David's Little House Star Profiles and Trivia

Thanks

Oh,I understand.Makes sence.

Good to know who baby Adam Jr. was. I have the same photo I am hoping to do a drawing soon of him. He was cute...sure wish Mary had not lost him like that.

James Sikking well known films include The Competition, Outland, Up the Creek and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, in which he played beleaguered Captain Styles, the captain of the then-experimental U.S.S. Excelsior NX-2000. Sikking's film career started in 1955. Sikking starred in the critically acclaimed 1992 Fox Network TV movie Doing Time on Maple Drive. He has made guest appearances on many TV series including Perry Mason, Rawhide, Bonanza, The Outer Limits, General Hospital, The Bob Newhart Show, Hunter and Batman Beyond.

Sikking was born in Los Angeles, California, in March of 1934. His mother, Sue Sikking (née Paxton), was a founder of Santa Monica's Unity-by-the-Sea Church. He has two brothers, Tom and Art, and a sister, Joy.

James Sikking's third brother, Robert Paxton Sikking (Bob), was born October 20, 1922 and died April 22, 1988. Bob served in the 101st Airborne and was a partial inspiration for the Stephen Spielberg and Tom Hanks production Band of Brothers. Bob was awarded two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, and together with his fellow soldiers, received a Presidential Citation for their part in the Siege of Bastogne which led to the defeat of Hitler's Sixth Army. His photograph as the first American soldier to reach Dachau Concentration Camp appears in the Imperial War Museum, London.

James is the father of writer Anne Sikking, actor Andrew Sikking and writer and doctor Emily Sikking.

He appeared in 149 titles from 1955 through 2009.

He was on one Little House Episode
“To Live With Fear” – 1977 – Mr. Franklin - Railroad Boss

Lucy Lee Flippin (July 23, 1943) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her performance as Eliza Jane Wilder on the TV series Little House on the Prairie (18 Episodes). She also played Fran Castleberry, the sister of Polly Holliday's character on the show Flo. Since Little House on the Prairie quit production, she has appeared in many different television shows and movies, and has performed onstage at Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. In 1988 she appeared in one episode of The Golden Girls.

She currently lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Other Roles Included:
• Flo (1980–1981) - as Fran Castleberry
• Flashdance (1983) - as Secretary
• Newhart (1984) - as Horse Owner (1 episode)
• Alice (1984) - as Dotty (1 episode)
• Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985) - as Mom in Mercedes
• Summer School (1987) - as Ms. Cura
• Lady in White (1988) - as Grace La Della
• Eerie Indiana (1991) - as the school nurse
• A Perfect World (1993) - as department store clerk
• Full House - as Teacher in Junior High School Cafeteria
• Small Wonder (1987) - Mrs. Cynthia Jennings (Ted Lawson boss' wife)

Eliza Jane Wilder

In "A Perfect World" - 1993

Born in Boise City, Oklahoma, in August of 1930, Vera Miles attended school in Pratt, Kansas and Wichita, Kansas. The patrician beauty of Miss Miles won her the title of "Miss Kansas" in 1948, leading soon to small roles in Hollywood films and television shows.

Fame came to the forthright, spirited Miles when she attracted the attention of two master directors, Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford. Ford cast her in the classic western The Searchers (1956) and Hitchcock, who put her under personal contract and hailed her as his "new Grace Kelly", paired her with the great Henry Fonda in The Wrong Man (1956). Hitchcock had Miles in mind to star in a dual role opposite James Stewart in Vertigo (1958), but what was envisioned as the actress' star-making vehicle instead became a triumph for Kim Novak when Miles' pregnancy and Hitchcock's subsequent production delays cost her the plum assignment. Hitchcock gave Miles a supporting role in another masterpiece Psycho (1960), as did Ford when he cast her opposite James Stewart and John Wayne in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), She also starred in such films as Beau James (1957) opposite Bob Hope, The FBI Story (1959) opposite James Stewart, Back Street (1961) opposite Susan Hayward and John Gavin and Sergeant Ryker (1968) opposite Lee Marvin, as well as showing her consistently remarkable and versatile talent on dozens of popular television movies and series including "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1962), "Twilight Zone" (1959), "The Outer Limits" (1963), "The Fugitive" (1963), "My Three Sons" (1960), "Bonanza" (1959), "Columbo" and "Murder, She Wrote" (1984).

In 1983, she reprised her role as "Lila Crane" in the film sequel Psycho II (1983), starring Anthony Perkins. Although, too often, the stunningly beautiful Miles' gifts were underutilized, before her retirement in 1995, hers was a most intriguing and enduring Hollywood career.
By sheer coincidence, all three of Vera's handsome, strapping ex-husbands died within a short time span. Her third husband, Keith Larsen died on December 13, 2006; first husband/stuntman and small part actor Bob Miles died on April 12, 2007; and bodybuilder second husband actor Gordon Scott, who played Tarzan in films, died on April 30, 2007.

Appeared in One Little House Episode
“The Last Summer” – 1983 - Ruthy Leland
Opposite David Friedman

As a child growing up in Benton Harbor, Michigan, Ernie Hudson, born December 17th of 1945,  wrote short stories, poems and songs, always thinking that his words might one day come to life on stage. After a short stint in the Marine Corps, he moved to Detroit where he became the resident playwright at Concept East, the oldest black theatre in the country. In addition, he enrolled at Wayne State University to further develop his writing and acting skills and found time to establish the Actors' Emsemble Theatre, where he and other talented young black writers directed and appeared in their own works.

After graduating with a B.A. from Wayne State, he was rewarded a full scholarship to the M.F.A. program at the prestigious Yale School of Drama. While performing with the school's repertory company, he was asked to appear in the Los Angeles production of Lonne Elder III's musical "Daddy Goodness," which led to his meeting Gordon Parks, who gave Hudson the costarring role in his first feature film, Leadbelly (1976). Unfortunately, all that followed "Leadbelly" was a year of "bit parts and some harsh lessons about Hollywood," which led Hudson to enroll in another academic program at the University of Minnesota that would lead to a Ph.D. Through his experience, he learned another vital lesson: "There are those who spend their lives studying it and those who spend their lives doing it." Hudson definitely wanted to be in the second group. Keeping in mind this self-revelation, Hudson accepted the starring role of Jack Jefferson in the Minneapolis Theatre In The Round's production of "The Great White Hope," a role that he put "everything he had into," including shaving his head.

A series of starring and guest roles followed on such television shows as "Fantasy Island" (1977), "The Incredible Hulk"  (1974), "Diff'rent Strokes" (1978), "Taxi" (1978), "One Day at a Time" (1975), "Gimme a Break!" (1981), "The A-Team" (1983) and "Webster" (1983), as well as costarring roles in the TV movies White Mama (1980) (TV) with Bette Davis, "Roots: The Next Generations" (1979), Women of San Quentin (1983) (TV), California Girls (1985) (TV), Mad Bull (1977) (TV) and Love on the Run (1985) (TV). Other feature film credits include The Jazz Singer (1980), The Main Event (1979), Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983), Penitentiary II (1982), Going Berserk (1983), Joy of Sex (1984) and, of course, the mega-hit Ghostbusters (1984).

Has appeared in over 179 titles since 1976.
He Was In One Little House Episode
“Chicago” – 1981 – William Thomas (Ditchdigger)

IN "GHOSTBUSTERS 3"

Born in 1922 in Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada, Jack Kruschen entered films after years on the stage, and became a dependable character actor both in movies and on television. Often cast as ethnic comedy relief, Kruschen occasionally landed a role as a villain, but was more often the volatile, emotional Italian or Jewish neighbor patriarch. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in The Apartment (1960).

Performed in radio dramas while still in high school.

In 1939, Kruschen was already appearing in TV dramas on the Don Lee experimental station in Los Angeles; the programs were beamed out to roughly 200 sets with 3" screens.
One of the few actors killed by Martians in 2 different movies: War of the Worlds (1953) and Angry Red Planet (1960).

From 1949 – 2007 he had 209 appearances in movies and television.

He died in Chandler, Arizona in April of 2002 at the age of 80.

He Was In One Little House Episode
“Gambini The Great” – 1981 – Rudolpho Gambini

In "The Rifleman" Opposite Johnny Crawford

Karl Swenson was an American actor of theater, radio, film and television whose career spanned more than 35 years. He met his second wife, stage and radio actress Joan Tompkins, while working in radio, and they performed together in various media, including film and television, throughout their careers. Swenson's long career began on the stage and in radio, appearing in numerous serials, including "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" (1941–1952), and the title roles in "Lorenzo Jones" (1937–1949) and the detective serials, "The Adventures of Father Brown" (1945) and "Mr. Chameleon" (1948–1953).

Beginning in the 1950's, Swenson guest-starred in 160 films and television shows. A fair-haired, strapping man of Swedish ancestry, Swenson was frequently typecast in roles playing Scandinavian characters. Usually appearing in minor parts, his film credits include "Kings Go Forth" (1958), "North to Alaska" (1960), Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" (1963) and "The Sons of Katie Elder" (1965). He had a prolific career in television, frequently appearing in Westerns; his many TV credits include "Gunsmoke" (1957–1971), "The Texan" (1958–1959), "Zane Grey Theater" (1958–1959), "Bachelor Father" (1958–1960), "Laramie" (1959–1963), "77 Sunset Strip" (1958–1963), "Bonanza" (1959–1967), "Perry Mason" (1962–1965), "The Virginian" (1962–1969), "Lassie" (1962–1972), "Dr. Kildaire" (1965), "The Big Valley" (1965–1967) and "The Mod Squad" (1970–1972).

Swenson appeared in two episodes of the Rifleman, playing the recurring character of Nils Svenson (variously Swenson, Swensen), the Blacksmith in "The Vision" (episode 66) and Chris Mance in "The Jailbird" (episode 73). Swenson is probably best remembered for his role playing lumber mill owner Lars Hanson in "Little House on the Prairie" (1974–1978). He had met actor/writer/producer/director Michael Landon on the set of "Bonanza" (1959), and remembering him when casting his successful "Little House" franchise, Landon gave Swenson a recurring role, which the veteran actor played until his death in 1978.

He Was in 41 Episodes of Little House from 1974-1978 As Larson Hanson, Founder of Walnut Grove

"The Rifleman"

Bill Quinn, born in 1912, was an American actor whose early career began in the 1920's in silent films and ended with the 1989 science fiction film, "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier." Perhaps, his best-known role was Mr. Ranseleer, Archie Bunker's blind friend in "All In The Family" (1971-1978). He also was a regular character in the Carroll O'Connor spin-off, "Archie Bunker's Place." Quinn's other television credits include roles in "The Odd Couple" (1970-1975), "McHale's Navy" (1962-1966), and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970-1977), in which he play Mary Richard's father. In 1971, he appeared in Universal Pictures' "How to Frame a Figg" starring Don Knotts. Quinn was a regular character in The Rifleman, appearing in 40 episodes as Sweeney, the Owner/Bartender of the North Fork Saloon.

Also appeared in two episodes of Highway To Heaven.

He was in 196 titles between 1924 and 1989.

Father-in-law of Bob Newhart: Father of Bob's wife, Ginny Newhart.

He died in 1994 at the age of 81 in Camarillo, Ca.

His Was in Four Little House Episodes
Plaque – 1975 – Carl Harper
The Long Road Home – 1976 – James Frazer
Blind Journey Pt 2 - 1978 – Conductor
The Odyssey – 1979 - Conductor

Bartender in "The Rifleman"

Davetucson wrote:

Beginning in the 1950's, Swenson guest-starred in 160 films and television shows. A fair-haired, strapping man of Swedish ancestry, Swenson was frequently typecast in roles playing Scandinavian characters. Usually appearing in minor parts, his film credits include "Kings Go Forth" (1958), "North to Alaska" (1960), Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" (1963) and "The Sons of Katie Elder" (1965). He had a prolific career in television, frequently appearing in Westerns; his many TV credits include "Gunsmoke" (1957–1971), "The Texan" (1958–1959), "Zane Grey Theater" (1958–1959), "Bachelor Father" (1958–1960), "Laramie" (1959–1963), "77 Sunset Strip" (1958–1963), "Bonanza" (1959–1967), "Perry Mason" (1962–1965), "The Virginian" (1962–1969), "Lassie" (1962–1972), "Dr. Kildaire" (1965), "The Big Valley" (1965–1967) and "The Mod Squad" (1970–1972).

Swenson appeared in two episodes of the Rifleman, playing the recurring character of Nils Svenson (variously Swenson, Swensen), the Blacksmith in "The Vision" (episode 66) and Chris Mance in "The Jailbird" (episode 73). Swenson is probably best remembered for his role playing lumber mill owner Lars Hanson in "Little House on the Prairie" (1974–1978). He had met actor/writer/producer/director Michael Landon on the set of "Bonanza" (1959), and remembering him when casting his successful "Little House" franchise, Landon gave Swenson a recurring role, which the veteran actor played until his death in 1978.

He was also on The Andy Griffith Show as Mr. McBeevee.

Dave, have you done Dan McBride...I saw this the other day on another site,but on a "search" on this site, I didn't see his name pop up.
You have caught just about everyone it seems though...a great bit of work.

"Dan McBride, in the show's greatest uncredited role, as the guy who continually dines in the restaurant and bitterly laments the food, the service, and his internal miseries while dodging flying crockery, raw chickens, and blackened pancakes."

Dan McBride was born in Kentucky, Currently Teaching at Cal State Los Angeles.
Dan McBride's Acting Credits
Highway to Heaven" (1 episode)
Catch a Falling Star (14 November 1984) – Cashier
"Flo" (1 episode)
What Are Friends For? (14 March 1981) - Raymond
"Young Maverick" (1 episode)
Have I Got a Girl for You (16 January 1980) - Actor
"Little House on the Prairie" (12 episodes )
In a scene from "Back To School" - Complaining as Usual

Dan On The Set

Sent you something I found, but not a Bio.

Tom Rosqui was an American character actor with extensive stage experience. Born in Oakland, California, in 1928, he appeared on Broadway in "Sticks and Bones," and "The Price," among others. He acted often in television, but his most prominent role was as Corleone family bodyguard Rocco Lampone in the first two 'Godfather' movies.

He was nominated for a 1974 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in a Principal Role for his performance in "The Sea Horse" at the Ivanhoe Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He appeared in 53 movies and TV shows from 1951 – 1999. Died of cancer in April of 1991 in Los Angeles at the age of 62.

You may remember him as the father of the boy who died of a ruptured appendix after supposedly being healed in “The Faith Healer” on Little House.

He was in Two Episodes
A Faraway Cry (1982)… 2nd Man
The Faith Healer (1979)… Matthew Dobbs

"The Faith Healer" - Matthew Dobbs With His Son Timothy (Joey Seifers)


As Rocco Lampone in "The Godfather"

He was a Chicago-based stage actor by the time he began his film career in the forgettable action drama The Sharkfighters (1956). A reedy, sensitive-looking blond, James Olson, born in 1930, showed an understated power in his performances that often received critical applause, but also a taciturn personality that kept audiences at bay. His performance as Joanne Woodward's suitor in Rachel, Rachel (1968) gained him the best reviews of his career and it seemed he had finally earned his stripes, but despite impressive parts in The Andromeda Strain (1971) and Ragtime (1981), not to mention the TV-movies The Family Nobody Wanted (1975) and "The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer (1977), he never made a name for himself. A durable talent, he remained a reliable presence for years with TV guest spots, but by the 1990s he had all but disappeared.

Attended Northwestern University on a four year Edgar Bergen acting fellowship.
Was discovered by Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. acting in a play in New York and was immediately signed for a role in a movie.

He appeared in 93 titles from 1956 – 1990

Update: James Olson died in Malibu, California on April 27th, 2022 at the age of 91.

Was in One Little House Episode
The Faith Healer  (1979)… Reverend Jacob Danforth


Joanne Woodward & James Olson in "Rachel, Rachel" - 1968

Ernest Borgnine was born Ermes Effron Borgnino on January 24, 1917, in Hamden, Connecticut. His parents were Charles who had emigrated from Ottiglio (AL), Italy and Anna who had emigrated from Carpi (MO), Italy. As an only child, Ernest enjoyed most sports, especially boxing, but took no real interest in acting. At 18, after graduating from high school in New Haven, and undecided about his future career, he joined the navy, where he stayed for ten years until leaving in 1945. After a few factory jobs, his mother suggested that his forceful personality could make him suitable for a career in acting, and Borgnine promptly enrolled at the Randall School of Drama in Hartford. After completing the course he joined Robert Porterfield's famous Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, staying there for four years, undertaking odd jobs and playing every type of role imaginable. His big break came in 1949, when he made his acting debut on Broadway playing a male nurse in "Harvey". In 1951 Borgnine moved to Los Angeles to pursue a movie career, and made his film debut as Bill Street in The Whistle at Eaton Falls (1951). His career took off in 1953 when he was cast in the role of Sgt. "Fatso" Judson in From Here to Eternity (1953). This memorable performance led to numerous supporting roles as "heavies" in a steady string of dramas and westerns. He played against type in 1955 by securing the lead role of Marty Piletti, a shy and sensitive butcher, in Marty (1955). He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance, despite strong competition from Spencer Tracy, Frank Sinatra, James Dean and James Cagney. Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s Borgnine performed memorably in such films as The Catered Affair (1956), Ice Station Zebra (1968), and Emperor of the North (1973). Between 1962 and 1966 he played LCDR Quinton McHale in the popular TV series "McHale's Navy" (1962). In early 1984 he returned to television as Dominic Santini in the action series "Airwolf" (1984), and in 1995 he was cast in the comedy "The Single Guy" (1995) as doorman Manny Cordoba. He also appeared in several made-for-TV movies. Ernest Borgnine has often stated that acting is his greatest passion, and he's still working today. His amazing 61-year career (1951 - 2012 and continuing) includes appearances in well over 100 feature films and as a regular in three television series, as well as voiceovers in animated films such as All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (1996), Small Soldiers (1998), and a continuing role in the Spongbob Squarepants series. Since 1973, Ernie has been married to Tova Traesnaes, who heads her own cosmetics company. They live in Beverly Hills, where Ernie assists his wife between film projects. When not acting, Ernie actively supports numerous charities and speaks tirelessly at benefits throughout the country. He has been awarded several honorary doctorates from colleges across the US as well as numerous Lifetime Achievement Awards. In 1996 Ernie purchased a bus and traveled across the U.S. to see the country and meet his many fans. On December 17, 1999, he presented the University of North Alabama with a collection of scripts from his film and television career, due to his long friendship with North Alabama alumnus and actor George Lindsey (died May 6, 2012), who was an artist in residence at North Alabama.

He was in attendance at Michael Landon's funeral.

He was in 203 productions since 1951. At 95 years old, he just completed “The Man Who Shook The Hand of Vicente Fernandez”.
Ernest Borgnine died on Sunday, July 8th, 2012 of renal failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 95.

He Was in One Little House Episode
The Lord Is My Shepherd: Part 1(1974)… Jonathan (credit only)
The Lord Is My Shepherd: Part 2(1974)… Jonathan
On Set With Michael

Opposite Melissa In "The Lord is My Shepherd"

John Hillerman was born on December 20th of 1932 in Denison, Texas, the son of Lenora Joan (née Medlinger) and Christopher Benedict Hillerman, a gas station owner. His father, Christopher, was the grandson of immigrants from Germany and France. His mother, Lenora, was the daughter of immigrants from Austria and Germany. Young Hillerman grew up in Denison and attended St. Xavier's Academy. After graduation, he attended the University of Texas at Austin for three years where he majored in journalism. In 1953, he joined the United States Air Force, serving for four years and achieving the rank of Sergeant. During his years of military service, he worked with various theatrical groups, and upon his discharge he moved to New York City to study at the American Theatre Wing. In 1957, he began his career in professional theater as the resident juvenile at Chautauqua Playhouse in Middleton, Ohio.
Hillerman appeared on Broadway in 1959 and worked in live performances in a variety of venues before making his motion picture debut in 1970. He had roles in such noteworthy films as The Last Picture Show (1971), What's Up, Doc? (1972), High Plains Drifter (1973), Paper Moon (1973), Blazing Saddles (1974), and Chinatown (1974). His other roles include Lucky Lady (1975), and a small appearance in the comedy film Up the Creek (1984).

In 1975, he was a co-star in Ellery Queen as Simon Brimmer, a radio detective who hosted a live radio show and tried to outsmart Ellery Queen (Jim Hutton). From 1976 to 1980, he had a recurring role as Mr. Conners on the television series One Day at a Time, and he co-starred as Betty White's ex-husband on the short-lived The Betty White Show in 1977.

He is probably best remembered for his role as former British Army Sergeant Major Jonathan Quayle Higgins III ("Higgins") on the television series Magnum, P.I. (1980–1988). The English accent that Hillerman used as Jonathan Higgins in Magnum P.I. and in other roles is not natural. Hailing from Texas, Hillerman had to learn this accent, which he developed by watching and listening to the performances of Laurence Olivier.
In 1982 John Hillerman played in the T.V. pilot of Tales of the Gold Monkey, where he played a Nazi character by the name of Monocle.

In 1984, he hosted the David Hemmings directed puzzle video Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link. In 1990, Hillerman returned to television to perform for one season as Lloyd Hogan in the series The Hogan Family.
In 1993, he appeared in Berlin Break for one season. He played the role of Mac Mackenzie, a former spy and currently the proprietor of "Mac's", a bar in West Berlin considered to be neutral territory during the Cold War. He teamed up with two jobless spies as investigators: Valentin Renko (Nicholas Clay), an ex-KGB agent, and Willy Richter (Kai Wulff), an ex-BND (West German secret service) operative. The show also featured Jeff MacKay (who played "Mac" MacReynolds in Magnum P.I.).Hillerman retired in 2009, and now resides in his home state of Texas.

Hillerman was nominated for the Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1988 for his role in Magnum, P.I. He won the award in 1982.
Hillerman was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 for his role in Magnum, P.I. He won the award in 1987.

He was in 70 Movies and televison shows between 1970 and 1990.

Update: John Hillerman passed away in Houston, Texas on Thursday, November 9th, 2017. He was 84.

He Played Sterling Murdock (Harriet's Cousin) in One Little House Episode
“Harriet’s Happenings” - 1978

Hillerman in Magnum PI

Born in October of 1935, Charles Cioffi is a veteran television actor, who has appeared in a number of daytime serials. However, he will most likely be remembered most for his sinister portrayal of revenge-seeking Ernesto Toscano on NBC's hit soap "Days of Our Lives" (1965).

He can be heard on Pink Floyd's album, "The Wall". One of his scenes from "Another World" (1964) was used as the TV program in the background while the groupie is walking through the apartment ("Are all these your guitars?"), immediately before the song "One of My Turns".

Is a charter member of the Tyrone Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.
Has taught classes on the history of live television at the University of Minnesota.
Has both B.A. and M.A. degrees from Michigan State.
Is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

Appeared in 91 titles from 1969 – 2008

He was on one Little House Episode
“Someone Please Love Me” – 1979
As Brett Harper

As Steph's Father in "All The Right Moves" Opposite Tom Cruise (Far Left)

This is What You Call Longevity

Charles Lane was born Charles Gerstle Levison to a Jewish family in San Francisco, California, to Alice G. and Jacob B. Levison and was, prior to his death, one of the last remaining survivors of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. In 1931, Lane married Ruth Covell and they remained together for 70 years until her death in 2002. They had a son named Tom and a daughter named Alice.

Lane spent a short time as an insurance salesman before taking to the stage at the Pasadena Playhouse. Actor/director Irving Pichel first suggested that Lane go into acting in 1929, and four years later Lane was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. He became a favorite of director Frank Capra, who used him in several films; in It's a Wonderful Life, Lane played a seemingly hard-nosed rent collector for the miserly Henry Potter (Lionel Barrymore), who tried to explain to his employer that many of his tenants were moving out, taking advantage of affordable mortgages provided by the film's protagonist, George Bailey (James Stewart).

Lane also appeared in the 1949 film Mighty Joe Young, as one of the reporters cajoling Max O'Hara (Robert Armstrong) for information about the identity of "Mr. Joseph Young", the persona given featured billing on the front of the building, on opening night.

Among his many roles as a character actor, Lane landed the recurring role as newspaper editor Mr. Fosdick in the Peter Lawford sitcom Dear Phoebe, which aired on NBC in the 1954-1955 season. In that same season, Lane played the boss of the title character in June Havoc's NBC sitcom entitled Willy. He portrayed Emil Quincy in two episodes of the syndicated romantic comedy series, How to Marry a Millionaire (1957–1959), with Barbara Eden and Merry Anders. However, he is most widely remembered for his portrayal of J. Homer Bedloe on the television situation comedy Petticoat Junction. Bedloe was a mean-spirited railroad executive who visited the Shady Rest Hotel periodically, attempting to find justification for ending the train service of the Hooterville Cannonball, but never succeeding. He guest starred on many television programs, including the syndicated drama of the American Civil War, Gray Ghost, and ABC's short-lived sitcom, The Bing Crosby Show in the 1964-1965 season.

He was a good friend of Lucille Ball, and his specialty in playing scowling, beady-eyed, short tempered, no-nonsense professionals provided the perfect comic foil for Lucy's scatterbrained TV character. He played several guest roles on I Love Lucy, most notably in the episode "Lucy Goes To the Hospital", where he is seated in the waiting room with Ricky while Lucy gives birth to their son. He also played the title role in the episode "The Business Manager", the casting director in "Lucy Tells The Truth", and the passport clerk in "Staten Island Ferry." He appeared twice in The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour. He later had recurring roles as shopkeeper Mr. Finch on Dennis the Menace and during the first season (1962–63) of Ball's The Lucy Show, playing banker Mr. Barnsdahl. According to The Lucy Book by Geoffrey Fidelman, Lane was turfed because he had trouble reciting his lines correctly. However, Lane was in reality a placeholder for Lucy's original choice, Gale Gordon, who joined the program in 1963 as Mr. Mooney after he was free from other contractual obligations.

In 1963, Lane appeared in the mega-comedy It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, playing the airport manager. His final acting role was at the age of 101 in 2006's The Night Before Christmas. His last television appearance was at the age of 90, when he appeared in the 1995 Disney TV remake of its 1970 teen comedy The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, with Kirk Cameron. In 2005, the TV Land Awards paid tribute to Lane by celebrating his 100th birthday. Seated in a wheelchair in the audience, which had sung Happy Birthday to him, Lane was presented with his award by Haley Joel Osment and then announced "If you're interested, I'm still available [for work]!" The audience gave him a standing ovation.

All told, Lane appeared in more than 250 films and hundreds of television shows. On his busiest days, Lane said he sometimes played more than one role, getting into costume and filming his two or three lines, then hurrying off to another set for a different costume and a different role. As for being typecast, Lane described it as "... a pain in the ass. You did something that was pretty good, and the picture was pretty good. But that pedigreed you into that type of part, which I thought was stupid and unfair, too. It didn't give me a chance, but it made the casting easier for the studio."
Lane's persona has been referenced in The Simpsons: on the audio commentary to the episode "Marge in Chains", its director Jim Reardon states that Lane's performance in It's a Wonderful Life inspired the character of the snide, humourless Blue-Haired Lawyer who appears in that and other episodes in the series.

In 1990, Lane at age 85, was rushed to hospital after having difficulty breathing. A doctor asked if he was still smoking, and Lane replied that he had kicked the habit 45 minutes earlier. He never smoked again.
Despite his stern, hard-hearted demeanor in films and television, friends and acquaintances seem to unanimously describe Lane as a warm, funny and kind person. On January 26, 2007, Lane celebrated his 102nd birthday. A documentary about his life and career, entitled You Know the Face, was made. He continued to live in the Brentwood home he bought with Ruth for $46,000 in 1964 until his death. In the end, his son Tom Lane, said he was talking with his father at 9 p.m. on the evening of Monday, July 9, 2007,[6] "He was lying in bed with his eyes real wide open. Then he closed his eyes and stopped breathing." Charles Lane was 102. Lane was not the only person in his family to have a long life - his mother Alice died in her San Francisco home in 1973 aged 100.
From 1931 to 2006 he appeared in over 300 productions.

He Was In One Episode of Little House
"Welcome to Olesonville" (1982)… Jess Moffet
Telling Harriet That Her Bond Was Worthless

Lew Ayres, born in Minneapolis in December of 1908, was raised in San Diego, California. A college dropout, he was found by a talent scout in the Coconut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles and entered Hollywood as a bit player. He was leading man to Greta Garbo in The Kiss (1929), but it was the role of Paul Baumer in All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) that was his big break. He was profoundly affected by the anti-war message of that film, and when, in 1942, the popular star of Young Dr. Kildare (1938) and subsequent Dr. Kildare films was drafted, he was a conscientous objector. America was outraged, and theaters vowed never to show his films again, but quietly he achieved the Medical Corps status he had requested, serving as a medic under fire in the South Pacific and as a chaplain's aid in New Guinea and the Phillipines.

His return to film after the war was undistinguished until Johnny Belinda (1948) - his role as the sympathetic physician treating the deaf-mute Jane Wyman won him an Academy Award nomination as best actor. Subsequent movie roles were scarce; an opportunity to play Dr. Kildare in television was aborted when the network refused to honor his request for no cigarette sponsorship.

He continued to act, but in the 1970's put his long experience into a project to bring to the west the philosophy of the East - the resulting film, Altars of the World (1976), while not a box-office success, he was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 6385 Hollywood Boulevard and Radio at 1724 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.

He was in 122 titles from 1929 to 1994.
Three Episodes of Highway To Heaven

One Episode of Little House
“Welcome To Olesonville” – 1982 – Clem McCary
He Helped Almanzo Run For Mayor

"The Right Thing" - 1985 - As Harry Haynes - Highway To Heaven - Opposite You Know Who
Matt Played His Grandson

Arthur Edward Spence Hill (August 1, 1922 – October 22, 2006) was a Canadian actor best known for appearances in British and American theater, movies and television. He attended the University of British Columbia and continued his acting studies in Seattle, Washington.
Born in Melfort, Saskatchewan, Hill served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II and attended the University of British Columbia, where he studied law but was lured to the stage.

Hill made his Broadway debut as Cornelius Hackl in the 1957 revival of Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker. In 1963 he won the Tony Award for Best Dramatic Actor for his portrayal of George in the original Broadway production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (opposite Uta Hagen). His other Broadway credits include Ben Gant in the original production of Ketti Frings's Look Homeward, Angel (1957), The Gang's All Here (1959), All the Way Home (1960), Something More! (1964), and More Stately Mansions (1967).

His most recognizable film portrayal was that of Dr. Jeremy Stone in the film adaptation of Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain (1971). (In A Bridge Too Far, he also played a doctor.) Hill's other film work included roles in The Ugly American (1963) with Marlon Brando, Harper (1966), The Chairman (1969), Sam Peckinpah's The Killer Elite (1975), Michael Crichton's Futureworld (1976), " A Little Romance" (1979), and he narrated the film version of Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983).

Arguably, Hill's most famous acting role was that of lawyer Owen Marshall, the lead role in the 1971-1974 TV series Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law. He appeared on many other series, including CBS's The Reporter, a 1964 drama starring Harry Guardino.

He appeared as a guest star in the pilot episode of Murder, She Wrote in 1984, returning to that same role in an episode in 1990. This would turn out to be his last appearance in film.
He died in a Pacific Palisades, California nursing home, aged 84, after a long battle with
Alzheimer's disease. His ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.

He was in One Little House Episode
Journey in the Spring: Part 2(1976)… Lansford Ingalls
Journey in the Spring: Part 1(1976)… Lansford Ingalls
With Young Charles in A Flashback Opposite Matt

With Charles Opposite Michael

Madeleine Stowe, born August 18th, 1958 in Los Angeles, grew up in Eagle Rock, a working-class neighborhood of Los Angeles. At age ten she started practicing for a career as a concert pianist and trained every day for hours. However, when her instructor died in 1976 she more or less quit playing.

She went to University of Southern California and studied cinema and journalism before taking up acting at Beverly Hills' Solaris Theater. She made a few appearances in TV and on film but her breakthrough came in 1987 with Stakeout (1987). Other major credits include The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and Short Cuts (1993).

When not filming she spends her time at her ranch in Texas, which she shares with her husband Brian Benben.
She is half British (father) and half-Costa Rican (mother).
Pretended to be a reporter just so she could meet John Travolta before she became famous.
Has a daughter, May Theodora Benben (born 1996).
Was extremly shy in high school
She and husband Brian Benben own a working cattle ranch outside of Fredericksburg, Texas.
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#90). [1995]
Replaced Faith Hill as Julie Moore in We Were Soldiers (2002).
In The Last of the Mohicans (1992), her character is Cora Munro; in China Moon (1994), it is "Rachel Munro".
Portrayed a blind woman in Blink (1994) and in an episode of "Little House on the Prairie" (1974).
She played two heroines from the 'Leatherstocking Tales' by James Fenimore Cooper. Cora Munro (older sister) in The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and Hetty Hutter (younger sister) in The Deerslayer (1978) (TV).
In one of her earliest film appearances, she was re-voiced by Anne Lockhart, daughter of June Lockhart and grand-daughter of Gene Lockhart and Kathleen Lockhart.
Coincidentally, Stowe appeared in the 1990 theatrical film "Revenge" and also appears in an unrelated TV series also titled "Revenge".
One of People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People in the World (2012).

Her latest project is the TV series “Revenge” as Victoria Grayson
She has appeared in 39 titles since 1978.

One Little House Episode – Played a Blind Artist
Portrait of Love -1980 – As Annie Crane


Husband Brian Benbon Played "Dr. Sheldon Wallace" in The TV Series Private Practice

I just watched The Waltons episode "The Stray", which guest starred both Todd Bridges and Ketty Lester.

I'll bet that was good!

Did I miss Johnny Cash in this thread?