"Little House on the Prairie" Times Are Changing: Part 1 (1982)

Director:

Maury Dexter

Writers:

Laura Ingalls Wilder (based upon the series of books "Little House" by) and
Michael Landon (writer)

TV Series:

"Little House on the Prairie" (1974)

Original Air Date:

27 September 1982 (Season 9, Episode 1)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Romance | Western

Plot:

The Ingalls can't make ends meet so they move to the city to find work. The Carters buy the little house and Mr...

Plot Keywords:

House | Teacher | 19th Century | Author | Blindness

Cast

Melissa Gilbert	...	Laura Ingalls Wilder
Dean Butler	...	Almanzo James Wilder
Scottie MacGregor	...	Harriet Oleson (as Katherine MacGregor)
Richard Bull	...	Nels Oleson
Victor French	...	Isaiah Edwards
Kevin Hagen	...	Dr. Hiram Baker
Dabbs Greer	...	Reverend Robert Alden
Jonathan Gilbert	...	Willie Oleson
Allison Balson	...	Nancy Oleson
Stan Ivar	...	John Carter
Pamela Roylance	...	Sarah Reed Carter
Lindsay Kennedy	...	Jeb Carter
David Friedman	...	Jason Carter
Shannen Doherty	...	Jenny Wilder
Leslie Landon	...	Etta Plum
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Landon	...	Charles Ingalls
Richard Lilley	...	Townsman
Nicholas Pryor	...	Royal Wilder #2
Jack Lilley	...	2nd Stage Driver (uncredited)
Jennifer Steffin	...	Rose Wilder (uncredited)
Michelle Steffin	...	Rose Wilder (uncredited)

Directed by
Maury Dexter

Writing credits
Laura Ingalls Wilder		(based upon the series of books "Little House" by)
Michael Landon		writer

Produced by
Marvin Coil	....	associate producer
Michael Landon	....	executive producer
Kent McCray	....	producer
Gary L. Wohlleben	....	associate producer

Original Music by
David Rose

Cinematography by
Ted Voigtlander		(director of photography) (as Ted Voigtländer)

Film Editing by
Jerry Taylor

Casting by
Susan McCray		(as Susan Sukman)

Art Direction by
Walter M. Jefferies

Set Decoration by
John M. Dwyer

Makeup Department
Lillian Barb	....	hair stylist
Lynn F. Reynolds	....	makeup artist (as Lynn Reynolds)

Production Management
Miles Middough	....	production manager (as Miles S. Middough)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Buck Edwards	....	second assistant director
Reid Rummage	....	assistant director

Art Department
Glen R. Feldman	....	property master
Michael P. Hunter	....	assistant property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Anthony F. Brissinger	....	sound recordist
Vince Gutierrez	....	sound effects editor
M. Curtis Price	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Luke Tillman	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Farmer	....	gaffer
Ron Housiaux	....	key grip
Kenneth Hunter	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael R. Faeth	....	costumer: men
Linda Taylor	....	costumer: women

Editorial Department
Edward P. Ancona Jr.	....	color consultant (as Edward P. Ancona)
Kay Suffern	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Fred Prior	....	music editor

Other crew
Don Balluck	....	executive story consultant
Tim Engel	....	production controller
Blanche Hanalis	....	developed for television by
Duane Toler	....	script supervisor
Kevin King	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ande Lamb

Produced by
Winston Miller	....	producer (7 episodes 1974)

Makeup Department
Lynn F. Reynolds	....	makeup artist (7 episodes 1982) (as Lynn Reynolds)
Gladys Witten	....	hair stylist (8 episodes 1977 and 4 episodes 1981)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Buck Edwards	....	second assistant director (episode "Chicago (1981)" and multiple episodes 1982-1983)
Robert Enrietto	....	assistant director (7 episodes 1982-1983)
James B. Greer	....	second assistant director (6 episodes 1979-1980)
Ronald Martinez	....	assistant director (11 episodes 1982-1983) (as Ron Martinez)
Reid Rummage	....	assistant director (21 episodes in seasons 6, 8 and 9)

Sound Department
Donna Anderson	....	utility sound
Marty Church	....	foley mixer
Barry Thomas	....	sound recordist (13 episodes 1977) (as Barry D. Thomas)

Stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts
Whitey Hughes	....	stunts
Loren Janes	....	stunts
Gene LeBell	....	stunts
Jack Lilley	....	stunt coordinator
George Orrison	....	stunts
Neil Summers	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ron Cardarelli	....	key grip (1979-1980)
Ron Housiaux	....	key grip (1979-1983)
Kenji Takama	....	camera intern

Casting Department
Dottie O'Brien	....	extras casting
John O'Brien	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dallas D. Dornan	....	costumer: men (17 episodes 1982-1983) (as Dallas Dornan)

Music Department
John Massari	....	orchestrator (1980-1983)

Other crew
John T. Dugan	....	story consultant (9 episodes 1978)
Bill McCamey	....	on-set nurse
Michael Thomas Slifkin	....	kid's talent coach (1979-1981)
Shirley Ulmer	....	script supervisor
Erika Wernher	....	script supervisor (4 episodes 1983)

Production Companies

• Ed Friendly Productions
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1982) (USA) (TV)

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Big Sky Ranch - 4927 Bennett Road, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company:

Ed Friendly Productions

Trivia:

On the poster given to Laura signed by all the students, Jonathan Gilbert (Willie) signed his real name at the top.

Moving On and Moving In...

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Spring 1887- Times being what they were, Charles had been left with no alternative but to sell the little house and relocate the family to Bur Oak, Iowa. The new owners were a blacksmith, John Carter, his wife Sarah, and their two boys Jeb and Jason. It was a very emotional time for Charles Ingalls, having to leave the house he'd built for his family and whom he watched grow up in it. He'd come to gather up the last of the family's belongings before heading out, and he and Laura share one more emotional moment together before heading back to Laura's house for Charles' big farewell party. All his friends were there and they gave him a fine new suit to wear on his new job in the city. The next day, Laura officially turned over her blackboard to a newcomer into the community and recently certified schoolteacher Etta Plum. See, work and home was getting to be too much for Laura to juggle, so she had to sacrifice one to fulfill the other, but she would always be there for students in need of homework help. So, after sending Willie to the corner one last time, for old time's sake (at his request), Laura bid her class a tearful goodbye. At home, Almanzo brings good news: his brother Royal is coming out with his little girl, Jenny. According to "The Nephews", didn't Royal have twin boys? And what does Manly mean by ten years? They visited in Season 7...Maybe it's a different Royal? Anyway, ecstatic about the impending visit, Almanzo builds them a guest room in only 3 days. Talk about ingenuity! Seems Royal had been giving some thought to moving out to Walnut Grove permanently, and as for Jenny, she was quickly enrolled at school. With all these changes going on, the one thing that sadly hasn't changed is Mrs. Oleson, who drops in on Sarah Carter who's just starting her new printing press. Harriet regaled her with her past venture known as 'Harriet's Happenings' (fifth season) and tries to get her own gossip column in Sarah's paper, which she quickly declined, in favor of posting actual news. Harriet opted to do the weather forecasts, and would somehow slip her gossip column in there somehow, and she thought she succeeded, submitting her weather/gossip column, which Sarah actually did print...minus the gossip, infuriating Harriet. As for bratty Nancy, she takes an immediate dislike to Jenny on the basis of she's good looking. This could cause trouble; Royal's health slowly deteriorated since his arrival. Doc Baker was summoned when he suffered a nasty heart attack one morning. It seems Royal was dying and he was aware of it. He had a very special favor to ask of Almanzo and Laura, and it involved Jenny...

Very emotional Little House episode, I must say. As you know, this was the first episode to be under the gauntlet of Little House: A New Beginning, and it does the transition very well. It was nice to see Michael Landon as a series regular one last time, and he will be back for a few more episodes down the line; we are also introduced to new characters in the series. Now living in the Ingalls' house: Stan Ivar as John, Pamela Roylance as Sarah, Lindsay Kennedy as Jeb and David Friedman as Jason, all fit in very well. Leslie Landon joins as Etta Plum, and Shannen Doherty (pre-scandal) as Jenny Wilder. All welcomed additions to the cast. New characters generate fresh new story lines, even though Season 9 does contain a few rehashes; Now this season was different from the others as it tended to turn its focus more on the citizens of Walnut Grove as opposed to just the Ingalls family. Enjoy Part I of this magnificent saga, though keep the Kleenex handy, and stay tuned for Part II!