Dean Butler of TV Classic "Little House on the Prairie" shares his life story

An iconic and heartwarming television show, Little House on the Prairie—and its cast—remains beloved by millions. Dean Butler considers the role Almanzo to be one of the greatest gifts of his life, and now, he’s ready to tell the story of his Prairie.

PRAIRIE MAN: My Little House Life & Beyond (on sale June 25, 2024; HC, $28.00) by Dean Butler shares the behind- the-scenes of Little House on the Prairie on a heartfelt journey of “good luck, good television, and the very good— if gloriously imperfect—people who made it so.” Cast as Almanzo, Laura Ingalls’ starring love interest, Butler captured the enduring affection of fans and co-stars alike. With a foreword from Melissa Gilbert (Laura) and Alison Arngrim (Nellie), this uplifting memoir follows Butler’s journey from childhood to the Prairie and beyond.

Cast at twenty-two years old, Butler had no idea of the lasting impact being cast in Little House on the Prairie would have on him. Having previously starred in Judy Blume’s Forever with Stephanie Zimbalist, Butler was fresh- faced and naïve to Hollywood, eager to make his mark. He found his home in the Prairie and embraced his fellow cast members as family. Butler’s passion for honest-to-goodness entertainment began in the Prairie and followed him throughout his rich career of acting, producing, and directing.• Butler’s well-behaved childhood, struggles with bullying, and complicated relationship with his father, all connected to his deep passion for acting;

• The impact his first love, Tracy, had on how he approached his on-screen relationships;

• The launching of Butler’s career with his first major role as Michael Wagner in Forever;

• Being cast as Almanzo in Little House on the Prairie and his experiences getting to know his fellow cast members, including Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, Alison Arngrim, Karen Grassle, Katherine MacGregor, and more;

• Butler’s ancestral connections and parallels to the character Almanzo;

• The respectful relationship between Dean Butler and Melissa Gilbert and how they navigated their iconic on-screen kiss (Melissa Gilbert’s first real-life kiss!);

• Michael Landon’s life and how he worked with Butler both on- and off-set;

• Butler’s experience as Moondoggie in The New Gidget and Hank in Buffy the Vampire Slayer;

• The love story of Butler and his wife, Katherine;

• Butler’s foray into Broadway, in Into the Woods and West Side Story;

• Butler’s journey as a producer and director, most notably for NBC Golf’s Feherty; And much, much more…

Dean Butler is an actor, producer, and director best known for his role as Almanzo Wilder in Little House on the Prairie, based on the beloved Little House book series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. He was a producer for NBC Golf’s Emmy-nominated series Feherty for over ten seasons. Dean lives in California with his family.

Visit him at https://deanbutler.com/ or @officialdeanbutler on Instagram.