Fun Trivia About the Little House on the Prairie Cast

I grew up watchingLittle House on the Prairie, and like many other adoring fans cried my eyes out when they blew up the town of Walnut Grove at the end of the series. At least the church/schoolhouse was spared, as was the Ingalls home. (It met its own demise during the 2003 California fires.) Now with the DVD release of all nine seasons, fans can watch their favorite episodes over and over again. For all longtime fans, and new ones alike, I have compiled an interesting list of facts about some of the actors involved in the beloved series.

Actress Melissa Gilbert played the lead character, Laura Ingalls Wilder, throughout the shows run between 1974-1983. The actor who played Laura's nemesis, Nellie Olesons brother Willie, was actually Gilbert's real life brother, Jonathan. They share another famous sibling, sister Sara, who played Darlene in the sitcom Roseanne. Melissa remained very close to her TV dad, Michael Landon, until he died from pancreatic cancer in 1991. Her second son, with husband actor Bruce Boxleitner, is named in his honor. Melissa also served as SAG (Screen Actors Guild) President from 1999-2005.

Actress Alison Arngrim, who played Nellie Oleson on the show, is the daughter of the late Norma MacMillan- one of the original voices of Gumby. Arngrim is an AIDS activist, who remained close to her t.v. husband actor Steve Tracy (Percival Dalton) until his death from AIDS in 1986.

Actor Dabbs Greer, who played Reverend Alden, just recently died on April 28, 2007. You can catch him in one of his last roles in the 1999 Tom Hanks movie The Green Mile as the old Paul Edgecomb.

Actor Linwood Boomer played Mary Ingalls blind husband, Adam Kendall. After the show ended, he wrote and produced episodes for 1980's TV shows like Silver Spoons and Night Court. More recently, he created the hit TV show, Malcolm in the Middle.

The actors who played best friends Albert Ingalls and Andrew Garvey in the show were actually real life brothers. Matthew Laboteaux (Albert) guest starred as a young Charles Ingalls in a flashback episode a few years before he became a recurring character. Patrick Labyorteaux (Andrew) played a young Peter in the 1974 Lucille Ball version of Mame. (Note: The different spellings of the last names is intentional).

Throughout the shows run, the guest list varied from the very well known faces (like Johnny and June Carter Cash) to those yet undiscovered (like Peter Billingsley who played Ralphie in the 1983 Christmas classic A Christmas Story. )

Patricia Neal played Julia Sanderson, a widow with three children whose dying wish to Charles Ingalls is to find a home for her orphaned children together after her death. Neal was once married to children's author Roald Dahl of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fame.

Radames Pera, who played John Sanderson Jr, had an earlier role as the young Kwai Chang Caine in 36 episodes of Kung Fu, starring David Carradine.

Lets not forget the original theme song and other instrumental pieces featured throughout the show that were penned by musician David Rose. Rose had also penned music for Michael Landon's first series, Bonanza, and for his third series Highway to Heaven. An interesting note to Rose's personal life: he was married to actress Judy Garland ( Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz) from 1941-1944. The marriage broke up after Garland became pregnant and Rose insisted she have an abortion.

There are so many fascinating facts and trivia surrounding Little House on the Prairie. Hopefully this article will peak your interest to learn more about your favorite show or launch you on a search to learn more about this lasting legacy of wholesome family television.