‘Little House on the Prairie’: 4 Behind-the-Scenes Feuds
The Little House on the Prairie cast seemed to be the picture-perfect family onscreen. However, there were reportedly a few clashes behind the scenes. Things weren’t always as they seemed on the hit TV series. Here are four behind-the-scenes feuds that took place on the Little House set.
1. Michael Landon and Karen Grassle
Karen Grassle (she played Caroline Ingalls) had a disagreement with the late Michael Landon (he played Charles Ingalls). When it was time to renew her contract, she wanted to get paid more. The show was a success, and she felt she should be compensated accordingly. However, in her book Bright Lights, Prairie Dust, Grassle says things didn’t go smoothly.
According to Grassle, Landon and some of the cast and crew became cold toward her during the contract negotiations. Although Grassle and Landon had a strained relationship, they made amends. She points out that even though they disagreed, she respected his work ethic. Grassle acknowledges how much pressure Landon was under to deliver a good show. According to her, he was “carrying the weight of the show on his shoulders.”
2. Katherine MacGregor and some of the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ cast members
Katherine MacGregor (she played Mrs. Oleson) was a respected member of the Little House on the Prairie cast. However, she ruffled a few feathers. Alison Arngrim (she played Nellie Oleson) says MacGregor clashed with some cast members because she had a habit of correcting their work.
In her book Confessions of a Prairie B****, Arngrim says MacGregor would tell the other actors how to stand, what props to use, and how to say their lines. Arngrim says her co-star’s suggestions weren’t bad. The problem was that her advice was “constant and unsolicited.”
3. Melissa Gilbert and Melissa Sue Anderson
If you were a fan of Little House on the Prairie, you likely remember the epic fights between Laura Ingalls (played by Melissa Gilbert) and Nellie Oleson (played by Alison Arngrim). Although the actors were enemies onscreen, they were best friends behind the scenes.
Gilbert’s real-life enemy at the time was actor Melissa Sue Anderson (she played Mary Ingalls.). In her autobiography Prairie Tale, she spoke about the strain between her and Anderson. Gilbert says Anderson wasn’t friendly. When she joined the cast, Gilbert thought Anderson was “evil” and wanted to “kill” her.
Gilbert says there was a “coldness” about Anderson, and she never got to know her. “She wasn’t easy to get along with,” writes Gilbert. “I think her reserve came across on-screen and was certainly apparent off-screen.”
4. Alison Arngrim and Melissa Sue Anderson
Arngrim also had difficulty interacting with Anderson. She says her co-star didn’t try to get to know her. Arngrim even recalled a time when Anderson appeared to “threaten” her while they were preparing for a scene.
Arngrim says she ran into Anderson years later at Michael Landon’s funeral. She describes their interaction as being distant. Arngrim says she asked Anderson about her new baby in an attempt to be friendly and make small talk, but Anderson gave her a curt reply and walked away.
Follow Sheiresa Ngo on Twitter.
