School episodes

[seventies_sitcoms]

I don't know about anybody else, but I think my favorite episodes take place in the schoolhouse.

I always liked Blizzard, the "crabby" Mr. Applewood, Nellie and Andy cheating in Alice's classroom, and don't forget the bully Bart terrorizing Eliza Jane's class and pouring the paper maiche over that little kid's head.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

I don't know about anybody else, but I think my favorite episodes take place in the schoolhouse.

I always liked Blizzard, the "crabby" Mr. Applewood, Nellie and Andy cheating in Alice's classroom, and don't forget the bully Bart terrorizing Eliza Jane's class and pouring the paper maiche over that little kid's head.

I loved those eps. too. Especially if it dealt with that little witch Nellie. It was fun seeing the kids.

[Cashodeen]

I tend to favor school episodes too. Which is funny that I do because I often spend time being annoyed that each episode with school scenes has different kids each time, and any episode with a schoolmate as a main character is never seen again or only seen about only one more time (like Jason the sciencegeek). I know it's to be expected because they don't rehire the actors to show up everytime a school scene is done. At the very least they could have had the Edwards' kids be in school scenes since they were cast members, but they never are. Ever. Ugh, I'm such a nitpicker.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Cashodeen

I tend to favor school episodes too. Which is funny that I do because I often spend time being annoyed that each episode with school scenes has different kids each time, and any episode with a schoolmate as a main character is never seen again or only seen about only one more time (like Jason the sciencegeek). I know it's to be expected because they don't rehire the actors to show up everytime a school scene is done. At the very least they could have had the Edwards' kids be in school scenes since they were cast members, but they never are. Ever. Ugh, I'm such a nitpicker.

no your not. I feel the same way. good point. I hated seeing one time students as well. It just was annoying. I would have liked seeing the kids over and over. Maybe if they had just hired "extras" for the one time lead character roles of students, they could have kept them on, at least in the background.

[seventies_sitcoms]

You could always count on at least one Landon kid being in the school crowd. I read that a lot of the kids who had dads work as crew members had the parts of the students. That is why you probably saw such a big change. I mean Walnut Grove only had 30 residents right?

Leslie Landon eventually became Etta Plum the teacher during the last season.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

You could always count on at least one Landon kid being in the school crowd. I read that a lot of the kids who had dads work as crew members had the parts of the students. That is why you probably saw such a big change. I mean Walnut Grove only had 30 residents right?

Leslie Landon eventually became Etta Plum the teacher during the last season.

oh yeah, for sure. Even his wife appeared! I wonder if any Landon pets appeared...the cows? the horses? lol
Leslie also played the part of the pregnant woman who was in the stagecoach accident with Mary and Adam.

BTW, Sean Penn played in the episode where the children helped make the church bell.

[seventies_sitcoms]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

oh yeah, for sure. Even his wife appeared! I wonder if any Landon pets appeared...the cows? the horses? lol
Leslie also played the part of the pregnant woman who was in the stagecoach accident with Mary and Adam.

BTW, Sean Penn played in the episode where the children helped make the church bell.

Oh, the bell episode. Wasn't Tinker Jones one of those Far Out Space Nuts guys?

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

Oh, the bell episode. Wasn't Tinker Jones one of those Far Out Space Nuts guys?

Oh yeah! awesome memory...

[tv star collector]

I liked the episode with Dirk Blocker (son of Dan Blocker). I can't recall the title
of the episode. He didn't appear in any scenes with Michael Landon, though
(which, I guess, would have been awkward considering how much he resembles
his famous father). He acted in some other shows, including a BONANZA made-
for-TV movie with Michael Landon Jr. Interestingly, he didn't play Hoss's son;
another actor did. Dirk bore a striking facial resemblance but didn't have Dan's
large build. For LITTLE HOUSE, though, he was perfect because he was
bigger than any of the other students.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by tv star collector

I liked the episode with Dirk Blocker (son of Dan Blocker). I can't recall the title
of the episode. He didn't appear in any scenes with Michael Landon, though
(which, I guess, would have been awkward considering how much he resembles
his famous father). He acted in some other shows, including a BONANZA made-
for-TV movie with Michael Landon Jr. Interestingly, he didn't play Hoss's son;
another actor did. Dirk bore a striking facial resemblance but didn't have Dan's
large build. For LITTLE HOUSE, though, he was perfect because he was
bigger than any of the other students.

are u referring to the lake monster episode?

[Cashodeen]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

no your not. I feel the same way. good point. I hated seeing one time students as well. It just was annoying. I would have liked seeing the kids over and over. Maybe if they had just hired "extras" for the one time lead character roles of students, they could have kept them on, at least in the background.

You're right, they should have! Besides the Oleson's that was only done another time, and rather briefly. The Kennedy Kids.. Chrissy and Sandy was it? They were seen multiple times. It actually took me years to realize they were reoccuring. It's too bad others were not.

[Sterling Holobyte]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

are u referring to the lake monster episode?

The episode with Dirk Blocker in it was the one where Ma goes to teach temporarily at the school because Miss Beadle hurt her leg or something. And Dirk(forgot his character name) runs away because Ma tries to make him read in front of the class and Laura and Mary tell her that he can't read and that Miss Beadle just lets him sit in class. Then when Ma finally convinces him to come back, Mrs. Oleson ruins it by coming in and criticizing Ma for babying him by teaching him simple letters and words, and Ma quits. For a little while anyway until the school council convinces her to come back.

[TV Guy]

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

Leslie Landon eventually became Etta Plum the teacher during the last season.

Miss Plum was the worst teacher on the series, even worse than Alice Garvey. At least Hersha Parady could act. Leslie Landon had no screen presence at all, and was as dull as dishwater.

[seventies_sitcoms]

Originally Posted by TV Guy

Miss Plum was the worst teacher on the series, even worse than Alice Garvey. At least Hersha Parady could act. Leslie Landon had no screen presence at all, and was as dull as dishwater.

LOL! She was bad. She had no onscreen chemistry at all. I wondered if they knew it was the last season and she was just given the part instead of auditioning actresses?

[Schmoopie]

I loved the school episodes as well! For some reason I love any TV series that deals with school. Must be that I can relate to them more. Anyway, I think my favorite school episodes are "Country Girls" and the one where Laura is the teacher and this kid who has been bullying everyone does something. I forget which episode or what he did, but Willy assumes that he's going to get in trouble so when Laura turns around, he immediately starts to go to the corner. Laura tells him that she saw the other kid do it, and sends him to the corner instead. I wish I could remember the name of that episode!