Little House On The Prairie: Behind The Scenes Of The Hit Show

 Little House On The Prairie: Behind The Scenes Of The Hit Show

I had almost forgotten the theme to “Little House On The Prairie,” but when I heard the sweet and flowing melody of the song it all came back to me. If your sister is like my sister she was hooked on “Little House” when she was a child and teenager. The innocence of the characters and wholesome complexity to the storyline made the show an astounding success. Yet behind the scenes, there was plenty more going on, and fans had no idea.

Where’s The Beef?

Have you ever wondered if the actors are actually drinking or eating, or just pretending to be eating? Well, remember the yummy meals the Ingalls used to eat at the dinner table? Well, many of them were Dinty Moore beef stew meals.

So what about the drumsticks in Laura’s lunch box? Those tasty looking drumsticks were actually Kentucky Fried Chicken. So much for fresh food from the family's chicken coop!

Cat Fight On The Set?

Despite rumors on the set that Melissa Gilbert and Alison Arngrim were enemies they were actually really good friends. Both girls met in the makeup trailer and instantly hit it off.

They even had sleepovers at each other's houses and they liked to play pranks on their famous co-stars.T he friendship most likely helped the two young actresses make sure that they had some childish fun so it wasn't all work and no play.

Heavy Duty Wears

The clothing in the series consisted of heavy cotton stockings, petticoats, bonnets, pinafores, long skirts, and long sleeve blouses. Daytime temperatures were in the low 90s with sun beating down each day on the cast.

Some of the cast even passed out due to the heat, leaving cast members wondering how they could stand the temperatures. “Little House” was filmed at Big Sky Ranch in Simi Valley, California.

Simpler Times

It is amazing how people were able to live with less and not more. Times have certainly changed since “Little House On The Prairie” and television shows have changed just as quickly.

Many critics associated the documentation of simpler times as a large reason for the show's success which resonated with millions of viewers. There hasn't been a show quite like it since, which further explains the nostalgia this show provides to its viewers.

Alison Arngrim - Another Beauty On The Showc

Alison Arngrim was on “Little House On The Prairie” from 1974 to 1981 where she played Nellie Oleson. Alison is from New York, NY, and she was born January 18th, 1962. She is the New York Times Best-Selling author of a book, confessing the show's backstage secrets.

Alison’s father managed the ever-famous Liberace to some fan’s surprise and she and Melissa Gilbert were really super friends off screen despite their characters not getting along on the show. Also, Alison’s mother was the character voice of various popular cartoons. It goes to show you that the family kept entertainment as a part of their budding careers.

Real Life Ties

This might sound a bit confusing at first but just read it carefully. You know Jonathan Gilbert or Willie Oleson who was Nellie's brother, well, he was the real-life adopted brother of Melissa Gilbert, the girl who played Laura Ingalls Gilbert.

In the show, Laura was the awkward love interest of Willie which makes this real-life tie more interesting and obscure. Luckily, they did not develop any type of relationship on the show or they may have been awkward at family reunions, don't you think? They probably asked the writers to not let that happen because of that situation.