David's Little House Star Profiles and Trivia

Maury Dexter, Born Morris Gene Poindexter 6/12/1927 in Paris, Arkansas. Passed away May 28th, 2017 in Simi Valley California.

A member of the Director's Guild since 1936, he once directed 20 films in a year's time for 20th Century Fox. By the 60's , he had his own production company, but the apex of his career came when he became a director for Michael Landon's "Little House on the Prairie" and " Highway to Heaven".

Maury Dexter first entered the business as a teenage actor in The Three Stooges short, Uncivil War Birds (1946). After a few additional movie roles, he busied himself with stage and TV work until the Korean War and military service intervened; following his discharge, he landed an acting job on TV's The Hank McCune Show (1950) and was soon working there behind the scenes as well. A clerical job at Robert L. Lippert's Regal Films eventually led to producing and directing gigs at that independent production company, where many of the movies were shot in seven days on $100,000 budgets. He directed over 20 features there, at American International Pictures and abroad before he became, for the first time in his career, an assistant director, working mostly for Michael Landon on his TV series Little House on the Prairie (1974) and Highway to Heaven (1984). Landon's 1991 death prompted Dexter to retire.



Little House Episodes:

- I Do, Again (1981) ... (assistant director)
- Goodbye, Mrs. Wilder (1981) ... (assistant director)
- The Nephews (1981) ... (assistant director)
- To See the Light: Part 2 (1980) ... (assistant director)
- To See the Light: Part 1 (1980) ... (assistant director)
- Dearest Albert, I'll Miss You (1980) ... (assistant director)
- The Silent Cry (1980) ... (assistant director)
- Fight Team Fight! (1980) ... (assistant director)
- A New Beginning (1980) ... (assistant director)
- He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not: Part 2 (1980) ... (assistant director)
- Sweet Sixteen (1980) ... (assistant director)
- Whatever Happened to the Class of '56? (1980) ... (assistant director)
- Author! Author! (1979) ... (assistant director)
- The Halloween Dream (1979) ... (assistant director)
- Annabelle (1979) ... (assistant director)
- The Third Miracle (1979) ... (assistant director)
- Mortal Mission (1979) ... (assistant director)
- Someone Please Love Me (1979) ... (assistant director)
- Barn Burner (1979) ... (assistant director)
- The Sound of Children (1979) ... (assistant director)
- Blind Man's Bluff (1979) ... (assistant director)
- Blind Journey: Part 2 (1978) ... (assistant director)
- Blind Journey: Part 1 (1978) ... (assistant director)
- The Cheaters (1978) ... (assistant director)
- Men Will Be Boys (1978) ... (assistant director)
- Harriet's Happenings (1978) ... (assistant director)
- There's No Place Like Home: Part 1 (1978) ... (assistant director)
- The Man Inside (1978) ... (assistant director)
- The Winoka Warriors (1978) ... (first assistant director)
- I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away: Part 2 (1978) ... (assistant director)
- I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away: Part 1 (1978) ... (assistant director)
- The Inheritance (1978) ... (assistant director)
- I Remember, I Remember (1978) ... (assistant director)
- The Rivals (1978) ... (assistant director)
- Here Come the Brides (1977) ... (assistant director)
- Meet Me at the Fair (1977) ... (assistant director)
- The Aftermath (1977) ... (assistant director)
- The Creeper of Walnut Grove (1977) ... (assistant director)
- The Handyman (1977) ... (assistant director)
- Times of Change (1977) ... (assistant director)
- The Music Box (1977) ... (assistant director)
- The Wisdom of Solomon (1977) ... (assistant director)
- To Live with Fear: Part 2 (1977) ... (assistant director)
- To Live with Fear: Part 1 (1977) ... (assistant director)
- Injun Kid (1977) ... (assistant director)
- Little Women (1977) ... (assistant director)
- I'll Ride the Wind (1977) ... (assistant director)
- Blizzard (1977) ... (assistant director)
- Fred (1976) ... (assistant director)
- Little Girl Lost (1976) ... (assistant director)
- The Collection (1976) ... (assistant director)
- Soldier's Return (1976) ... (assistant director)
- Centennial (1976) ... (assistant director)
- For My Lady (1976) ... (assistant director)
- The Runaway Caboose (1976) ... (assistant director)
- A Matter of Faith (1976) ... (assistant director)
- The Pride of Walnut Grove (1976) ... (assistant director)
- The Gift (1975) ... (assistant director)
- The Spring Dance (1975) ... (assistant director)
- The Camp-Out (1975) ... (assistant director)
- In the Big Inning (1975) ... (assistant director)
- Four Eyes (1975) ... (assistant director)
- Founder's Day (1975) ... (assistant director)
- Survival (1975) ... (assistant director)
- Child of Pain (1975) ... (assistant director)
- Circus Man (1975) ... (assistant director)
- Doctor's Lady (1975) ... (assistant director)
- The Award (1974) ... (assistant director)
- The Voice of Tinker Jones (1974) ... (assistant director)
- Ma's Holiday (1974) ... (assistant director)
- Town Party-Country Party (1974) ... (assistant director)
- The Love of Johnny Johnson (1974) ... (assistant director)
- 100 Mile Walk (1974) ... (assistant director)
- Country Girls (1974) ... (assistant director)

‘Little House on the Prairie’ Producer Kent McCray Dies at 89

Variety
By Ellis Clopton
June 4, 2018

“Little House on the Prairie” producer Kent McCray died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Sunday. He was 89.

McCray was born on June 7, 1928, the second son of Thomas Chapman McCray — an executive with the NBC Radio Network — and singer Dorothy Baldwin McCray. A Hartford, Conn., native, McCray found his passion for entertainment early on during his time at the Kimball Union Academy prep school in New Hampshire. While at Kimball, McCray built sets, directed, acted, and sang in several school theatrical productions.

Three years after graduating from the University of Hartford, McCray began his television career at NBC in L.A. as a production coordinator on the “All Star Revue” and “The Colgate Comedy Hour.” Other assignments followed quickly, including “The Red Skelton Show,” “The Ralph Edwards Show,” “This Is Your Life,” and “You Bet Your Life” starring Groucho Marx.

When NBC announced its shift away from live television into filmed entertainment, McCray took a crash course in film production and became an associate producer on “Philip Marlowe,” later becoming a production manager on the NBC dramas “The High Chaparral” and “Bonanza.”

While working on “Bonanza,” McCray met Michael Landon, whom he would collaborate with several times during his career. In his 2017 memoir, “Kent McCray: The Man Behind The Most Beloved Television Shows,” McCray wrote, “Because of my personal and working relationship with Michael, I had the freedom to run a production as I saw fit. I have always believed that to get the best show, you must have the very best crew and then allow them to do their job without intruding on their expertise. There’s nothing more wonderful than looking forward to going to work every day. Because of the mutual respect and love Michael and I felt for each other and our crew family, that dream came true for me.”

In 1974, McCray was associate producer of the two-hour “Little House on the Prairie” pilot based Laura Ingalls Wilder’s book series. Landon was the executive producer, director, and co-star along with Karen Grassle and 9-year-old Melissa Gilbert. When the pilot became a series, McCray served as producer for the show’s entire nine-season run. From 1981 to 1983, he expanded his collaboration with Landon to produce “Father Murphy” starring Merlin Olsen.

Dean Butler, who played Almanzo James Wilder in “Little House on the Prairie,” said McCray always managed to make him smile while they worked together.

“He was a friend, he was a gentleman, a mentor, and a gifted producer who was always two steps ahead of the curve. His desk was always clean, his boards were perfect, and everyone had fun,” Butler said in a statement. “While Kent’s career spanned more than 60 years, he told me that he never worked a day in his life. I believed him, and I will always be inspired by his memory.”

Kent is survived by Susan Sukman McCray, whom he married in 1984, as well as four children from his first marriage — Deborah Kressin, Scott McCray, Kristen McCray Trent, and Carolyn McCray Montgomery — eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the University of Hartford’s Hartt Theatre Division.


McCRAY, Kent
Born: 6/7/1928, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.
Died: 6/3/2018, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Kent McCray’s westerns – producer, production manager:
Alias Jesse James – 1959 [producer]
Outlaws – 1960-1961 [producer]
Little House Years (TV) – 1979 [producer]
Little House on the Prairie (TV) – 1983 [producer, production manager]
Bonanza (TV) – 1965-1973 [production manager]
The High Chaparral (TV) – 1967-1971 [production manager]
Father Murphy (TV) – 1981-1983 [producer]
Little House: Look Back to Yesterday (TV) – 1983 [producer, production manager]
Little House: Bless All the Dear Children (TV) – 1984 [producer, production manager]
Little House: The Last Farewell (TV) – 1984 [producer, production manager]
Bonanza: The Return (TV) – 1993 [producer, production manager]
Bonanza: Under Attack (TV) – 1995 [producer, production manager]
Pistol Pete (TV) – 1996 [producer, production manager]

Sanford "Sandy" Gibbons played the man who hooked up Harriet's Telephone Switchboard in Crossed Connections.




He was born in Kansas City, Missouri and attended St. Benedict's College in Atkinson, Kansas, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Dramatics. (While he considered entering the priesthood at the Benedictine college, he later quipped that when he learned what "nun" actually meant (none) he abandoned that vocation.

He enlisted in the US Army and was recruited by actor Robert Blake to join the Armed Forces Radio Service in Anchorage, Alaska. He had a television variety show while in Anchorage, played guitar, and sang western and folk music in numerous clubs in the area, where he met his first wife, Julie. About that time Elvis became popular and crowds appreciated when Sandy sang Elvis tunes. He had a "hit" record during this period, "Rocka' My Soul."

He was honorably discharged from the Army and moved to Hollywood where he performed in a musical comedy for two years. His first screen role was in "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." He joined the Screen Actors Guild, eventually becoming a board member, and later, President of Arizona SAG for several years. He went on to perform in over 55 major motion pictures (including Tombstone, Tin Cup, Used Cars, A Star Is Born, and Lightning Jack), and numerous television productions, including a recurring role on Little House on the Prairie. In Arizona he was a news anchor on KPHO; and program producer, director and host of "Dialing for Dollars." On the Bill Heywood radio show, Sandy provided the characters that Bill interviewed including Ranger Bob and Lewis Luscious. He coached acting and wrote a book, Show Biz: Voice and Talent Work Anywhere, in which he shares his experiences with many major stars and what they taught him about show biz. He was in two new movies in the past year and, in the last week of his life, was rehearsing to star in a new play.

For years, Sandy hosted "the Wallace Luncheon" every Friday, gathering with Bill "Wallace" Thompson and a rotating cast of characters -including a core group of longtime Phoenix area "personalities" and a host of friends and family. He was an active member in the Creative Living Fellowship and recently completed his term on their Board of Directors.

He died on December 29th, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona at 85 years of Age.

Jan Merlin 1925-2019

He played Olga's father in Town Party/Country Party



After serving in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II, he started acting in summer stock. His Broadway debut came with Mister Roberts.

Merlin had a long, busy career in movies and TV. He was a regular on Tom Corbett, Space Cadett, for one, and he appeared on everything from Perry Mason to Laramie to Mannix to The A-Team. In features, he did stuff like A Day Of Fury (1956, above with Dale Robertson), Hell Bent For Leather (1960) and The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967). He was usually a bad guy — and he was really good at it.

Merlin started to write, knocking out several novels and winning a Daytime Emmy as a writer for Another World. Luckily, he was interviewed a number of times over the years, preserving his decades of experience around Hollywood.

Jan Merlin’s westerns – actor:
A Day of Fury – 1956 (Billy Brand)
Frontier (TV) – 1956 (Clay Chandler)
The Peacemaker – 1956 (Viggo Tomlin)
Broken Arrow (TV) – 1957 (Pete Hartley)
Casey Jones (TV) – 1957 (Kenny)
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (TV) 1957 (Fred Colby)
Trackdown (TV) 1957 (Cece Marple)
Zane Grey Theater (TV) – 1957 (Jeff Baatterson, Davey Harper)
Cole Younger, Gunfighter – 1958 (Frank Wittrock)
The Rough Riders (TV) – 1958-1959 (Lieutenant Colin Kirby)
Tombstone Territory (TV) 1958 (Billy Clyde)
Branded (TV) – 1959 (Jim Darcy)
Texas John Slaughter (TV) – 1959 (Robbie)
Hell Bent for Leather – 1960 (Travers)
Bat Materson (TV) – 1960 (Kid Jimmy Fresh)
The Tales of Wells Fargo (TV) – 1960, 1962 (Johnny Hogan)
Laramie (TV) – 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 (Chris, Clint Wade, Jo Jo, Garth, Milo Gordon, Joel Greevy)
Outlaws (TV) – 1961 (Jed Evans)
The Tall Man (TV) – 1961 (Hendry Grant)
Whispering Smith (TV) – 1961 (Thad Janeck)
Bonanza (TV) – 1962 (Rance Macklin)
Gunfight at Comanche Creek – 1963 (Nielsen)
Rawhide (TV) – 1963 (Little Sam Talbot)
Guns of Diablo – 1964 (Jed Evans)
Gunsmoke (TV) – 1964 (Ed Sykes)
The Travels of Jamie McPheeters (TV) – 1964 (Rance Macklin)
The Virginian (TV) – 1964 (Sam Lake, Reese)
The Legend of Jesse James (TV) – 1965 (Jesse imposter)
Cade’s County (TV) – 1972 (Rennie Lassiter)
Little House on the Prairie (TV) – 1974 (Jan Nordstrom)
Paradise (TV) – 1991 (Joe Miller)

He died September 20th, 2019 in Burbank, California. He was 94.

Ivy Bethune, Russian born actress, who played Alice Harper in "Plague" on LHOTP has died. She was 101 years old. She was also in nine episodes of Father Murphy as Miss Tuttle.  

William Wintersole was born on July 30, 1931 in Portsmouth, Ohio, USA. He is known for his work on Star Trek: The Original Series (1966), Seconds (1966) and The Fugitive (1963). He died on November 5, 2019 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

He played Tom Henderson, a telephone lineman in "The Godsister" on Little House on the Prairie.

Hello  

I'm looking for informations about Tim Maier. I find nothing since his last movie in 1994.
Do you know what happened to him ?

Thank you in advance.

Davetucson wrote:

TIM MAIER WAS BORN IN SEPTEMBER OF 1962 IN LOS ANGELES, CA. HIS ACTING CAREER LASTED FROM 1979 TO 1994. HIS ACTING DEBUT WAS IN 1979 IN AN UNCREDITED ROLE IN WALT DISNEYS WONDERFUL WORLD OF COLOR (SHADOW OF FEAR). HE WAS ON SEVERAL TV SHOWS INCLUDING FAMILY, COWARD OF THE COUNTY WITH KENNY ROGERS AND DID TWO ABC AFTERNOON SPECIALS. HE PLAYED JOSH IN PSYCHO II OPPOSITE ANTHONY PERKINS.
HE WAS IN ONE LITTLE HOUSE EPISODE. HIS FIRST CREDITED PERFORMANCE. HE PLAYED CHAD BREWSTER, A SCHOOL STUDENT THAT LAURA TAUGHT IN THE 1980 EPISODE OF SWEET SIXTEEN. HE IS THE BOY THAT ALMANZO PUNCHED OUT WHEN HE THOUGHT HE WAS MAKING ADVANCES TO LAURA.

AS CHAD IN SWEET SIXTEEN - 1980


IN PSYCHO II AS JOSH - 1983

I wish I could help, but Tim checked out of show business some 26 years ago and hasn't been heard from since.

Davetucson wrote:

I wish I could help, but Tim checked out of show business some 26 years ago and hasn't been heard from since.

Thank you Davetucson for your reply.
It’s a pity that he checked out of show-business. He was a very good actor.