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Little House on the Prairie

Crossed Connections (Season 6, Episode 12)
TV-PG
TV Episode | 49 min | Drama, Family, Romance

When the telephone comes to Walnut Grove, Mrs. Olesen is hired as the switchboard operator. The telephone company is unaware that Mrs. Olesen loves to gossip, and her new job will simply be another means to spread rumors about Walnut ...See moreWhen the telephone comes to Walnut Grove, Mrs. Olesen is hired as the switchboard operator. The telephone company is unaware that Mrs. Olesen loves to gossip, and her new job will simply be another means to spread rumors about Walnut Grove's residents. One of the subscribers to the new Walnut Grove exchange is the Garveys. Alice places a call to her mother, in which she learns that her first husband (a hard-drinking, gambling outlaw named Harold) has just been released from prison for robbery. Alice - who has kept this fact from Jonathan - thinks this is a private conversation, but is unaware that Mrs. Olesen is listening in. Word quickly gets back to Jonathan Garvey, who demands an apology from Mrs. Olesen (she refuses, but an embarrassed Nels does before he reprimands his wife). Jonathan then goes home and gets an explanation from Alice; she didn't tell him about her first marriage because it was a mistake and thought it didn't matter, but Jonathan is angered even more because of this revelation. In the aftermath, Jonathan and Alice stop speaking to each other and Andrew becomes very upset. Jonathan decides to go on a delivery run with Charles to sort things out. After teaching Nellie a separate lesson about eavesdropping, Laura and Albert decide to teach Mrs. Olesen a real lesson about her behavior by working with town banker Bill Anderson to set up a phony stock tip. Mrs. Olesen acts on the tip and loses her share of the family's savings as a result; Nels refuses to sympathize with his wife, effectively telling her she has learned her lesson. Meanwhile, Charles and Jonathan stay with Alice's mother in Minneapolis and learn the whole story about Harold. They later meet up with Harold, who is working in a tavern and very disheveled after his (18) years in prison. Jonathan (who never tells Harold who he is) learns from Harold that Alice was the best thing he ever had but let her slip through his fingers through his wild, foolish living, and that the man who married Alice should consider himself very lucky. Jonathan realizes he needs to go home and make up with Alice ... and get rid of that darned ol' telephone. Written by Brian Rathjen See less
Read more: Plot summary
Director
Writers
Blanche Hanalis (developed for television by) | Laura Ingalls Wilder (based upon the series of books "Little House" by) | Don Balluck
Producer
Composer
Cinematographer
Ted Voigtlander (as Ted Voigtländer)
Editor
Casting Director
Susan McCray (as Susan Sukman)
Status
Edit Released
Updated Dec 10, 1979

Release date
Dec 10, 1979 (United States)

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Cast

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22 cast members
Name Known for
Michael Landon
Charles Ingalls Charles Ingalls   See fewer
Karen Grassle
Caroline Ingalls Caroline Ingalls   See fewer
Melissa Gilbert
Laura Ingalls Laura Ingalls   See fewer
Melissa Sue Anderson
Mary Ingalls Kendall (credit only) Mary Ingalls Kendall (credit only)   See fewer
Rachel Lindsay Greenbush
Carrie Ingalls (credit only) (as Lindsay Sidney Greenbush) Carrie Ingalls (credit only) (as Lindsay Sidney Greenbush)   See fewer
Sidney Greenbush
Carrie Ingalls (credit only) (as Lindsay Sidney Greenbush) Carrie Ingalls (credit only) (as Lindsay Sidney Greenbush)   See fewer
Richard Bull
Nels Oleson Nels Oleson   See fewer
Katherine MacGregor
Harriet Oleson Harriet Oleson   See fewer
Alison Arngrim
Nellie Oleson Nellie Oleson   See fewer
Merlin Olsen
Jonathan Garvey Jonathan Garvey   See fewer
Hersha Parady
Alice Garvey Alice Garvey   See fewer
Patrick Labyorteaux
Andrew 'Andy' Garvey (as Patrick Laborteaux) Andrew 'Andy' Garvey (as Patrick Laborteaux)   See fewer
Matthew Labyorteaux
Albert Quinn Ingalls (as Matthew Laborteaux) Albert Quinn Ingalls (as Matthew Laborteaux)   See fewer
Kevin Hagen
Dr. Hiram Baker Dr. Hiram Baker   See fewer
Royal Dano
Harold Harold   See fewer
Sam Edwards
Mr. Bill Anderson Mr. Bill Anderson   See fewer
Marie Denn
Alice's Mother Alice's Mother   See fewer
Dave Morick
First Technician First Technician   See fewer
Tom Pletts
Customer Customer   See fewer
Sanford Gibbons
Gregory (as Sandy Gibbons) Gregory (as Sandy Gibbons)   See fewer
John Flynn
Second Technician Second Technician   See fewer
Tod Keller
Lineman (as Todd Keller) Lineman (as Todd Keller)   See fewer
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