‘When Calls the Heart’ Has a Surprising ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Connection—Here’s How
The Hallmark hit has deep ties to the classic series—and Melissa Gilbert is part of it
Have you ever tuned in to Hallmark’s hit western drama When Calls the Heart and felt a familiar feeling reminiscent of another cozy classic? If this beloved series, soon airing its 13th season, has ever brought you back to your youth watching Little House on the Prairie, you might be surprised to know that there’s a unique connection between both shows. Here, we break down the sweet string that ties these two shows together.
‘When Calls the Heart’ has become a Hallmark classic
It was back in 2014 when fans were first introduced to the comforting embrace of Hope Valley and its residents after schoolteacher Elizabeth Thatcher was sent to teach there. A community still reeling from a tragic loss, viewers werer drawn in by the heartwarming storytelling, kind characters and family friendly nature of the series, and it’s a genre that the show’s creator, Michael Landon, Jr., is rather familiar with.
The son of famed actor Michael Landon—known by most for his portrayal of Charles Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie, Jonathan Smith on Highway to Heaven and Little Joe on Bonanza—learned quite a bit from his father over the years, but it was Little House on the Prairie that had the greatest influence. “Little House on the Prairie was my favorite of my father’s work and it greatly influenced the type of storytelling I wanted to pursue,” Michael Landon, Jr. told From the Desk back in 2019.
“I believe it’s the rare combination of family, faith, hope and love, mixed in with a bit of humor,” Michael Landon, Jr. said of When Calls the Heart. “We wanted to create a place, Coal Valley then Hope Valley, where the audience could escape to and yearn for. It’s not that nothing bad ever happens, but it’s the way the characters interact and resolve what’s confronting them.”
‘When Calls the Heart’ x ‘Little House on the Prairie’ crossover
Michael Landon, Jr.’s involvement in When Calls the Heart isn’t the only thing that ties the show to Little House on the Prairie—Little House child star Melissa Gilbert also appears in the Hallmark hit! In the show’s 12th season, Gilbert joined the series as Georgie McGill, an investigator who is brought to Hope Valley by a case she’s working on. While there, she crosses paths with Bill Avery, played by Jack Wagner, who she has a bit of history with. Gilbert is set to make her return in the upcoming 13th season of the series, and fans are looking forward to seeing what Georgie’s next chapter holds. And for Gilbert, being part of this project is special for a big reason.
“It’s like going home. Working with Mike Jr. is like going home,” the actress told PEOPLE. “I know that whatever he has me doing and saying I can trust is going to be wonderful and exciting and interesting. We’ve been friends for 50-some-odd years, and I adore him, I adore his family. I think his wife is just the greatest,” she shared. “It’s just so nice to be back in an environment where I feel completely protected, appreciated, and loved.”
Tune in to the 13th season of When Calls the Heart, premiering on January 4 at 8 p.m. on Hallmark. With Melissa Gilbert returning and new adventures ahead for Hope Valley, it’s the perfect time to cozy up with this heartwarming series that celebrates family, friendship and the power of community—just like the classics we grew up loving.
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