Prairie Man

USA TODAY BestsellerPUBLISHERS WEEKLY BestsellerAn illuminating, insider's journey through the world of Little House on the Prairie and beyond, from Dean Butler, who starred as Almanzo Wilder, the man Laura ';Half Pint' Ingalls marriedon the iconic show still beloved by millions of fans as it reaches its 50th anniversary.With a foreword fromMelissa Gilbert (Laura) and Alison Arngrim (Nellie)! Cast just before his twenty-third birthday, Dean Butler joinedLittle House on the Prairie halfway through its run, gaining instant celebrity and fans' enduring affection. Ironically, when the late, great Michael Landon remarked thatLittle Housewould outlive everyone involved in making it, Butler deemed it unlikely. Yet for four decades and counting, Butler has been defined in the public eye as Almanzo Wildera role he views as the great gift of his life. Butler had been cast as a romantic lead before, notably in the made-for-TV movie of Judy Blume'sForever, opposite Stephanie Zimbalist. ButLittle Housewas, and remains, one of the most treasured shows in television history. As the eventual husband of Laura ';Half-pint' Ingallsand the man who would share actress Melissa Gilbert's first real-life romantic kissButler landed as a central figure for the show's devoted fans. Now, with wit and candor, Butler recounts his passage through thePrairie, 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 showsMoondoggie inThe New Gidget and Buffy's ne'er-do-well father, Hank, inBuffy 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 producernotably of NBC Golf'sFehertywhile remaining deeply loyal toLittle House. The warmth, heart, and decency that fans of Laura and Almanzo fell in love with onLittle Houseecho through this uplifting memoir, a story, in Butler's words, about ';good luck, good television, and the very goodif gloriously imperfectpeople who made it so.'