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Never Even Nominated: Why Wasn’t Katherine MacGregor More Appreciated?

In going down the rabbit hole of the internet, I came across this gem of an interview on YouTube with Katherine “Scottie” MacGregor aka Little House on the Prairie’s Mrs. Oleson. She seems like such a charming character and a lovely woman. She is also hilarious! Looking back on her performance in Little House, I don’t think she got all the credit she deserved. She was actually quite beautiful, an MVP among the ensemble, and gave a more nuanced performance than I realized watching as a kid. It seems outrageous she was never even nominated for a single Emmy during LHOTP’s 9-year run. I also find it kind of sad that she retired from acting after Little House ended - she could have easily continued on acting in roles throughout the 80s. She only passed away in 2018 at the age of 93. There’s surprisingly little interviews or information about her online.

Sending Ms. MacGregor some posthumous appreciation. I wish she had found more adulation in life - she deserved it.

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by Anonymousreply 4December 10, 2022 11:43 AM

The children on the set loved her and followed her around. She was adored by them.

I liked the episodes where she wasn't used as a heavy; sometimes, if there was an external menace facing the town or characters, it was made all the more frightening because Harriet was shown to be genuinely scared or concerned. This happened in the "My Ellen" episode where Laura was locked in a deranged woman's cellar and there's also a nice moment in another episode where we see her genuinely repulsed by the racist Mr. Larabee, despite her own awful behavior in the past. When Harriet was scared, it was time to be scared.

by Anonymousreply 1December 9, 2022 1:22 AM

I love that she played Mrs. Oleson as a child's exaggerated cartoon memory of a scary adult. She was a gem and had excellent voice command. She simpered and raged. I loved her voice. One of the best TV characters.

by Anonymousreply 2December 9, 2022 10:28 AM

KM was a great actress whenever she was on the screen.

She should've had more roles after LHOTP.

by Anonymousreply 3December 10, 2022 4:01 AM

She played that role to perfection and commands every scene she is in.

I wonder if there's anything predictive if little boys like Nellie and Mrs. O best...

by Anonymousreply 4December 10, 2022 11:43 AM
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