Linwood Boomer

A tall, dark-haired TV actor best known for his 1978-81 role as Adam Kendall, the blind husband of similarly challenged eldest daughter Mary, on the NBC family drama "Little House on the Prairie," Linwood Boomer made the move in the mid-1980s to the behind-the-scenes producing and writing duties that would bring him the most success. His first behind-the-scenes work was as writer and producer on the NBC series "Silver Spoons" (1985-86) and "Night Court" (1986-88). After developing an adaptation of the popular British sci-fi comedy "Red Dwarf" for American television that disappointingly didn't get past the pilot stage, Boomer moved on to the relatively short-lived sitcoms "Flying Blind" (Fox, 1992-93) and "The Boys Are Back" (CBS, 1994-95), writing episodes for both and serving as executive consultant of the former and co-executive producer of the latter. In 1996 he was one of the executive producers of the hit NBC sitcom "3rd Rock From the Sun" and the failed ABC entry "Townies." While he also served in the same capacity for the edgy but controversial animated series "God, the Devil and Bob" (NBC, 2000), he found immediate success with the envelope-pushing Fox family comedy "Malcolm in the Middle" (2000-06).