| "Founder's Day" | |
| Season 1, Episode 24 #24 overall in Series | |
 | |
| Series: | Little House on the Prairie |
| Network/Country: | NBC |
| Original air date | May 7, 1975 |
| Production code | 1024 |
| Episode Guide | |
 IMDb
|
Founder's Day |
| Written by | John Hawkins Ward Hawkins |
| Directed by | William F. Claxton |
| Episode Chronology | |
| Previous episode: "To See the World" |
Next episode: "The Richest Man in Walnut Grove" (Season 2 Premiere) |
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[]
Starring[]
- Michael Landon as Charles Ingalls
- Karen Grassle as Caroline Ingalls
- Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls
- Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary Ingalls
- Lindsay Greenbush / Sidney Greenbush as Carrie Ingalls
Supporting Cast[]
- Barney as Jack
- Richard Bull as Nels Oleson
- Katherine MacGregor as Harriet Oleson
- Alison Arngrim as Nellie Oleson
- Jonathan Gilbert as Willie Oleson
- Dabbs Greer as Reverend Robert Alden
- Kevin Hagen as Dr. Hiram Baker
- Karl Swenson as Lars Hanson
Guest Stars[]
- Forrest Tucker as Jim Tyler
- Ann Doran as Helen Tyler
- Wayne Heffley as Mr. Kennedy
- Georgia Schmidt as Mrs. Grandy
Uncredited Supporting Cast[]
- Ruth Foster as Melinda Foster
- Tracie Savage as Christy Kennedy
- Clay Greenbush as School Kid
- Cindy Moore as Tall Jump Roping Girl
- Larry Moran as Boy
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 |