This was the last episode of Michael Landon's popular family show 'Highway to Heaven.' During the course of five seasons, 111 episodes were produced. Landon wrote 21 episodes and directed 94 of them. On 19 of these, he was both writer and director. The other two scripts he authored were directed by costar Victor French.
Another creative force that drove the show was Dan Gordon, who served as the main story editor. Gordon authored more scripts than any other writer on this show, including Michael Landon: a total of 34 episodes. He also directed three.
NBC gave this program a 13-episode order going into season 5. The first episode of the fifth season, 'Whose Trash Is It Anyway?' aired in October 1988, then NBC pre-empted the series till early December when the two-part 'Hello and Farewell' was broadcast. 'Merry Christmas from Grandpa,' a holiday themed episode, should've aired next, but NBC was not happy with the ratings and put the show on an extended hiatus until March. The remaining ten episodes of the series were broadcast in the spring and summer months. That is why this Christmas episode did not air in December as Landon likely intended, but in August. It turned out to be the series' final episode.
Michael Landon's five-year old daughter Jennifer appears in this episode. She has an uncredited part as a little girl at the White House. A few years later, she had a bit part in Landon's last project, 'Us.' As a young adult, Jennifer Landon would receive several Emmy awards for her work in daytime television.
Another creative force that drove the show was Dan Gordon, who served as the main story editor. Gordon authored more scripts than any other writer on this show, including Michael Landon: a total of 34 episodes. He also directed three.
NBC gave this program a 13-episode order going into season 5. The first episode of the fifth season, 'Whose Trash Is It Anyway?' aired in October 1988, then NBC pre-empted the series till early December when the two-part 'Hello and Farewell' was broadcast. 'Merry Christmas from Grandpa,' a holiday themed episode, should've aired next, but NBC was not happy with the ratings and put the show on an extended hiatus until March. The remaining ten episodes of the series were broadcast in the spring and summer months. That is why this Christmas episode did not air in December as Landon likely intended, but in August. It turned out to be the series' final episode.
Michael Landon's five-year old daughter Jennifer appears in this episode. She has an uncredited part as a little girl at the White House. A few years later, she had a bit part in Landon's last project, 'Us.' As a young adult, Jennifer Landon would receive several Emmy awards for her work in daytime television.