the blind sister”—and she was the only actor in the series to be nominated for an Emmy. In The Way I See It, she takes readers onto the set and inside the world of the iconic series created by Michael Landon, who, Melissa discovered, was not perfect, as much as he tried to be. In this memoir she also shares her memories of working with guest stars like Todd Bridges, Lou Gossett, Jr., Mariette Hartley, Sean Penn, Patricia Neal, and Johnny Cash.

In addition to stories of life on the set, Melissa offers revealing looks at her relationships off-set with her costars, including the other Melissa (Melissa Gilbert) and Alison Arngrim, who portrayed Nellie Oleson on the show. And she relates stories of her guest appearances on iconic programs such as The Love Boat and The Brady Bunch.

Filled with personal, revealing anecdotes and memorabilia from the Little House years, this book is also a portrait of a child star who became a successful adult actress and a successful adult. These are stories from “the other Ingalls sister” that have never been told.

I wish both ladies great success with their books. Could there be more cast autobiographies coming in the future? A Dean Butler one would certainly make my day.

Patrick Labyorteaux on iCarly

Twitter is a wonderful thing! It allows you to follow what is going on in the lives of your friends, colleagues, and business associates. It's also a neat place to read about your favorite celebrities' current projects. Of course there is that whole ghost tweeter controversy, but it's still a fun place to be.

I follow some of the Little House on the Prairie actors who are there, and Patrick Labyorteaux, who played Andrew Garvey, has been sharing about his upcoming appearance on iCarly.

iCarly is a show on Nickelodeon starring Miranda Cosgrove and Jerry Trainor, both of Drake & Josh fame. Cosgrove plays Carly Shay, the minor sister of Spencer (Trainor), who runs a webshow with her two best friends, Freddie and Sam, played by Nathan Kress and Jennette McCurdy. Spencer is an artist who makes the most offbeat sculptures and also Carly's legal guardian. They live in an apartment building in Washington state. Freddie and his overly paranoid mother, Mrs. Bentson live next door to Carly. Not quite sure where Sam lives, but she has a deadbeat mother who is often referred to in the show, but is never seen.

Not quite Little House on the Prairie, but it's a funny show that my girls enjoy.

It's great to hear that Patrick is going to be on such a popular show. No word on the airdate yet, but hopefully we'll see Patrick on iCarly soon.

See LHOP's Nellie Oleson (Alison Arngrim) at Prairie Day in the United Kingdom

Hove Library Presents:

For the first time in any library in the United Kingdom

PRAIRIE DAY

with special guest appearance by actress ALISON ARNGRIM - TV'S NELLIE OLESON of Little House on the Prairie

When: Saturday, December 6, 2008

List of events:

STORYTIME FROM 10:30 - 12:30

Alison will read a selection from Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic book On the Banks of Plum Creek followed by children's craft activities and autograph signing session.

And from 2:30 - 5:00 a special FREE screening of the Little House on the Prairie episode BUNNY! Alison will be present to chat and answer questions.

To reserve a FREE ticket for the screening and Q&A with Alison please telephone 01273 296937 or collect them from the Hove Library Enquiry Desk.


To find out more about the Hove Library please visit them online at http://www.citylibraries.info/libraries/hove.asp