Comparing Every Version, Real Life, Book, TV Pilot, Disney's

Any attempt at filming Little House on the Prairie will inevitably draw comparisons with the classic 1970s-1980s TV series so here they are.

First major sin of the Disney series: no Baby Carrie! She is left out entirely. Unlike the real life story, she is not born in Kansas, either. She simply doesn't exist. In this way the 1974 TV pilot is superior.

In the Disney series, the girls who play Mary and Laura (I don't feel like looking up any of the actors' names, sorry) somewhat resemble Melissa Sue Anderson and Melissa Gilbert but lack their charm. The girl playing Laura's hair can be described as either very dark blonde or very light brown, much lighter than Melissa Gilbert's hair. Since the girl playing Mary has almost platinum blonde hair, the "blonde vs. brown" argument works to some extent, but honestly, this girl's hair should be at least one shade darker and maybe two. The parents don't resemble Michael Landon and Karen Grassle. The actor playing Pa has a beard, unlike Michael Landon, so is more authentic in that respect but doesn't have the huge bush of whiskers Charles Ingalls actually had.

As for weapons, the TV pilot was very careful to show the muzzleloader, the powder horn, and the shot pouch. The Disney series shows a more 1870s style gun and it's not clear where Pa keeps spare bullets. He is shown making lead shot but it's not the round pellets as used in the muzzleloader.

The Disney series is a bit more dramatic in that they actually cross a frozen river with the ice breaking up around them. In the book the ice didn't break until the night after they had crossed the river that day. I have to hand it to them, I don't even know how they managed to film these scenes. The Disney series is also more dramatic than the book or the TV pilot as to how they traded for the horses.

Crossing the creek in which Jack is swept away and his recovery are similar in the book and both movies but the 1974 pilot is more dramatic and closer to the book in depicting the crossing. The next part is particularly touching in the 1974 version. The scene of mourning for Jack was Melissa Gilbert's screen test.

Ma's accident while building the cabin and meeting Mr. Edwards are in all three versions, but Disney version, what the heck? I don't know what song Pa played while Mr. Edwards danced off into the night, but it sure as blazes wasn't "Ol' Dan Tucker." Perhaps Disney felt this was too associated with Victor French, as it became his theme song throughout the series, but it's straight from the book! Very bad call there, and here is a good place to mention the Disney series music, which ranges from mediocre to awful. Sometimes, particularly when vocals were used, it took me right out of the story. David Rose's music in the series was spot on every time. TV music has never been done better.

The Disney movie leaves out the birth of the colt Bunny and I believe the TV pilot does too, but a horse named Bunny figures later in the series.

In the book Pa is chased by wolves on horseback. The Disney movie includes Laura in this. The Disney movie also has Laura interacting with Indian children which never happened.

The Disney movie depicts building the cabin but skips the part about installing a floor.

The "Indians in the House" incident is dramatically presented in the book and both movies, all three of which are pretty similar.

The Disney movie, being five hours, has time to present some incidents the TV pilot did not, such as having to rescue an unconscious man from a well being dug, although in the Disney movie it is Mr. Edwards who is rescued and not Mr. Scott as in the book. The Disney movie also includes the encounter with the cowboys which is well done, and the trip to the Indian camp where the girls pick up beads. The part where the family gets malaria and is saved by Dr. Tan is also in the Disney version. In the Disney version, it is less dramatic when the chimney catches fire because they still have a dirt floor unlike the wood floor they have in the book. It is made more dramatic by Laura getting burned removing a chunk of burning wood from the floor. In the book when she did this she wasn't burned. In the Disney version it is Mrs. Scott rather than Mr. Edwards who is treed on the woodpile by Jack. A later incident of Indians in the house is also in the Disney version. I don't believe any of this was in the TV pilot but I could be wrong about some details.

The Disney movie is more authentic in the Christmas episode as like the book it depicts rain but no snow. It's still the TV pilot for the win here as Victor French is shown actually crossing a freezing creek in deep snow. The actor playing Mr. Edwards in the Disney movie shows up wet but the actual crossing is not shown. The Disney version shows the tin cups and peppermint sticks but unlike the book and TV pilot omits the pennies.

In the book, Pa tracks a panther. In the Disney series he is actually attacked by a cougar, again overly dramatic.

The prairie fire is in all three versions, as is the meeting with an Osage Indian who saves the lives of the settlers from a would-be attack. In the TV pilot this Indian gives Laura some sort of charm or talisman.

The scene of the Indians leaving in single file down their ancestral trail is in the book and Disney version but I don't think it is in the TV pilot.

In every version (real life, book, TV pilot, Disney series) the family is forced to leave due to a government order but the explanation is a little different in each version. The upshot is that the family apparently settled illegally on Indian land. It was later opened for white settlement but they settled too soon and so were ordered to leave. Both movie versions close with a shot similar to the book cover, with Laura or Laura and Mary looking out the back of the wagon.

A word on hair and clothing styles, okay, basically picking on Disney Caroline.  The worst offender was the actress playing Caroline in the Disney miniseries or whoever was responsible for her hair.  It was a complete mess in every scene.  Even in the one scene where she had it put up it was lopsided.  I pictured the real life Caroline turning over in her grave.  Even in the scene when they dressed up to eat a special meal, her hair was a train wreck.  I don't know if this was their way of keeping it real or just advertising that they couldn't afford a hairdresser.  Karen Grassle's hair was perfect at all times even when down.  I'm not a clothing expert but in the Disney miniseries a couple of times Caroline wore a blouse and skirt combination with a belt which I think was too early for that style.  Also her blouses were too low cut.

Pronunciation:  Kudos to Disney Charles for saying "Caroline."  Michael Landon always said "Carolyn."

Historical accuracy:  As far as I know, the TV pilot was all right.  The series itself jumped around a lot as to exact year.  The Disney series is set at least three years later than the book as the Little Bighorn battle is mentioned which had not happened yet in the book or in real life.

Even with all the extra stuff Disney managed to do, their version still left me feeling very meh and bleh compared to the 1974 TV pilot. It is Michael Landon and company for the win.  BTW the Disney series is not on Disney Plus but is cheap on DVD.

Before I finish...I almost (mercifully) forgot the TV production Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder. This was technically a series, as there were two parts. Part 1 came out in 1999 and Part 2 in 2002. I didn't know about Part 2 till I looked it up just now but I did see Part 1. It portrayed different events in Laura Ingalls Wilder's life at least from the Big Woods till her marriage. I was appalled by a blonde Laura and a redheaded Mary. The first thing I thought was, "What's wrong with this picture?" The best part of this was Richard Thomas as Charles Ingalls. He was good as he is in everything and did a great "wild dog"! I don't remember a lot of specifics except for a girl dying in the school blizzard, which didn't happen in the book The Long Winter. It's not something I would watch again if I could and other than Richard Thomas is best forgotten.