Who is Dean Butler?
Dean Butler, who was born on May 20, 1956, is an actor and producer from Canada and America. He works on various forms of entertainment media, sports coverage, and documentaries.
Originally from Prince George, British Columbia, Butler grew up in Piedmont, California, and pursued communication arts at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.
Movies & TV Shows
Dean Butler began his acting journey with a minor role on the television show The Streets of San Francisco. He then landed his breakthrough role in the 1978 television film Forever, which was adapted from Judy Blume’s book of the same name.
Butler gained recognition for his role as Almanzo Wilder on the popular NBC show Little House on the Prairie, adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved books. He starred in the last four seasons of the show, its spin-off Little House: A New Beginning, and three subsequent TV movies.
Following his time on Little House, he took on the roles of Jeff “Moondoggie” Griffin in The New Gidget and Hank Summers, Buffy’s father, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Dean Butler made appearances on multiple television shows as a guest star, such as Murder, She Wrote, Who’s the Boss?, The Love Boat, and JAG. He also acted alongside the late Gary Coleman in The Kid with the 200 I.Q. and had roles in the films Desert Hearts and The Final Goal.
Butler has showcased his talent in Stephen Sondheim’s productions. He graced the Broadway stage as Rapunzel’s Prince in the original cast of Into the Woods portrayed Tony in West Side Story on an international level, and also starred in Company in various regional productions.
Currently, Dean Butler’s main focus is behind the scenes as a producer of various forms of entertainment, including sports and documentary content. One of his notable productions is the Golf Channel’s Feherty, featuring David Feherty.
In addition, he serves as a West Coast correspondent for Broadway World, a website that offers information about the performing arts. Butler has also taken on roles as director, writer, and narrator for bonus features on the Little House on the Prairie DVD sets and narrated a six-part documentary called The Little House Phenomenon.
Dean Butler’s portfolio includes two documentaries, namely Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura, both based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books. In 2012, Butler also served as co-executive producer for PBS’ Pa’s Fiddle: The Music of America.
Personal Life
Dean Butler is married to actress Katherine Cannon, known for her role as Felice Martin in Beverly Hills 90210. They first crossed paths when Cannon tried out for the female lead in Michael Landon’s show Father Murphy. They currently reside in Los Angeles, California.
Net Worth
Dean Butler, a Canadian American actor and producer, has a net worth of $1 million. He played the role of Almanzo James Wilder on the show Little House of the Prairie from 1979 to 1983. Additionally, he portrayed Jeff “Moondoggie” Griffin on the TV series The New Gidget from 1986 to 1988.
