| "Founder's Day" | |
| Season , Episode # overall in Series | |
 | |
| Original air date | May 7, 1975 |
| Episode Guide | |
 IMDb
|
Founder's Day |
| Written by | John Hawkins Ward Hawkins |
| Directed by | William F. Claxton |
| Episode Chronology | |
| Previous episode: Episode 124: To See the World |
Next episode: Episode 201: The Richest Man in Walnut Grove |
Founder's Day comes to Walnut Grove, and everybody is looking forward to the exciting competitions. While Laura and Mary try to outdo the Olesons, Charles is challenged to a logging contest by an ancient lumberjack. While Charles wants to gain respect from the stubborn old man, his opponent hopes to prove that he is still the 'Bull of the Woods' despite the constant urging of his wife. The excitement reaches a boiling point with the final competition, the logging contest, and Charles proves himself in quite an unexpected way.
Cast
Regulars
- Michael Landon: Charles Ingalls
- Karen Grassle: Caroline Ingalls
- Melissa Gilbert: Laura Ingalls
- Melissa Sue Anderson: Mary Ingalls
- Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush: Carrie Ingalls
- Karl Swenson: Lars Hanson
- Richard Bull: Nels Oleson
- Katherine MacGregor: Harriet Oleson
- Dabbs Greer: Reverend Alden
- Kevin Hagen: Hirim Baker
- Alison Arngrim: Nellie Oleson
- Jonathan Gilbert: Willie Oleson
- Barney: Jack
Guests
- Forrest Tucker: Jim Tyler
- Ann Doran: Helen Tyler
- Wayne Heffley: Mr. Kennedy
- Georgia Schmidt: Mrs. Grandy
- Ruth Foster: Melinda Foster (uncredited)
- Clay Greenbush: School Kid (uncredited)
- Cindy Moore: Tall Jump Roping Girl (uncredited)
- Larry Moran: Boy (uncredited)
- Maggie Munro: Girl (uncredited)
- Tracie Savage: Christy Kennedy (uncredited)
Trivia
- When Melissa Gilbert (Laura) runs up to the Olesons to tell them that her Pa is going to win the tug-of-war contest, notice that when she turns around and runs off again, she briefly bumps right into the gate, avoiding a potentially major wipe-out by dodging just in time. You will see also that Richard Bull (Nels Oleson) looks a little startled when he sees Gilbert do this, and then he smiles and laughs before continuing with his lines.
- Notice how strange Mary, Willie, and the other children look as they are jump-roping. It almost looks like half slow motion, half regular motion.
- Notice that when Jim wins the log contest and is awarded his watch and blue ribbon, the sky is completely gray, and it's obvious that a thunderstorm is about to erupt any minute. However, in the very next scene, when Laura and Charles are talking, the sky is an immaculate blue, and the sun is beaming down.
- The very first scene in this episode--which finds the Ingalls' dog Jack drinking from the creek and running back up to the house--was also used for the opening scene in Season 1's Country Girls. Even the background music is the exact same.
- Caroline is very worried about Mrs. Oleson's entry in the pie baking contest, and both women are among the top three entrants. This contrasts to later references, for example "Second Spring" (Season 6), where Mrs. Oleson is a poor cook, and Nels handles these chores. This is also seen in "Wave of the Future" (Season 8)
External links
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| To See the World | The Richest Man in Walnut Grove |