Little House on the Prairie

The one where Nellie faked being paralyzed and Laura pushed her wheelchair down the hill.

The one when Charles and Caroline's baby son dies and Laura runs off to make a deal with God to take her instead.

The two-part "Remember Me" was the best episode, IMO. Michael Landon, Victor French, and guest star Patricia Neal all gave heartbreaking performances.

Loved the episode when the Olsens adopt that nightmare "Nancy".

Loved the episode where Mary travels to a small town to teach and she has a showdown in a rural church with the town Medusa Miss Peel. They tear into each other and Mary wins using logic and taking her out for not being able to read. Then calling her out again “bearing false witness.”

Lucy Lee Flippin acting on an entirely different level than everyone else

There are quite a bit of good episodes, hard to choose.

The worst one has to be "He Was Only Twelve", part 2. Just horrid.

Absolutely R2.

I love the episodes dealing with Albert's morphine addiction.

The episode where Mary travels to Chicago and finds out her beau is a cheater is a favourite. I think that's the same one where Pa goes to the big grain meeting and is disillusioned.

I liked the one where Mrs. Oleson and Miss Beedle did girl on girl. But only because Nellie looked so funny in the straight jacket.

R5 Lucy was great in that two parter. Michael Landon wrote that for her because she leaving the show to do the show "Flo" with Polly Holliday at the suggestion of her agent because it would pay more. She said it was the best acting role she was ever given and was grateful Michael wrote it for her. There was talk about her getting an Emmy nomination, but sadly it didn't happen.

I loved the one where Albert became a boy whore. The full frontal nudity was unexpected but welcome.

I never understood the grain meeting thing, R9. Why wouldn't they just sell it normally?

Season 1, The Raccoon - Jasper the rabid raccoon bites both Laura and Jack, the family dog

I've never seen this show.

Most of the show was dark. I liked the Albert morphine and Sylvia eps as well. I liked John Jr. eps, he went against type on the show, so it was refreshing. Plus, he was hot. I guess I like the episodes where Laura finally got together with Almanzo, it went downhill from there.

R15, you can find it on Amazon Prime!!

I've only seen some of the episodes and I thought until now that the mime rape was a running joke. Why would a raping mime be on a Midwestern prairie?

Why would lady Macbeth be in Scotland?

Why would Rocco Steele be in Armand Rizzo?

They just were

If I recall correctly, he just used a mime mask to disguise himself during the attack. He wasn't actually a mime.

I like when the family goes to a country fair and Carrie falls asleep in the basket of a hot air balloon and floats away when the balloon looses its mooring as she waves to the people below.

What was wrong with Carrie? Slow, or just a terrible actress?

Carrie was played by two twins. She was never really verbal on the show until an oddly old age, like 10. She was basically a prop on the show - her two biggest episodes were when she was trapped and they tried to rescue her (in the balloon and in a well).

no matter how dark some of the shows got nothing was cuntier than Nellie Olsen seeing Charles and Albert bond and hearing him call Charles 'Pa'.

"Well, Laura...your father always wanted a son! AND now he HAS ONE!'

second only to the fire that took Alice and Mary's kid in terms of just being so awful.

I love all the nasty shit Nellie would say. Like bragging about her family's carpet or when she was taunting "Laura's pa smells like a hog!"

The costumes were oh so bad. Bras and polyester lace and Pa’s nipple-shading suspenders.

This show was responsible for the Prairie look.

I saw a funny one recently when Nellie performed Little Women with Mary, Laura and the this girl with a widowed mom. Harriet rewrote the play and Nellie demanded she have a black, curly wig. Even Laura's scene was funny when she put a mop on her head because she was jealous. Another funny Nellie moment is when she recorded Laura mooning over a boy and played it in front of the whole class.

One super sad episode was when Albert befriended and worked for the Jewish man. Ugh, I hated Mrs. Oleson in that one, even Laura was nasty in that episode.

Best: "Family Quarrel," from the first season. The elder Olesons bicker so much they get carried away, and nearly divorce. Both Richard Bull and Katherine MacGregor are at their best here, and show up everyone else on the show to be amateurs. MacGregor, in particular, is spectacular--she can move so quickly but believably from trying to reconcile in earnest to realizing she's being insulted to reacting spitefully and furiously.

Worst: "May We Make Them Proud," Parts 1 and 2. I don't know what Michael Landon was thinking with the bizarre melodramatic episodes like these and "Sylvia," but this is the worst of all, if only for the lurid detail of Mary hugging her burned baby's corpse under the tree, and the infamous shot that makes it look like Alice Garvey is using the baby's head as a battering ram to open a window.

A few years ago, I took the Nasty Nelly Olsen Tour -- a tour from the Dearly Departed Tours out of Hollywood .

In short, Alison Arngrim takes you and about 9 others on a 4-hour drive around Los Angeles in a touring van. When I went, she sat at the front of the van with her driver and we hit up all of her old haunts, places where she lived, venues she performed at, the homes of her co-stars like Landon and other celeb friends, and other places of interest that revolved around her world. She gets into the details of each stop and in between stops, she talks about all kinds of weird, gritty '70s and '80s Hollywood gossip, and allows everyone to ask questions. Me and my friend must have asked her 20 questions and she gave detailed answers every time. She's a cool broad.

My favorite episode? Any one with Nellie-Percival storylines.

I loved Albert. I had such a crush on him as a boy.

As soon as Laura hit puberty, it was down hill from there. Allison Ingram was still the best thing on the show. What a nasty cunt....loved her!

R30, does she know the whereabouts of Willie aka Jonathan Gilbert? He is as mysterious as Michael Schoeffling.

The early seasons were much better, I hated Nancy. However, even though Albert's arrival signaled the down turn, they had some of their best episodes centered around him.

Nancy herself wasn't any fun as a character (the actress had none of Arngrim's comic gifts, and so was just nasty), but Scottie MacGregor has another great episode where she and Nels first adopt Nancy, and she tearfully tells her through the closed door how much she wants to love and spoil her.

R28 wasn't Nellie's wig made out of the hair from one of the other girl's in her play? She had to sell it or some shit?

One of the other awful episodes in it had something to do with Ma getting sick and attempting to cut off her own leg?

I did like the episode where Mary was a cunt to Caroline because Caroline was acting a whore in Pa's absence.

R30 Even Melissa doesn't know the whereabouts of her brother... that's how awful she is.

I like the episode where the circus comes to town and Mr. Oleson's sister is the Fat Lady. At first he is ashamed and pretends not to know her, but by the end of the episode he professes the truth and his love for his sister. This episode also features Laura sabotaging Almonzo's date by not properly sewing her dress and throwing a bucket of water on her while dressed like a clown.

Here's a random question I have- if they lived in Minnesota how did they always have lemonade on hand? Where did they get lemons seemingly year round?

Episode with Mary going blind.

Some of these episodes were so OTT dramatic it is really comical. That dramedy is what makes this show still watchable.

Michael Landon must of had a wicked sarcastic sense of humor. What a mystery of a person he was.

If you're watching the complete seasons you'll be amazed at the number of boring, filler episodes they did. Any episode revolving around Doc Baker or Reverend Alden is a guaranteed snooze. Then there are the episodes focusing on some previously unseen character or family, who are of course never seen or referenced again after the episode. Pa Ingalls always manages to insert himself into these random characters' lives at some point during the proceedings - usually to deliver a dramatic monologue near the end - just to remind you you're still watching Little House.

The first 3-4 seasons are the best. The shark started circling when they moved to the city and introduced Albert. It jumped completely when Laura and Almonzo got married and she became the teacher. Her character turned into a complete shrew at that point. It just got more ridiculous and less entertaining after that, though there were still entertaining episodes here and there. In spite of all my bitching I really do love the show and still watch the reruns when I catch them. I'd love for someone to write a behind-the-scenes book about the production of the series.

[quote]the infamous shot that makes it look like Alice Garvey is using the baby's head as a battering ram to open a window.

WTF? You mean?

I've lived my life on this. I CHERISHED IT.

The battering ram scene is awesome. It’s such such a random mix of camp and horror. I love that morbid episode.

I also love the episode where Mary is in the wagon accident and her glasses start the fire. And I morbidly enjoy watching James and Cassandra’s parents fall of a cliff.

I liked the one where Carol has a lesbian affair with Mrs. Olsen and runs around town chiding her husband for not being woke enough.

I liked the episode when Laura stuffed a couple of apple in her top, then was called to the chalkboard and as she reached upward to begin writing both apples plunked to the wooden floor one by one.

That Almanzo character was hot.

R38 I agree. I think that's why the show is popular all these years later and has a diverse fan base. If it was just a sappy standard family show, it would've been mostly forgotten.

Remember the episode where so and so locked so and so in the icehouse.

"Birds fly and butterflies flutter, but all you can do is st-st-st-stu-stutter"

Watching as an adult, I actually don't like the Ingalls all that much. So sanctimonious and very hypocritical. Charles was always assaulting someone including the teacher who hated Laura, Sylvia's father, etc.. always lecturing, but when he had to be shady he was allowed to. There was one ep were he owed the mercantile money and Mrs. Oleson wouldn't extend them more credit. of course she was painted as the villain when she clearly right. They also had multiple episodes where they take in some random like Harriet's nephew, the abused grandson of elderly neighbors, Willis Jackson Drummond and Charles ends up showing them what hard work can do. Then schools their parents on what they were doing wrong. Laura was also a troublemaker and brat. She wasn't dissimilar to Nelly, just went about it in a covert way.

"does she know the whereabouts of Willie aka Jonathan Gilbert?"

This sounds like a job for the Datalounge Detective Agency!

Alison Arngrim hears from Jonathan on (rare) occasion.

He's a big loner apparently, and travels a lot, so that's probably why no one has been able to track him down. None of the purported recent pictures of him online are actually of him.

I love the episode where Pa finds Albert and "adopts" him as his, "son." The scene where they are alone in the barn and hot Daddy Pa is clothed only in his suspenders and pants, having removed his shirt to showcase his muscled pecs, and is standing above Albert ready to initiate him into the family as his "boy."

Jonathan Gilbert....international man of mystery!

[quote]and is standing above Albert ready to initiate him into the family as his "boy" is CLASSIC Television.

Loved Albert. Something about that lip. Sexy.

I had a crush on Adam, Mary's also blind husband.

Remember when Adam got is sight back and realized how hot he was and how he married beneath him so he goes around and fucks everything in sight, including Albert and Caroline (who revenge fucks him to get back at Mary for being a cunt to her and screwing up things with her side piece) and as punishment for his stepping out, Adam loses his sight again.

I haven't watched this show in years, I was born the year it started so I really only caught it in reruns as by the time I was old enough to watch the show it had already jumped the shark. However, in reruns I loved any episode that focused on the girls, in particular Mary because she was so pretty, though I also loved any episode that featured Nellie. Outside of that, I was never interested in any of the 'grown up' episodes and so lost interest once the girls grew up, and then Mary and Nellie left. Grown-up half-pint was of no interest to me and the 'new kids' didn't seem nearly as interesting. Did love when Mary went blind and I remember pretending to be Mary going blind in my bedroom and bumping into things. Good times!

As in most cases, all the best episodes are when the kids are young.

Except the episodes when Laura and Almanzo have marriage drama in season 8 i think. When shes pregnant and Almanzo gets diptheria and becomes crippled and self pitying. Laura loses her temper with Eliza Jane and Almanzo then a tornado destroys their home! OMG what hilarious 2 parter that is!

Were there ever any gays on the prairie?

The one where Pa and Mr. Edwards cornhole that fucktard Carrie.

I caught a little bit of an episode on CoziTV recently. Michael Landon was in bed with that hatchet-faced wife of his. He was shirtless and the sheets were hanging just above his nips and it almost gave me a boner.

I think it was the one where the Olesons almost get divorced over eggs.

A Harvest of Friends episode is my favorite., S1, E1. Charles breaks his rib falling out of a tree chasing a kite...he can't do his job and stack grain sacks for some business owner with broken rib but he tries anyway because boss guy will take Ingalls' horses he put up for collateral...Laura and Mary try to help stack the grain but they are too weak...bad boss guy goes and repossesses the Ingalls' horses despite everyone crying and such....all the men in Walnut Grove form an assembly line to stack the grains sacks for Charles so he can get his horses back.

Wasn't there an episode where someone gets eaten by a bear?

Yes, R64, it was Liza Jane, she was menstruating...

Which bear ate her, Mr. Edwards or Jonathan Garvey?

MAD magazine did their usual brilliant send up, "Little House, Oh So Dreary." I remember that every time Charles would thank God for something, the barn would catch fire or it would start hailing.

It was "Little Mercantile on the Prairie" before that sanctimonious farm family moved into town. Country girls, indeed!

I was at a low ebb a few yrs ago. Literally took to my bed. I read Alison Arngrims book. It was Amazing. Life outside the set and great details of filming. I messaged her on fb And she replied. She is a very cool and genuine girl. I LOVE this show still and recognise all the episodes above...except the 'mime rape' episode???? Loved laura..albert. as the wolfman...the episodes called The wolves..scared me as a kid. Love everything about thd show except the final year...it feels like a very different show. Theres a movie in pre production...i hope it uses the comedy element and not gritty pioneer crap.

Funny episode when Walnut Grove was going to get a "French" doctor from New Orleans and Mrs. Olsen is brushing up on her French and is so excited to have a sophisticated french doctor come work in the town. But to her absolute horror, he turns out to be a black doctor from New Orleans, his name was Dr. Terhune. LOL I can still the see the look on her face when she realizes he is black.

I think that the actor who played Willie passed away from AIDS? I stopped watching after the mime rape episode--I was just a kid and it horrified me. Interestingly, though, the actress who played Sylvia went on to appear in cult films like Repo Man--Olivia Barash.

R71 It was Steve Tracy that played Percival Dalton, Nellie's husband, that died of AIDS.

OK no--Steve Tracey from Little House was the one who passed from AIDS--the actress who played Nellie is an AIDS activist because of him.

I loved the episode with the fire ... up until the point it became all about Albert. Many wondered why he would do such a tragic episode, but he said he would be faithful to the original Wilder books. That's why Mary never regained her sight.

Here's another vote for the episode where Laura is bitten by a raccoon, and everyone assumes she will die from rabies.

I think you're mixing up characters, r70. It was Hester Sue Terhune who worked at the blind school who Harriet was shocked to learn was black, assuming she was from some society family with that name. There was a black doctor in an episode but I don't remember his name. There was another episode when a new white doctor comes to town and Harriet goes to him claiming to have "the vapors" which she read about in some book. Turns out the vapors is just flatulence!

Guest stars like Patricia Neal, Eileen Heckart and Ray Bolger added a touch of class to the show. Even daytime's Suzanne Rogers managed to get a spot!

I like when Laura and Nellie fall into the river and start floating down...

R75, You are right! The doctor was Dr. LeDoux, not Terhune.

Albert got off way too easy for killing Mary’s baby and Alice Garvey with his negligence. No one was pissed at him for that?!?!?

I loved the episodes with aging, dying old guys, like Gambini the Great and the wrestler who fought Jonathan.

The mime rape episode is in a later season. Albert falls in love with a girl named Sylvia who is raped by a guy wearing a mime mask. She gets pregnant and then dies. It’s really the height of Little House’s morbid camp phase.

"Were there ever any gays on the prairie?"

Are you talking about actors, or characters?

Well, like most people I have real trouble where Mr. Olesen's sister the fat lady returns to town to lick out Hester Sue. I felt that was just humiliating to Hester Sue's character.

They were inconsistent with Mary's baby's death (which was done horribly). There was a later episode where the Garveys moved away. Andy had a tearful goodbye with Albert, yet in the same ep, was resentful towards Mary and Adam since Alice died trying to save their baby. Albert started the fire, why wouldn't he be angry at him?! Then another ep Caroline was talking about Charles looking forward to being a grandpa when Laura got married, did they forget about Mary?

I thought it was funny that this small town had a revolving group of students.

For fuck sake, are you really going to get into inconsistencies when Michael Landon's coif alone is right out of a 70s shampoo commercial?

Wasn't Andy also involved in starting the fire?

Andy was no where near it. Albert and some nameless shit started it.

Yeah it was Albert and some kid who was never seen before or after that episode who accidentally started the fire.

Albert had this weird thing on his upper lip...a al.. a rhinoceros lip.

Albert's brother Andy was way hotter than he ever was.

I HATE the music that plays over the closing credits. Especially when it's been a tragic episode.

Disaster, illness, blindness, rape, addiction, death and then THAT music...

R89 Me too! Glad I'm not the only one.

LOVE !

Remember when Caroline Ingalls tried to cut her leg off because she had some kind of infected wound on it? I think Charles shows up just it time to stop her.

R87 YES!! Albert's upper lip bugged the shit out of me. It looked just like the Grinch's pointy upper lip.

[quote]Albert's brother Andy was way hotter than he ever was.

Not when they grew up. Andy got plump.

[quote]Alice Garvey is using the baby's head as a battering ram to open a window.

When I first saw someone on DL years ago refer to the "battering ram baby," I laughed so fucking hard.

Now, I'm not saying Michael Landon ever did anything wrong, or inappropriate. But there was a certain similarly to all the boys who were cast on the show. And I often just got weird vibes from the scenes involving them. Just the way they shot Matthew Labyorteaux. And the fact that he first played Charles as a boy, and later Albert.

I think maybe there was a subconscious darkness going on there.

What are you insinuating r96?

This ain't how Pa showed me how to do it.

Its no secret Michael Lamdon was an exhibitionist. Calling him a pedo i think is a stretch. He was too busy breaking apart his second marriage and abandoning his kids for the LHOTP make up artist.

*landon

This show made me wonder about all the goody-goody evangelicals who loved it for being so "wholesome" when actually it was filled with darkness and death. Three's Company never raped a 13-year-old girl or made anybody go blind, yet that was the show they boycotted.

A favorite of mine is the early episode "The Runaway Caboose" where Mary, Laura and Carl Edwards are stuck on ... a runaway caboose. Pa gets to be an action hero!

When this show first aired, I was aware of it but didn't watch it. We had family friends who loved the show, so I can remember we would go over to visit with them. The parents would be in the kitchen and the kids would be in the living room with the TV, and they would make us watch this show. I don't think I ever made through a full episode before I would lose interest, but the one episode I can remember enjoying was the one with Hermione Baddeley, where the Oleson family moved into her house by the lake, and then Laura and Albert made a Loch Ness monster in the lake to scare them away. I remember enjoying that episode.

Other than that, the only memorable thing about this show was Matthew Labyorteaux, who I found quite attractive. He and I are about the same age, and I have often wondered if he is gay.

Landon never wore underwear, and you could see his sizable package at times through his pants.

Melissa Gilbert and Alison Arngrim both dispelled rumors that anything inappropriate happened to the child actors on the show. Arngrim in particular wouldn't have tolerated it since she was sexually abused by her own brother and has spoken out about it and child abuse. She said that working on the show was some of little normalcy that she had at that stage in her life.

I don't think you can have this thread without mentioning the epic 2 hours, where Ernest Borgnine plays Archangel Michael.

"Nellie Returns" is a great episode with the exception of the "big city wig" Nellie must wear because she's now a Manhattan society matron. I liked the fact that Nellie matured into a compassionate woman and that Willie became a true gentleman as well, showing that something of papa Nels rubbed off on them. The fact that Nellie was able to humorously atone for her brattiness was very human, and made me like Alison Arngrim all the more because of her dramatic ability mixing so wonderfully with her comic talent.

Years ago, I got to see Alison's live comedy routine at an AIDS fundraiser at the Universal backlot. The show was so good that we went to see her second set, after plying up on the free liquor and laughing all the more!

Poor Little House never got any love while originally airing, only 3 Emmys, 2 for cinematography and 1 for music. It was a fluff show, but a very well made one.

Amazon, you say?! Begone!

I always wondered how Pa and the mousy wife had sex in that open Plan house without the kids hearing. Or, for that matter, how Matthew Laboryteaux beat off without anyone hearing.

I like when they move to the big city and cake falls off Carries fork while enjoying desert and she utters “Oh damn!”

The hill they run down in the opening credits looks like the very same hill that Liv Ullman and the school children dance down in "The World is a Circle" musical number in the flop movie musical "Lost Horizon".

I could not find a picture, but Richard Bull was the quiet guy whom Alice Ghostley believes has proposed to her on a "Designing Women" episode. From Harriett to Bernice, how appropriate.

Richard had a one day role on "General Hospital" during the last days of "Little House on the Prairie" (1981) playing an associate of Lee Baldwin's. He also appeared several times as a judge on the soap opera "Capitol", usually in trials involving Julie Adams' character of Paula Denning. During his last years, he lived with his wife in the same nursing home where Katharine "Scottie" MacGregor was in. The three of them were very good friends.

There was an IMDb message post on Katharine MacGregor's page years ago where a fanatic called her up and told her he was a fan. She replied, "How nice for you", and promptly hung up. Good for her!

I always thought Albert had a cleft lip that got fixed and that’s why his upper lift was a bit off.

And Landon cast siblings - Albert and Andy and Laura and Willy. Willy got hot as he aged. Albert and Andy got less attractive.

R112 I remember that IMDb thread. The person was pissed and actually expected her to talk with them. A total stranger.

Now MacGregor had no problems corresponding with fans by mail, if they were polite and provided self addressed stamped envelopes. She would sign photo sent and if someone didn't send one, she'd draw a fun little Harriet picture (sometimes with the Oleson family as well) with some captions and sign it.

The Greenbush girls were a case of epic bad casting ... Carrie was too young for dialogue when the show started but in the later years she was approaching adolescence and should have become one of the show's main characters. But Lindsay and Sidney clearly were not capable of even the most perfunctory acting ... even in the later years she never got more than a line or two per show, and never got a plot-line even as Landon kept cycling newer, made-up kids into the Ingalls family and handing them major storylines. Always found this weird, why didn't they just recast? I suppose Landon was too loyal for that.

He was so cute as Jonah in the "At the End of the Rainbow" episode.

Beth Howland has a really brief cameo in an episode where she checks Mary in for an academic competition in the city. She looks like she could be Harriet's spinster sister.

James Cromwell appeared in one of the best and truly sad episodes. Poor Eliza Jane.

Those episodes with Harve were great. TBH, most of the Eliza Jane centered episodes were really good. I liked the one where she had the crush on the professor who liked Laura (of course). I also liked the initial Mary going blind ep, but I think they should have either kept her single like in the book or just kept her vision intact.

Laura was a huge problem for me. She was so obsessed with Pa and he totally favored her. Mary even addressed it in one episode. She was jealous the baby, Albert etc.. she was annoying. I liked Mary Bette when she was shrieking.

R118 Lucy Lee Flippin and James Cromwell were great in that episode. Michael Landon must've really liked Lucy and respected her talent to give her such a great acting showcase for her exit episode. She's one those actresses that are usually given throwaway parts because of her unconventional looks.

Meant I liked Mary better when she wasn't shrieking,

R105 someone mentioned it way up thread, and hated it. I too love that episode, Laura is such a little girl and it makes me cry every time

My baby! My baby! My baby! My baby! My baby! My baby!

I like the episode where little Shannen Doherty tries to drown herself in the swimmin' hole.

Watch

In retrospect, I find it extremely creepy that Laura was always in contact with and befriending adult males.

R125 LOL at that retarded ass look on Albert's face....probably got a glimpse of Ma's unshaven legs for the first time.

Nah R126, Laura had spunk! Not all men hate spunk!!!!

R125 Poor Merlin Olson's lack of acting experience came through in that episode (a few others). He was good with Michael Landon and Hersha Parady, whom he had good chemistry with and could help elevate his performance. He did have a good and calming camera presence and his scenes with Patrick Labyorteaux usually worked well too.

The very first episode when Lucy appears as Miss Wilder. Albert is all excited about the new female teacher and when Miss Wilder turns around and they play funny music and Albert loses his hard on. The constant rejection she gets from men on the show reminds me of my romantic life.

WOW a gay man relating to a woman. I'm such a rebel!

Merlin Olsen was a hot daddy!

[quote]"Nellie Returns" is a great episode with the exception of the "big city wig" Nellie must wear because she's now a Manhattan society matron. I liked the fact that Nellie matured into a compassionate woman and that Willie became a true gentleman as well, showing that something of papa Nels rubbed off on them. The fact that Nellie was able to humorously atone for her brattiness was very human, and made me like Alison Arngrim all the more because of her dramatic ability mixing so wonderfully with her comic talent.

In her memoir, Alison Arngrim says her old Shirley Temple wig went to Nancy, so the costume department came up with that bizarre hair, which Alison describes as a bag of Jiffy Pop exploded on her head.

She really needs to teach a class in memoir writing. She knows what fans want to know about the show, and really spells out all the answers while being honest but not overtly mean, though she's got nothing good to say about Melissa Sue Anderson.

Pa Ingalls always broke something. Je also always lectures the other parents on how to taise their kids

Nellie made fun of a little struttering girl. Then she pretended she could join a select club of snotty girls only to force her to talk quickly at the moment of taking the pledge, which of course devolves to struttering at the little girl utter humiliation and feeling of rejection.

Another time she made fun of a handicaped little girl who was limping.

And she blackmailed Laura for having stolen and accidentaly broken a music box. She also prenteded she was paralyzed because of Laura's horse, hoping to have the beast euthanized. Then when it is proven she lied and it ends well for Laura and the horse, she enters in a psychotic rage (with creepy music) and breaks all her toys.

She was an extremely entertaining baddy.

And yet, for all that, it is Albert who was the murderer !

Oh, and I disliked the Kezia character.

^ he.. and raise.

[quote]Remember when Caroline Ingalls tried to cut her leg off because she had some kind of infected wound on it? I think Charles shows up just it time to stop her.

WRONG! The family found her unconscious. She cut into the infection at just the right moment and in the right place - Doc Baker said so and then he claimed "divine intervention" or some such nonsense. I believe he's now head of Trump's CDC.

I read somewhere that Landon and Grassle didn't get along in real life and she considered leaving the show. Don't know how accurate it was.

r136, that is true, it was hinted at in Alison's book. It sounds like Grassle wanted a complex, meaty role. Sorry, you want a big paycheck that a network show offers you, you have to compromise. Most working people have to do that.

I'm thinking Landon was difficult in general.

Wasn’t Etta Plum Michael Landon’s daughter? I think she was also the pregnant woman in the carriage accident with Mary’s glasses. Landon liked the recycle actors, like he did with Albert.

Landon was complicated guy, but had his moments. He and Grassle had very little in common and she was too feminist for him. He often wouldn't take the women's input like he would with men, especially when he didn't know them well. He had issues with Grassle and Katherine MacGregor early on. Both weren't afraid of expressing what they thought.

But he did give Hersha Paraday and Lucy Lee Flippin great exit storylines when he didn't have to. He also liked Ketty Lester and Charlotte Stewart a lot too. But Charlotte was also his type. Charlotte said she didn't sleep with him since he was a producer too, and didn't think it would be a good idea sleeping with her boss. She did sleep with Victor French, though. Eww.

Michael Landon = HUGE PENIS !

R140, I like what you're saying, but could you use the character names because some of the real names, I have no idea who they are and I have to google.

Googling...

Oh my God! Miss Beadle slept with Mr. Edwards??? Ewwww

.........

Ketty Lester and Charlotte Stewart both appeared in David Lynch productions, Lester in Blue Velvet and Stewart in Twin Peaks (including in the recent "The Return").

Charlotte Stewart revealed she slept with Victor French in her book. She got around when she was young.

Remember poor "Elmer"? Nancy was just pimping his fat ass around the whole show.

R135 = Karen Grassle

What episode is Beth "Vera" Howland in?

Does she play the Little Klutz on the Prairie?

Here’s Nancy Lee Grahn from GH, making an appearance as a ho on another great two-part episode, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not.

I also hated Kezia. But I loved Houston Lamb.

A young Madeline Stowe was on one episode

Forgot the Nancy Lee Grahn link.

[quote]What episode is Beth "Vera" Howland in? Does she play the Little Klutz on the Prairie?

Pa had to fire her after she kept exploding wheat sheaves all over the prairie

[quote]Another time she made fun of a handicaped little girl who was limping.

And then they gave my slut pig house stealing sister a recurring gig.

Man, who would've thought that little girl was less of a mess having one leg shorter than the other ( esp., during those days) and walking around with a Frankenstein shoe made from a block of wood than the actress who played her.

R99 I was at a Happy Death Day screening and Chris Landon told us he got into horror as a kid because his dad wanted to be "cool" during visitation and let him watch whatever he wanted.

R153, that's her ?! Wow, Nelly was right shunning her all that time ?

who watched this POS show?? my favorite episode was when they all died in a fire.....i have a non cable channel that re runs this shit all the time.

The first Eliza Jane episode I saw was the one with James Cromwell and I truly thought he was playing both roles

This thread is cracking me up.

We didn’t have a TV back then, so we’d catch episodes at a neighbor’s every now and then. I loved that bitch Nellie Oleson and sided with her against the sanctimonious Mary and Laura. Sylvia’s rape was vaguely traumatic, and I still can’t believe they broached that subject. That shit was probably rampant back then. It’s awful to contemplate.

I can’t believe Melissa Gilbert dated Rob Lowe.

Landon did showcase the talents of the Greenbush twins on the episode The Godsister. Plot was Pa was away from home and Ma, Laura and Albert were too busy to spend any time with Carrie so Carrie went into the woods, fell asleep and has a dream where she goes into a fantasy world where she meets her twin. They have some adventures. Needless to say after this Carrie was relegated back to being a glorified extra with an occasional line.

Carrie wants some sugar !

Didn't she get to say that when Pa pays back his debt and the family all get to buy things from Olesen mercantile.

[quote]r79 The mime rape episode is in a later season. Albert falls in love with a girl named Sylvia who is raped by a guy wearing a mime mask. She gets pregnant and then dies. It’s really the height of Little House’s morbid camp phase.

ALL BEHOLD!

R158

OMG!!! Thats hilarious!

There is one later episode where Almonzo and Laura babysit their nephews who are little hellions. In the meantime,the parents (Almanzo's brother and sister-in-law) take a vacation where they are alone on a soir en raft down a turbulent river. WTF? Was there such a thing at the time ? Does it make sense ? Was it considered romantic to be on a small plank yoi can't congrol and recieve water all over

In earlier eps as a little sheltered, anxiety ridden kid, Laura's dumb nightmares scared me a little bit. I know, I know.

[quote]Carrie wants some sugar !

[quote]Didn't she get to say that when Pa pays back his debt and the family all get to buy things from Olesen mercantile.

Pa was such a deadbeat. Probably still has his shit on layaway at Walmart.

One of the funniest things in Alison's book was her tale of doing a charity gig at a private school with Katherine MacGregor, in costume. They went in all happy to meet the kids — who were TERRIFIED of them. They beat a hasty retreat but not before someone pushed Alison over and she couldn't get up because of all the ridiculous petticoats.

I think folks should read Alison's book, so I don't want to give away too much stuff. However, I can't resist mentioning that the Mean Girls at her public school, who otherwise would have had absolutely no use for her, were in awe of her playing a c*nty b itch on such a goody-goody show.

It's my favorite celebrity memoir

Trivia: Ma's last name is pronounced "Grass-lee".

I always imagined Karen Grassle rhymed with "hassle".

This has interesting candid shots of the crew on location, and info like how after the child actors were sent home at 4:00, Karen Grassle would have to go through changing all her costumes and hairstyles to do closeups for the scenes they'd shot that day, acting opposite the script girl.

R169, me too. And it reminded me of “gristle”, which isn’t too pleasant.

Michael Landon's daughter Jennifer won 3 consecutive Emmys for "As The World Turns".

I had forgotten that Royal Dano played Sylvia's father in the "Mime Rape" episode

This thread is one of the reasons I LOVE Datalounge.

R166-7-8, this looks like a lot of fun. I can imagine the two actresses' dismay at the children being repulsed by them and then tackling Nellie who couldn't get up !

R74 = Melissa Gilbert

R60 In the early 1980s the kids in my neighborhood referred to the show as Little Fairies on the Prairie.

I think this is Jonathan Gilbert.

I haven't read Arngrim's book (yet), but in one interview she gave, she talked how people would give her evil looks, told she she's awful, spit on her and once someone threw garbage at her and hit her right in the face with it.

So does anyone know definitively is Matthew Labyorteaux gay or not gay? I've heard the gay rumors about him for decades. If he is he must keep a low profile.

Too bad that little shit Cassandra didn't go with her parents in the wagon. FOX "News" witch.

I remember when Sylvia first aired. It was a two-parter and I was ten years old. It was the talk of the playground after part 1 aired. The last thing that happens is the rape. It was a cliffhanger.

Everyone wondered who was in the mime mask. I was in 4th grade, and my friend Christina's little brother who was in 1st grade said he thought it was Mrs. Oleson. I remember he saying "Yeah, Brian, Mrs. Oleson raped Sylvia."

Another friend spoiled it. He said "My dad said it must be the blacksmith. He said that actor is too famous to have such a small part in the show. The blacksmith raped Syliva" And he was right!

Richard Jaeckel played the blacksmith. I don't really know him, but I guess in 1981 he had some degree of fame.

Just because I never get tired of it...Caroline Ingalls and Tim Gun on the red carpet

Landon dick prints are distracting from the storyline.Did he always limp or was it those boners that kept appearing.Why does he look so erect,or were his longjohns illfitting.An how did i miss these sizemeat glimpse's as a child. Landon did the same thing on that Pondarosa show.

the olson twins looked dirty....all the time.Did the mother ever bath them

Alison mentions Michaels lack of underwear on the set. It was pretty well known.

Melissa Gilbert's pettiness ruined Little House for me.

Carrie's only purpose seemed to be as comic relief. She was always emerging from the outhouse.

The last episode was hilarious. They blew the town up. Talk about scorched earth.

Michael Landon was a complicated guy. On the set they said he could be really goofy and happy go lucky one moment then next he would snap and get very angry/ serious and it was startling. Also he had alcohol most times in his on set coffee mugs. So when PA was drinking...PA was really drinking!

The movie about Landon based on a book written by Michael Jr "The Father I Knew" starring John Schneider ( Dukes of Hazard) was supposedly accurate on how changable he could be.

One of the earlier ones I remember is when Mrs. Whipple's son, played by Richard Milligan, came back as a morphine addict related to his time at the war. It did not end well, but was an earlier episode and believe it was well done.

One that was a bit creepy for a "family" show,was when one of the girl's friends drowns while swimming with them. The girl's mother goes insane, thinks Laura is her daughter, and holds her captive in the cellar.

THE real Charles did seem to drag the family across the country to one failed venture after another.

Alison's book is great! The old Barnes and Noble (or Borders) in Columbus Circle had Melissa Gilbert there one time toPromote her autobiography and she said she was looking forward to Allison's book knowing that it would be hysterical. She seemed to be in reverence of Alison as a comedian, and talk about her preparation of going on the road to play Caroline in the musical version.

Alison will be doing her comedy show, "Confessions of a Prairie Bitch", at the Laurie Beechman Theater on May 11th, and I'm working on enticing a friend to go. We are both fans of "Little Mercantile on the Prairie", and have often joked about dressing up as Harriet and Nellie for Halloween.

One of Katherine MacGregor's credits is on the waterfront, and I'm wondering if anybody has spotted her in that. Something tells me you would not know that it is her simply because it is 20 years before the show. I noticed that her and Karen Grassley were both on the soap opera "Love of Life" at different times. Harriet Oleson often reminded me of Phoebe Tyler Wallingford on "All My Children" with her haughtiness, and both characters started off rather serious and ended up comical because of the actor's comic gifts.

Not to spoil too much about Alison's book, but it made me belly-laugh when Alison described a fight that Half Pint and Nellie had in the Walnut Grove mudhole (their version of the Dynasty lily pond, I guess).

Since the sound was dubbed in later, they went to town:

"Eat SHIT, you bitch!"

"FUCK YOU!"

R192 Katherine MacGregor was primarily a stage actress before LHOTP, but did land some small TV and film parts here and there. She said that people in TV and film didn't know how to use her and didn't know what she was capable of doing. She was about to retire from acting when she landed the Harriet role.

The Harriet character was a pretty one dimensional at first and MacGregor and Landon fought over the characterization early on. She wanted to add some humor to the part and show Harriet as not being all bad. Landon realized MacGregor was right and knew what she was doing and gave her more free reign with the role. She of course took it and ran with it and made Harriet an unforgettable character.

R188 Carrie probably had undiagnosed irritable bowel syndrome.

The Albert morphine ep is currently airing on Hallmark Drama.

Back in the 90s there was a genius ‘zine called “Rollerderby” and they did an article about this very subject. I may have to dig around and read it, but it was a lot of the same sentiment. How horrific many of the plots were, for something that was supposed to be a family show.

Which also reminds me of when “Diff’rent Strokes” did a show about child molestors and “The Facts of Life” did one where a pimp tries to recruit Tootie.

[quote] Three's Company never raped a 13-year-old girl or made anybody go blind,

I think you've forgotten the very special episode where Chrissy's barely teenaged sister Charity visits, and is raped by Larry and then is blinded by Lana throwing acid in her face.

There are rumours about that all over the industry. There's apparently two minutes lost 'Roper' footage where they have their way with her. When he's drunk, David Lynch will tell you its where he got the idea for Twin Peaks.

In the late 1970's my grandmother's favorite characters were Grizzly Adams and Mrs Oleson from LHOTP.

r192, go see Alison's show even if you can't talk your friend into it. I saw it years ago even before her book was out and it was a hoot. She did a hilarious bit on what the hell was wrong with Baby Carrie complete with a montage of clips showing Carrie's incoherent line readings.

My favorite is when Pa and Albert filmed the first Family Dick episode

Ma?!

[quote] In the late 1960s - hoping to boost her career, briefly changed her professional name to Kay Dillinger, claiming to be the illegitimate offspring of the notorious 1930s bank robber (who died ten years before she was born!).

[quote]When she came to LA in 1973 for a never-completed movie project, she was calling herself "Gabriel Tree", and it was under this name that she beat out 47 other actresses for the role of "Caroline Ingalls" in the long-running TV drama Little House on the Prairie (1974) (co-star Michael Landon convinced her to revert back to her given name of Karen Grassle).

R203

MA is crazy!!!

I don't know the lady, but I find it hard to believe she changed her name for Hollywood, as she'd already acted on Broadway under the name Karen Grassle, and for Joeseph Papp's prestigious Public Theater.

These were decent credits: it seems unlikely she'd just erase them by reinventing herself, and starting over at square one.

Why did they build a blind school in Walnut Grove? Shouldn’t it have been in Sleepy Eye?

R203 Those things are true, she admitted them in an interview (linked below). She also talked about how frustrated early in the run of the show when Caroline was passive and given little to do, after getting home she'd smash dishes and jars in her backyard!

Doc Baker said Mary’s sight would return if he could fuck her a few times.

Melissa Gilbert has never gotten over being the ugly one.

This show was a classic case of jump the shark. By the end it was almost unrecognizable from its original concept.

The “tragedy” episodes were the best. One of my favorites (I just looked it up) is season 5, episode 23, “Mortal Mission”, where Albert and Charles must race against time to get help when anthrax breaks out in. Walnut Grove after a crazy farmer sells them infected lamb meat. I was cackling hysterically with my mom recently when that episode came on the hallmark channel.

Wasn't there an episode where some sort of plague broke out? I remarked rats crawling all over some wheat or something.

There was one with the typhoid fever. Laura once again was insufferable. I always liked the one where the kids get caught in the blizzard.

In binge watching this over the weekend, I realized the dad who loses his wife and son to anthrax is the same actor who plays the dad who loses his wife and son to typhus. Landon was so big on reusing actors. Like the guy who played Albert playing Pa as a kid.

Let's not forget the mentally challenged guy named Tinker who had all the children gather scrap metal and they done made a bell.

How bout the episode where an alcoholic father beat and whipped his 7 year old son almost to death. Child of Pain I think was the name of the episode.

My favorite episode was the heartbreaking Soldier's Return. About a civil war veteran who is addicted to morphine comes to live with his mother. It was really underplayed with Richard Mulligan and was a really good episode.

^ That was probably the least campy out of all their "Very Special Episodes"

Karen Grassle was married to Leon Russom, best known as Willis Frame on Another World.

I was wondering if anyone would mention the Tinker episode.

I liked the episode, maybe titled, "Fool's Gold?" where Laura and her friend (who would have totally been up Pa Ingalls' alley) think they've struck Gold. The fantasy sequence of what they were going to do with all their money was hysterical.

[quote]r207 Those things are true, she admitted them in an interview (linked below).

Well, she is a fuckin' DINGBAT, then. Dear lord.

I can see her doing LSD. Like in some group therapy retreat at Esalen in Big Sur. I blame THAT.

Solider's Return was a great one. LH did hit on issues that are relevant today, albeit within their own context. The Abel one was good ep. In the later episodes, I liked the one when Laura was pregnant and she had to keep the crops or apple tree or whatever hydrated while Almanzo was away.

R220 It wouldn't be surprising if she dabbled in that back then.

I think that set was probably totally culture shock for her early on since she was liberal, feminist hippy and the rest of the cast wasn't. A very male oriented set. Luckily she was able to adapt to it and bringing on more adult female cast members gave her more people to talk with.

I bet Ma could whip up a mean batch of pot brownies on the weekend.

Despite Karen GRASSle and Michael Landon conflicts, they did have good tv couple chemistry. I can totally believe those two were really together. I never knew that Karen was not happy and arguing with Landon about her role...its a miracle he didnt fire her since he was a bit of a misogynistic tyrant.

One of the things I noticed in Katharine MacGregor's performance as the show went on was how humble she could be underneath all of the hautiness. Often, with Caroline, she would turn her back to Karen Grassle, quietly apologize, and you could see a hint of a tear in her eye. When she admitted that "at times", she could be a bit persnickety, it was one of those groundbreaking moments where you saw in her a real human being. Her first episodes have her more haughty because she is obviously not interested in pandering to these newcomers, having been basically "Queen Bee" of Walnut Grove up until that time where nobody seemed to ever question her.

For "Nellie's Return", You got to see that Nellie had completely freed herself of her mother's haughtiness, that living in New York had really grounded her, and she didn't want to see adopted sister Nancy grow up to be like she was. I love stories of atonement, and both Harriet and Nellie got em', as did Willy who became quite a gentleman.

I never found Almanzo HOT. He was too milquetoast for my taste.

R224 I don't think Landon was as bad as some of the other men with power on sets back then, but he could be dismissive of women at times. Most speak well of him in general, although some will admit he was complicated. Charlotte Stewart (Mrs. Beadle) admitted he came on to her during her audition, and she didn't take him up on it. He still hired her and never gave her a hard time for not sleeping with him.

He also had a falling out with Victor French (Mr. Edwards) when he left the show. It took a few years, but they got over it and French returned to the show after his other show was canceled. He also hired French for his next TV show Highway to Heaven. I couldn't get into that show.

I just loved that episode where Nelly had to get treated by Doc for a yeast infection.

Why did blind Mary and blind Adam always look so put together? You’d think that with both being blind that they would be wearing all kinds of mixed matched crazy shit and look a little disheveled, at least.

Pa Ingalls had the horsecock.

The novels were brilliant. The TV series was crap.

[quote]r227 Charlotte Stewart (Mrs. Beadle) admitted Landon came on to her during her audition, and she didn't take him up on it. He still hired her

Well, I wouldn't have, because this proves she was obviously INSANE!

The only thing I saw Charlotte Stewart in after "Little House" was on "The Young and the Restless" in a recurring role as a fortune teller, around 1985.

That show was more depressing than The Waltons.

The Waltons was a better show. Less hokey and more realistic that LH.

Stewart had a small role in Twin Peaks in the early 90s and the more recent revival. She does the fan convention circuit for both Little House and Peaks/Lynch fans. I bet there's not a lot of crossover between the two but maybe I'm wrong. This thread is proof that Little House could be as fucked up as a Lynch story at times.

EVERYTHING about this story stopped me from committing suicide today!

Its pure, campy, gay goodness-

William H Macy- who I despise. What a DOUCHE.

Felicity Huffman- an insufferable cunt with massive plastic surgery face- who I despise.

A half mentally retarded girl named Olivia Jade. Perfect!

A "web series" called WHEN CALLS THE HEART- When calls the heart. When calls the HEART!!!! LOLLLL

Lori Loughlin.

Fuckin "Full House"...

A bunch of entitled 1 percenters being DRAGGED.

4 words.

I think Mrs. Oleson connected you to the wrong party.

When I was a kid watching LHOTP I thought Karen Grassle was the most beautiful woman ever.

Sorry Mrs. Oleson!

I WANT TO LIVE now!

Can I buy some fabric please!

Sorry but I'm sure we don't stock any of the fabric someone like you would use. We are after all the most stylish mercantile in the area. Thank you for coming.

The price of eggs has changed, r240. I can offer you a penny each. If that price is not acceptable, you are welcome to sell them elsewhere. Now I'm a very busy woman. Thank you for stopping in.

There really was no better villain that Harriett.

Remember Ma tucking her hair in her bonnet? It was to this young gayling the same thing as would eventually be Pamela Sue Martin's Fallon twirl.

Tribute twirl... sorry, I'm misty.

I think the pictures posted here are the first I've seen out of costume. She really didn't get the same name recognition or career boost as some of the other people on the show.

Didn't Caroline then take those eggs to go off and sell them to someone at the Mill... and then Harriet quickly had to offer to pay her what she wanted? I seem to also remember something about brown eggs.

[quote]Remember Ma tucking her hair in her bonnet?

I love that even on Family Guy, they did that part:

I was such a Little House junkie that I even watched Father Murphy, the Merlin Olsen spin-off.

Whatever happened to Merlin Olsen after Father Murphy ?

R249, I'd watch a whole episode ofLH done the Griffin way.

R251, don't forget this:

^ I'm convinced that Seth Macfarlane is a DLer

Impossible, R253:

Those pastured chicken eggs ma raised had to be chock full of zinc thereby making pa's cum quite viscous.

I never understood how Caroline got the gig of selling eggs to the Mercantile! First of all, where did they get their eggs before? Someone else would've sold them eggs before newly arrived Caroline. Plus, they were all on farms, surely most people had eggs.

OMG ! R252, I never saw this before ! So wicked ! It's like it is written by Nellie Olsen herself.

R256, so are you asking: What came first, the chicken or the egg?

Pa came first, he was a selfish lover.

R258, why yes, yes I am.

Willie was hot as fuck near the end of the show.

I just watched "The Return of Nellie" on Amazon Prime, which I'd never seen.

Hilarious bad camp. Alison's wig looks like a $10.95 Eva Gabor special, and the scene where Nancy runs away and is chased by a mean wild dog plays out like this:

Nancy runs in terror. Big goofy friendly dog chases her like it's a happy game, then stops, looks back, and obviously reacts to a handler's command to come back.

But Katherine MacGregor is brilliant. In one scene, she comes bursting in while Nellie and Laura are visiting with Laura's baby. The baby, startled at her entrance, starts to fuss, and Melissa Gilbert immediately tries to calm it down so it doesn't ruin the scene. MacGregor also adlibs, making a Harriet fuss over the baby and then pulling a disgusted face that comes and goes so quickly it's genius. And she must've improvised it to keep the scene going while not losing her character for one second.

Why was Nellie written off the show in the first place?

R263 I believe Alison felt she had done all she could do with the character who had reformed from pre-teen hell kitten to unlucky nymphet to happy wife and mother. It is too bad she didn't come back more than just that one appearance. Alison knows that will be her legacy and she enjoys every moment of it, 7 years of her life, but for the most part, she remained close with everybody she worked with.

She talks about it in the book. She was fired over budget over the summer. The "Return" episode was the Goodbye she never got. She asked for a crazy amount of money for that one ep, thinking they'd say no and Landon insisted.

I always loved the opening theme. Especially those first few notes. In my house, when I was a kid, and that started you always heard "come on everybody it's starting!" . Everyone in my family was a LHOTP fanatic. I'm probably going to stream some of it but I'm a little leery to watch it as an adult. I couldn't wait to rewatch a few of my favorite prime time shows that I enjoyed as a kid and the memories were tarnished. What I liked as a kid was pure shit watching it as an adult. The only shows I liked as a kid that have held up are the ones I loved watching that were repeats in the afternoon. The shows that hold up best were the ones in already in syndication. Surprisingly Gomer Pyle is one of the best. The Andy Griffith Show, The Munsters, and of course I Love Lucy are the ones that I can still enjoy.

I'd like a French version, [italic]Little House on the Beret.

For people who liked Little House, you should check out Lark Rise To Candleford, it is very much a British version of Little House, likewise based on a series of semi-autobiographical books.

Miss Beadle had an itchy pussy. She traded it for a Honda.

Is Lark Rise to Candleford the one with Mr. Bates from Downton Abbey?

R270 Yes, and Saffron from Absolutely Fabulous.

"She does the fan convention circuit for both Little House and Peaks/Lynch fans. I bet there's not a lot of crossover between the two but maybe I'm wrong."

I'm one!

Charlotte could also probably get some convention appearance bookings for Tremors series also since that movie series has a fan base.

One thing I have always noticed about LHOTP is the constant use of RUNNING as a mechanism for advancing the story. There are countless scenes of Laura, Mary, Albert and other kids RUNNING away from emotionally charged scenes. Found out someone died? RUN FOR THE HILLS. Your pet horse bunny hit a wire-fence and grandpa Ingalls and Pa are arguing over whether or not it should be euthanized? RUN AWAY! Your sister is being held hostage by a gang of criminals/possible rapists in a blind school on a dark and stormy night? RUN FOR IT! There is even an opening to one episode with a kid RUNNING, like his life depended on it--filmed in one continuous shot--through the entirety of the town, until he finally bolts into the schoolhouse to deliver some kind of letter to the teacher. The RUNNING always seemed, at the very least, overly dramatic, especially when I watched episodes as a kid. As an adult, I have often thought it was just a quick/cheap way to break away from a tense scene, with the issue at hand getting resolved, somehow, in a later scene--usually one that provided an opportunity for more drama. But, seriously, the amount of RUNNING in the show, especially by the children would, in part, explain the non-existence of childhood obesity in Walnut Grove (barring Elmer, of course).

What did you want them to do? Call Uber?

I adore Little house. Read Laura, mary and nellies books. I love when i stumble across an episode ive not seen. My hubby hates it and if hes scrolling through the channels and its on, he tries to change the channel so quickly...but i always know the show from even a split second of sound. This and The Golden Girls..Dallas and Friends mean so much to me.

I have some weird, emotional connection to this show. I can pretty much start crying between 6-8 times an episode. It gets me in my heart. Love this show.

R277, Mary!

Funny, until this thread (and there have been so many other threads about Little House I've taken to believe that Alison starts them to promote her book) and I've never really thought about how Willie ended up changing into a Gentleman like his father, until I read this thread.

There really wasn't enough glamour on this show to entrance the baby gayling in me. Mary got one fancy dress, and that was it.

The rest of the time everyone was trapped in that dowdy Holly Hobby calico.

[quote]The rest of the time everyone was trapped in that dowdy Holly Hobby calico.

Lies! You're not a real fan!!!

Glamour galore!

Did anyone else really like the episodes where they moved to the city?

If I remember my sister's wardrobe from the time correctly, there was a bunch of Laura Ashley in her closet, which I always assumed was a modern day Ingalls look

There was plenty of glamour once the family moved to Mankato and Mary developed "big-city airs."

The city episodes was the decline. It didn't even slowly build, it just all out flew down the hill in S5.

Melissa Sue's "I Want To Speak to a Manager" face in MIDNIGHT OFFERINGS

[quote]r284 There was plenty of glamour once the family moved to Mankato and Mary developed "big-city airs."

I never realized that Missy looked like Linda Carter.

Melissa had Brooke Shields syndrome. She was the most beautiful child but when she hit puberty went downhill faster than Nellie's wheelchair.

Melissa Sue aged better than Brooke though and didn't develop a masculine look like Brooke either.

I just watched the Movie / Pilot. Why the fuck did they make Jack run after the fucking wagon instead of letting him sit in it?

Also, Pa had no reason to get so pissed off at the Olsen's, namely, Harriet, because they wouldn't give him a Plow basically for free. He was an arrogant SOB who thought his big cock was enough to get him a free ride!

Little House has the best GIFS. Pa was so fucking dreamy. That was my biggest take from LHOP

[quote]He was an arrogant SOB who thought his big cock was enough to get him a free ride!

Believe me, it was and I did. There was a reason I called it "Ol' Dan Tucker."

Season 1, Episode 6...

Miss Beadle kept Johnny after class so she could get a taste of his big 30 year old dick, didn't she?

R294 I think you meant Season 1, Episode 5 "The Love of Johnny Johnson"

Executive Producer: Michael Landon Jr. Anyone remotely surprised?

R295 Amazon has it listed as Episode 6. They must count the movie as Episode 1.

I remember an episode where Pa had to hit the road to look for work (I recall that his boot was worn out and he had to tie the sole with twine). Anyway, he hooked up with the railroad for a construction job working with a partner with dynomite, they were having some kind of a contest to win some money, and his partner got blown to smithereens...

In the episode, "School Mom," do we think that both Miss Beadle and Caroline took turns with Abel's 40 year old cock?

How often do you think Mrs. Peel flicked her bean thinking about that jezebel Mary when she came to town to teach?

Having been born in 1970, I grew up with the show. It was the first show were I ever saw characters develop and change over time. I can remember when they moved to the big city thinking, "I guess the show's gonna be here from now on. But why do they still call it Little House?" I was convinced they'd change the title eventually.

Imagine my shock when they actually moved back to the Little House. I actually put it all together "Ohhh this is how it works. Shows will have big changes but they're not permanent" Of course Laverne and Shirley would be the exception.

Looking, back , it was pretty cool to follow Nellie's story. I think they did her evolution pretty well. Once she decided she was in love with Percival, she was never nasty again. Except, I think when she returned as a guest star, she had a flash of anger at her mother. You suddenly saw, for a couple seconds, that old look in her eyes.

I agree, Harriett was a fantastic character and the woman who played her a brilliant actress.

Speaking of Perceval, I never realized what a dick he could be until rewatching recently. I know it was to keep Nellie in line, but he was so domineering at times. Shame AA was let go due to budget cuts, the dynamic of the show changed a lot after she left. I honestly feel the show should've ended after S4.

Looking at all the pictures of the young men from the show.. COME ON! You can't tell me that Michael Landon didn't have a type. Not saying children, but he had a thing for brunette floppy haired strong nosed teenage dudes. Not saying he acted on it either.

Stop your fucking deluded thinking of "everyone's gay", it's really quite sad r304.

R304 or you know... that was the look back in the 70s and early 80s.

R239 Me too!

It always amused me that whenever new technology would arrive in Walnut Grove (telephone, telegraph) it would serve as grist for an episode then someone would decide it was tearing the town apart and they'd get rid of it.

[quote]r306 or you know... that was the look back in the 70s and early 80s.

And "brunette floppy haired strong nosed teenage dude" is how Landon would have been described in his youth.

He obviously thought he was the greatest thing EVER ... so of course he just kept hiring young versions of himself, over and over and fuckin' [italic]over.

I for one am quite happy about Landon's penchant for floppy haired, strong nosed teenage dudes!!!

Now that you mention it, R304....one of my favorite episodes was when Laura taught the deaf boy sign language....see Exhibit A, below....

I'm not saying Landon was gay. I'm saying that all the young guys cast on the show were a very definite type. I think he enjoyed being around them, and likely had latent gay feelings.

better latent than never. landon was a stone cold fox right up until the day he died.

Michael Landon's son.

No wonder why Landon loved to film himself in Long John's to present.

Charlotte Stewart also has a small role as Shelley Long's assistant in "Irreconcilable Differences."

Is his son gay? He sure inherited daddy's dick.

The episode about Nels being ashamed of his fat sister was great.

BUT, let me tell you what I saw on Oprah one time.

The episode featured housekeepers of the rich and famous and Oprah asked each one to name their biggest disappointment.

One of the women named Michael Landon and Oprah was just shocked. The woman said Landon constantly made insulting fat jokes about her.

Michael Landon’s son and his partner had a son in 2017. So I guess he’s gay. Nice dick too.

R318 Landon had multiple children. Christopher Landon is gay. Michael Landon, Jr. isn't. Not sure about his other children.

He had nine children in total, across three marriages. Mark Fraser Landon (adopted), died 2009 Josh Fraser Landon (adopted) Cheryl Lynn Landon (adopted) Leslie Ann Landon Michael Landon Jr. Shawna Leigh Landon Christopher Beau Landon Jennifer Rachel Landon Sean Matthew Landon

Sorry my formatting sucked

[R318] Landon had multiple children. Christopher Landon is gay. Michael Landon, Jr. isn't. Not sure about his other children.

He had nine children in total, across three marriages.

Mark Fraser Landon (adopted), died 2009

Josh Fraser Landon (adopted)

Cheryl Lynn Landon (adopted)

Leslie Ann Landon

Michael Landon Jr.

Shawna Leigh Landon

Christopher Beau Landon

Jennifer Rachel Landon

Sean Matthew Landon

That cock is beautiful, looks just like mine. Let that bush grow out.

why did Michael Landon do Christian faith based TV shows if he was Jewish?

Was the big dick Landon's gay son the blonde kid who guested on Little House?

Albert went to my high school after the show ended. And yes kids mocked him by throwing up milk whenever he was around. He was very very handsome but equally short. Tiny.

Aren't they all?

Why would he shame his father like that?

Guess he's another worthless child of a celebrity.

... and we thought Olivia Jade was bad.

Oh honey he didn't shame him.

Yes he did.

I don't see Olivia Jade doing pussy shots.

The guy must really be a loser.

Hey, all I have is this dick that I was born with.

One thing that always bugged me about this show was the end credits.

Half Pint is running down the grassy hill and stretches her arms out to pretend she is an airplane. They didn't have airplanes back then!

R330, but they had birds!

R331 that was mean of you to let R330 know he's wasted his childhood wrongfully bothered by that clip!

But the arms were stretched out, palms down like a plane.

Really, r330? God you are a dumb bird.

R322 The only really faith based show he did was Highway To Heaven and like the later Touched By An Angel, it wasn't sectarian, it was just generally Judeo-Christian.

r330 / r333, how were her hands suppose to be? Have you never seen a bird glide around?

[quote]But the arms were stretched out, palms down like a plane.

So a bird flies with its wings facing up?

Wow.

Wasnt LHOTP Christian themed?

R338 I don't consider it Christian themed, more just about people who happened to be Christian. It was set in a small town on the frontier in the 1800s, of course the people would be Christian. And, when you get right down to it, there is not much of a difference between Jewish and Christian ethics or morality.

Could you imagine the reboot? Caroline would be tucking her hair in her hijab, Mr. French would be black, Nellie and Laura would be lovers. Willie would be the first trans. The Olesons would be portrayed ad the dirty jews.

OMFG!!!!! r340 wins! Hilarious!

lol, R340.

I think you nailed it

Jennifer Landon won 3 consecutive daytime Emmys.

Wasn't there an episode where they thought Jewish people had tails?

R344 I think it was Harriett, that thought that, when Nellie and Percival got married. Her prejudices were shown to be ridiculous ignorance, and she was made to look foolish. Meanwhile, no one else had a problem with him and Rev. Alden even let Percival and his father use the church for Shabbat prayers in a later episode.

There was that episode where Harriett thought a German family was illiterate because they didn't speak very much English.

When Nellie returns and shows her parents photos of her twins Harriet comments on their noses... implying they have Jewish noses and it's unappealing until Nels points out that she should look closer because the children have HER nose.

[R33], [R36], [R178], This CNN "Where Are They Now" from 2014 states Melissa Gilbert says her brother is a NY stockbroker. Weird how he has blue eyes in the LHOTP photo and brown eyes as an adult (did the show make him wear colored contacts to look "familial?").

R348 it's well known that that photo going around is not him. It's just someone that has been mistakenly identified as Jonathan.

Haha, this is amazing:

[quote]In Gilbert's autobiography, she writes that when Jonathan was in his early 20s, he moved away from California and she has had no relationship with him since then, for reasons supposedly unknown to her.

She has NO IDEA WHY.

I think all of us know why!

Yes. When your sibling blocks your number, it's a complete mystery.

I remember a segment on Entertainment Tonight that featured Gilbert on the set of some TV movie she was filming. It had a Mardi Gras scene in it or something and there were floats passing by and extras throwing beads, etc.

While filming the segment, Gilbert got hit by one of the beads and she lost her shit. She started screeching that whoever threw it DID IT ON PURPOSE. Someone tried to calm her down and tell her it was an accident but she continued SCREAMING THAT IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT THE EXTRA DID IT ON PURPOSE!!!!

And maybe they did - -

I will never face the wrath of the shitbra again

And that extras name R352, was Jalissa Lou Danderson...

The funniest thing about the ET segment was that they aired it... someone wanted to let everyone know what a bitch Half Pint was.

I think the brother split due to how miserable most of the Gilberts are, just take a look at Sara. She's a lesbian version of Eeyore.

I always thought it was bizarre that Sara took their last name even though she had nothing to do with their father.

Just because it's still funny...

Something about Half Pint tells me she didn't let a day go by without reminding little brother that he was adopted.

She knows exactly why he's cut her out for 30 years.

R360 so was she. Sara is their mother's only bio child.

Arngrim, who remains close to Melissa, mentions in her bio that their mother is...off.

I believe Melissa suggested in her memoir that she was in fact the product of her 'adopted' father, Paul Gilbert and a mistress and that her parents went through the whole 'charade' of adopting her to add respectability to the whole thing and keep the mistress out of the picture.

No R362 Melissa eventually reconnected with her birth parents, a young couple who eventually married.

LMAO, R350.

[quote]5356 The funniest thing about the ET segment was that they aired it... someone wanted to let everyone know what a bitch Half Pint was.

PLEASE tell me this footage is available somewhere ! !

Yes. WE WANT THE FOOTAGE.

Melissa Gilbert is a fake as the day is long.

I looked on Youtube for it but only fond some other interview of her on EW. If I remember correctly the person who was trying to calm her down was her (then?) Husband Bruce, who may have also been in the movie with her.

Why was every guy in love with laura? There was one ep where the professor tried to bed Laura. The funniest part of that ep was Eliza Jane, who crushed on him, saying that she'll sleep with him and it doesn't matter if he is married. Pretty bold for a wholesome character on this show. Then another ep, Laura is trying to get her book published and the editor guy has a bit of a thing for her. Come on, there was nothing great about Melissa Gilbert.

she was the little whore on the prairie.

I'm binging on season 1 today. I haven't seen this show since I was a kid in the 80s (reruns after school). Thanks to this thread I wanted to see it again. It's surprisingly good. I thought it would seem badly done through more mature eyes but, even though much of it is maudlin and a lot of unlikely scenarios, the production is high quality for a TV show (save for the 70s jazz TV musak and ocassional slang like "take it easy.").

I was talking to a friend a few years back about how progressive the show was for the time, except that there was no subtle gay subject episode. She claims there was one with some out of town guy or city guy (when Charles and Merlin would go to the city) that was seen by them and describe as "eccentric" or "special" in "that way". Anyone know of thus?!?!

^^^this^^^^

Doesn't ring a bell, r373. There was that fussy, Felix Unger-ish guy in the final season who might have been gay coded but I don't remember those episodes very well

That could be it r375. I'm going to go search for that episode now.

Oh my god, I don't think anyone here mentioned the episode when the newly invented telephone comes to Walnut Grove and Harriet becomes the town "Operator" and eavesdrops on all the calls? She finds out that Mrs. Battering Ram Garvey once had a husband prior to Jonathan.

It features Harriet at her absolute worst, and also features Allison Arngrim in one of her MEANEST scenes. "Have a lovely day, Laura!!!"

Oh I just love that one. Good episode.

I would've liked to see a "gay issue" episode, too. But consider conservative Michael Landon, not to mention the core Little House audience: middle America, middle class conservative Christians. A gay story for these people can't presented in a sympathetic light, so producers probably just avoided it.

Did Michael Landon's enormous cock receive its own billing? Its own trailer? Craft services?

Yeah a Little Hole on the Prairie might have been enjoyable.

I just cringed through the Johhny Cash episode.

[quote]Did Michael Landon's enormous cock receive its own billing? Its own trailer? Craft services?

After that prairie python did its work, Karen Grassle demurely tucked her pubic hair back inside the edges of her vaginal sunbonnet.

Why did Michael Landon and Victor French have a falling out?

If you ever wanted to ask half pint about shitbras she will be speaking at a film q&a event in Connecticut

all half-bitch wants to talk about is Rob Lowe.

I believe Landon was pissed Victor French left Little House to headline the sitcom Carter Country. They evidently patched things up since French returned to the show when Carter Country was canceled and did Highway To Heaven with Landon in the 80s.

Victor French looks like he does not keep a clean hole.

Hersha Parady talks about the infamous baby battering ram episode.

[quote]r389 Hersha Parady talks about the infamous baby battering ram episode.

WHY isn't that a gif. [italic]WHY?

That was truly a dumb episode. Two blind people just left their baby to go help the other children. Makes zero sense. Alice was always kind if a bitch.

Clean enuf for me R388, ya.

Mad Magazine Little House Oh, So Dreary

Pa, heading out to the barn to "check on the sheep" after Ma blew him off, due to her "monthly visitor"

Merlin definitely looked better with a beard

Dear god warn me next time, r400!

MAD is a national treasure. I remember that Air Wick joke from when I was a kid!

[quote]Two blind people just left their baby to go help the other children.

HA! Yeah, WTF was that about??? Your own child would be a priority for you for fuck sake. She couldn't carry the kid and hand it off in the hallway?

We used to call Albert "Drip Lip." To this day, that is still how we refer to that character.

Laura was actually worse than Nelly ever was.

Funny how the Olesons were one ofnthe wealthiest ofbthe town, and Nelly wore a variety of dresses, but Willy was always dressed in the same brown pants and suspenders.

Threads like this are my "serenity now" threads. I need them after dealing with idiots in political threads.

^ Elmer Dobkins for Class President!

I love you^

Every Monday night, after catechism, I would run home to watch. It was one of our real family events when everyone didn't mind being there. When the stirring music first started you had your ass on the floor with your pillow and snacks.

I've watched the first few episodes of season 4 and the show's quality has taken a big hit already.

Edwards is gone, with only a brief mention of being "out in California" during the Chicago episode.

Merlin Olsen has zero charisma, nor acting ability. Who did he blow to get this part? Was having a football player on the show supposed to attract more male viewers or something?

The dialogue and pacing seem half-baked with an over-reliance on the swelling violins. Did the writers change? I need to look more closely at the credits.

At least they gave Mary more of a personality.

I'm still watching though...

MY BABY!!!