Here are some facts about the show you might not now...because my family and I started watching the series again.
1. Michael Landon is actually Jewish
He is, but I don't know if he kept his religion.
2. Actual family ties
Jonathan and Melissa Gilbert (played Willie Olsen and Laura Ingalls) are actually brother and sister in real life. They both got adopted by the same parents.
3. Mary Ingalls and Laura Ingalls weren't bffs
Melissa Anderson and Melissa Gilbert didn't quite get along when they where young. The tension between the two grow so immense, that it remained for the entire duration of the show.
4. Ma had to change her name
The actress, known as Karen Grassle, who played Caroline Ingalls, was using the stage name Gabriel Tree. But Michael Landon and the producers didn't liked the name, so they asked if she could use her own name again. She agreed.
5. Nellie wore a wig
6. The Ingalls ate well
When the family was shown dining on stew cooked
up by Ma, they were actually chowing down on Dinty Moore beef stew,
regardless of whether it was meant to be rabbit, squirrel, or other
prairie meat fare. For their lunch tins, on the other hand, the girls were given KFC chicken wings.
7. Fashion led to fainting
While filming the series at the Big Sky Ranch in Simi Valley, CA, temperatures would often rise to triple digits. Which occasionally caused members of the female cast to pass out under their layers of cotton wardrobes and bonnets.
8. Michael Landon was the set's clown
Michael Landon liked to keep things interesting on set, by constantly
playing pranks on his co-stars and staff. This guy was pretty fond
of messing with everyone, and never left the set without either pulling a
prank or making fun of someone.
9. Mean Mary
The oldest of all of the sister on the show, Mary, was portrayed by actress, Melissa Sue Anderson. Unfortunately, she never joined in on the close relationships formed between castmates. Some of her castmates even described her as mean, stuck up, or someone that just needed to chill
10. Carrie's fall in the intro was an accident
7. Fashion led to fainting
8. Michael Landon was the set's clown
9. Mean Mary
The oldest of all of the sister on the show, Mary, was portrayed by actress, Melissa Sue Anderson. Unfortunately, she never joined in on the close relationships formed between castmates. Some of her castmates even described her as mean, stuck up, or someone that just needed to chill
10. Carrie's fall in the intro was an accident
Three-year-old twins Lindsay and Sidney
Greenbush (billed together on the series as Lindsay Sidney Green
Bush/Greenbush) alternated playing the role of the youngest Ingalls
sister. When the director called for a “fresh twin” while filming the
show’s intro, Sidney was woken from her nap to take her turn and her
mother accidentally put her shoes on the wrong feet. Michael Landon was charmed by the toddler’s resulting tumble and decided to keep it in.
11. Laura and Nellie are actually besties
The young actresses Alison Arngrim and Melissa Gilbert became almost instant best friends in real life who enjoyed sleepovers and pranking their co-stars.
12. Melissa had issues with Michael
Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert were pretty close on the show. Melissa’s father passed away when she was only 11, so she claimed that Michael acted as a paternal figure that she lost far too early. Well, as the show progressed, so did their feelings for each other. Michael, however, left his wife for Cindy Clerico, who was the makeup artist on the set. She was 20 years younger than him! After the incident, Melissa was so mad at Michael that she distanced herself from him and his family, eventually dropping all forms of contact.
13. Pa liked to go shirtless
Michael Landon’s pride in his physical fitness resulted in loosely buttoned tops or going completely shirtless whenever a scene would allow it, usually only injuring his ribs in farm mishaps rather than breaking a leg or an arm. He also did it quite a lot in Bonanza.
14. Melissa Gilbert wasn't a fan of on-screen kissing
Melissa had her first on-set kiss (and a real one) on Little House on the Prairie. Not only was she inexperienced, but also quite young compared to Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder), making things even more uncomfortable for her. Melissa was only 15 at the time, and Dean was 23.
15. Tall guy
Michael Landon was small compared to other guys. He had the average height of 5'9, so he wore platform boots just too look more taller for his role as Charles Ingalls.
16. Nellie taking other roles
Alison Arngrim autitioned for several parts of the show before finding the role of Nellie Olsen, which suits her perfect. She was originally turned down for the role as Laura Ingalls, as well as Mary Ingalls, which she never got. Eventually she got the role for Nellie Olsen, turning for the 3rd time for auditions.
17. It was a suprise hit in Spain
Shortly after gaining popularty in America, Little House on the Prairie (La Casa de la Pradera) soon became one of Spain's most-watched-series, so much that in 1976, Karen Grassle, known as her role as Caroline Ingalls, was the proud recipient of Spanish television's prestigious TP de Oro award for best foreign actress.
18. You know when it's right
There’s no doubt that the role of Laura Ingalls was probably the most desired one among many girls who auditioned for the show, that’s why its even more flattering to know that Landon, the producer, was so certain that Gilbert was the right match for the role that he didn’t even send any of the other girls who read for the part for the Network to look at.
19. Rather shocking fact
Many of the cast and crew members had some intense addictions, mostly involving substances like drugs and alcohol. Therefore, there was a lot of both on the set. Apparently, the crew managed to finish two cases of Coors beer every day. They even nicknamed the more stressful days, “three-case days” to justify numbing some of the stress that came about while shooting. Landon’s fondness of the bottle was a big problem is such a setting and it sure didn’t help his chances winning the battle to pancreatic cancer, which he later died of.
20. Walnut Grove is real
Walnut Grove is a pretty real place. The real Laura Ingalls Wilder even lived there.
Well, this was all. I kinda like facts, but some aren't real fun. It kinda makes you go and watch the show differently, but it's a lovely show.
11. Laura and Nellie are actually besties
12. Melissa had issues with Michael
Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert were pretty close on the show. Melissa’s father passed away when she was only 11, so she claimed that Michael acted as a paternal figure that she lost far too early. Well, as the show progressed, so did their feelings for each other. Michael, however, left his wife for Cindy Clerico, who was the makeup artist on the set. She was 20 years younger than him! After the incident, Melissa was so mad at Michael that she distanced herself from him and his family, eventually dropping all forms of contact.
13. Pa liked to go shirtless
Michael Landon’s pride in his physical fitness resulted in loosely buttoned tops or going completely shirtless whenever a scene would allow it, usually only injuring his ribs in farm mishaps rather than breaking a leg or an arm. He also did it quite a lot in Bonanza.
14. Melissa Gilbert wasn't a fan of on-screen kissing
15. Tall guy
Michael Landon was small compared to other guys. He had the average height of 5'9, so he wore platform boots just too look more taller for his role as Charles Ingalls.
16. Nellie taking other roles
Alison Arngrim autitioned for several parts of the show before finding the role of Nellie Olsen, which suits her perfect. She was originally turned down for the role as Laura Ingalls, as well as Mary Ingalls, which she never got. Eventually she got the role for Nellie Olsen, turning for the 3rd time for auditions.
17. It was a suprise hit in Spain
Shortly after gaining popularty in America, Little House on the Prairie (La Casa de la Pradera) soon became one of Spain's most-watched-series, so much that in 1976, Karen Grassle, known as her role as Caroline Ingalls, was the proud recipient of Spanish television's prestigious TP de Oro award for best foreign actress.
18. You know when it's right
There’s no doubt that the role of Laura Ingalls was probably the most desired one among many girls who auditioned for the show, that’s why its even more flattering to know that Landon, the producer, was so certain that Gilbert was the right match for the role that he didn’t even send any of the other girls who read for the part for the Network to look at.
19. Rather shocking fact
Many of the cast and crew members had some intense addictions, mostly involving substances like drugs and alcohol. Therefore, there was a lot of both on the set. Apparently, the crew managed to finish two cases of Coors beer every day. They even nicknamed the more stressful days, “three-case days” to justify numbing some of the stress that came about while shooting. Landon’s fondness of the bottle was a big problem is such a setting and it sure didn’t help his chances winning the battle to pancreatic cancer, which he later died of.
20. Walnut Grove is real
Walnut Grove is a pretty real place. The real Laura Ingalls Wilder even lived there.
Well, this was all. I kinda like facts, but some aren't real fun. It kinda makes you go and watch the show differently, but it's a lovely show.
