Mr. Edwards
| Isaiah Edwards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little House on the Prairie character | |||||
| Portrayed by | Victor French | ||||
| First appearance | The Pilot Movie | ||||
| Last appearance | Little House: The Last Farewell | ||||
|
|||||
| Spouse |
1st - Unknown 2nd - Grace Snider |
|---|---|
| Children |
with 1st Wife - Alice Adopted with Grace Snider - John Jr., Carl and Alicia Sanderson |
Mr. Edwards is a fictional character that appeared in the Little House series of autobiographical children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. His character was later adapted for the NBC television show, Little House on the Prairie and given the name "Isaiah Edwards."
As stated by Wilder in her books, Mr. Edwards was "the wildcat from Tennessee" whom the Ingalls met during their stay near Independence, Kansas in the Little House on the Prairie novel. They met for a short while also in By the Shores of Silver Lake, when Mr. Edwards helps Pa file his claim during a sudden settlement rush, and in The Long Winter, when he generously gives the now-blind Mary a $20.00 dollar bill.
It remains unknown whether Mr. Edwards was a completely fictional person or if his story was based on some authentic events and people from Laura's life. Many researchers of the "Little House" books believe that Edwards was actually a person or persons whom Laura gave the traits and actions of people she knew who did kind deeds for the Ingalls throughout the years. Some believe the real Mr. Edwards was actually Edmund Mason, whose grave may be found in the local Harrison Cemetery, near where the Ingalls were living in the book Little House on the Prairie, though certain key aspects of Mason's known life are at odds with the information about "Mr. Edwards" supplied by Laura in her novels.
The character of Isaiah Edwards was introduced in the pilot movie, which established the Ingalls family settling on a prairie tract in Kansas. Victor French, a close friend of series creator Michael Landon and a character actor who had acted in several television westerns beforehand, portrayed the role throughout most of the series run.
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Wikipedia