When he produced Little House on the Prairie in 1974, Michael Landon cast numerous kid actors. Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary Ingalls) and Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson) were co-stars on the historical drama, but they never developed a close relationship.
In 1991, when the two met during Landon's funeral, Arngrim had the impression that their connection would remain distant. Melissa Sue Anderson and her 'Little House' co-stars were not close.
Melissa Gilbert appeared on the show as Mary's younger sister, Laura Ingalls. Even though they played siblings on Little House, the two kid actors never became best friends.
Anderson noted that Gilbert had a stronger relationship with Arngrim. In 2014, Anderson stated to Entertainment Weekly, "Melissa [Gilbert] and Alison were usually jogging together." "I got along better with the crew." Arngrim was more specific when describing her relationship with Anderson, revealing that she sensed dislike from her co-star.
"[Anderson] stared at Melissa Gilbert and myself like we were total juvenile delinquents," Arngrim stated. I believe she believed we would get her into trouble if she hung out with us, which fits her personality perfectly because Mary was such a spoiled brat. At a funeral, Alison Arngrim and Melissa Sue Anderson crossed paths.
Landon disclosed his pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 1991, and he passed away shortly thereafter. Arngrim attended Landon's burial and recalls seeing several of her co-stars from Little House. "Nearly the entire cast was present," she writes in her autobiography, Confessions of a Prairie.
It was a pleasure to see my former friends and coworkers, despite the circumstances. Some of us hadn't seen each other since the show's cancellation in 1983, and we were virtually inconsolable." Arngrim saw that Anderson had arrived with her newborn daughter and attempted to reconnect with her by initiating a conversation about the infant.
"I thought, 'Now that she's married and has a child, she must be happy,'" Arngrim recalled. "I cautiously approached her and exclaimed, 'What a gorgeous baby!'" (There is no deception here.) "What age is she?" All mothers enjoy discussing their children. If you give them the opportunity, they will talk your ear off." The Little House graduate received a prompt response.
"'Six months,' [Anderson] replied abruptly before walking away," Arngrim recalled. "And she never spoke with me again." Little House actors mimicked church scenes accidently.
Arngrim observed that, with the majority of Little House alumni present at Landon's burial, each co-star instinctively assembled as they did on set.
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