Former 'Little House' Star Reflects on Abrupt Departure from Beloved Series

In a recent interview, former 'Little House on the Prairie' actor Patrick Labyorteaux reflects on the reasons behind his abrupt departure from the beloved 1970s series. Labyorteaux, who played the role of Andrew "Andy" Garvey from Seasons 4 to 7, was let go after Episode 21 of Season 7, "The Lost Ones."

According to Labyorteaux, the decision to write out his character and his on-screen father, Jonathan Garvey (played by Merlin Olsen), was part of a plan to set up a "backdoor pilot" for a new show called 'Father Murphy.' The network, however, wanted Olsen but not as part of 'Little House.' This led to Labyorteaux and his character being cut from the series.

Labyorteaux admits that losing his job at the age of 15, even though he "didn't do anything wrong," was a difficult experience. "When you're 15 and getting fired, even though you didn't do anything wrong, you're losing a job, and it sucks," he said.

Despite the abrupt ending to his time on 'Little House,' Labyorteaux remained connected to the show's family through his brother, Matthew Labyorteaux, who continued his role as Albert Ingalls until the series' ninth and final season. "The good news was that my brother was still on the show, so I saw all my friends whenever I could," he shared.

Since leaving 'Little House on the Prairie,' Labyorteaux has built a successful career in television, most notably playing Lt. Cmdr. Bud Roberts Jr. on 'JAG' for a decade and later co-creating the family sitcom 'See Dad Run' with his wife, television producer Tina Albanese.