Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[Egg McMuffin]

We’re talking about a man who willed a miracle and somehow healed his adopted son from a terminal gunshot wound. A little ole wheel must have been a piece of cake for Pa.

[Blergh]

18 minutes ago, Kyle said:

We’re talking about a man who willed a miracle and somehow healed his adopted son from a terminal gunshot wound. A little ole wheel must have been a piece of cake for Pa.

True! Charles healed James from the gunshot wound- only to take him away to be cooped up in a tiny city apartment with   three sisters while Charles and Caroline worked zillions of hours and Albert became what back then was termed a 'morphine fiend' and none of them said a peep what James was up to after his Walnut Grove departure. I wonder if James ever thought if it might  have been better after all had he and Cassandra just stayed with the strict farm couple with a framing, resentful son than that. 

[Zella]

If I were Albert, I'd be pretty salty that Charlie didn't even try for a miracle for the leukemia. 

[debraran]

11 hours ago, Blergh said:

In the Season Nine opener 'Times Are   Changing', Jenny nearly deliberately drowns herself to attempt to reunite with her dead parents but the non-swimmer Jeb Carter manages to pull her out in a nick of time almost at the expense of his own life!

OK, when Jenny awoke in her bed, what does Laura do? Totally chew her out for what she did and do her best to guilt trip her without Manly (Jenny's uncle and next of kin) doing more than standing there next to his screaming spouse  and being a logbump- much asking her to consider that eviscerating a deeply troubled and depressed preteen will NOT  get them to forever put all thoughts of suicide out of their head.   I mean, Laura's lucky that Jenny didn't hang herself in the barn the first chance she got after all that! 

Also, even though Jeb suffered from Carter Dishwater Dullness, I wish there had been some more acknowledgement and appreciation for HIS heroism for having put his OWN life on the line to successfully  save another person's life when he himself hadn't been able to swim. 

Was Jeb the one who hurt himself not to say he couldn't swim? I'm surprised back then most didn't learn early but I understand anxiety well.

Laura should be used to suicide, I  sometimes wondered if Michael was obsessed with that and fire. Her grandfather tried to burn himself (do they realize how much that hurts?) Jeb the guy at the gold mine, Mr Edwards tried to kill himself, Mrs Whipple s son either killed himself with an overdose or it was accident. Even the crazy guy who's daughter had a baby wanted to die by fire. There might have been more but I blocked them out.

I didn't hate the Carter's but Michael thinking someone could shove way too much furniture into the little house and live there like they did, No. I did like they had room, nothing where Carrie's bed was, no invisible crib for Grace, they had a real dresser, etc. but it looked odd. You could tell no one cared about the writing anymore with many rerun scripts, the newspaper gossip, etc.

Yes I agree with post about the wheel making, with all Charles talents, selling hats at the meanest store in town was silly, he could have become a blacksmith or made wheel repairs or almost anything. He had a way of finding the meanest people in town. lol Why didn't he work for the kind man who let Albert have another chance. ; )  I really liked that character, he used him again but not the same person, he was another friend.

Edited May 4, 2021 by debraran

[Blergh]

On 5/4/2021 at 4:25 AM, debraran said:

 

Laura should be used to suicide,  .. Jeb the guy at the gold mine, 

Ah, but since Charles told Laura he'd had a chat with Jeb which got Jeb to 'understand' that Laura was supposedly blameless AND spirited the Ingallses away from the gold rush town (while telling Caroline that horrible truth but swearing Caroline to secrecy re Jeb's actual fate), Laura was not supposed to know about that! Of course, since the show depicted what her character actually DID know, one may wonder if this meant that either Laura later went back to the area and found out on her own OR if Caroline defied Charles's edict and DID tell Laura Jeb's fate (and,either way, would Laura have known by the time Jenny nearly tried drowning herself). 

Edited May 6, 2021 by Blergh

[Egg McMuffin]

14 hours ago, Blergh said:

In the Season Nine opener 'Times Are   Changing', Jenny nearly deliberately drowns herself to attempt to reunite with her dead parents but the non-swimmer Jeb Carter manages to pull her out in a nick of time almost at the expense of his own life!

Laura and Zaldamo need to keep Jenny away from the water. Didn’t she nearly drown in another episode, too?

Edited May 4, 2021 by Kyle

[jason88cubs]

Imagine being like Charles, anytime a situation happens, you play dramatic music than you go and involve yourself in the situation to try to solve it

[Egg McMuffin]

I’ve always thought there was an opportunity for a retelling of Landon’s LHOTP from the Oleson’s point of view, a la Wicked. Think of the story possibilities of the Olesons having to deal with sanctimonious Charles; physically violent Laura (the bees, the wheelchair down the hill); devious Albert (changing the newspaper ad in the Pen and the Plow); hypocritical Caroline (credit at the store), etc.

[Mr. Sparkle]

"So, this guy we've never met before comes into a store and asks us to give him a plow, seeds, etc. at full credit! We say we can't do that, and he gets so offended! Like we're supposed to know who Charles Ingalls is!" 

[Blergh]

52 minutes ago, Kyle said:

I’ve always thought there was an opportunity for a retelling of Landon’s LHOTP from the Oleson’s point of view, a la Wicked. Think of the story possibilities of the Olesons having to deal with sanctimonious Charles; physically violent Laura (the bees, the wheelchair down the hill); devious Albert (changing the newspaper ad in the Pen and the Plow); hypocritical Caroline (credit at the store), etc.

And, since they had someone who looked a great deal like a middle-aged Colonel Sanders drop by there once, they could request Charles play Hank Williams's song 'Mind Your Own Business' on his fiddle and see his reaction! 

[Egg McMuffin]

We’d have to include a remake of “The Inheritance” episode, where Charles goes on a spending spree with confederate money, and conspires with his friends to swindle the Olesons out of what he owes them.

[Snow Apple]

What if in reality, Harriet was so grouchy and frustrated is because she's secretly struggling to pay bills? Her customers ask for credit, or pay with eggs. Her husband is such a soft touch that he gives away merchandise to the poor so he's the town good guy, leaving her with the role of villian. Harriet think appearances mean respect and that's why she spend money she barely has on dresses, talking machines, and horses for Nellie. 

Her only pleasure is listening in on phone conversations because she's lonely. 

HaHa. This is fun.

[jird]

I have to say, boring as he was, I'll take Jeb's blandness over James' active annoyingness. I wanted to smack him every time he was on screen. And both the Carter parents were useless.

[jird]

43 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

What if in reality, Harriet was so grouchy and frustrated is because she's secretly struggling to pay bills? Her customers ask for credit, or pay with eggs. Her husband is such a soft touch that he gives away merchandise to the poor so he's the town good guy, leaving her with the role of villian. Harriet think appearances mean respect and that's why she spend money she barely has on dresses, talking machines, and horses for Nellie. 

Her only pleasure is listening in on phone conversations because she's lonely. 

HaHa. This is fun.

YES. Harriet was a horrible person many times, but it was amazing how everyone acted like it was so wrong of her to want the store to make a profit, or for them to be paid for what they spent, including the confederate money episode. Her creditors were coming after her, did everyone just think that she should have said, "Oh well, please foreclose on my home/store to pay for all of CHARLES INGALLS' stuff"?

[Katy M]

45 minutes ago, jird said:

Her creditors were coming after her, did everyone just think that she should have said, "Oh well, please foreclose on my home/store to pay for all of CHARLES INGALLS' stuff"?

Charles told them he didn't have the money yet, and rather than waiting, Nels and Harriet pushed clothes onto them.  Yes, he should have stood his ground and waited, but maybe they should just take the clothes back and try to sell them to somebody else. the only other things I remember him buying are school books for the school and an organ for the church (which still makes me roll my eyes), those things should have been paid for by the entire town anyway.  And, again, while Charles should have put his foot down everybody bears responsibility for pressuring them to spend the money they didn't yet have.

So, while I agree that Harriet was usually in the right for wanting to make a profit and expecting to get paid for her goods, I'm not giving her a pass on that one.  It's like a banker pushing a loan on a person who hasn't even asked for one and not doing due dilegence on a credit check first.

[Egg McMuffin]

What happened to “cash on the barrel”, Pa?

[debraran]

Charles bought tools too I think and shoes for the girls. He went a little crazy and forgot who he was lol. This guy who in real life left without paying bills, wanted poor Nel's to help him and we ALL KNOW, he would have lost that crop with a tornado that just hit his house or rain or bugs.  : ) Sure Harriet went nuts too but she finally thought she could make a profit off someone. How many eggs and 5 cent items she got during the day. I felt for Nel's that day he turned Charles down. He had to pay for that stuff BEFORE he sold it. That's why I felt bad when cold hearted Albert made Nel's take a hit with his 100% off sale, not just Harriet.

I thought the organ was silly, hundred of dollars even back then but the townspeople can "dig deep" to help pay for it. Dig deep? How deep were these poor farmers pockets? The organ would add nothing to the Bringing in the Sheaves always sung off key anyway.

I like the Wicked storyline, a nice flip for a 90 min episode instead of some of the Halloween ones etc they had. Rarely did Harriet get things for herself, just Nellie. She wore the same 3 dresses most of the time, wasn't like the rich women they showed with lovely things like Widow Thurman. Harriet wasn't that kind of rich.

[CountryGirl]

On 5/4/2021 at 9:56 AM, Kyle said:

Laura and Zaldamo need to keep Jenny away from the water. Didn’t she nearly drown in another episode, too?

Yep. In the very same season, in the Marvin’s Garden episode, we have Ralph Bellamy playing yet another Walnut Grove doctor, who was apparently tucked in mothballs with Dr LaDoux and whoever that asshole was who got Harriet all hot and bothered with the prospect of having a royal affliction called “the vapors, since this is the first we see or hear of him. 

Any who, he’s the doctor who does Jenny’s rehab by potting plants and taking care of wounded birds after she almost drowns trying to find the locket with her father’s picture in. 

[alexa]

9 hours ago, Katy M said:

Charles told them he didn't have the money yet, and rather than waiting, Nels and Harriet pushed clothes onto them.  Yes, he should have stood his ground and waited, but maybe they should just take the clothes back and try to sell them to somebody else. the only other things I remember him buying are school books for the school and an organ for the church (which still makes me roll my eyes), those things should have been paid for by the entire town anyway.  And, again, while Charles should have put his foot down everybody bears responsibility for pressuring them to spend the money they didn't yet have.

So, while I agree that Harriet was usually in the right for wanting to make a profit and expecting to get paid for her goods, I'm not giving her a pass on that one.  It's like a banker pushing a loan on a person who hasn't even asked for one and not doing due dilegence on a credit check first.

This 1000 times.  I was so annoyed with everyone in this episode.  Nels pushed to buy on credit, and the reverend asked for an organ even when he said he had no money yet.  When the foreclosure came up at the end and no one offered a dime for that organ, or owned up to their part, I was very unhappy with how that went.  

[bunnyblue]

I'm rewatching season 3 (again) and there have been at least 2 instances when the town raided the Oleson Mercantile for supplies. They did it in the "Blizzard" for warm clothing, liquor, lanterns & oil. They also raided the Mercantile when Carrie fell down the well; cleaned them out of shovels, lamps & oil, rope, and coffee. I laughed because I was watching these episodes just as you guys where having the discussion about why Harriet comes across as such a hardass. With Nels practically giving their stuff away and the town helping themselves to supplies when they're having a crisis, I understand why Harriet was sometimes tough on people buying stuff on credit. With all the expensive stuff they carried but rarely sold, the town stealing their supplies, and everyone paying on credit or with eggs, it's a miracle the Mercantile ever turned a profit. 

There were also 2 straight episodes were Charles bared his chest. First when the Galender brothers beat the crap out of him and he required the wrap-of-healing around his ribs and then when Laura shot him in the gut and he spent almost an hour deliriously shirtless. ML sure loved his to show off his barrel chest.

[Zella]

2 minutes ago, bunnyblue said:

There were also 2 straight episodes were Charles bared his chest. First when the Galender brothers beat the crap out of him and he required the wrap-of-healing around his ribs and then when Laura shot him in the gut and he spent almost an hour deliriously shirtless. ML sure loved his to show off his barrel chest.

It's been a very long day for me, but remembering this made me laugh so hard just now. I think Pa was physically incapable of being injured in such a way that he didn't have to bare his manly chest. 

[debraran]

4 hours ago, bunnyblue said:

I'm rewatching season 3 (again) and there have been at least 2 instances when the town raided the Oleson Mercantile for supplies. They did it in the "Blizzard" for warm clothing, liquor, lanterns & oil. They also raided the Mercantile when Carrie fell down the well; cleaned them out of shovels, lamps & oil, rope, and coffee. I laughed because I was watching these episodes just as you guys where having the discussion about why Harriet comes across as such a hardass. With Nels practically giving their stuff away and the town helping themselves to supplies when they're having a crisis, I understand why Harriet was sometimes tough on people buying stuff on credit. With all the expensive stuff they carried but rarely sold, the town stealing their supplies, and everyone paying on credit or with eggs, it's a miracle the Mercantile ever turned a profit. 

There were also 2 straight episodes were Charles bared his chest. First when the Galender brothers beat the crap out of him and he required the wrap-of-healing around his ribs and then when Laura shot him in the gut and he spent almost an hour deliriously shirtless. ML sure loved his to show off his barrel chest.

I agree and with any epidemic/plague they offered whatever they needed of course to make the church a hospital or for Doc Baker to use. They never got those things back usually, with the illnesses, they were burned. Oh well, good thing to do of course, the right thing, but it was paid for and nothing coming in for it. I never thought they were selfish. Even when she wanted to pay for the books, in "real" life why not? The bell should have been community but money was tight.....the same money that Reverend thought they could dig deep for when purchasing the organ. lol   Tinker was smarter than most of them fortunately.

 

Edited May 6, 2021 by debraran

[jird]

8 hours ago, bunnyblue said:

I'm rewatching season 3 (again) and there have been at least 2 instances when the town raided the Oleson Mercantile for supplies. They did it in the "Blizzard" for warm clothing, liquor, lanterns & oil. They also raided the Mercantile when Carrie fell down the well; cleaned them out of shovels, lamps & oil, rope, and coffee.

 

Those times were where Harriet always showed a different side. I think it was the Blizzard episode where before there was even talk of needing supplies, Harriet told the men they were going to need warmer clothes, and they should go get them from the storeroom. She never had a problem taking care of the town in an emergency, at least.

[BigBingerBro]

Did the mercantile ever get burglarized?  I can't recall any episodes where it may have occured.  It seems strange that they never had that happen considering the range of seedy people that passed through Walnut Grove.

 

[Egg McMuffin]

Let’s see. Bad seed James stole a razor from the Mercantile in “Growin Pains.” I believe that Albert stole some morPHINE from the shipping area in “Home Again,” if that counts. And when you think about it, the townspeople unknowingly stole from the place due to the fake 100% off sale ad that Albert placed in the Pen & the Plow in “Harriet’s Happenings.”

Note how all of these thefts were the fault of the sanctimonious Ingalls clan.

[BigBingerBro]

53 minutes ago, Kyle said:

Note how all of these thefts were the fault of the sanctimonious Ingalls clan.

Oh right and Laura stole Nellie's music box.  Dum DUM Dum....

[Egg McMuffin]

Also, Caroline stole someone’s live baby and swapped it for a dead one.

[Blergh]

20 hours ago, Kyle said:

Also, Caroline stole someone’s live baby and swapped it for a dead one.

I know her intentions were good and the baby of Caroline's dead friend with a creep husband was far more likely to have been raised by a doting couple who had so desperately wanted a child (at least in the beginning).

However, how long before the other couple would notice that 'their' son wasn't showing the slightest resemblance to anyone on either side of their families?

Oh, well. Good thing Laura didn't write that one down for 'the books' so there was zero chance of them or  the baby ever reading it and putting two and two together!

[Blergh]

OK, I just read Ketty Lester's autobio!

One can't say she's had an easy or unchallenging life with no unexpected turns including having to deal with epilepsy from the time her son was born. Anyway, for the LHOTP fans, the nitty gritty about Miss Lester is that she says that she had played the baseball player Roy Campanella's mother in the TV movie It's Good to Be Alive (1974) which was directed by ML and, in spite of the fact that she leveled with him about her epilepsy, he offered her the chance to be on Little House.  Although she got along well with him from the start, she initially had little to do with the other performers.

However, her bestie on the set wound up being (of all folks) Katherine MacGregor despite Miss Lester's initial hesitation. By Miss Lester's admission, Miss MacGregor played the bigoted Harriet so convincingly, Miss Lester was sure Miss MacGregor also had those views. However, despite the fact that Miss MacGregor was a Hindu while Miss Lester has remained a strong Christian, they wound up getting along like a house on fire- and, after they broke the ice and Miss Lester leveled with her about her initial reluctance, Miss MacGregor told her her own mother and aunt were indeed prejudiced and that's what she drew on for the character! They stayed in close touch long after their time on the show was done until Miss MacGregor went to a rest home where she passed away in 2018. 

On a less inspirational note, Miss Lester said on the last day of her shooting the show, other crew members made bigoted remarks in her presence and one assistant director flat out told her she'd get more work if she fooled around- but she told him that she'was a religious, married woman and didn't play around so she'd be fine not getting more work ( though she would work in movies and TV until 1998). 

Miss Lester did participate in a meet-and-greet LHOTP reunion  a few years  back but seemed to have had her curiosity satisfied re how her younger costars turned out as grown folks. 

 

Anyway, that's about all she said about her experience on the show. 

Edited May 8, 2021 by Blergh

[debraran]

16 hours ago, Blergh said:

OK, I just read Ketty Lester's autobio!

One can't say she's had an easy or unchallenging life with no unexpected turns including having to deal with epilepsy from the time her son was born. Anyway, for the LHOTP fans, the nitty gritty about Miss Lester is that she says that she had played the baseball player Roy Campanella's mother in the TV movie It's Good to Be Alive (1974) which was directed by ML and, in spite of the fact that she leveled with him about her epilepsy, he offered her the chance to be on Little House.  Although she got along well with him from the start, she initially had little to do with the other performers.

However, her bestie on the set wound up being (of all folks) Katherine MacGregor despite Miss Lester's initial hesitation. By Miss Lester's admission, Miss MacGregor played the bigoted Harriet so convincingly, Miss Lester was sure Miss MacGregor also had those views. However, despite the fact that Miss MacGregor was a Hindu while Miss Lester has remained a strong Christian, they wound up getting along like a house on fire- and, after they broke the ice and Miss Lester leveled with her about her initial reluctance, Miss MacGregor told her her own mother and aunt were indeed prejudiced and that's what she drew on for the character! They stayed in close touch long after their time on the show was done until Miss MacGregor went to a rest home where she passed away in 2018. 

On a less inspirational note, Miss Lester said on the last day of her shooting the show, other crew members made bigoted remarks in her presence and one assistant director flat out told her she'd get more work if she fooled around- but she told him that she'was a religious, married woman and didn't play around so she'd be fine not getting more work ( though she would work in movies and TV until 1998). 

Miss Lester did participate in a meet-and-greet LHOTP reunion  a few years  back but seemed to have had her curiosity satisfied re how her younger costars turned out as grown folks. 

 

Anyway, that's about all she said about her experience on the show. 

Thanks for the synopsis. I wonder if she was friendly with Moses Gunn at all although he didn't stay on for long. When I met him, he wanted to talk about other things, not that show as much. He wasn't starring in it though. I'm sure racism was there being a large set and just the joke Michael did pretending to be KKK showed it was not really recognized. Some things you can't make a joke, although some will laugh, it was too ugly. I'm glad he gave her a chance and let her sing. She had a beautiful voice.

I think I would find Katherine a soulmate too. I always admired woman with chutzpah and a sense of humor. I don't recall anyone's book mentioning "Hester Sue" or any of the minority actors but they might have. I would think Todd's show would have been by someone, it was so good.

Karen's book isn't coming out until the Fall (Nov) but I will probably get hers. So far 8.99 for Kindle, and 16.95 for paperback. I know many fans will buy it but since she hasn't been in the limelight for a long time, they count on fans who hung in there with the show to buy it. I'll help. ; ) 

A summary: Karen Grassle, the beloved actress who played Ma on Little House on the Prairie, grew up at the edge of the Pacific Ocean in a family where love was plentiful but alcohol wreaked havoc. In this candid memoir, Grassle reveals her journey to succeed as an actress even as she struggles to overcome depression, combat her own dependence on alcohol, and find true love. With humor and hard-won wisdom, Grassle takes readers on an inspiring journey through the political turmoil on ’60s campuses, on to studies with some of the most celebrated artists at the famed London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, and ultimately behind the curtains of Broadway stages and storied Hollywood sets. In these pages, readers meet actors and directors who have captivated us on screen and stage as they fall in love, betray and befriend, and don costumes only to reveal themselves. We know Karen Grassle best as the proud prairie woman Caroline Ingalls, with her quiet strength and devotion to family, but this memoir introduces readers to the complex, funny, rebellious, and soulful woman who, in addition to being the force behind those many strong women she played, fought passionately―as a writer, producer, and activist―on behalf of equal rights for women. Raw, emotional, and tender, Bright Lights celebrates and honors womanhood, in all its complexity.

 

Edited May 9, 2021 by debraran

[Blergh]

@debraran,

Oddly enough, Miss Lester just related the info that the late Mr. Gunn played Hester Sue's friend Mr. Kagan for a few episodes without giving any kind of hint about how she felt about his performance- or whether she liked or disliked him as a person (and she pulled few punches about so many others including Maya Angelou and Della Reese). Of course, she also didn't mention working  with (much less her reactions to)  Melissa Sue Anderson  Linwood Boomer or Karen Grassle- despite the majority of Hester Sue's scenes being with one or all of their characters for most of her time on the series. 

I don't recall Miss Lester being mentioned in any of the then-girls' books. Miss Anderson DID actually go into some detail about having been impressed by Todd Bridges's performance in his LHOTP episode in her book but, despite her having worked longer with Miss Lester, nothing about her.

[debraran]

10 hours ago, Blergh said:

@debraran,

Oddly enough, Miss Lester just related the info that the late Mr. Gunn played Hester Sue's friend Mr. Kagan for a few episodes without giving any kind of hint about how she felt about his performance- or whether she liked or disliked him as a person (and she pulled few punches about so many others including Maya Angelou and Della Reese). Of course, she also didn't mention working  with (much less her reactions to)  Melissa Sue Anderson  Linwood Boomer or Karen Grassle- despite the majority of Hester Sue's scenes being with one or all of their characters for most of her time on the series. 

I don't recall Miss Lester being mentioned in any of the then-girls' books. Miss Anderson DID actually go into some detail about having been impressed by Todd Bridges's performance in his LHOTP episode in her book but, despite her having worked longer with Miss Lester, nothing about her.

Yes, thank you, I was going to mention it was only MSA that mentioned Todd to my memory but without casting judgement, it is a little odd, they were erased to some degree. I don't see them too often in behind the scenes pics either. The book I would have LOVED to read was Katherine's, not that she was the type. She would have been honest and funny and I'm sure interesting. I know it was her and Richard Bull who gave kudos to Jonathan as a smart young man and gave more compliments than other books did. MSA did wonder about him and knew friends who kept in touch for a while. I wish I still had that book/magazine where they gave pretty long interviews. They might have mentioned Ketty too.

I have to remember the 70's were different than today and if you wanted to work, you didn't say too much but I hope at 86 Ketty is content and happy. She was in 40 episodes, that is no small feat and I wish was given more kudos from others.

 

Podcast from an interview  https://walnutgrovecast.com/podcast/Walnut_GroveCast_ep136.mp3    Around the 40 min mark she tells how her brothers volunteered for the war because they couldn't join (crazy to me)and then later were trained to be pilots and how Eleanor R helped. So mistreated later . Very interesting on how she educates the interviewer too. Around 50 min she mentions LHOP.

Edited May 10, 2021 by debraran

[Blergh]

Well, it seems that Miss Lester acknowledges that the path wasn't always easy but often interesting. However, at this time of her life, it seems that she regrets having married (and stayed married ) to someone she didn't really love while sending away the Italian aristocrat (one Carlo Bilotti)  she DID love because they couldn't have legally married in the early 1960's. Oh, and I  also think she regrets having been the cash cow for her many siblings (she was one of 15 children), late husband, stepchildren,etc. and essentially now having been milked dry with few assets remaining (which is one reason WHY she wrote her autobio).  She seems happy with how things have gone with her son and grandchildren but I think she could have done without most of the others. Oh, her mother intended to name her 'Ojarva' over the rest of the family's objections but this teacher at the registry decided it was no good and changed it to 'Revoyda'. Thus,Revoyda Frierson was her original name but after a while she picked up 'Ketty' for college and eventually added 'Lester' for her stage name. Her late husband was Bill James Buckley and their son's name is William. However, I'm not sure if she's legally Ketty Lester or if that's strictly a stage name. However, I can't say I blame her for prefering Ketty to 'Revoyda'.

Anyway, to tie all this in, she made it clear that she did share Hester-Sue's staunch faith and determination. 

[debraran]

I liked once she became friendly with Katherine, she started making suggestions to Michael on ways a scene should be shot etc. I'm sure it went over more smoothly then with Katherine asked,  and then just did it. lol   She was probably telling her "Don't be afraid, just tell him, everyone does"

It was kind of nice and sad how she kept saying she'd just go and do what they told her on tv sets. Directors etc like that but I bet some of it was being a minority and not wanting to rock the boat. Michael must have liked her because she said she could sing when she wanted too. 🙂

Edited May 10, 2021 by debraran

[jason88cubs]

I always found it interesting the Oelson's had to go through the store, from the living room, to get to their bedrooms

[CountryGirl]

I think that was common for a lot of folks (to have to go upstairs to get to their living quarters). Although I suspect for many the downstairs was the store with all of their living quarters, kitchen, bedrooms, etc. upstairs.

[Blergh]

But the real mystery is that when Nellie faked being paralyzed, they set her up in a ground floor room where Laura could clearly see her dancing by herself. What had this room been used for beforehand and was it ever used for anything afterwards? All I can think of is that it was storage space for the (unseen?) kitchen.

BTW, can anyone recall whether the kitchen itself WAS seen or whether Harriet ( in her pre-Cayenne chicken cooking days) would just bring the prepared food into the dining room but that the viewers were supposed to assume there was a kitchen behind the door leading to the dining room.

Of course there also wasn't any indication of how (or if) the Olesons washed their own clothes or had some unknown laundress do that on their behalves. 

[jird]

37 minutes ago, Blergh said:

But the real mystery is that when Nellie faked being paralyzed, they set her up in a ground floor room where Laura could clearly see her dancing by herself. What had this room been used for beforehand and was it ever used for anything afterwards? All I can think of is that it was storage space for the (unseen?) kitchen.

BTW, can anyone recall whether the kitchen itself WAS seen or whether Harriet ( in her pre-Cayenne chicken cooking days) would just bring the prepared food into the dining room but that the viewers were supposed to assume there was a kitchen behind the door leading to the dining room.

Of course there also wasn't any indication of how (or if) the Olesons washed their own clothes or had some unknown laundress do that on their behalves. 

They showed the kitchen a couple of times, including the episode where Laura thought Mr. Oleson cut off his wife's head -- he was cooking dinner and spilled sauce on his apron, and I think again when Charles and Mr. Olseon opened up the magical restaurant in the Olesons' house.

[CountryGirl]

Nellie was dancing with one of her Parisian dolls in the living room/parlor. She was "minding" the store while Harriet was in pursuit of Laura/Bunny.

Laura approached the house and heard music playing.

She saw Nellie dancing through the window (which Nellie was typically smarter than this), then knocked on the door where Nellie promptly hopped back in her chair.

And it always reminds me of some of my favorite moments from the series:

Laura: "Nellie, your mother wants you."

Harriet: "My baby. It's a mir-a-cle!"

[BigBingerBro]

Since we really don't know the history of the Mercatile building, it could be that the living room, kitchen and dining room area were added on later and originally the living quarters were all upstairs, thus the stairs being in the store area.  Still, you'd think they would be hehin doors, but whatever.

In the wheelchair episode, there is a gaff because they show Laura wheeling her out the side door off the living room, and then it cuts to them already outside.   If you watch earlier or later episodes, there is a little stoop outside that door, so unless they installed a ramp, Laura could not have easily wheeled her right outside.

Based on various shots in different episodes, the kitchen would be located on the back side of the mercantile "showroom", but then there is also the storage room which is accessed from the other side, so really this is another example of how layouts and floorplans don't always work out to be possible in hollywood.  

Mrs Oleson was shown in one episode hanging laundry, so we can assume they did do their own.  

[Mr. Sparkle]

I watched "Founder's Day" yesterday, and the Oleson's were eating lunch in their very nice front yard. I remember a few scenes with their front yard, the one with the billy goat comes to mind. I know they had an outhouse, it must have been interesting in the middle of town. 

 

[jird]

I watched the pilot recently (so well done!), and one of my favorite things in the whole series is tiny Laura telling Ma, "Mr. Edwards is teaching me how to spit!" in her little squeaky voice.

Also, Charles mansplaining to Ma, "Make sure you don't get that lye in your eyes." Gee, thanks honey, I've only been making soap my entire life without blinding myself. Glad you're around, otherwise I would have stuck my face in the pot.

[BigBingerBro]

4 minutes ago, jird said:

I watched the pilot recently (so well done!)

My favorite scene is when Mr Edwards is passing out the Christmas presents and Caroline being so grateful for the sweet potatoes.  I tear up every time I see it.

[CountryGirl]

Ma was definitely thrilled to get those potatoes. 

[Tamiele]

Hello!  I just finished watching the 2-part He Was Only Twelve season 8 finale.  I wondered if the Ingalls family cast new this was their last season?  Has anyone ever read or heard comments from Karen Grassle or the kids to say they were aware they would not be back for Season 9?

[Pirpana]

One time we see Oleson's kitchen is in the episode Second Spring (S6E21) where Nels feds up with being a door mat to all of his family, starts up his mobile emporium and meets that Irish girl running a boarding house. That was a good episode, by the way, especially dialog at the beginning between the Olesons was funny.

Nels: "God, deliver me from my family. And other fools."

Harriet; "Who are you calling a fool?"

Nels: "I thought I made it clear."

The part involving the Ingallses was quite irrelevant and annoying, though. I don't know, overall it sometimes annoys me how they portray Caroline. In this case she's gotten upset to Charles for forgetting their anniversary. Charles is complementing the supper and Caroline goes like "I'm glad you appreciate something!" She comes across as very shallow, like "Oh, you don't love me anymore 'cause you didn't say it yesterday." Nevermind he says it every single day otherwise.

I don't know, maybe that wasn't the best example of my case and Charles indeed should have remembered it that time. But that wasn't the only time when Caroline gets upset to Charles for not complementing her cooking or not telling he loves her. Maybe it's because I'm not American. I'm from Finland where we don't have to tell our spouses we love them every single day. We even have a joke around that:

Wife: "Do you love me still?"

Husband: "I'll tell you when the situation changes."

Whoa, that was quite a rant! If you managed to the end I complement you.

[Zella]

I generally liked Ma, but she could be super petty. I am still taken aback by what a bitch she was to Mary over the exam she wouldn't let her take. I get that the fire was a big deal, but I am horrified anytime a parent uses academic things for punishment. (Though of course by LHOTP standards, the fire was total child's play.) But, like, you could have punished your daughter in another way for her carelessness. As one of those kids who used to read dictionaries for fun, I was totally Team Mary for that episode. 

[Pirpana]

A couple of things more about that episode I forgot while ranting... lol.

While I was watching it with my parents, my mom was sure Molly the innkeeper would turn out to be a hooker. Well, it would have been an interesting plot twist for sure but writing wasn't that boldy yet. Thylvia was still just incoming. And when the other man was revealed to be Molly's father, the dialog between them earlier and their dancing together seemed a bit strange.

[alexa]

I saw the Injun kid yesterday, and I dont know if I had seen it before.  I was very impressed how firm the mom was about not letting her father punish her son.  Usually the women let the men decide but she really stood up for his heritage and ideas, which was great.  It was heartbreaking to see the boy surrounded by the boys that wanted to beat him up, though.  

[Mr. Sparkle]

40 minutes ago, Zella said:

(Though of course by LHOTP standards, the fire was total child's play.)

Right? No babies died or went blind!