Take a Look at the 'Little House on the Prairie' Cast Then and Now
A sweet little throwback to one of the most iconic shows!
We don't mean to alarm you, but have you looked at the calendar recently? Like... really looked at it? If you did, you'd realize that we've reached a very special milestone this year: the 50th anniversary of Little House on the Prairie! Sorry, we're not trying to make you feel old or anything, but it's just that we can't believe it's been that long already. Where has the time gone? The hit show was a staple from 1974 to 1982, and has lived in the hearts of many ever since. (Including Ree Drummond, who says that the book was a favorite from her childhood!). Part of what made the show so amazing was the cast itself. But given that the show is now 50 years old, some may be wondering just where they are now.
We took a bit of a deep dive into this very topic, and created a brief rundown of some of the whereabouts of our favorite characters from the show. (Some of whom will be appearing at the 50th Anniversary Cast Reunion & Festival in March of this year!) Sadly, there are cast members who have passed on. Though, there are others who are still acting today, some of who have secrets that you never knew about! Read through this list for a wholesome trip down memory lane.
Then: Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls
The unspoken star of Little House on the Prairie is, without a doubt, Laura! Her adventurous character consistently had something going on with her throughout the series, usually resulting with a lesson learned at the end of each plot. She was played by the talented Melissa Gilbert, who was a rising child star at the time.
Now: Melissa Gilbert
Little House on the Prairie was far from Melissa's last promising role! She went on to appear in shows like 7th Heaven, Stand By Your Man, Sweet Justice, and more. Not only that, but she also competed in season fourteen of Dancing With the Stars in 2012.
Then: Michael Landon as Charles Ingalls
The head-honcho that is Charles was played by Michael Landon! Fun fact: Michael actually wrote many of the episodes throughout the series, which makes sense why his portrayal of the loving father was so well executed.
Now: Michael Landon
Other works of Michael include Highway to Heaven and Bonanza! (You can tell he had a specific type of character he liked playing.) Sadly, Michael passed in 1991 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Still, his legacy lives on, and he is missed by those who worked close with him and those who loved watching him on television.
Then: Karen Grassle as Caroline Ingalls
Caroline was a sweet mother and monumental figure on the show. Whenever the Ingalls family faced trepidation, Caroline was quick to console her husband and family, letting them know that things were going to be okay. Karen Grassle was the talent that embodied Caroline's character.
Now: Karen Grassle
Fast forward to today, and Karen is still working! You can catch her in her projects post Little House on the Prairie, with her most recent being the movie Not to Forget. Looks like she still has her acting chops!
Then: Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary Ingalls
Mary's story on Little House on the Prairie was a rollercoaster. Melissa Sue played the daughter who had a gentle way of going about things, as well as the the sharpest wits of the bunch! Her story completely flipped when we found out that her character went blind after suffering from scarlet fever. We went on to see how Mary and her family navigated this tough time, prevailing in the end.
Now: Melissa Sue
Nowadays, Melissa is still kicking! You may know her from her roles in Veronica Mars, The Equalizer series, The Con Is On, and 10.5: Apocalypse.
Then: Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush as Carrie Ingalls
Did you know that Carrie Ingalls was played by not one, but two child actresses? Yep! Twin sisters Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush played the young girl on the TV show, but you would have never recognized it was two people based on how identical they were! As a character, Carrie was the youngest of the family, naturally treated as such throughout all of the episodes.
Now: Lindsay Greenbush
The two sisters have not done much acting after the show, and ended up retiring all together shortly after. Though, both of them are set to be in the 50th reunion event, which is definitely enough to excite fans!
Then: Matthew Labyorteaux as Albert Quinn Ingalls
Fans of the show might remember Albert Quinn Ingalls as the adopted son in the family (who was portrayed by Matthew Labyorteaux). He had a tough upbringing, but was eventually taken in by the Ingalls. He faced lots of bullying in his new school, but we watched as he grew into his personality.
Now: Matthew Labyorteaux
Matthew is mainly a voice actor today, securing spots in Mulan, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Anastasia, and so much more. He has also acted a bit, specifically in the projects King of the Gypsies and Shattered Spirits.
Then: Alison Arngrim as Nellie Oleson Dalton
Nellie was the character you loved to hate! She wasn't the nicest (though, she eventually came around... for a little). Though, did you know that Alison Arngrim, the actress who played her, originally auditioned for the spot of Laura? Are we wrong for saying that we can't see that at all?
Now: Alison Arngrim
Alison is a stand-up comedian who often references her time on the show during her acts. She's hilarious, which isn't hard to understand given that her character on Little House on the Prairie had so much spunk to her.
Josiah is the Digital Content Producer for the commerce team at Popular Mechanics, Best Products, Runner’s World, and Bicycling Magazine. He also writes for “BIO Buys”—a column on Biography.com—giving readers the lowdown on what products their favorite celebs are using. In another life, Josiah was an editor at ThePioneerWoman.com, where he sharpened his expertise on all things lifestyle, food-news, and entertainment. Outside work related matters, he’s a fan of Studio Ghibli films, unimportant reality TV drama, and melancholy Lorde songs.
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