The Young Pioneers is a three-episode ABC western television series starring Linda Purl and Roger Kern in the role of young newlyweds Molly and David Beaton, who settle in the Dakota Territory during the 1870s. The program was based on novels of Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder, whose work inspired NBC's Little House on the Prairie starring Michael Landon. The Young Pioneers aired at 7 p.m. Eastern on Sundays on April 2, 9, and 16, 1978. The recurring cast included Robert Hays as Dan Gray, Robert Donner as Mr. Peters, Mare Winningham as Nettie Peters, Michelle Stacy as Flora Peters, and Jeff Cotler as Charlie Peters. A Martinez portrayed the Indian Circling Hawk. Geno Silva played another Indian, Fool's Crow. The episodes are entitled "Sky in the Window", "A Kite for Charlie", and "The Promise of Spring".

Cast

Linda Purl

Molly Beaton

Roger Kern

David Beaton

Robert Hays

Dan Gray

Robert Donner

Mr. Peters

Mare Winningham

Nettie Peters

Michelle Stacy

Flora Peters

View full details

Whole-series threads below. For an episode, open its per-episode discussion.

Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.

Start the conversation

No comments yet. Sign in to be the first — pick a prompt to get started.

About this title

The Young Pioneers

1978 · 1 season · Ended

Drama Western

The Young Pioneers is a three-episode ABC western television series starring Linda Purl and Roger Kern in the role of young newlyweds Molly and David Beaton, who settle in the Dakota Territory during the 1870s. The program was based on novels of Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder, whose work inspired NBC's Little House on the Prairie starring Michael Landon. The Young Pioneers aired at 7 p.m. Eastern on Sundays on April 2, 9, and 16, 1978. The recurring cast included Robert Hays as Dan Gray, Robert Donner as Mr. Peters, Mare Winningham as Nettie Peters, Michelle Stacy as Flora Peters, and Jeff Cotler as Charlie Peters. A Martinez portrayed the Indian Circling Hawk. Geno Silva played another Indian, Fool's Crow. The episodes are entitled "Sky in the Window", "A Kite for Charlie", and "The Promise of Spring".