When anyone watches Little House on The Prairie, they know Michael Landon seems like a great father. There's a tremendous warmth to his authority as Charles Ingalls. It's the perfect blend of caretaking and discipline. Given the loving recounts of how he was on set, this sentiment remains consistent behind the scenes too. For example, one cast member that speaks lovingly of the actor is Melissa Gilbert. She played one of the daughters on the iconic TV show. She credits Landon for helping a lot of the younger cast coming into their own as they grew up.
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Recently, Gilbert spoke with her former costar Patrick Labyorteaux on his podcast, reflecting on their time on Little House on The Prairie. Since her TV father also acted as a producer for the show too, she really highlights his ability to get the most from the younger actors. "For all of us littles, Melissa Sue [Anderson], myself, Robyn and Rachel [Greenbush]," Melissa explains, "[Michael Landon] just sort of nurtured performances out of us. It was just very easy with him. He would praise us when we did well, and then he would scowl if we weren't completely connected."
Melissa Gilbert Explains How Michael Landon Helped Out Younger Talent on Their Show
"I think he found us all really enchanting. And he hired kids who were very natural, intentionally, so we didn't come in with cuteness, we came in with just a kind of grounded-ness. And at the time, I just remember thinking, 'Boy, this is the best game of dress-up any girl ever played.' It was just fun. It wasn't a job," Gilbert continues.
Additionally, Labyorteaux adds how Landon impacted himself personally. Ultimately, when you were acting in his vicinity, you had to come with your A game. "I don't care who you are, if you're a foot away from Michael and he starts crying, you're not gonna do anything but lose it, right? Every scene I did with Michael was so much better than every scene I did with anyone else," Patrick says of Landon. "If you listen, your brain and your mind and your face do all the things that it needs to do because you're watching him emote for real."
