To Live with Fear: Part 2 (21 Feb. 1977)

While Mary fights a life-threatening infection and the hospital bills mount, Charles puts himself and a railroad tunneling team in danger by volunteering to complete a dangerous blasting ... See full summary »

Director:

William F. Claxton

Writers:

Blanche Hanalis (developed for television by), Laura Ingalls Wilder (based upon the series of books "Little House" by),

Stars:

Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, Melissa Gilbert

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Landon	...	Charles Ingalls
Karen Grassle	...	Caroline Ingalls
Melissa Gilbert	...	Laura Ingalls (credit only)
Melissa Sue Anderson	...	Mary Ingalls
Lindsay Greenbush	...	Carrie Ingalls (credit only) (as Lindsay Sidney Greenbush)
Sidney Greenbush	...	Carrie Ingalls (credit only) (as Lindsay Sidney Greenbush)
Victor French	...	Isaiah Edwards
James Shigeta	...	Sam Wing
Ivan Bonar	...	Dr. Mayes
John McLiam	...	Harris
James Sikking	...	Mr. Franklin
Darrell Zwerling	...	Horace Benson
M.P. Murphy	...	Clancy
Naomi Ross	...	Nurse Johnson
Cordy Clark	...	Sarah Mulligan

Storyline

While Mary fights a life-threatening infection and the hospital bills mount, Charles puts himself and a railroad tunneling team in danger by volunteering to complete a dangerous blasting job in unsafe conditions to earn the cash bonus he so desperately needs.

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Plot Keywords:

hospital | fever | tunnel | nurse | surgeon | 

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Genres:

Drama | Family | Romance | Western

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 February 1977 (USA)

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ed Friendly Productions, National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Mr. Edwards should have been more understanding.

What would Charles Ingalls have done without dangerous railroad jobs always getting him out of a financial crisis? This was by then the third time he was forced to do something dangerous when the Ingalls family faced either a loss of crop, a poor price of grain, or in this case a serious medical emergency. Previoulsy, Charles had run a double jack team and transferred a load of blasting oil through rough terrain. This time, he and Mr. Edwards use dynamite to blast a tunnel for the railroad while Mary lays in intensive care in a hospital. This hospital is very expensive and Charles sees his chance to earn hazard pay by using massive quantities of explosives to blast through the side of a mountain for an advancing track. When he and Edwards arrive at the site, they find a crew of Chinese workers in near mutiny. One of their men has been critically wounded, and the current powder man (James Shigeta) refuses to use so many explosives in the future. Needing the money very badly, Charles promises to get the job done at an even greater speed than before. This pays well, but the Chinese are not pleased by this apparent recklessness. And even Edwards warns Charles not to use so much explosives.

As the show progresses, a huge rift between Charles and Mr. Edwards grows. At one point, Edwards even slugs his best friend after an argument. The story seems to be taking the side of Edwards and the Chinese. Charles is painted as an obsessed man caring little for those around him. I personally understood his actions. He had a critically ill child and no money to pay for her care. Though it may have been disrespectful to blast during the Chinese worker's funeral. Complications arise and Charles is buried in a collapse with the foreman. At first, the Chinese don't want to help Edwards dig them out, but of course they eventually do, and Charles is saved.

There was quite a bit going on in this two-part episode. Maybe even too much. One thing I wish they would have showed is Charles paying off that wimpy financial officer from the hospital and telling him where to go. But that wasn't the kind of man Charles Ingalls was, I guess. Yet another fine episode from this exceptional television show! 9 of 10 stars.

The Hound.