‘Little House on the Prairie’: Michael Landon Made NBC Pay for Staff Christmas Gifts Says Melissa Francis
Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Francis reminisced about her days on the set of the hit NBC series. Francis, who played Cassandra Ingalls, recalled her memories of Michael Landon. According to her, he gave out Christmas gifts that were paid for by NBC. Here’s what she said about Landon’s creative gift giving.
Melissa Francis says Michael Landon was ‘cheap as hell’
Francis discussed life on the set of Little House on the Prairie during an interview with Hoda Kotb and Kathy Lee Gifford on the Today show. She says Landon knew how to save money and run a business efficiently.
“He was one of the original first smart businessmen, small business owners, in Hollywood,” says Francis on the Today show. “He owned the show, he created it, he wrote it, he produced it, and he acted in it. He was cheap as hell, let me tell you.”
Francis says Landon was “smart” about how he spent money. For example, even though he was the star of the show and the executive producer, he didn’t have an elaborate trailer. Instead, used a small Winnebago. “You couldn’t be a diva and ask for something bigger because he was the biggest star,” says Francis.
Michael Landon made NBC pay for staff Christmas gifts according to Melissa Francis
During Christmas, Landon wanted to show his appreciation to the staff. Francis says the Little House on the Prairie star always looked for ways to save money. One way he did this was by having NBC foot the bill for staff Christmas gifts, according to Francis.
“Every year he gave each and every member of the cast and crew a rockin’ gift that blew our minds,” writes Francis in her book Lessons from the Prairie. “My mother told me he didn’t pick up the huge tab for the over-the-top extravagance; he built a clause into his network contract obligating NBC Productions to underwrite the whole scene—more financial genius. But he picked the gift and dealt the boxes, playing Santa just the same.”
Melissa Francis says she learned ‘valuable lessons’ on the Little House on the Prairie set
Francis says she learned a lot about working hard and being responsible. She tells Kotb and Gifford that she’s grateful for the lessons she learned.
“So many of the values I have and the things that shaped my life, I actually learned all the way back then,” Francis tells Kotb and Gifford. “And he really ran a tight ship, but he also taught us the value of a job well done and the pride in a paycheck that’s your own. We had a lot of fun when we were off camera, but when it was time to go, [Landon] was very serious.”
Francis says she and Melissa Gilbert both had instances when they were unprepared for work. She says she learned from Landon that it’s important to always be your best when it’s time to do a job.
“[Michael Landon] gave you that look,” says Francis. “And he went from being very funny to dead serious. I felt bad that I let the whole group down. And it was a really happy team; they knew they had a good thing going. So, when you wrecked it, you felt really bad about it. And I think that really taught us all a lot about having a work ethic and working really hard.”
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