Little House Historian Crossover Interview!
Little House" historian's Patrick Loubatière and Lennon Parker are
well recognized and respected for their work in the public for the "Little House
on the Prairie" TV series and books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Both
gentlemen live in two different parts of the world, but share the
same passion and love for Little House, and to treat the fans who
have supported their works they thought it would be fun to do a
special historian asks the historian crossover interview about each
others works for "Little House".
Lennon:
How long have you been a fan of "Little House"? Have you ever read
the books before or after watching the TV series?
Patrick: (First of all, please forgive my approximate
English.) I grew up with "Little House" since the age of 5, in 1976,
when the show first aired on French television. I didn't know the
books at the time, because they were not published in France yet. I
read them many years later. Although "Little House" was my favorite
show as a child, I stopped watching it when I was about 15. A few
years later, I rediscovered it - as an adult, this time ! - and I
thought it was the best TV show ever. Both for children and adults.
Patrick: Your Web sites are extremely well done. How did you
learn to do Web sites, and what was your very first Web site you
created?
Lennon: Thanks for the compliment. I taught myself Web design
in the summer of 1996. I found the concept of Web sites interesting
and something that I have never done before. I learned as the years
went on that even though I knew how to create and maintain Web sites
that nobody would hire me for professional work unless I had a
college degree which I earned in 2004. My degree is in Computer
Science. I never thought a hobby would end up being my career. I
currently run and maintain a community college Web site. The very
first Web site I created was the Official Maureen McCormick fan club
for the actress who played Marcia Brady on the Brady Bunch. That Web
site has been active since 1997.
Lennon:
What drew you to the "Little House" on the Prairie series?
Patrick: For me, Walnut Grove was heaven on earth! This
"Little House on the Prairie", this beautiful western town, these
wonderful people... I loved watching that on television, and I
wanted to become one of them!
When I visited the filming locations in Simi Valley in 2002 and
2004, it was a dream come true for me!
Patrick: What is "Lennon Parker Productions", and how can we
help you to promote your work?
Lennon: Lennon Parker Productions, lennonparker.com produces
professional Web sites, Graphic art, Photography services, Photo
Restoration and transferring old family videos and any type of
multimedia to DVD. I enjoy doing these things and so does the short
staff I have for this company. My staff and I strive to give our
clients the best service possible. No work is completed unless the
client is happy. The best way to promote my work is word of mouth.
:)
Lennon: In 1998, your "Little House" on the Prairie book was
released in France. What drew you to writing your book?
Patrick: The fact that nobody had done it ! I was a fan of
the show, and I was hoping that someone would write a book about it.
I often went to the television/cinema section of the bookshops,
hoping to find there a companion book for "Little House". Since
nothing was coming, I decided to write it myself! A few minutes
later, I started writing Kevin Hagen's biography. That's the very
first thing I did!
Patrick: Do you remember watching "Little House" in the
1970s, when it first aired?
Lennon: I didn’t watch "Little House" in the 70’s. I started
watching "Little House" on the Prairie in the mid 80’s after reading
the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and finding out that a show was
created based around the books. It was very hard for me to watch
"Little House" while growing up because of the type of work I was in
as a child, but I made time to watch as much of "Little House" as I
could. "Little House on the Prairie" was a show I fell deeply in
love with and something I still keep very closely to my heart.
Lennon: The last few years we have had the pleasure to watch
your exclusive interviews with some of the cast members on the
season DVD sets released by Imavision. What was it like to be asked
to do this and to write the trivia for each season?
Patrick: It's wonderful for me to be able to share my love of
the show with thousands of people. I feel I am a very lucky man.
Also, I am happy to be able to highlight the actors that I love. For
example, Dabbs Greer will forever be featured in these "Little
House" DVDs, and I am proud of that. Before that, many people only
called him Reverend Alden ; now, they call him Dabbs Greer!
Patrick: What is your favorite character on the show, and
why?
Lennon:
This is a very good question since the show had so many good
characters. My favorite is Mary Ingalls. Mary on the show was a
little different from the Mary in the books, but the character of
Mary written for this show was great and a character you can fall in
love. What I love about Mary is her kindness and devotion to her
family. Laura had the spunk and Mary had the brains. I think Mary’s
role developed when she went blind. I still till this day feel that
when the character of Mary went blind it was the best performance of
Melissa Sue Anderson’s career. Melissa put heart and soul into that
performance.
Lennon: During the process of writing your book and your
previous book recently released through the season 9 DVD set by
Imavision. Who have you enjoyed interviewing the most?
Patrick: All the actors were wonderful to me. I was never
disappointed by any of them, which seems incredible... but believe
me, this is true! If I had to pick one interview, that would have to
be the first one with Katherine MacGregor (Mrs. Oleson), because it
was the most difficult to set up. She had never answered an
interview for 20 years, and everybody had told me that she wouldn't
agree to do it. I called her from France. At first, her answers were
very short. But, little by little, she trusted me, and the interview
lasted 3 hours! That was amazing! Then, I met her several times in
California, and we got along incredibly well!
Patrick: What is your favorite episode of "Little House", and
why?
Lennon: My favorite is “The Legacy.” I love this episode
because it hits home with me. We all wonder how were going to be
remembered and this episode teaches us it’s not about the fame, but
it’s about love and family that counts in the end.
Lennon: What cast member made the biggest impression on you
during your first encounter with them?
Patrick: Oh... that's unfair! I cannot answer that question.
Well, I will just mention the first actresses that I met. Karen
Grassle is the very first one I ever met. That was in September
2001, when I invited her to France. She was the special guest star
of my town, La Grande Motte, on the Mediterranean Sea. I will never
forget the moment when I recognized her in the street, walking
towards me! The second one was Alison Arngrim, in January 2002, in
Paris, for a TV show. She's such a funny and wonderful person.
There's nobody like Alison !!! I met the other actors later, in the
USA.
Patrick:
You know Lindsay (Rachel) and Sidney (Robyn) Greenbush quite well.
Can you describe their personalities? Which are their similarities
and differences?
Lennon: I met these ladies at the 1998 reunion in Sonora,
California. I talked to Robyn for sometime; she was wearing a pin of
the Ingalls house that I loved so much and was the subject of our
chat. Rachel on the other hand was a small first encounter, a quick
hello and sign my poster since there were so many people in line at
the time. I still pick on Rachel till this day and tease her about
being shy. Today, I enjoy helping them maintain their Web site,
greenbushtwins.com and lately I have assisted Robyn on her new Ranch
Web site. I haven’t talked to Rachel in weeks since she is busy with
her career and raising her daughter. For Robyn, I bug her when I
feel like bugging LOL.
As for personalities and differences, Rachel sent me a picture of
her and Ozzie Osborne for the Web site a year or so ago so I knew
she liked Rock and Robyn likes country music so that’s a different
personality for you. For similarities I would have to say the love
for horses and for putting up with me! LOL. Thanks for asking about
them and I’ll add that they are both very friendly and it’s
wonderful and kind of them to interact with fans on their Web site
and their Yahoo forum outside their busy schedule.
Lennon: What is your favorite episode of the series and why?
Patrick: Another very difficult question... Maybe "A Harvest
of Friends", because it is the one that introduces us to the
Ingalls' little house, the town of Walnut Grove, the Olesons, the
Dr. Baker, the Reverend Alden, etc. How could I imagine when I first
watched it, that it would become such an important part of my life
?! I usually love the moving episodes better than the funny ones.
Although I know that "Little House" wouldn't be the same without the
laughs provided by the Oleson family !
Patrick: If you had the chance to meet Michael Landon, what
would you say to him?
Lennon: Well, first I would ask for a personalized autograph
photo. :) I would probably thank Mike for putting so much of his
heart and soul into something that has become very special to me and
fans around the world. Mike didn’t have to do "Little House" because
he made enough money on "Bonanza", but he did and that means a lot.
"Little House" has been like a friend to me in problems I have faced
in life. A dose of "Little House" fixes the problem! "Little House"
may have taken place in the late 1800’s, but the morals and story’s
have not changed at all.
Lennon: What is the strangest question about "Little House"
you have ever been asked?
Patrick: The strangest question I have ever been asked is :
"Did you enjoy playing Andy Garvey?" And many people ask me that
question! Well, please note that I am not Patrick Labyorteaux, the
actor ; I am Patrick Loubatière, a French teacher and writer... :o)
Even Hersha Parady (who played Alice Garvey, his mother, on the
show), thought I was him, at first!
Patrick: I am a high school teacher, and most of my pupils
know about the "Little House" TV series very well. Do you have many
children/teenagers visiting your Web sites, or mainly adults?
Lennon: I have all ages that visit the Web site and the
Prairie Talk forum. I think it’s great that a show can attract all
ages from around the world. One of the features I have on Prairie
Fans is a pioneer guide where I provide information for students who
wish to learn about life and times on the frontier. As a former
actor, on the side I perform a "Little House" act on a request basis
for elementary students. I dress up in pioneer clothing and act out
chapters from the "Little House" books for the children. Children
love it and it keeps the story of Laura Ingalls Wilder alive.
Lennon: If you could change one thing about the TV series,
what would you change?
Patrick: When you love someone, you don't want to change
anything in her/him.
Same goes for "Little House" : I don't change anything ! :o)
Patrick: "Prairie Talk" is a wonderful forum, and has become
like a family, now! Are you the new Charles Ingalls? :o)
Lennon: Thanks for the compliment on Prairie Talk! The real
compliment goes to the moderators on Prairie Talk who keep it a
clean and a friendly environment for all age groups to enjoy. As for
the new Charles Ingalls, I don’t think anybody could fill those
shoes, but some of the members on that forum refer to me as a modern
day Charles Ingalls for the way I handle problems on the forum and
for the advice I give. I don’t see it, but for some reason they do?
As for a family, yes! Some of the members have driven to meet each
other and I hear another trip is being planned to Canada. I know
some of them keep in touch by telephone. It’s amazing, I think and
the wildest part about it is no matter what time or what day it is
someone is always on prairietalk.com posting. I’m glad fans have
somewhere where they can go and share their love and passion about
something we all cherish.
Lennon: Do you have any "Little House" projects in the works?
Patrick: Of course! I want to go on highlighting this show
and its actors. I hope that "Little House" will live forever! And I
love interviewing my childhood heroes (actors, singers, etc.) better
than interviewing anybody else... I have several projects in France
for Alison Arngrim Click here to view. I am still doing several
things for Imavision, the company that produces the DVD (including
my weekly column on their Web site which can be viewed by clicking
here.
Something else... If you enjoyed my book "Little House on the
Prairie from A to Z" in the DVD set (9th season), then you'll be
happy to hear that I wrote another book - much bigger, with many
interviews, anecdotes, etc. I cannot publish it right now, because
of complicated copyright issues. However, it is 100% written, and
hopefully it will be published some day...
Patrick: You did a lot of work to promote the new "Little
House" mini-series. Which things did you prefer in it - compared to
the 1970s' series?
Lennon: Good question Patrick! Yes, I did a lot of work to
help get the new "Little House" noticed. I loved everything about
the new "Little House" and was very happy to see "Little House" in
the news again. I still wish everyday that it was picked up! It
would have been nice to see decent family television again. Kyle
Chavarria was an absolute doll and was a perfect Laura. I think if
the show made it than it would have received its own respect and
would not be compared to the 70’s version. I feel this way because
the show was based around the books even though the dog was not a
bull dog it was based more around the books than the 70s show. I’m
just happy that the actors have found work and some even nominated
for their roles on "Little House".
Patrick Loubatière can be reached at
edson@free.fr. For more information on Patrick visit his Web
site by clicking here.
Lennon Parker can be reached at
lennon@prairiefans.com.
Note: Interview was done on February 23, 2006.
