Which ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Star Had a Major Sitcom About His Own Life?
On Little House on the Prairie, actor Linwood Boomer joined the cast in 1978, stepping into the role of Adam Kendall, a teacher at a school for the blind who was once a promising lawyer before he lost his sight. His storyline intertwined with that of Mary, played by Melissa Sue Anderson, as the two fell in love, married, and faced many challenges together as a blind couple. Did you know that after Boomer left Little House, he went on to create a show loosely based on his own life?
That show was none other than Malcolm in the Middle.
After stepping away from acting, Boomer discovered his true calling as a writer and producer. He worked on several television projects before creating his most notable achievement, the hit sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. Loosely based on his own childhood, the series pulled from Boomer’s memories of growing up in a lower-middle-class household. Many of the show’s storylines and character quirks were inspired by his real-life family, though he often described the on-screen version of his family as a highly exaggerated take on the truth.
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
Malcolm in the Middle premiered on Fox in January 2000 and ran for seven successful seasons, concluding in May 2006. During its run, the series earned critical acclaim, won multiple awards, and became a cultural touchstone of early 2000s television. For viewers who only remember Boomer as Adam Kendall, it may come as a surprise to learn that the man who once portrayed a thoughtful schoolteacher in Walnut Grove also created one of the most offbeat and beloved sitcom families in modern TV history.
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September 2023
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