Michael Landon was the backbone of blockbuster ’70s TV series Little House on the Prairie — so it makes sense that when it came to deciding what happened on the show, he got the final word. In a new interview with BuzzFeed, Little House casting director Susan McCray, she recalls how the network’s fondness for Landon allowed him to innovate — including using an unusual style to cast new characters.
“When I worked on casting for other shows, I always got a description of a part,” said McCray. “Mike Landon didn’t write any descriptions; I would only get a script. It really gave me the opportunity to use a creative sense, like when you read a book and you envision what that character is going to look like.” Due to this lack of character description, McCray got to cast her new more broadly, looking for theater actors and beginning performers without a lot of experience. “I was able to give many actors an opportunity that the networks wouldn’t usually give,” she recalled.