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"Little House On The
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Starring
Michael Landon (as Charles Ingalls) & Karen Grassle (as Caroline Ingalls)
Season 8 (NBC) (1981-82)
Episode Guide
compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by:
references:
TV Guide /
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive
######### Little House On The Prairie ########
############## season 8 1981-82 ##############
##### (final season with Michael Landon)
#####
NBC Mondays 8:00-9:00pm Eastern
8.1 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
THE REINCARNATION OF NELLIE (Part 1)
5-Oct-1981 NBC Mon (some sources have 5-Sep-1981 Saturday?)
Written & Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Melora Hardin .... Belinda Stevens
Ivan Bonar .... Mr. Case
Gillian Grant .... Cindy
Elizabeth Hoffman .... Miss Mason
Leroy Sweet .... Burly Customer
Richard Armstrong .... Customer #1
Dan McBride .... Customer #2
We learn the Percival and Nellie will be staying in New York so Percival can run
the family business after his father died.
Unable to make a living in Walnut Grove, Adam and Mary move to New York so Adam
can take a job at his father's law firm.
Hester Sue moves back to Walnut Grove to work at the restaurant. Harriet is
devastated by Nellie's absence. After talking
with Cassandra, she considers adoption. In the Sleepy Eye orphanage, she and
Nels find a girl, Nancy, who appears to be a
young Nellie Oleson. Though reluctant to be adopted, Nancy agrees after Harriet
reveals her deepest secret.
8.2 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
THE REINCARNATION OF NELLIE (Part 2)
12-Oct-1981 NBC Mon (some sources have 12-Sep-1981 Saturday?)
Written & Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Melora Hardin .... Belinda Stevens
Lawrence Bame .... Mr. Stevens
Susan Bjurman .... Mrs. Stevens
Ivan Bonar .... Mr. Case
Shanee Edwards .... Mavis
Gillian Grant .... Cindy
Much to the dismay of Willie, Nancy joins the Oleson family and promptly
surpasses the legacy of Nellie Oleson when she
purposefully locks a schoolmate in the icehouse. A plan is immediately formed to
teach Nancy a lesson. Under the impression
she would be the star of the town fair, Nancy becomes the victim in the dunk
tank.
8.3 [--] Little House On The Prairie: GROWIN' PAINS
19-Oct-1981 NBC Mon (some sources have 9-Oct-1981 Saturday?)
Written by Larry Bischof
Directed by Maury Dexter
Guest Cast:
Tricia Cast .... Jenny
Aaron Fletcher .... Mr. Tibbs
Dan McBride .... Bixler
Larry Moran .... Tom
Justin Randi .... Danny
Carl Pitti .... Wagon Driver
When James breaks Albert's razor, he steals one from the mercantile and is
caught. Ashamed of his actions, he runs away
from home. Albert is able to track him down and, after some convincing, brings
James home.
8.4 [--] Little House On The Prairie: DARK SAGE
26-Oct-1981 NBC Mon
Written by Vince Gutierrez
Directed by Maury Dexter
Guest Cast:
Don Marshall .... Caleb Ledoux
Marlene Warfield .... Mattie Ledoux
John Shearin .... Nathan Sherman
Anne Curry .... Jenny
Doc Baker's ad for a second town doctor is answered...by a black doctor, Doctor
LeDoux. Unable to accept that a black man
could be doctor, Doc Baker gives Doctor LeDoux only the simplest cases. Doc
Baker realizes he is wrong when Doctor LeDoux
saves a pregnant mother and her newborn, a procedure that he would not have been
able to do. Doc Baker makes a public
apology for his ignorance and asks Doctor LeDoux to stay.
8.5 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
A WISER HEART
2-Nov-1981
Written by Chris Abbott
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Lucy Lee Flippin .... Eliza Jane Wilder
Patrick Collins .... Mortimer Carstairs
George o. Petrie .... Ralph Waldo Emerson
Joe Lambie .... William Woestehoff
Darlene Conley .... Mrs. Pierce
Kathryn Fuller .... Miss Ott
Leslie Landon .... Pam
Brett Miller .... Walter
Kaley Ward .... Emily
Frank Kennedy .... Conductor
Warner McKay .... Ticket Vendor
Casey Erickson .... Delivery Boy
On a train to meet Eliza Jane to attend a literature seminar, Laura meets
another attendee . The other attendee becomes
interested in Eliza Jane who is interested in the seminar professor who is
interested in Laura who hates her part-time job.
Laura makes peace with Eliza Jane but has to deal with the professor when he
fails her for rejecting his advances. The
other attendee has some words for the professor which leads to a fight in which
she needs to throw only one punch.
8.6 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
GAMBINI THE GREAT
9-Nov-1981
Written by Jeri Taylor
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Jack Kruschen .... Gambini
Stephen Manley .... Marco Gambini
Gloria Manon .... Anna Rosa Gambini
Robert Torti .... Stefano Gambini
Martha Nix .... Amy Cassidy
William Forester .... Dr. Abbott
William Keene .... Ringmaster
Carl Pitti .... 1st Townsman
Sean McGoughy .... 2nd Townsman
An escape artist, Gambini the Great, comes to Walnut Grove and excites the town.
Wanting to learn more, Albert neglects
his schoolwork to train with Gambini the Great. However, Albert learns there's
more to life then thrills and excitement
when Gambini the Great dies in a failed performance in a fire.
8.7 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
THE LEGEND OF BLACK JAKE
16-Nov-1981
Written by Chris Abbott
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Royce D. Applegate .... Georgie
Todd Susman .... Max
Gavin Mooney .... Policeman
Carl Pitti .... Townsman
Nels is kidnapped by two crooks (ala the Apple Dumpling Gang) and held for
ransom. When Harriet refuses to pay the ransom,
Nels decides to help the crooks get the money. After much trouble, the kidnapped
list grows to include Doc Backer, Reverend
Alden, Bill Anderson, Harriet, Charles, and Almanzo. Realizing they weren't
suited for this line of work, the crooks decide
to quit the business and lets everyone go. Harriet, believing Nels to be dead,
faints when she sees Nels safe and sound.
8.8 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
CHICAGO
23-Nov-1981
Written by B.W. Sandefur & John Hawkins
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Ernie Hudson .... William Thomas
John Lawrence .... Jake Schultz
Chez Lister .... B.J. Jackson
Lillian Adams .... Mrs. Baxter
John C. Becher .... Mr. Golden
June C. Ellis .... Mrs. Harris
Frances E. Williams .... Mrs. Jackson
Tom Klunis .... Webster
Gene Ross .... Drummond
M. Emmet Walsh .... Callahan
Terry Burns .... Hill
Lorinne Vozoff .... Nurse
Will MacMillan .... Bartender
Tony Mendia .... Paper Boy
Herb Mitchell .... Workman
Charles comforts Mr. Edwards when his adoptive son is killed. Not accepting the
death as a simply accident, Charles,
Edwards, and a big-city newspaper editor uncovers a corrupt businessman who had
Edwards' son killed.
8.9 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
FOR THE LOVE OF NANCY
30-Nov-1981
Written by Chris Abbott
Directed by Maury Dexter
Guest Cast:
An obese boy is the new kid at school and also the butt of jokes. He takes it in
stride but is really hurt by it. Nancy
sees this as an opportunity to use her feminine charms to get the obisde boy to
bully the others. The schoolchildren go
too far with the jokes and the obese boy decides not to return to school. After
seeing what Nancy was trying to do, they
decide to give her a taste of her own medicine. Feeling bad about what they've
done, the schoolchildren apologize for
their cruelty. The truth is that they do like him, but sometimes kids will be
kids.
8.10 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
WAVE OF THE FUTURE
7-Dec-1981
Written by Jeri Taylor
Directed by Maury Dexter
Guest Cast:
Laurie Main .... Major Guffey
Phil Chambers .... Mr. Matlock
Anita Keith .... Mrs. Matlock
Dan McBride .... Mr. Taylor
Elmore Vincent .... Ernest
Roger Bowen .... Advertising Man
Carl Pitti .... Driver
Clyde Harper .... Customer
Mona Bruns .... Customer
David Carlile .... Photographer
Margaret Wheeler .... Lady
Under the promise of economic gain, Harriet turns the restaurant into a
franchise restaurant, Mrs. Sullivan's Kitchen.
The terms of the franchise agreement prove to be difficult to meet but Harriet
is determined to make a success of it
regardless of the costs. Charles and Nels open their own restaurant in order to
drive Harriet out of business, and, thus,
out of the franchise agreement, returning everything to the status quo.
8.11 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
A CHRISTMAS THEY NEVER FORGOT
21-Dec-1981
Written by Don Balluck
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Newell Alexander .... Frederick Holbrook
Don Dubbins .... Master Hayes
Eddy C. Dyer .... Poppa Terhune
Maggie Gwinn .... Mrs. Wilder
Tom Lester .... Mr. Wilder
Jerry Supiran .... Young Almanzo
Holly Villaire .... Charlotte Holbrook
Rebecca Wolfe .... Young Alice Wilder
Mary and Adam return to Walnut Grove for Christmas. Snowed in by a huge
blizzard, they began to tell stories. Caroline
talks about her step-father. Almanzo talks about his father and brother. Hester
Sue talks about her parents. Laura talks
a Christmas in Kansas with Mr. Edwards.
8.12 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
NO BEAST SO FIERCE
4-Jan-1982
Written by Carole & Michael Raschella
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Peter Billingsley .... Gideon Hale
Dennis Howard .... Braden Hale
Jennifer Rhodes .... Mrs. Hale
Robert Boon .... Sven Johanssen
Bob Hoy .... Morgan
Jerry Wills .... Sticks
John J. Fox .... Bartender
James befriends a new kid, Gideon, at school who has a speech impediment.
Without realizing Gideon was watching, James
joins the other schoolchildren in making fun of him, causing Gideon to run away
from home. Charles takes James with him
on delivery trip hoping it would make him feel better. Meanwhile, Caroline is
able to find Gideon and convince him to
return home. When James returns from the trip, he apologizes to Gideon.
8.13 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
STONE SOUP
18-Jan-1982
Written by Peter Dixon
Directed by Maury Dexter
Guest Cast:
John Miranda .... Farmer #1
Donald Elson .... Farmer #2
With Charles and Almanzo away for a few months, a pregnant Laura struggles to
keep the farm from dying after a drought
strikes Walnut Grove. Unable to cope with the strain, Laura suffers a heat
stroke. The school children save the day
when they realize that as a collective, they could do a lot of good, and they
help water the trees.
8.14 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
THE LEGACY
25-Jan-1982
Written by Vince Gutierrez
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Claude Earl Jones .... Jack Prescott
June Whitley Taylor .... Dolphia Prescott
Wade Wallace .... Matthew Prescott
Pat Destro .... Sara Prescott
Maggie Brown .... Birdie Bennett
Kurt Smildsin .... Josh Bennett
Robert Boon .... Sven Johanssen
J.S. 'Joe' Young .... Uriah Cooper
Paul Larson .... Addison Fisk
Pamela Murphy .... Linda Martin
Ken Smolka .... Bob Martin
William Patrick O'Hagan .... Marvin
Pitt Herbert .... Taylor
M.K. Lewis .... Hastings
George Barclay .... Auctioneer
Wanting to leave a legacy, Charles takes a job in the city making his specially
designed table. Now "man of the house",
Albert fulfills his responsibilities as such by taking care of the farm. When
his table designs are stolen and
mass-produced, Charles returns home realizing his greatest legacy is with
children's memories.
8.15 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
UNCLE JED
1-Feb-1982
Written by Don Balluck
Directed by Maury Dexter
Guest Cast:
E.J. André .... Uncle Jed Cooper
Wiley Harker .... Judge Barrow
Claude Woolman .... Philip Loring
Carl Pitti .... Stage Driver
An elderly relative of James and Cassandra plans to sue Charles for the custody
of the two children.
8.16 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
SECOND CHANCE
8-Feb-1982
Written by Don Balluck
Directed by Maury Dexter
Guest Cast:
Marguerite DeLain .... Naomi Terhune
J.A. Preston .... Sam Terhune
William Phipps .... Myron Hicks
Dan McBride .... Customer
Lexie Neal .... Saloon Girl
Jack Perkins .... Bartender
Norman Rice .... Croupier
Hester Sue's ex-husband, Sam, comes to Walnut Grove. Remembering him as drinker
and gambler, she wants nothing to do with
him. He claims to be reform and wants to prove it to Hester Sue, Over the next
few weeks, he proves to Hester Sue that
he has changed. When he asks her to marry him, she accepts. However, Charles
learns that Sam has still been drinking and
gambling. Hester Sue learns of it when Sam's wife and kids, whom he abandoned,
arrive to warn Hester Sue.
8.17 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
DAYS OF SUNSHINE, DAYS OF SHADOW (Part 1)
15-Feb-1982
Written by Don Balluck
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Lucy Lee Flippin .... Eliza Jane Wilder (regular)
Almanzo suffers a stroke, and even the birth of his daughter does not cheer him
up. Eliza Jane attempts to look after her
brother's family and plans t move them away. The Wilder's home is destroyed by a
tornado. With the help of Charles, Almanzo
learns to walk again and rebuilds the house. Eliza Jane comes to realize she is
too bossy, but they forgive her in the end.
8.18 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
DAYS OF SUNSHINE, DAYS OF SHADOW (Part 2)
22-Feb-1982
Written by Chris Abbott
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Lucy Lee Flippin .... Eliza Jane Wilder (regular)
Nathan Adler .... Mr. Jackson
Dee Croxton .... Mrs. Jackson
8.19 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
A PROMISE TO KEEP
1-Mar-1982
Written by Vince Gutierrez
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Corinne Michaels .... Grace Snider Edwards #2
David Kaufman .... Carl Edwards
Kyle Richards .... Alicia Edwards
Duane Tucker .... Workman
Hal Burton .... Driver
Jack Perkins .... Barkeep
Charles W. Young .... Cowboy
Mr. Edwards continues to drown the sorrow of his son's death in alcohol. Grace
Edwards is unable to deal with the situation
and asks him to leave. He goes back to Walnut Grove to get his life together.
However, when he learns his wife has filed
for divorce and is marrying another man, he is start to drink again resulting in
Albert becoming seriously injured. Charles
is upset and asks him to leave Walnut Grove. However, Laura is determined to
help Mr. Edwards get better. With Laura's
support and guidance from Reverend Alden, Mr. Edwards is able to stop drinking
and continues his life. Charles realizes
that he should have been more supportive of Mr. Edwards and asks for his
forgiveness. Laura and Almanzo ask Mr. Edwards
to become Rose's godfather.
8.20 [--] Little House On The Prairie: A FARAWAY CRY
8-Mar-1982
Written by Don Balluck
Directed by Maury Dexter
Guest Cast:
Calvin Bartlett .... Horace Beckwith
Ruth Silveira .... Louisa Beckwith
Dennis Lipscomb .... Sherman Andruss
Judith Weston .... Helen Andruss
Betty McGuire .... Nora Cramer
Tom Pletts .... Arnie Cramer
James Griffith .... Preacher Bob
Linda Hoy .... Katherine Parker
Eric Milota .... Jeffrey
Brion James .... Amos
Alex Sharp .... Andy
Barbara Beaman .... Woman
Lila Waters .... Another Woman
Jack Stryker .... 1st Man
Tom Rosqui .... 2nd Man
Will MacMillan .... 3rd Man
A childhood friend of Caroline asks for help when her gold prospecting camp is
stricken with sickness. Doc Baker and
Caroline go to the camp and set up quarantine. Caroline tries to comfort her
pregnant friend through the ordeal. She
dies while giving birth but the baby survives and is switched with another
couple's stillborn child.
8.21 [--] Little House On The Prairie:
HE WAS ONLY TWELVE (Part 1)
3-May-1982
Written by Paul W. Cooper
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Nancy Berggren .... Aggie
R.D. Call .... Dwayne
Lionel Decker .... Doctor
Chris Hendrie .... Coy
John Dennis Johnston .... Lawrence
John Kelly .... Sheriff
Tom Roy Lowe .... Leon
Doug McGrath .... Harkness
Georg Olden .... Danny
Eldon Quick .... Teller
Hal Smith .... Trumble
Bill Vint .... Escal
A. Paul Smith .... Bartender at Wooden Nickel
Sam Theord .... Swamper at Wooden Nickel
Robert Telford .... Gun Proprietor
While in Sleepy Eye, James is shot during a bank robbery. With James in the
hospital, Charles, Mr. Edwards, and Albert
track down the robbers and bring them to justice.
8.22 [--] Little House On The Prairie: HE WAS ONLY TWELVE (Part 2)
10-May-1982
Written by Paul W. Cooper
Directed by Michael Landon
Guest Cast:
Martin Rudy .... Dr. Stanfill
Don Beddoe .... Old Man
James is in a coma-like state after being shot. Refusing to give up, Charles
continues to cling to the idea that James
will get better. The situation is stressful for the family and Charles brings
James out to the woods. There Charles has
a vision and builds an altar for God. Afterwards, he is visited by a mysterious
old man who tells Charles not to lose hope.
On a stormy night, lightning strikes the altar and the electric current shocks
Charles and James. Charles awakens to find
that James has miraculously recovered.
######### Little House On The Prairie ########
############## end of season 8 ###############
##############################################
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