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Little House on the Prairie
S4.E21
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
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IMDbPro

I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away: Part I

  • Episode aired Mar 6, 1978
  • TV-PG
  • 50m
IMDb RATING
8.7/10
468
YOUR RATING
Melissa Sue Anderson and Michael Landon in Little House on the Prairie (1974)
DramaFamilyRomanceWestern

Long hours studying by candlelight for the state teacher's exam results in tired, blurry eyes for Mary Ingalls, prompting a routine visit to the eye doctor; but when Charles is told that Mar... Read allLong hours studying by candlelight for the state teacher's exam results in tired, blurry eyes for Mary Ingalls, prompting a routine visit to the eye doctor; but when Charles is told that Mary's worsening sight is just the beginning of a much more serious problem, the concerned fa... Read allLong hours studying by candlelight for the state teacher's exam results in tired, blurry eyes for Mary Ingalls, prompting a routine visit to the eye doctor; but when Charles is told that Mary's worsening sight is just the beginning of a much more serious problem, the concerned father can't bring himself to tell his beloved daughter that she will, most certainly, soon ... Read all

  • Director
    • William F. Claxton
  • Writers
    • Laura Ingalls Wilder
    • Carole Raschella
    • Michael Raschella
  • Stars
    • Michael Landon
    • Karen Grassle
    • Melissa Gilbert
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.7/10
    468
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • William F. Claxton
    • Writers
      • Laura Ingalls Wilder
      • Carole Raschella
      • Michael Raschella
    • Stars
      • Michael Landon
      • Karen Grassle
      • Melissa Gilbert
    • 8User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Top Cast19

    Edit
    Michael Landon
    Michael Landon
    • Charles Ingalls
    Karen Grassle
    Karen Grassle
    • Caroline Ingalls
    Melissa Gilbert
    Melissa Gilbert
    • Laura Ingalls
    Melissa Sue Anderson
    Melissa Sue Anderson
    • Mary Ingalls
    Rachel Lindsay Greenbush
    Rachel Lindsay Greenbush
    • Carrie Ingalls
    • (as Lindsay Sidney Greenbush)
    Sidney Greenbush
    Sidney Greenbush
    • Carrie Ingalls
    • (as Lindsay Sidney Greenbush)
    Dabbs Greer
    Dabbs Greer
    • Reverend Robert Alden
    Kevin Hagen
    Kevin Hagen
    • Dr. Hiram Baker
    Katherine MacGregor
    Katherine MacGregor
    • Harriet Oleson
    Karl Swenson
    Karl Swenson
    • Lars Hanson
    Ford Rainey
    Ford Rainey
    • Dr. Burke
    Merlin Olsen
    Merlin Olsen
    • Jonathan Garvey
    Robert Kenneally
    • Seth Barton
    • (as Rob Kenneally)
    Alison Arngrim
    Alison Arngrim
    • Nellie Oleson
    Jonathan Gilbert
    Jonathan Gilbert
    • Willie Oleson
    Jennifer Factor
    • Jenny
    • (uncredited)
    Peter Haas
    • Paul
    • (uncredited)
    Patrick Labyorteaux
    Patrick Labyorteaux
    • Andrew 'Andy' Garvey
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • William F. Claxton
    • Writers
      • Laura Ingalls Wilder
      • Carole Raschella
      • Michael Raschella
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    8.7468
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    Featured reviews

    8walzer-94804

    Good Episode, but Not True to Life

    It is true that Mary Ingalls went blind, but as with so many things with this show, the true events from the Ingalls lives were overdramatized. Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote in her books about the quiet grace and dignity with which Mary went blind. She never screamed or railed against her fate. She accepted it with extreme strength. While I probably would react like Melissa Sue Anderson acted, it was not true to the story. I always felt like it took away from the character of the true Mary Ingalls.
    10rebeccakocher

    Rose or Goldsmith. Who actually composed it first?

    In part one when Laura is fishing at the pond and meets Seth Barton and brings him back to the little house, they play a love theme in the background. I could be wrong, but it sounds like the music from the movie Medicine Man, I believe it's called jungle trees, composed by Goldsmith. When they're climbing to the top of the jungle on the rope pulley system. My question is who actually wrote that tune? Because it's by two different composers into different movies/series. I've seen every episode of Little House, hundreds of times and I couldn't figure out where this music was from but I knew it was from something I had seen. So it's only the tune from the composed piece but it's very identifiable.

    Related interests

    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance
    John Wayne and Harry Carey Jr. in The Searchers (1956)
    Western

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The real Mary Amelia Ingalls (1865-1928) lost her sight due to viral meningoencephalitis and not scarlet fever as once thought. She did attend a school for the blind for seven years in Iowa, then lived with her parents until their deaths. She then lived with her sister, Grace Pearl Ingalls Dow and then with her sister, Caroline Celestia "Carrie" Ingalls Swanzey until Mary's death from complications from a stroke and pneumonia. Mary helped support the family by making fly nets for horses. She never married.
    • Goofs
      Garvey said Mr Sprague put the bank up for sale. But it was already gone in season 3 when the hospital needed payment for Mary's surgery.
    • Quotes

      Mary Ingalls Kendall: [the tragic moment, when Mary Ingalls awakens to discover she has lost her sight] Help me, Pa! HELP ME! Pa, I can't SEE! Hold me! It's dark! I'm scared, Pa! Hold me! It's too dark! I can't breathe!

    • Connections
      Featured in TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time (1997)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 6, 1978 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Hallmark Channel
      • INSP
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Big Sky Ranch - 4927 Bennett Road, Simi Valley, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Ed Friendly Productions
      • National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 50m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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