Join us on a nostalgic journey with Dean Butler, the beloved actor from the iconic series, as he unveils his new memoir, “Prairie Man: My Journey to Walnut Grove and Beyond,” available on June 25th. To celebrate the launch of this heartfelt tribute, readers have a unique chance to win a Dean Butler Prize Pack, including an autographed copy of the new book. Entry details are below!
As I sit down to write this article about my upcoming book, Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond, for LittleHouseonthePrairie.com, I know I am writing for perhaps the most devoted group of Little House on the Prairie fans in the world—those who love the Little House books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder beginning over 90 years ago and the television series those books inspired, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024.
Little House and the legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder have been a part of my life for forty-five years. From where I stand now, I can’t imagine my life without the beloved character of Almanzo Wilder on my resume. Very simply, I am he, and he is me. That simple truth is at the heart of Prairie Man.
That being the case, it’s surprising that growing up, I never read any of Laura’s books, and at the time I was cast in the Little House series, I had never watched a single episode. Could it have been a matter of fate? Fate or otherwise, my introduction to Little House was made possible by three indelibly significant individuals — my first Los Angeles agent, Ina Bernstein; “Little House” casting director, Susan Sukman McCray; and ultimately “Little House” Executive Producer, Michael Landon.
When the “Little House” meetings began in the Spring of ’79, Ina told me that if I was fortunate enough to get an offer, “you will take it.” She made this pronouncement because, in the simplest terms, she was a devoted fan. In retrospect, her devotion to “Little House” and her belief in its creative excellence contrasted programming tastes that dominated the halls of Hollywood power in the late 1970s. At that time, Hollywood and the networks were obsessed with building on the success of primetime soap operas such as Dallas with their edgy, sexy storylines.
In the late 1970s, “Little House” was a top-10 hit on NBC. Still, nobody other than its creator, Ed Friendly, was trying to emulate its warm, homespun values and storytelling for primetime audiences (that’s another story for another time). “Little House” was branded as old-fashioned and from another time in television history. While that was a fair assessment, it disregarded a considerable portion of the audience living in America’s largest cities and smallest towns that loved traditional storytelling.
I’ll never forget how Ina Bernstein gushed over “Little House:” “Sweetheart, Jack died last night, and I cried my eyes out.” I had no idea Jack was a dog. “Nothing else on television makes me feel like that,” she said while getting teary as she recounted the details of Jack’s heartbreaking demise.
As head of television at International Creative Management (ICM), one of Hollywood’s most powerful talent agencies, Ina Bernstein was uniquely positioned to assess primetime programming and its capacity to touch the hearts of audiences. I was new in town, new to ICM, and just beginning to understand who my new agent was as a human being. “There is nothing else on television like Little House,” she insisted as she unabashedly pitched me this show. “Michael Landon is a wonderful actor, but he also writes ‘Little House,’ directs and produces it. ‘Little House’ is great television. If the opportunity comes, “you will do it because it matters and will matter for a long time.”
Susan Sukman McCray’s job was casting actors for this program that would matter for a long time. While Susan couldn’t have known my family history and background in specific terms when I walked into her office all those years ago, I like to believe that it was all over me in my attitude, appearance, and the way I spoke.
Michael Landon was a creative force, and his decision to invite me to join the “Little House” family has been the greatest gift of my life.
In 2022, as the world was emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, I began to consider “Little House’s” upcoming 50th anniversary and how I could contribute to this special celebration of family television success.
“My earliest childhood dreams were of being a policeman, a fireman, or a pilot. I could easily see myself in a navy-blue cop’s uniform or on a fire truck or in the cockpit of an airplane. My dreams grew as I got my first cowboy hat and boots and learned to ride horses in the hills overlooking the San Francisco Bay. The dreams evolved as I played football and basketball with my brother and dad, watched Lost in Space and The Wild, Wild West on TV, and took my first art class. Then came my first play, my first kiss, my first on-stage solo, and that little movie the guys and I made in eleventh grade about the mob. I’m fortunate that I grew up in a family of dreamers, raised by a large and loving group of people with the capacity and commitment to nurture my hopes and possibilities.
Unless I was going to hurt myself or others, nobody ever said, “You can’t do that.” There are many gifts, material and intellectual, that can be given to a child during their formative years, but the freedom to dream and try without restriction may be among the most important blessings we can receive in our entire lives. Turning dreams into reality is rarely easy, and it’s not enough to encourage kids to follow their bliss. You need to remind them of the virtues of hard work, tenacity, and patience. You need to encourage self-confidence. And you need to give them the tools to cope with setbacks and failures. I am so fortunate to have grown up with people who gave me the tools to succeed – and to adapt and survive when success didn’t come easily.”
—Prairie Man
Female cast members have written books about their “Little House” experiences, beginning with Melissa Gilbert, who was as unforgettable as Laura Ingalls, and most recently, Jennifer Donati, who appeared late in the series, along with her sister Sarah, as “Baby Rose.” I began to reason that it was time for male cast members of “Little House” to share their memories of the experience, so in late 2022, I invited my friend Mary McDonough, famous as Erin Walton on The Waltons, to present my memoir proposal to John Scognamiglio, her editor at Kensington Books in New York.
He called me the next day and offered to publish my story, which became Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond. After getting up off the floor, I said, “Let’s do it,” and on January 10 of last year, I sat down at my dining room table before the sun rose, opened my computer, and started to write:
“There are classes and courses to help you write a memoir. I’m sure those are great for the right sort of person, but that’s not how I work. I’m just jumping in, as I’ve done so often in my life. My spontaneous decisions haven’t always worked out (as I’ll explain), but I believe this one will. There are two reasons for my confidence. One, I have a contractual obligation to the publisher. Two, the deadline I’ve imposed on myself. I can’t overstate the importance of having deadlines – especially with real consequences in place for not meeting them. You must put yourself in the position of the legendary NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz. As Kranz says in Ron Howard’s Apollo 13, “Failure is not an option.”
When “Little House” ended, I stepped away from it because I needed to find the next defining experience of my career. It was a challenging time for me, and I took a crash course in reality, where lightning rarely strikes twice. Opportunities came on television, the stage, the big screen, and behind the camera, but nothing surpassed “Little House,” with good reason. Very little on television, then or now, is as affirming of human goodness as “Little House.”
That “Little House on the Prairie” continues to touch American viewers while crossing cultural barriers worldwide is the most genuine indication that stories about family love, resilience, and acceptance are universal and something we should all aspire to in our ever more complex and intolerant world.
Prairie Man is about my gratitude for so many good things that have come my way during my 68 years in the world. Thank you for considering my journey in this book, which is only possible because of the deep reservoir of love and devotion that has perpetuated “Little House love” for past, present, and future generations. Thank you.
Enter The Giveaway
Get ready to embark on a nostalgic journey through the world of Little House on the Prairie with our exclusive Dean Butler giveaway! In anticipation of the release of Dean Butler’s book, Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond, on June 25th, we’re thrilled to offer a treasure trove of autographed prizes from the actor who brought Almanzo Wilder to life on the show. Enter now for your chance to win these unique pieces of Little House history!
The prize package is worth an estimated retail value of $200 and includes:
- One autographed copy of Dean Butler’s Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond
- One autographed photo of Dean Butler
- One autographed DVD of Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder
- One autographed DVD of Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura
- One autographed DVD of Pa’s Fiddle: The Music of America
- One autographed CD of Pa’s Fiddle: The Music of America
- One autographed CD of Pa’s Fiddle: Charles Ingalls – American Fiddler
- One autographed CD of Happy Land: Musical Tributes to Laura Ingalls Wilder
- One autographed CD of The Arkansas Traveler: Music from Little House on the Prairie
- One set of Almanzo’s Cayenne and Cinamon Spice Jars
How to Enter the Giveaway
- Start by logging into Rafflecopter via Facebook or by using your email address.
- Once logged in, sign up for the Little House on the Prairie Newsletter in order to enter the Giveaway and unlock additional entry options.
- Earn additional entries when you click on the nine other fields and follow the instructions.
The Giveaway ends June 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Values are based on Suggested Retail Prices. Open to U.S. Residents in the 48 contiguous states only, 18 years and over. Void where prohibited by law.
Dean Butler is an actor, producer, and director best known for his role as Almanzo Wilder in "Little House on the Prairie," based on the beloved Little House book series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. He was a producer for NBC Golf’s Emmy-nominated series Feherty for over ten seasons. Dean lives in California with his family.
Visit him at https://deanbutler.com or @officialdeanbutler on Instagram.
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