“Farmer Boy” Phenomen: My interview with Dean Butler

By Sandi Scurlock

I interviewed many country music stars, both in person and over the phone, in the three and a half years I worked at a radio station. On September 18, I was honored to interview Hollywood actor Dean Butler via telephone! He brought “Farmer Boy” Almanzo Wilder to life on the small screen in “Little House on the Prairie.”

Before the interview began, Butler had some questions for me, about where I was from (Licking), how far it was from Mansfield (about 63 miles), and if it was smaller or bigger (it’s a little bigger in population) than Mansfield.

The reason behind his questions is that Dean Butler will be at the annual Wilder Days in Mansfield on September 27 and 28. Butler will be at a fundraiser event Friday, September 27, at Mansfield High School, from 7 to 8 p.m. The proceeds will benefit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum.

On Saturday, September 28, Butler will be at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, meeting fans from 10 a.m. to noon. He will be the Grand Marshall of the parade which will be held in downtown Mansfield, then will return to the museum from 2 to 4 p.m.

An exciting occurrence at this year’s Wilder Days is that Pa’s fiddle (the very one mentioned in Laura’s books) will be played at the festivities.

I asked Dean Butler when he started acting. He said his interest began in high school. He wasn’t an athlete and was looking for other opportunities to be accepted. He was in a high school production of “Once Upon a Mattress” in 1972-73. Butler loved the music, applause and magic of acting, and he pursued acting for the next thirty years, going from amateur to professional.

Butler was in the 1978 movie “Forever.” The success of that movie led directly to his role as Almanzo Wilder on the television show “Little House on the Prairie” in the spring of 1979.

Before starring in the show, Butler hadn’t read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. The books were first published during the hard times of the Great Depression. Readers could appreciate the difficult times Laura and her family experienced during the 1880s. Butler pointed out that there is no easy time to grow up; there are always challenges.

This year marks 50 years since “Little House on the Prairie” debuted on NBC in 1974. Butler said “Little House” was an amazing experience and people continue to love it. He admitted the show was “off a lot” from what was written in the books, but said that Laura herself once said she wrote the truth, but not the whole truth. Butler mentioned Michael Landon in the interview. He shared that Landon said that the show was not for everyone, but others could not get enough of the simple, clear stories.

Butler visited the Wilder home at Rocky Ridge Farm, in Mansfield, several years ago. He was there when the Rock House was opened to the public in 1994. Butler said you could just see all the love the fans have for Laura Ingalls Wilder and her beloved books. He told me that when you step into the farmhouse, it feels very much occupied. It is almost as if Almanzo and Laura are out for the day and will return home.

Butler said he has been to other Ingalls’ homesteads, in Pepin, Wisconsin; Walnut Grove, Minnesota; and Independence, Kansas. It was in Kansas where all the cast made an appearance this summer. Butler will also be in Malone, New York, on October 19, at the homestead where Almanzo grew up.

This year, Butler wrote his autobiography called “Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond.” He said he’s grateful for the life he’s had, and everything in his life is connected with “Little House.”

To meet Butler, come visit the place where the “Little House” books were written, on Friday and Saturday, September 27 and 28, in Mansfield.

My deepest appreciation goes to Dean Butler’s manager, Harlan Boll, for arranging the interview and to Dean Butler for the great conversation.