Most all the world knows Alison Arngrim as, yes, you know who, because that little house there on the prairie, would not have been half as much fun without that corkscrew-curled wretch Nellie Oleson who thought she owned the town of Walnut Grove.
How does a lovely, kind, compassionate, aware child know how to bring the meanness of Nellie Oleson to life? How, even, does a young girl understand maliciousness? What do the generations of children raised on Little House on the Prairie, learn from watching this smirking scoundrel torment others?
It is a tribute to Alison’s talent that her character was so believable as to have become, despite her wickedness, one of the most beloved of American children of all time. But was Nellie really wicked? Spoiled, yes, but there was another facet to her, a facet shared by all bullies.
Alison talks not only about her life as an actress and when she started, but about her parents who were both hugely significant in the motion picture industry. I have been warned by many not to be a spoiler, but just to put my toe in that water, do you remember Gumby? Casper the Friendly Ghost? Personally, I was stunned. I had no idea!
You can do yourself a big favor by listening to Allison talk about her family and her life with delicious candor. If you love Nellie, you will love Alison double.
Double the fun by seeing her talk about all this and you get to see her model her lavendar bonnet. Her love letters? She has boatloads of them from not just children but from adults over the years. What is she doing now that the pandemic has closed so many doors? She will tell you; no surprise that she is busy as can be and as in demand as ever.
