Here’s Why Lorne Green Was Never on ‘Little House on the Prairie’

Lorne Green on Little House set composite image — Zinn Arthur/TV Guide/Courtesy Everett Collection; Richard Hewett/TV Guide/Courtesy Everett Collection

During the 1960s and 1970s, it’s hard to think of a pair of actors more prolific than Michael Landon and Lorne Greene. These two — who many people, myself included, first came to know these fellers through Bonanza, which ran for 14 seasons on NBC — routinely appeared on U.S. television screens on both shows and commercials.

On Bonanza, Lorne Greene played Ben Cartwright, the patriarch of the Cartwright clan, and Michael Landon played his youngest son, Little Joe. The Cartwrights embarked on amazing adventures and tackled weighty social issues on their ranch, the Ponderosa, which spanned over a thousand square miles on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

BONANZA, Dan Blocker, Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, 1959-1973

Everett Collection

After Bonanza concluded its run, Michael Landon delivered another huge hit for NBC: Little House on the Prairie, a TV series based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic books.

Over the show’s nine-season run, one might have expected Lorne Greene to make at least one guest appearance. But, oddly enough, he did not. It seems strange because these two actors truly were like father and son. Both Lorne and Michael had grown tremendously close while making Bonanza, and their interactions didn’t end when the show did. Yet, Lorne never found his way to Walnut Grove. Why is that?

Here are three reasons why Lorne Greene likely didn’t appear on Little House on the Prairie.

1 Lorne Green was in high demand

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, Maren Jensen, Dirk Benedict, Richard Hatch, Lorne Greene, 1978 - 1979.

Universal Television/ Courtesy: Everett Collection.

Lorne Greene starred in multiple TV series during the 1970s and 1980s, including one of my all-time favorites, Battlestar Galactica. His busy schedule wasn’t limited to starring roles; he also hosted holiday events like the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and made guest appearances on other TV shows. And if that wasn’t enough, he also appeared in a feature film or two. It would be a disservice not to mention Lorne’s legendary Alpo commercials, as he was an incredibly effective pitchman for that product. So, as you can see, he was busy!

2 Confusion

It’s plausible that both Lorne and Michael believed it might confuse some members of the TV audience if Lorne were to show up on Little House on the Prairie. Was Ben Cartwright suddenly part of the Little House saga? Of course not. But if you have Lorne Greene riding into Walnut Grove on a horse, some people would inevitably assume that Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie were part of the same world. Ultimately, Lorne’s character on Bonanza was simply too iconic to be paired with another cast member from Bonanza on any Western-themed TV show.

3 Too soon

HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN, (from left): Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, 'The Smile In The Third Row', (Season 2, ep. 208, aired Nov. 20, 1985), 1984-89. © NBC / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Lorne Greene and Michael Landon on the set of Highway to Heaven in 1985. NBC/Everett Collection

My third and final reason is that it was simply too soon for a reunion. Lorne had worked with Michael for 14 years, and it’s understandable that both would want a bit of a break. Everyone needs some time away, and while these two were apart, they both achieved incredible things on their own.

Eventually, they did find their way back to each other. These two great actors were reunited on an episode of Landon’s next television series, Highway to Heaven, which was almost as beloved as Little House on the Prairie. And I’ve got to say, it was truly wonderful to see these friends working together again.

In a 1985 interview with journalist Jerry Buck, Lorne said that his stint on Highway to Heaven was like a homecoming. He said, “It was marvelous working with Michael again. A lot of the old crew from Bonanza were working with the show. It was like old home week.”