Mrs Oleson from Little House on The Prairie has died

lmt · ‎05-19-2010

Little House On The Prairie star Katherine 'Scottie' MacGregor has died age 93, sparking tributes from her co-stars.

The actress died at the Motion Picture and Television Fund's retirement home in Woodland Hills, California on Tuesday, with her representative confirming the news to NBC News.

MacGregor, born Dorlee Deane MacGregor, played Harriet Oleson in all nine series of the popular 1970s NBC TV show, appearing in 153 episodes in all.

Harriet and daughter Nellie, played by Alison Arngrim, were known for their gossiping and mean-spirited behavior, which served to highlight the wholesomeness of the Ingalls family.

In 1981 MacGregor told the Santa Cruz Sentinel: 'I look for the humor of Mrs Oleson. She was originally painted as just black-and-white mean.

'Anyone that mean has to be a fool. So I began mixing farce into it. I think the audience counts on seeing Mrs Oleson fall on her fanny.'

The perfect foil: Gilbert as Laura Ingalls and MacGregor as Harriet Oleson, whose gossiping and bad behavior highlighted the wholesomeness of the Ingalls family

Melissa Gilbert, who starred as Laura Ingalls, paid tribute to MacGregor on Instagram.

'I just got word that Katherine MacGregor passed away yesterday. This woman taught me so much... about acting... vintage jewelry... life.

'She was outspoken and hilariously funny. A truly gifted actress as she was able to play a despicable character but with so much heart. Her Harriet Oleson was the woman our fans loved to hate. A perfect antagonist.

'The thing people outside of our prairie family didn't know, was how loving and nurturing she was with the younger cast.

'I really loved her and I find great comfort knowing that she is at peace and, per her beliefs, her soul has moved on to its next incarnation.

'Farewell Scottie. I hope with all my heart we meet again next time.'

Little House on the Prairie actress

She wasn't along in her grief, with MacGregor's onscreen daughter Arngrim writing: 'Long live our beautiful Harriet. Long live the immortal Katherine MacGregor!'

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

For some reason I thought she passed a while ago. I loved that show as a kid. Michael Landon is still hot and she is still a hoot!

NicksmomESQ · ‎08-19-2014

I was a huge Michael Landon fan.I saw everything he ever did.Little House was one of my favorites. Mrs. Oleson was the one I loved to hate!!

RIP Katherine MacGregor.

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

What a great actress she was! RIP Katherine ❤️

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

She and Nellie made the show, gave it such humor where there would have been none. I especially loved the episode when she bought a horse for Nellie so Nellie could win the race against Laura, and she got on it to try it out, well, the horse tried her out and dumped her in the trough, LOL, also the camping episode where she and her kids got poison ivy, and Nellie's restaurant episodes, so funny When I watch the dvds, I always aim for the episodes with her in it.

JYWilliams · ‎03-10-2010

She played Mrs. Olsen so good. I loved that show as a child and still love it as an adult. It comes on every day and I'm glued to the tv when it does.

colliemom4 · ‎09-08-2010

I read that the girl who played Nellie and Melissa Gilbert have always been good friends, but that other sister, blonde, didn't get along with either one of them. I found that interesting as Nellie played such a brat on the show. I think the entire cast played their roles very well in that dearly loved series.

lmt · ‎05-19-2010

@colliemom4 wrote:
I read that the girl who played Nellie and Melissa Gilbert have always been good friends, but that other sister, blonde, didn't get along with either one of them. I found that interesting as Nellie played such a brat on the show. I think the entire cast played their roles very well in that dearly loved series.

@colliemom4 Yes, Melissa Gilbert and Alison Arngrim didn't get along with Melissa Sue Anderson.

According to Alison Arngrim .....

“Little House on the Prairie” star Alison Arngrim says competition between her, Melissa Gilbert and Melissa Sue Anderson was so high that she is amazed they “didn’t kill each other.”

In an appearance on FoxNews.com’s “The Strategy Room,” Arngrim said she became very close with Melissa Gilbert while working on the hit NBC show from 1974 until 1981, but the two did not bond with “prom queen type” Melissa Sue Anderson.

“Melissa Gilbert and I wound up bonding and becoming best friends like sisters and Melissa Sue became sort of the ‘frenemy,’” Arngrim said. “So we were with her all day but I guess she was like, ‘I’m not hanging out with you two. She was just sort of appalled by Melissa Gilbert and I.”