Alison Arngrim on Beyond Surviving: Embracing the Gifts of Nellie Oleson (Little House on the Prairie)

Alison Arngrim played Nellie Oleson for seven years on the hit show, Little House on the Prairie. She is often described as the “acid tongued hellcat” of the show, the small villain with golden ringlets and lovely clothing, and the arch-enemy of Laura Ingalls. Alison and I jumped on the phone for a little over an hour, and all I can say is that it was one of the most fast paced, hilarious, and engaging hours I’ve ever experienced. Tune in as I interview Alison Arngrim on beyond surviving: embracing the gifts of Nellie Oleson.

I’m sharing this episode in Season 8 in celebration of it being Little House on the Prairie (the TV Show)’s 50th anniversary. And, my son and I are currently visiting Kansas and making a side trip to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead where the book “Little House on the Prairie” takes place. If you want to see more images about the trip, visit my Instagram account at Jump Start Your Joy.

Tune in here! Please be advised, Alison does mention childhood abuse briefly, and the sound on this interview is of a lower quality than my newer episodes. This recording is from a few years ago.

Alison Arngrim speaks about Confessions of a Prairie Bitch

Alison shared a good deal about her book, “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch,” and we spent time chatting about her childhood and landing the fabled role of Nellie Oleson. What really stood out in our time together is Alison’s true appreciation and gratitude for the role that Nellie eventually played in her own life. As a shy child, a child that was being sexually and physically abused at home, playing Nellie instantly pushed Alison into a role that changed her, and made her more courageous. Since then, the role has given her a platform, allowed her to help charities that assist abused children and AIDS patients, and more recently, allowed her to start speaking about issues that women face in her lecture “More Than Just Surviving.”

I want thank Alison for her time – speaking with her was an inspiration. I know you’re going to love this episode, and if you do, I encourage you to check out her book Confessions of a Prairie Bitch on Amazon. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it before she and I spoke.

In this episode, Alison Arngrim shares about:

– making people laugh as a child
– possibly “retiring” from acting at age 11 prior to getting the role of Nellie
– her realization that the role of Nellie was very different than the other hyper-sweet children she often read for
– the instant change of how people reacted to her in public after Little House on the Prairie first aired
– why she thinks Little House on the Prairie is so popular throughout the world
– Michael Landon, and how he created plot lines for the show
– her amazing friendship with Melissa Gilbert
– how she met her husband Bob at the AIDS Project Los Angeles
– the “Pocket Nellie”
– leveraging fame and people’s love of Nellie to help others
– how to sign up for the Nellie Newsletter
– her lectures with Petersen Productions and working with Girl Cave in Huntington Beach

Resources
Alison Arngrim’s Bonnetheads.com website (sign up for the Nellie Newsletter here)
Alison Arngrim’s Book, Confessions of a Prairie Bitch on Amazon

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Announcement

00:31 Revisiting a Classic Episode

01:04 Welcome New Listeners

01:48 Introducing Alison Arngrim

03:04 Alison’s Early Career and Little House on the Prairie

05:13 The Audition for Nelly Olson

11:42 The Global Impact of Little House on the Prairie

14:42 Behind the Scenes with Michael Landon

19:25 The Friendship with Melissa Gilbert

21:58 Public Reactions and Personal Reflections

31:29 Navigating Early Uncertainty

32:02 Building a Support System

32:54 A Love Story Blossoms

33:26 Shared Values and Compatibility

35:44 Embracing Public Recognition

39:31 Turning Fame into a Force for Good

43:05 Confessions of a Prairie Bitch

45:21 Empowering Women Through Lectures

51:03 Practical Advice for Aspiring Changemakers

56:03 Finding Joy in Everyday Life