Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary Podcast

He’s baaaack! Patrick Labyorteaux returns to join Pamela, Dean, and Alison as they revisit his favorite episode, “Men Will Be Boys.” Patrick shares behind-the-scenes stories about filming this comedic gem with his real-life brother, Matthew Labyorteaux—including the hilarious games they played on set.  You’ll hear a laugh-out-loud tale involving a raspberry bush, get some insider scoop on Patrick’...

We’re joined by one of our all-time favorite guests—Andy Garvey himself, the one and only Patrick Labyorteaux! Patrick and Alison take us behind the scenes of this unforgettable episode, where (surprise!) Nellie proves once again she’s the absolute worst. Poor Andy! Patrick shares stories about working with his on-screen parents, his real-life adoptive parents, how he was directed in the episode,...

Alison was still in Paris having her Prairie Bitch adventures (with the infamous French mouse) during the recording of this episode, the weather is starting to warm up in NYC, and in exciting news, Dean announces he’s writing a new book! (Yay!!!) Then, we discuss the episode where Alison even hates herself.  That’s right, we’re talking about “The Music Box”, from Season 3—where villainy is real, a...

Alison shares her Paris adventures (yes, including some rodent encounters), Dean dishes on their exciting new ventures with Prairie Legacy Productions, and Pamela goes on a rant against possums (apologies to the possum lovers out there). But then—on to the main event! We’re recapping another standout episode from Season 1: “School Mom”.  Caroline Ingalls steps in as the earthy and compassionate su...

We kick things off with a little chat about Alison Balson, who played the unforgettable Nancy Oleson, along with some fond (and hilarious) memories from Dean and Alison. Here's a quick shout-out to Nancy—she brought a whole new level of wild to Walnut Grove! Let’s hear it for a little Nancy love! Now, cue the bug spray and brace yourself—it's time for The Campout! An epic misadventure in the great...

**Warning**: If you, like Dean, have never read the beloved novel *Little Women* or watched any of its movie adaptations, brace yourself—you may not fully grasp the emotional weight of today’s episode recap: "Little Women"! (Honestly, Dean Butler, how *dare* you!) In this episode, we meet more characters that we end up falling in love with, only to never see them again (you know, the infamous *Vor...

Spring is in the air—even for Alison in France! Hard to believe it’s been over a year since the Simi Valley 50th Anniversary event. It feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago… and we’re still recovering. HA! Today, we’re diving into our first Season 7 episode recap: The In-Laws—a whirlwind of absurd hilarity starring our favorite duo, Dean Butler and Michael Landon. This episode serves up Pa/Alman...

Alison is still living the French dream, while Dean teases us with hints of another thrilling Little House event. Meanwhile, Pamela cozies up with her puppy as we dive into this week’s recap of “The Collection”—an episode featuring two of the biggest stars of the era, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. This is, without a doubt, the juiciest episode of the podcast we've ever recorded! We reveal neve...

Grab your kazoos and join us as we dive into today’s episode, "The Voice of Tinker Jones" (directed by none other than Sean Penn’s father, Leo Penn!). This Season 1 classic reveals the origins of the infamous bell (is it for Church? Or is it for School?!) that we all know and love. While you might think this is just a "fluffy family-friendly episode," it’s actually a profound parable about childre...

We are beyond excited for this long-awaited episode—one that fans have been anticipating for decades! Today, we welcome the one and only Todd Bridges, who shares incredible insights into his standout Little House on the Prairie episode, The Wisdom of Solomon. This powerful episode has stood the test of time, gaining even more popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic—so much so that Snoop Dogg himse...

We couldn’t be more thrilled for this long-awaited family reunion! Join us in welcoming fan-favorite Charles Bloom, known to Little House on the Prairie fans as Perley Dey Wilder. Charles Bloom has built an impressive career spanning acting and musical composition. As a composer and lyricist, he has made significant contributions to musical theater, writing the book, music, and lyrics for producti...

It’s a gloomy day across both New York and California, and it’s the perfect atmosphere to dive into today’s recap of The Plague. A defining episode from Season 1, this chilling installment has haunted both children and adults alike since its debut. The eerie similarities to our own experiences during the Covid pandemic and lockdown are striking...and unsettling. Major kudos to the GOAT, Doc Baker,...

First up, we dive into the exciting news that Netflix has officially greenlit a new Little House on the Prairie series. But before you panic—relax! It’s not a reboot. Dean, Alison, and Pamela break down what this means, why it’s great news, and what we may expect. Then...We revisit a Season 1 classic: Mr. Edwards’ Homecoming! These are the early days on the Prairie, and this episode is a standout...

It’s the day before Valentine’s Day, so we’re celebrating love—Prairie style! Sure, today’s recap episode might have divorce in the title, but make no mistake—it’s all about love. Join us as we break down Laura’s hilariously jealous power moves, Almanzo hitting peak #imaginaryboyfriend status (in the bath, no less), Laura going full Jerry Springer with the prissy Brenda Sue, and Almanzo butchering...

This season, we're mixing things up and giving the fans exactly what they've been asking for. We'll be diving into some of your favorite episodes, revisiting the iconic stories, sharing behind-the-scenes moments, reflecting on fan reactions and observations, and bringing in some very special guests to join the conversation. Get the inside scoop—straight from Alison and Dean—on what was really goin...

Happy New Year from all of us at Little House 50 Podcast! 🎉 In this special year-end episode, we count down the top 10 episodes of 2024 as chosen by YOU. Using the top most viewed videos on YouTube, we have created this list. But that’s not all—we’ve included a bonus clip featuring Melissa Sue Anderson and a montage of some hilarious moments to start your year with a smile! A huge thank you to: A...

Alison, Dean, and Pamela are gearing up for the Holiday Season! Before we take a brief hiatus at the end of the year/beginning of the New Year, we wanted to share an exciting Patreon Live Q&A session from last week with our amazing Patreon supporters. These live chats are always a blast because anything can happen in our casual conversations—and it usually does! Before diving into the Q&A,...

We’ve entered the month of December, which means that holiday celebrations are under way and Little House’s 50 th Anniversary year will soon enter the history books – or will it? The show premiered in September of 1974, so the Anniversary year rolls on. More on that to come in later shows. One of the things we’ll remember about this December 5 episode of the podcast is that Alison and Dean did it...

Happy Thanksgiving! The gang couldn’t be more excited to share this special day with you. Today, and every day, we are deeply thankful for supporters like you, our Bonnethead family, who allow us to connect and continue the bond that started with Michael Landon in 1974. We’re thrilled to welcome Kathi Von Etten, head of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, who joins us to reflect on her "year of t...

Hey, Bonnetheads! Due to travel this week, we do not have a regularly scheduled show. However, we're releasing our latest Patreon exclusive for you wonderful listeners! Enjoy this heartfelt and very fascinating conversation about Michael Landon - and the bizarre and wonderful Jim Henson twist. You can get this and so much more as a Patreon subscriber. Try us out for a free trial! We'll be back soo...

Today is a special day here on the Pod--because Pamela is taking the back seat as host, and Alison and Dean are interviewing HER today! If you've been wondering who Pamela Bob is, and her connection to Alison, Dean, and the entire Little House family, it is all explained today.  Find out about Pamela's background, her love of Little House, and her bizarre and fateful story of meeting Alison. Then,...

If you’ve been wanting a crew member to be on the Pod — today’s your lucky day! We have the wonderful Charlotte Randell Yerke in the studio, telling us about her experience as the dialog coach on Little House. Charlotte was the youngest member of the Little House crew, and her origin story of how she ended up working on the show is truly serendipitous. Other than make-up, hair, and costuming, ther...

If you’ve been wanting a crew member to be on the Pod — today’s your lucky day!  We have the wonderful Charlotte Randell Yerke in the studio, telling us about her experience as the dialog coach on Little House.  Charlotte was the youngest member of the Little House crew, and her origin story of how she ended up working on the show is truly serendipitous. Other than make-up, hair, and costuming, th...

We start today's episode with a recognition of all the supportive and kind feedback we received from last week's episode, "The Elephant In the Room". We love you and appreciate you, Bonnetheads! And speaking of kindness, this was the perfect segway to discuss a beloved member of the Little House family that is no longer with us:  The late, great, Dabbs Greer, who we all know as the kind, gentle, a...

Today’s episode addresses the Elephant in the Room:  The recent scandals involving Jack Bishop and his Gravel Road Market events. Dean, Alison, and Pamela felt it necessary to address this out of respect for the fans and everyone involved who have been affected. We discuss the history with Jack Bishop, the status of Little House fan events, the recent happenings involving Jack Bishop’s Gravel Road...