Dean Butler

Dean Butler gained broad recognition with his role in the 1978 TV movie ‘Forever,’ based on Judy Blume’s novel, following his television debut in ‘The Streets of San Francisco’ in 1976. He is most widely known for his portrayal of Almanzo Wilder on the NBC series ‘Little House on the Prairie’ from 1979 to 1983, a role he reprised in three post-series TV movies between 1983 and 1984. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Butler continued to appear in prominent television series. His credits include ‘The Love Boat,’ ‘Murder, She Wrote,’ ‘Who’s the Boss?,’ ‘Diagnosis Murder,’ and ‘JAG.’ He notably played Jeff ‘Moondoggie’ Griffin in ‘The New Gidget’ from 1986 to 1988 and Hank Summers, Buffy’s father, on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ from 1997 to 2002.

These include ‘Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura’ (2008) and ‘Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’ (2015). In 2012, he co-executive produced ‘Pa’s Fiddle: The Music of America’ for PBS, further demonstrating his versatility in non-fiction storytelling. Most recently, Butler has expanded his contributions to the literary world. In 2024, he authored the memoir ‘Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond,’ offering a personal reflection on his enduring career and cultural impact.