Reflecting on his time on Little House On The Prairie, Dean Butler remembers Shannen Doherty as a young actress with a sparkle in her eye and a promise-filled future.
Doherty, who passed away on July 13 at the age of 53, made her mark early in her career. At just 11, she stepped into the role of Jenny Wilder, the niece of Butler’s character, Almanzo Wilder, on Little House On The Prairie. Doherty also got the chance to work with Michael Landon,who played Charles Ingalls on the show.
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Dean Butler, now 68, shared his admiration for Doherty’s determination and focus in a recent exclusive interview with PEOPLE.
“There just was something about her—Shannen knew where she was going. She was very determined…You just knew she had something,” Butler vividly recalled.
At that point, Butler remembered Doherty as a confident performer who was “always focused on the scene.” Butler said that even at such a young age, Doherty exuded confidence on set. She wasn’t just playing a part but truly embodying it.
“I never got the feeling that Shannen was self-conscious about anything she was doing, but rather that she was fully connected to what she was trying to accomplish in the given scene,” Butler shared. “I think she had a very good instinct about the work that she was doing, and I never felt working with Shannen that she had any kind of anxiety about the work that she was doing at all…She was just all in.”
Pretty impressive for an 11-year-old!
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On July 14, Doherty’s longtime publicist, Leslie Sloane, shared the heartbreaking news of her passing from breast cancer.
“With a heavy heart, I confirm the loss of actress Shannen Doherty. On July 13, Shannen lost her long battle with cancer. She was surrounded by loved ones and her loyal dog, Bowie. The family requests privacy to mourn in peace.”
Shannen Doherty’s battle with cancer began in 2015. After a brief remission in 2017, the cancer sadly returned in 2019. By 2020, Doherty bravely revealed her fight with metastatic stage 4 cancer. In June 2023, she shared the devastating news that the cancer had spread to her brain.
Yet, through it all, Doherty remained a symbol of strength and resilience. As Dean Butler fondly remembers, “You just knew that she was going to succeed.” And succeed she did, leaving behind a great legacy.
Dean Butler also posted a heartfelt video tribute to his social media, honoring his late co-star. Listen to his touching message about Shannen Doherty below.