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Dean Butler, who played Laura Ingalls’ husband Almanzo Wilder, was one of the cast members that made an appearance in later seasons.
Butler was expected to pull a horse-drawn wagon 200 yards down a hill in the opening sequence. He had never done it before, and things didn’t really go as planned when Michael yelled, “Action.” Butler dropped the reins to reach for his hat as the air took it up. Simultaneously, the unmanageable horses spurted off the road and charged in the direction of an oak tree.
Fortunately, a crew member reached the horses before they struck the tree, despite the yelling of the audience.
Butler remembered Landon saying, “Well, I think I have to double, you know,” as Michael approached her while chewing on a cigarette. “I can double you, but I can’t change the show’s horses.” Although it was my first experience with Michael, it was a lot of fun.
Was Albert dead?