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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. 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."
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
July 17, 2024 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781696616065
- File size: 291399 KB
- Duration: 10:07:04
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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May 6, 2024
Little House on the Prairie actor Butler delivers a sweet if superficial debut memoir about his early life and acting career. Born in British Columbia in 1956, Butler grew up in Northern California, where his first performances were in an elementary school show choir. He chalks up his eventual turn toward acting to a job announcing high school basketball games (“Everything that has happened since can be traced back to that moment when Mr. Cochran pointed me to the microphone”). The bulk of the book sheds light on Butler’s screen credits, beginning with the 1978 adaptation of Judy Blume’s Forever and focusing primarily on his five-year stint, from 1979 to 1983, as Almanzo Wilder in Little House on the Prairie. He shares regrets about his lack of sensitivity to the eight-year age difference between him and series lead Melissa Gilbert, who played his love interest (“Today that... difference is a tiny gap, but forty-five years ago, it was the Grand Canyon”), and muses on his complicated relationship with costar Michael Landon. Other behind-the-scenes sections, covering Butler’s work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and numerous documentaries, generate occasional interest, but there’s not a lot of substance. This is for die-hard Little House on the Prairie fans only. Agent: Danita Florace, AEF Talent. -
March 7, 2025
Actor Butler fondly reminisces about the years he played one of television's best-known husbands, Almanzo Wilder. Little House on the Prairie gave Butler a specific challenge: play opposite then 15-year-old Melissa Gilbert and convince audiences Almanzo was worthy of "Half-Pint" Laura's love. Listeners will learn about the Little House family's ups and downs through the show's 10-season run starting in 1974 (though Butler only joined the cast halfway through) and how these experiences led him to become a documentary TV filmmaker and director. Butler's narration of his memoir is contemplative, kind, and genuinely funny, and listeners will have no trouble connecting him with his onscreen portrayal of Almanzo. As Butler relates memorable interactions with the Little House cast, including Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, and Alison Arngrim, his tone is unfailingly sincere and never descends into gossipiness. While the bulk of the book centers on the Little House years, Butler also touches on his more recent work, including documentaries, Broadway shows, and television series, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The New Gidget. VERDICT Butler's debut memoir is an enjoyable tribute to Little House on the Prairie and a testament to the life's work of a thoroughly likable actor, director, and producer.--Sharon Sherman
Copyright 2025 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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