In honor of the 40th anniversary of Little House on the Prairie, the beloved TV show’s cast reunited on the Today show to share memories, stories, and a few tears.
Eight cast members gathered together to reminisce about the show, including Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls), Karen Grassle (‘Ma’ Ingalls), Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary Ingalls), Lindsay Greenbush (Carrie Ingalls), Dean Butler (Almanzo James Wilder), Matthew Labyorteaux (Albert Quinn Ingalls), the son of the late Michael Landon, who played Charles Ingalls, and Alison Arngrim, who played the notorious Nellie Oleson.
Angrim recalled that in the show’s heyday, fans had trouble separating her from her nasty character on the show.
“It’s quite difficult,” she told Today host Hoda Kotb. “I was pelted with a cup of orange soda…in the Santa Claus Lane Hollywood Christmas parade.”
Melissa Gilbert Remembers Little House on the Prairie
However, things have improved in recent years.
“People kind of love the villains [now],” she said.
The cast watched a clip from the show, and Karen Grassle, who played ‘Ma’ Ingalls, grew emotional.
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“I got tears in my eyes,” she said. “First of all, I’m sitting here with these three daughters, really for the first time since [Michael Landon’s] funeral [in 1991].” And then to see them come running…just kills me…I’m not really that sentimental.”
Melissa Gilbert chimed in, “Yeah, well, I’m a crier anyway—and I’m also incredibly co-dependent. So Ma goes, I go, I guess. It’s a very emotional experience, especially because we were together for so long, and it was an intense experience. We were a family there.”
Little House on the Prairie ran from 1974 to 1982 on NBC, and one episode from the series, “I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away,” was ranked by TV Guide as one of the 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.
Watch the cast’s Today show reunion:
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