The Young Pioneers (miniseries)
The Young Pioneers is a three-episode ABC western television miniseries starring Linda Purl and Roger Kern in the role of young newlyweds Molly and David Beaton, who settle in the Dakota Territory during the 1870s. The program was based on novels of Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The Young Pioneers aired on Sundays, April 2, 9, and 16, 1978, at 7 p.m. Eastern.
| The Young Pioneers | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Western/family/drama |
| Based on | Young Pioneers by Rose Wilder Lane |
| Developed by | Blanche Hanalis (developed for television by) |
| Directed by | Irving J. Moore Alf Kjellin |
| Starring | Linda Purl Roger Kern Mare Winningham Robert Donner Robert Hays Jeff Cotler |
| Opening theme | Dominic Frontiere (instrumental) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Lee Rich Earl Hamner |
| Producers | Robert L. Jacks Ed Friendly (originally produced by) |
| Running time | approx. 47 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Picture format | Film |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | April 2 – April 16, 1978 |
The cast included Robert Hays as Dan Gray, Robert Donner as Mr. Peters, Mare Winningham as Nettie Peters, Michelle Stacy as Flora Peters, and Jeff Cotler as Charlie Peters. A Martinez portrayed the Indian Circling Hawk. Geno Silva played another Indian, Fool's Crow.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Sky in the Window" | Irving J. Moore | TBA | April 2, 1978 | |
|
Molly and David Beaton, who are just seventeen and eighteen years old, respectively, are married newlyweds. Note: The characters original names were Charles and Caroline based on Rose's maternal grandparents, Charles and Caroline. | |||||
| 2 | "A Kite for Charlie" | Irving J. Moore | TBA | April 9, 1978 | |
| The Beatons meet their new neighbors. | |||||
| 3 | "A Promise for Spring" | Irving J. Moore | TBA | April 16, 1978 | |
| Molly and David plan to find new land. | |||||