JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
‘It Was Like Mad Men’: Little House On The Prairie Star Alison Arngrim Recalls On Set Experience In The 1970s During Show’s 50th Anniversary
50 years later as the cast of Little House on the Prairie reunites for a milestone anniversary, Alison Arngrim, who portrayed Nellie Oleson, reflects on the show's enduring legacy.
-
50 years later the cast of Little House on the Prairie reunites for a milestone anniversary
-
Alison Arngrim, who portrayed Nellie Oleson, reflects on the show's enduring legacy
-
In the 1970s, Little House on the Prairie was a very famous and beloved TV series
Nasty Nellie heads back to the prairie 50 years later as the cast of Little House on the Prairie reunites for a milestone anniversary at Big Sky Ranch. Alison Arngrim, who portrayed Nellie Oleson, reflects on the show's enduring legacy.
"If you would have told us 50 years ago that this show would remain timeless, we would have thought you were crazy," Alison Arngrim, who played mean girl Nellie Oleson, told Fox News Digital.
"We had no concept that this show would still be airing on television 50 years later," she shared. "We didn’t even know if there would still be TV in 50 years! We were stunned that this show became a hit."
What was the show about?
In the 1970s, Little House on the Prairie was a beloved TV series that chronicled the lives of the Ingalls family in the 19th-century Midwest. Led by Michael Landon as patriarch Charles Ingalls, the show captured the hearts of audiences with its wholesome storytelling and memorable characters. However, life on the set was different from the idyllic portrayal on screen, as former child star Alison Arngrim reveals.
"It was the ‘70s," she chuckled. "People drank, people smoked. [Landon] did all of these things. It was kind of strange you’re… on set and people are standing around with cigarettes and glasses of gin. It seemed odd, but that was TV in the ‘70s. It was like ‘Mad Men.’ [Landon] was so not Pa. But then, if you think about it, what a brilliant performance. Here was this man who came to work in his unbuttoned shirt, in his gold chains, in his Ferrari with his Marlboros, and then he turned into Pa Ingalls in a matter of minutes."
Alison Arngrim talks about cos-stars Michael Landon and Steve Tracy
Michael Landon, known for his role as patriarch Charles Ingalls, passed away from pancreatic cancer at 54 in 1991. Despite his on-screen charisma, Alison Arngrim, his co-star, describes him as a complex figure with insecurities off-camera.
Arngrim recalls Landon's Hollywood persona, complete with fast cars and cigarettes, contrasting with his role as a therapy for both viewers and himself. Despite his success, Landon wrestled with perfectionism, striving to meet his own high standards.
"Michael, in many ways, was a Hollywood person," the 62-year-old explained. "Yes, he owned a Ferrari. He had fast cars. But… the show was therapy for people. And I believe it was therapy for Michael in a lot of ways… [What surprised me] was that… insecurity, because he was so powerful. He was the executive director. He was the producer. He was the writer and star of the show. He was everything. He was loved by millions, absolutely gorgeous, very much in charge… He’d be cracking jokes. He had a wonderfully twisted, warped sense of humor. He was hilarious."
"But you could see that there were moments when he was trying so hard, ‘Will this be good enough?’" Arngrim continued. "He wanted it to be good enough to be perfect. And you could see that there were times when he’d get that look like, ‘Oh, my God, maybe this isn’t going to be perfect.’ And I think that was maybe the thing that drove him, maybe scared him. That it wouldn’t be perfect."
Decades later, Arngrim still finds Landon's character fascinating, reminiscing about his ability to balance humor and professionalism on set. She credits him with predicting the enduring legacy of Little House, a sentiment witnessed by the show's continued popularity.
Arngrim also reflects on her close friendship with Steve Tracy, who played her on-screen husband. Tracy's battle with AIDS in the '80s deeply affected her, inspiring her to volunteer for AIDS organizations.
"He was a wonderful person, so funny and incredible," she shared. "He was older than me and treated me with respect. He didn’t go, ‘This dumb 17-year-old.’ He recognized that I had improv skills. So the comedic stuff that we did as Nellie and Percival, we were able to do that. We had a wonderful relationship and became great friends."
"He got diagnosed with AIDS. There weren’t drugs for this," she reflected. "There was no cocktail. They didn’t know what the heck they were doing yet. People didn’t live for years with AIDS. People lived for months back then. So when he went public in 1986 and told everybody he had AIDS, it was devastating to all of us. Back then, if you lived nine months, it was a miracle."
Despite the passage of time, Little House on the Prairie remains a classic show and Arngrim stays busy connecting with fans through live readings and events, highlighting the timeless appeal of the show in difficult times.
Latest Articles
