What Happened To The Cast Of ‘Eight Is Enough’ After The Show Ended?

Published on 01/13/2022

Several sitcoms focusing on large families growing up in common America aired during the twentieth century. Eight Is Enough was one of the most popular. It was based on Tom Braden, a syndicated newspaper columnist, and followed the life of the Bradford family. Eight is Enough aired for five seasons, from March 15, 1977, to May 23, 1981, and launched the careers of several young performers, including Grant Goodeve, Willie Aames, and Ralph Macchio. Find out what happened to the Bradfords all these years later.

Dick Van Patten Before

On Eight Is Enough, Dick Van Patten portrayed the patriarch of the Bradford family. Thomas “Tom” Bradford Sr. was modeled on Tom Braden, a syndicated newspaper columnist. During the course of the series, he became a widower and assisted in the raising of eight children. Van Patten was a kid actor on stage, cinema, and radio before working on Eight Is Enough, and his stage name was Dickie Van Patten. Before joining the cast, he was renowned for roles in Freaky Friday, Mama, and Insight.

Dick Van Patten Before

Dick Van Patten Before

Dick Van Patten After

Van Patten went on to feature in films such as Spaceballs, Arrested Development, and many others as his career evolved. Some of his admirers may not be aware that he was an avid animal lover who co-founded Natural Balance Pet Foods in the 1980s. He also established National Guiding Dog Month, which boosted awareness for guide dogs all around the United States. Van Patten married Patricia Pool from 1954 until his death on June 23, 2015, when he suffered a diabetic stroke. In 1985, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2008, he was honored with a Golden Palm Star in Palm Springs.

Dick Van Patten After

Dick Van Patten After

Diana Hyland Before

For the first season, Diana Hyland portrayed the matriarch of the Bradford family. She was inspired by Joan, the wife of a newspaper columnist. Hyland made her acting debut in an episode of Robert Montgomery Presents when she was 19 years old, and she went on to star in guest appearances on shows like The Twilight Zone and The Invaders. Hyland performed in five films, 73 TV series, and originated the part of Heavenly Finley in Tennessee Williams’ play Sweet Bird of Youth on Broadway before getting the role of Joan Bradford on Eight Is Enough.

Diana Hyland Before

Diana Hyland Before

Diana Hyland After

She played John Travolta’s mother in The Boy in the Plastic Bubble a year before landing the role of Joan Wells Bradford on Eight Is Enough. They fell in love and remained together until her death on March 27, 1977, from breast cancer. She was 41 years old at the time. Tom becomes a widower in the second season when her death was inserted into the show. Her final role was in Eight Is Enough, for which she received a posthumous Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Boy in the Plastic Bubble.

Diana Hyland After

Diana Hyland After

Betty Buckley Before

Eight Is Enough needed to seek a new love interest for Dick Van Patten’s character after Diana Hyland’s unexpected death. Betty Buckley was cast as Sandra Sue “Abby” Mitchell Abbott Bradford on the show. Her character was a widowed schoolteacher who instructed one of the Bradford family’s children. In the fourth season, Abby and Tom fell in love and married. Her character earns a Ph.D. in teaching and works as a guidance counselor at a local high school. Buckley was cast because of her performance in the hit teen film Carrie as a sympathetic high school gym teacher (1976).

Betty Buckley Before

Betty Buckley Before

Betty Buckley After

Betty Buckley, 73, is a legendary Broadway performer as well as a film and television actor. She won the Tony Award for Featured Actress in a Musical in 1983 for her performance as Grizabella in Cats. Sunset Boulevard, 1776, Pippin, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood are among her other Broadway credits. Buckley has also released 18 solo albums and toured extensively throughout the world. She now lives with numerous rescue animals on a ranch in Texas, competes in NCHA cutting horse competitions, and conducts master workshops in music interpretation.

Betty Buckley After

Betty Buckley After

Grant Goodeve Before

Grant Goodeve did not appear in the premiere episode of Eight Is Enough, as fans of the show may have noticed. That’s because Mark Hamill originally played David Bradford, the eldest brother, in the film. After Hamill stepped down after the pilot for Star Wars, Goodeve was cast in the role. The show’s theme music was slowed down and sung by Goodeve beginning in the third season. Along with numerous other male cast members from the show, he quickly became a teen idol in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Grant Goodeve Before

Grant Goodeve Before

Grant Goodeve After

Goodeve is currently 69 years old and still working in the entertainment industry. He went on to star in One Life to Live, Twin Peaks, Crimes of the Past, and a slew of other TV shows and films after Eight Is Enough. He’s also done voice work for six different video games, portraying a variety of characters. He and his family moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1989, where he worked as an actor. He was the previous host of HGTV’s If Walls Could Talk and Homes of Our Heritage, which may be familiar to HGTV viewers. Goodeve continues to engage in an itinerant music ministry at his Seattle church.

Grant Goodeve After

Grant Goodeve After

Lani O’Grady Before

Lani O’Grady was most known for playing Mary, the Bradfords’ eldest daughter. Viewers were able to observe her character work her way up to becoming a doctor as the series proceeded. With a role on the TV show The High Chaparral, O’Grady began acting when she was 13 years old. Before getting the role of Mary Bradford, O’Grady had roles in Headmaster, Cage Without a Key, and Harry O. She also had a distinctive low-pitched voice that she developed as a child.

Lani O'Grady Before

Lani O’Grady Before

Lani O’Grady After

Following her five seasons on Eight Is Enough, O’Grady appeared in a few guest roles on TV shows (The Love Boat, Quincy, M.E.) and acted in a few TV movies (The Kid with the Broken Halo). She became a talent agent in the early 1990s after retiring from acting owing to agoraphobia, panic episodes, and memory blackouts. O’Grady died on September 25, 2001, at the age of 46, from an early death. Don Grady, her brother, is the man in the shot. He is most recognized for his roles in The Mickey Mouse Club and My Three Sons.

Lani O'Grady After

Lani O’Grady After

Laurie Walters Before

Laurie Walters was born in San Francisco on January 8, 1947, and in Eight Is Enough, she played Joan “Joanie” Bradford, the second oldest daughter. She was actually older than the Bradford children and the woman who played her stepmother. Her first film appearance was in The Harrad Experiment, released in 1973, followed by roles in Warlock Moon and Harrad Summer before landing her role on Eight Is Enough. She intended to study wildlife conservation in college before she began acting.

Laurie Walters Before

Laurie Walters Before

Laurie Walters After

Walters continued acting in the 1980s and 1990s, appearing in shows such as Columbo, Highway to Heaven, Cheers, and others. Walters left professional acting at the turn of the century and returned to her original love, wildlife protection, by becoming an environmentalist. Walters hasn’t completely abandoned acting, as she continues to work in theatres throughout Southern California. She’s also in charge of Ironweed Films’ film acquisitions, a subscription-based film service specializing in independent documentaries and short films.

Laurie Walters After

Laurie Walters After

Susan Richardson Before

Susan Richardson, who played Susan Bradford Stockwell, the fourth eldest child on Eight Is Enough, will be remembered by fans. In the fourth season, her character had a double wedding with her father and stepmother. Richardson began performing in high school plays and came to Hollywood at the age of 19. Small roles in American Graffiti, A Star Is Born, Happy Days and The Streets of San Francisco were among her early credits. Her pregnancy was incorporated into the program when she gave birth to a daughter in early 1980.

Susan Richardson Before

Susan Richardson Before

Susan Richardson After

Richardson continued to act in shows including The Runaways, One Day at a Time, CHiPs, Fantasy Island, and The Love Boat during the 1980s. She gained about 100 pounds after the birth of her daughter and was concerned that she would lose her acting roles. As a result, she embarked on a terrible life path. The National Enquirer and The Huffington Post both published interviews with her in which she stated that she was going through a difficult period in her senior years. She has diabetes, has had three strokes, and has lost her teeth due to a digestive issue. She lives in an unheated trailer with a decaying floor.

Susan Richardson After

Susan Richardson After

Dianne Kay Before

Nancy Bradford, the fifth child in the Bradford family, was almost not cast for Dianne Kay. Nancy was played by Kimberly Beck in the premiere episode, but she was sacked because ABC was dissatisfied with her performance. In the following episode, Kay took Beck’s place. Kay had minor roles in The Kids From C.A.P.E.R., Starsky & Hutch, and Dog and Cat before winning the role of Nancy on Eight Is Enough. Kay also had a prominent role in Steven Spielberg’s 1971 picture 1941, which was a flop.

Dianne Kay Before

Dianne Kay Before

Diane Kay After

Despite the fact that she hasn’t performed in the twenty-first century, she continued to work in films such as Reggie, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, and Andy Colby’s Incredible Adventure in the 1980s and 1990s. She continues to reside in Los Angeles with her husband, with whom she has a son, at the age of 67. Kay got wonderful news in 2011 when she learned she was cancer-free after a fight with kidney cancer. She was also featured in a documentary called The Actor’s Journey that same year.

Dianne Kay After

Dianne Kay After

Willie Aames Before

Aames was born in Newport Beach, California, on July 15, 1960, and appeared as a child actor in shows including Gunsmoke, The Wonderful World of Disney, Adam-12, and The Courtship of Eddie’s Father in the late 1960s. On the television show Eight Is Enough, Willie Aames played Thomas “Tommy” Bradford Jr., the seventh child. Tommy was played by Chris English in the pilot, but he was fired after ABC didn’t appreciate his performance. The fact that he became a singer in a rock-and-roll band was the most noteworthy event that happened to his character.

Willie Aames Before

Willie Aames Before

Willie Aames After

Since his days as a young star, Aames hasn’t slowed down. He’s also known for his roles in Charles in Charge as Buddy Lembeck and Bibleman as the title character. Harvest Moon, Dater’s Handbook, Every Christmas Has A Story, and Love on the Menu are just a few of the Hallmark Channel’s TV movies in which he has appeared. He is now an award-winning, platinum-selling writer, producer, and director, according to his IMDb page. He also spent five years as a 6-star cruise director, traveling to 127 countries.

Willie Aames After

Willie Aames After

Adam Rich Before

Adam Rich was born on October 12, 1968, and is most known for playing Nicholas Bradford, the youngest child in the show Eight Is Enough. Rich grew up in Granada Hills, a Los Angeles suburb, where he participated in a variety of sports such as swimming, skating, football, and baseball. His “pageboy” hairdo was one of his distinguishing physical features. When he was on the show, his hairstyle became so popular that it prompted a lot of parents to give their young sons the similar look. Rich became regarded as “America’s little brother” after becoming one of the show’s top stars.

Adam Rich Before

Adam Rich Before

Adam Rich After

Rich’s appearance in Eight Is Enough was just his third, and he continued to perform in films including The Devil and Max Devlin, Tukiki and His Search for a Merry Christmas, and Dungeons & Dragons throughout the 1980s. He began to make worse mistakes as he grew older, including dropping out of high school and robbing a pharmacy. Rich has generally stayed out of the spotlight as an adult, but he will periodically make personal appearances and pitch film and television writing ideas.

Adam Rich After

Adam Rich After

Connie Newton-Needham Before

Elizabeth Bradford, the sixth Bradford child, was played by actress Connie Newton, who went by her maiden name. After getting married at the start of season four, she changed her last name to Needham. She was only 18 when she was cast, and this was her first acting role. She is a trained ballet dancer who was born on December 5, 1959, in Anaheim, California. She dated Willie Aames, her TV brother, during the show. She married David Needham, one of the show’s set designers, towards the end.

Connie Newton Needham Before

Connie Newton Needham Before

Connie Newton-Needham After

Needham, like the rest of her castmates, retired from acting a long time ago. She appeared on TV shows such as Fame, L.A. Law, and Ellen before retiring. Needham and David Needham divorced in 2005, although the couple produced two children named Kimberly and Taylor. Needham was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2009. Fortunately, she recovered completely. She spends her time teaching dance courses in Costa Mesa, California because she is herself a trained dancer.

Connie Newton Needham After

Connie Newton Needham After

Jennifer Darling Before

Jennifer Darling’s Donna was a recurrent character on Eight Is Enough. Darling was born in Pittsburgh and began her dance training at the Gene Kelly Dance Studio when she was three years old. She spent her childhood learning to sing, act, and dance before landing her first professional part on the TV show You Are There when she was seven years old. Her singing, dancing, and acting lessons paid off, and she soon found work on Broadway in productions like How Now Dow Jones, Maggie Flynn, and Fire.

Jennifer Darling Before

Jennifer Darling Before

Jennifer Darling After

Darling continued to appear in TV and movies after her time on Eight Is Enough, including Half Nelson, Supercarrier, and L.A. Law. Darling went on to become a well-known voice actress, with around 200 productions under her belt. She can be heard in a variety of films, including Aladdin, A Bug’s Life, Madagascar, The Little Mermaid, and many others. She’s clutching an autographed image of her character Irma from the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon in the photo. Her most recent part was in the video game series Final Fantasy.

Jennifer Darling After

Jennifer Darling After

Janis Paige Before

Janis Paige, who played the family’s Aunt Vivian in five episodes of Eight Is Enough, is a Hollywood celebrity. She traveled to Hollywood after graduating from high school and worked as a vocalist and pin-up model. Paige’s early films, starring Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson, and Doris Day, are likely to be remembered by her fans. She had her own sitcom, It’s Always Jan, in the 1950s. Paige is most known for her roles in the Broadway plays The Pajama Game, Here’s Love, Mame, Gypsy, and Desk Set.

Janis Paige Before

Janis Paige Before

Janis Paige After

Paige has been one of the few surviving stars from Hollywood’s Golden Age since her birth in 1922. Paige recognized that her voice was cracking in the early 2000s, which led to significant vocal chord damage. It had gotten to the point that she couldn’t even speak. Fortunately, she found a voice teacher who assisted her in regaining her singing voice. Paige was last featured in the documentary Journey to Royal: A WWII Rescue Mission, which was released in 2021. She is also a member of the Songwriters Guild of America’s alternate board.

Janis Paige After

Janis Paige After

Michele Green Before

Michele Greene played Jill, a recurrent character on Eight Is Enough. After recording two episodes of Dorothy and one episode of Laverne & Shirley, this was her third acting job. Greene was born in Las Vegas and raised in Los Angeles. After taking a drama lesson to overcome her shyness while attending Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, she decided to pursue acting. As a result, she enrolled in the University of Southern California’s drama program to train as an actor.

Michele Greene Before

Michele Greene Before

Michele Green After

Greene was cast as Abby Perkins in L.A. about five years after her stint on Eight Is Enough. Law. Her work was so favorably acclaimed that she was nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress. Following the show, she pursued a music career and appeared in TV shows such as Bones, JAG, Nip/Tuck, and Big Love. Greene’s fans would be surprised to learn that she is bilingual and has recorded two bilingual albums. She is also a novelist, having published many young adult novels.

Michele Greene After

Michele Greene After

Ralph Macchio Before

Ralph Macchio played Abby’s orphaned nephew Jeremy Andretti for 19 episodes in the show’s last season. He was roughly 19 years old at the time, and this was his first on-screen acting appearance. Macchio was born and raised on Long Island, New York, and began his career in show business at a young age. He began taking tap dance lessons when he was three years old and was found by a talent agency when he was sixteen. Acting as Jeremy Andretti on Eight Is Enough provided a number of unusual acting chances.

Ralph Macchio Before

Ralph Macchio Before

Ralph Macchio After

The 1980s catapulted Macchio to celebrity status. He went on to play Johnny Cade in The Outsiders, Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid trilogy, Billy Gambini in My Cousin Vinny, and many other roles after Eight Is Enough. Macchio is still working as an actor, most notably in the Cobra Kai TV series, which is a sequel to The Karate Kid films. Fans of The Karate Kid may be interested to learn that Macchio owns the yellow 1947 Ford convertible featured in the film.

Ralph Macchio After

Ralph Macchio After

Mark Hamill Almost Appeared In The Show

Because of his role as Luke Skywalker in George Lucas’ epic Star Wars film franchise, Mark Hamill is a huge Hollywood star. But, as previously stated, Hamill was cast in the part of David Bradford on Eight is Enough! before he appeared on the big screen wielding a lightsaber. He even secured a five-year contract after filming the show’s pilot. He wasn’t a fan of the show, to begin with, and then he was involved in a vehicle accident the night the pilot aired. His facial injuries were enough to force him to exit the event. After that, Hamill joined Star Wars, and the rest is history.

Mark Hamill Almost Appeared In The Show

Mark Hamill Almost Appeared In The Show

Willie Aames’ Band

Willie Aames was also playing in a band as the guitarist and lead singer during the filming of Eight Is Enough. The band was called “Willie Aames & Paradise,” and they performed on the show. They also appeared on American Bandstand, The Mike Douglas Show, The Easter Seals Telethon, United Cerebral Palsy Telethon, and Kids Are People, Too, among other shows. “You’re The Only One That I Ever Needed” was the band’s most popular song.

William Aames' Band

Willie Aames’ Band

Where Patten Found Out The Show Is Being Cancelled

Despite the fact that Eight is Enough was a rating success, the show was later terminated due to low viewership. Surprisingly, one of the show’s major stars only learned of the cancellation after reading about it in the press! Dick Van Patten learned of the news in the same way that supporters at home did: by reading it in the newspaper. The shenanigans of some of Van Patten’s younger co-stars, according to the New York Times, also contributed to the show’s cancellation.

Where Patten Found Out The Show Is Being Cancelled

Where Patten Found Out The Show Is Being Cancelled

The Show’s Inspiration

Although it may seem hard to believe, Eight is Enough is based on the life of Tom Braden, a syndicated newspaper columnist. In 1975, he wrote his autobiography, Eight Is Enough: A Father’s Memoir of Life with His Extra-Large Family. Braden’s life was certainly fascinating. He was also a former British Army combat soldier, an American CIA employee, and later a co-host of the CNN show Crossfire. In 2009, he passed away.

The Show's Inspiration

The Show’s Inspiration

Willie Aames’ Appearances In Other Shows

Willie Aames has made a long record of appearances on reality television over the years. He appeared in Seasons 2 and 8 of Celebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp, as well as Season 1 of MacMillan River Adventure. He also appeared in a Bob Saget-hosted game show called 1 vs. 100 in 2000. Todd Bridges, Allison Sweeney, and Nadia Comaneci were among the other celebrities who appeared on the show with Aames.

Willie Aames' Appearances In Other Shows

Willie Aames’ Appearances In Other Shows

Little House on the Prairie, like Eight is Enough, was a popular 1970s television show. Continue reading to find out what the stars of the western drama series did after the show concluded.

Karen Grassle Before

Karen must have thought her career was on the rise when she earned the role of Mama Ingalls. She played Caroline Ingalls, the matriarch of the Ingalls family, during the whole course of the show. You’d think she’d been performing her whole life after seeing her on TV, yet it was her first genuine acting role. For the casting directors of Little House on the Prairie, she was a true find. Caroline was a character that demanded a strong actress with a wide variety of emotions, and she was the show’s glue for many years. Karen made guest appearances on several shows during the show’s existence. She appeared in the comedy film Harry’s War and starred in an episode of Gunsmoke.

Karen Grassle Before

Karen Grassle Before

Karen Grassle After

Karen continued to act after the show ended, and she continues to do so to this day. Since leaving her role as Caroline Ingalls, Karen has acted in a number of films and television shows. Hotel and two episodes of the hit crime show Murder, She Wrote are among her credits. She also appears in the 1994 Western Wyatt Earp with Kevin Costner.

Karen Grassle After

Karen Grassle After

Melissa Sue Anderson Before

Melissa was already a well-known actress when she took on the part of Mary Ingalls. She was cast in Bewitched and The Brady Bunch at the early age of 12, although she had already featured in both! That’s a resume that any seasoned actor or actress would be proud of, let alone a little youngster. Melissa became a household figure thanks to Little House on the Prairie, despite her success before the show’s premiere. She appeared in 163 episodes of the show, which helped her hone her art and build her name. She also landed roles on The Love Boat and Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour throughout the duration of the show.

Melissa Sue Anderson Before

Melissa Sue Anderson Before

Melissa Sue Anderson After

Melissa was almost 20 when Little House on the Prairie ended, and she had tremendous things ahead of her. The Canadian actress went right from prime time television to her first film part in Happy Birthday to Me, a slasher horror flick. She has 57 acting credits to her CV and is currently working on a film called The Brits Are Coming. Melissa has become a published novelist in addition to continuing to perform as an actress. “The Way I See It,” her autobiography, was published in 2010 by the now 54-year-old. The book details her early life and career, including her time on Little House, as well as how the role influenced her personal life.

Melissa Sue Anderson After

Melissa Sue Anderson After

Shannen Doherty Before

Teen star Shannen Doherty was a Little House on the Prairie cast member, believe it or not. In the ninth and last season of the show, she played Jenny Wilder. Shannen was cast in the role when she was 11 years old, and it was one of her first roles. She had already appeared in three other productions, including The Phoenix and Voyagers!, before landing the role of Jenny Wilder. Jenny’s character proved to be a windfall to Shannen, and she went on to play her in three more TV movies. After seeing Doherty on Father Murphy, Michael Landon is widely credited with assisting her in landing the role.

Shannen Doherty Before

Shannen Doherty Before

Shannen Doherty After

Doherty went on to star in Beverly Hills 90210 and cement her status as a teen superstar after her appearance on Little House on the Prairie. Shannen not only dominated the teen high school market, but she also rose to prominence in the late 1990s as the star of the ensemble fantasy-drama series Charmed. She also appeared in the Kevin Smith flicks Mallrats and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, which have become cult classics. Doherty recently made news after sharing her breast cancer diagnosis and battle. She has become a public face for the disease and has been quite open about her own experiences.

Shannen Doherty After

Shannen Doherty After

Alison Arngrim Before

Alison rose to prominence as a young actor after landing the role of Laura Ingalls’ adversary, Nellie Oleson, in Little House on the Prairie. The character catapulted Alison’s sass into the spotlight, and Nellie became an integral component of the show’s fabric. The character was so popular that she was brought back for the ninth and final season after her departure in season seven. Prior to Little House, Alison had only one credit, which was in the 1974 feature film Throw Out the Anchor! She also racked up other credits throughout her time on the show. She appeared on both The Love Boat and Fantasy Island, like many of her co-stars.

Alison Arngrim Before

Alison Arngrim Before

Alison Arngrim After

Alison has continued to act on the side since the show ended, but she has also moved into stand-up comedy. During stand-up acts, she has made light of her part on the show, although she remembers it warmly. She also released “Heeere’s Amy,” a comedy album. Alison has also devoted a significant amount of time to a variety of charity projects. She was a victim of abuse as a youngster and has committed her time and energy to assist others who have had similar challenges. Melissa Gilbert, Arngrim’s Little House co-star, is still a close friend of Arngrim’s, and the two keep in touch on a daily basis.

Alison Arngrim After

Alison Arngrim After

Dean Butler Before

Dean Butler’s portrayal of Laura’s attractive future husband, Almanzo Wilder, won the hearts of ladies all over the world. Butler’s performance was significant, and it was only his second acknowledged acting role, following the television film Forever. From seasons six to nine, Dean performed the character for 65 episodes. During his time on the show, he also made an appearance on The Love Boat. You can see why Dean was such a fan favorite and heartthrob in the picture. After years of pining for him, Laura finally got her man. During his time on Little House, Butler made a number of appearances, including three TV films in which he reprised his role as Almanzo. He also appeared on Here’s Boomer and Fantasy Island.

Dean Butler Before

Dean Butler Before

Dean Butler After

Dean’s performance on Little House on the Prairie launched a successful and memorable career that included roles in various films and television shows. He is most known to current audiences for his portrayal as Hank Summers, Buffy’s father, on the cult fantasy series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He also dabbled in theater, appearing in numerous of Stephen Sondheim’s productions. If you’re a theatrical buff, you might recognize him from Into the Woods or West Side Story. Butler is married to Katherine Cannon, an actress he met at an audition.

Dean Butler After

Dean Butler After

Jason Bateman Before

Shannen Doherty isn’t the only well-known actor who has made an appearance on Little House. In seasons seven and eight, Jason Bateman played James Ingalls, who was a character on the program. It was his debut acting role, following a brief stint in commercials, and he played an orphan who was adopted by the Ingalls family. Even during Jason’s brief appearance on the show, it was evident that he was destined for greatness. Aside from a few prominent guest actors, he is possibly the most successful actor to emerge from the show. Those 21 episodes catapulted him to stardom, and his career took off when the show ended.

Jason Bateman Before

Jason Bateman Before

Jason Bateman After

Jason’s career has flourished since the show ended, and most of us know him as the lead in the comic classic TV series Arrested Development. He’s also made a name for himself in film, starring in films like Horrible Bosses, Tropic Thunder, The Gift, and Identity Thief. Jason continues to be one of Hollywood’s most bankable names. He is still working in the film and television industries. Office Christmas Party and Central Intelligence are two of his most recent pieces. Netflix rebooted Arrested Development for a single season in 2016. Ozark, Jason’s Netflix program, is a hit.

Jason Bateman After

Jason Bateman After

Matthew Labyortheaux Before

Matthew Labyorteaux (also known as Matthew Laborteaux) is most known for his portrayal of Albert Quinn Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie, which was also his breakout role. Albert Ingalls was not based on a real-life individual from the semi-autobiographical Little House on the Prairie books, unlike the majority of the Ingalls family members. Albert, on the other hand, was a show-created character who initially appeared in the fifth season as the Ingalls family’s adoptive son. Labyorteaux would continue to play the character for the remaining five seasons of the show.

Matthew Labyorteaux Before

Matthew Labyorteaux Before

Matthew Labyortheaux After

After Little House on the Prairie ended, Matthew continued to play in guest roles on a variety of shows, including Michael Landon’s Highway to Heaven, which he wrote, directed, and produced, as well as starring in, writing, producing, and directing Little House on the Prairie. Matthew has also done a lot of voice-over work, including some for the Disney picture Mulan. Matthew, a video game fanatic, was elected as the U.S. With a score of 1,200,000, Pac-Man was crowned champion in 1982. In 1992, Matthew and his brother, Patrick, established the Youth Rescue Fund, a charity that assists young people in need and is affiliated with Los Angeles Youth Supportive Services.

Matthew Labyorteaux After

Matthew Labyorteaux After

Kyle Richards Before

Alicia Edwards, who is so cute she can’t take it, appeared on the show in seasons two, three, six, and eight. Kyle Richards, who is six years old, played her. Kyle had previously participated in an episode of the sitcom Police Women, thus this was not her first acting performance. This was, however, her first regular job, and one that would pave the way for her acting career. Kyle has a number of other TV and film roles throughout her time on the show. She starred in films such as The Car, Eaten Alive, and, most notably, Halloween. Richards had more than 20 credits by the time she ended the show at the age of 13. By industry standards, she was a seasoned pro.

Kyle Richards Before

Kyle Richards Before

Kyle Richards After

Since leaving the show, Kyle’s career has taken a number of different paths. Her performance has taken her into a variety of genres in cinema and television throughout the years. She appeared in 21 episodes of the hit medical drama ER and 12 episodes of Down to Earth, for example. However, if you recognize Kyle and are having trouble locating her, it’s most likely due to her participation in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She has been in 138 episodes of the reality show since it premiered in 2010. She was also a competitor on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s reality show The New Celebrity Apprentice.

Kyle Richards After

Kyle Richards After

Madeleine Stowe Before

You may be surprised to learn that actress Madeleine Stowe appeared on the show. She made an appearance in the seventh season episode “Portrait of Love.” Stowe had not yet gone out into mainstream films, therefore this was an early role for her. She is one of the most well-known and successful celebrities to participate in the show. Her character was Annie Crane, a blind artist who was conflicted when her birth mother tried to contact her. The character was difficult, and Stowe’s performance demonstrated her depth and aptitude as an actress, even at such a young age.

Madeleine Stowe Before

Madeleine Stowe Before

Madeleine Stowe After

There have been a few actors and actresses who have gone on to have highly successful careers after appearing on the show. Madeleine has had one of the most successful careers of any of them. She has gone on to act and star in a variety of projects since her cameo stint on Little House. She is most known for her role as the female lead in the 1995 sci-fi noir picture 12 Monkeys. Stowe, like many other mainstream performers, has made the shift to television in recent years. Victoria Grayson was her first prominent role, which she played in the drama series Revenge. She also starred as Lillian in the Syfy network’s 12 Monkeys series.

Madeleine Stowe After

Madeleine Stowe After

Michael Landon Before

Michael Landon was best recognized for his starring role on the iconic western series Bonanza before joining Little House on the Prairie. Michael got his start in writing and directing on Bonanza, a skill that came in handy when he played Charles Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie. Despite rumors that he was difficult to work with, Michael had become something of a heartthrob by that time. In addition to having a leading part, he wrote, produced, and directed Little House on the Prairie. Little House on the Prairie became the classic and memorable show it is now because of Michael.

Michael Landon Before

Michael Landon Before

Michael Landon After

Michael died of pancreatic cancer in 1991, while he was only 54 years old. He left an enormous legacy, including writing, producing, directing, and acting in Highway to Heaven, another hit show. Landon was named one of the 50 Sexiest Stars of All Time by TV Guide. Michael featured on the cover of Life magazine the year before he died, talking about his life, work, and cancer battle. In Culver City, California, he is buried in a family mausoleum. His epitaph reads, “He seized life with joy. He gave to life generously. He leaves a legacy of love and laughter.”

Michael Landon After

Michael Landon After