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Matthew Labyorteaux played Albert Quinn Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie from 1976 to 1983. Four decades after marking his final episode in the historical drama, many are still confused about his character’s fate. Scroll below for details on what happened to Albert on the show and where the actor who portrayed him is now.
What Happened to Albert in ‘Little House on the Prairie’?
For those who followed the television series and its made-for-TV movies, Albert’s storyline was quite confusing toward the end. The child, adopted by Charles and Caroline Ingalls, came out of his shell and blossomed into a curious teen boy throughout the seasons.
Albert certainly faced his fair share of difficulties and troubles during the episodes, but his family was always right by his side to help him overcome them. In the 1983 TV movie Little House on the Prairie: A Look Back to Yesterday, Albert was diagnosed with cancer and came back to Walnut Grove, Minnesota, to live out his final days.
Albert’s death was never officially confirmed in any of the television films or episodes. Still, it was hinted by Laura Ingalls Wilder that he fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor and continued his practice despite suffering from illness. Matthew did not return to portray the character in the 1984 TV film Little House: The Last Farewell, leading many to assume that Albert died.
Where Is Matthew Labyorteaux Now?
Though fans never got clarity on Albert’s fate, Matthew shared his own take on what really happened to his character.
“He never officially died in the episode, and I think maybe it’s kind of left up in the air to debate … but it was sort of an unspoken thing that we knew he was going to die,” the California native said in a previous interview, per Distractify.
After rising to fame as a child, he went on to star in Whiz Kids and made appearances in Night Court, Highway to Heaven and Amazing Stories. In recent years, Matthew has been doing a lot of voiceover work in both the Star Wars and Yu-Gi-Oh! franchises.
The former child actor is still grateful to his time on Little House on the Prairie for launching his career and helping him meet one of his now-best friends — Melora Hardin.
“I had a huge crush on Matthew Labyorteaux, who became one of my very best friends — and still is to this day,” Melora told Fine Magazine in November 2016 of her former costar, who is now the godfather of her youngest daughter, Piper.
