Roger Lea MacBride was a prominent American figure, known for his work as a writer, lawyer, television producer, and political figure. He was particularly well-known for his children's books and nonfiction stories, and became the continuator of the beloved Little House series, originally written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In MacBride's additions to the series, he focused on the adventures of Laura's daughter, Rose Wilder.
MacBride was a member of the Libertarian Party and was highly involved in politics. He served as the presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party in the 1976 election and was the first presidential elector in American history to cast his vote for a female candidate. In the 1972 presidential election, MacBride had voted for John Hospers for president and Theodora Nathan for vice president, both of whom were members of the Libertarian Party. In addition to his political pursuits, MacBride was also well-known as the co-producer and co-creator of the popular children's TV series, Little House on the Prairie.
MacBride had a close connection to the Little House series, as he called himself "the adopted grandson" of Rose Wilder Lane, the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder. After Wilder's death, MacBride laid claim to the literary estate of the Ingalls-Wilder family, including the Little House on the Prairie franchise. He is the author of record of three additional Little House books and began the Rocky Ridge Years series, which describes the Ozark childhood of Rose Wilder Lane.
However, controversy arose after MacBride's death in 1995 regarding the ownership of the Little House literary estate. The local library in Mansfield, Missouri, argued that Wilder's original will gave her daughter ownership of the literary estate for her lifetime only, with all rights to revert to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Library after her death. The ensuing court case was settled in an undisclosed manner, but MacBride's heirs retained the rights to the Little House franchise.