On March 30, 1974, the pilot episode ofLittle House on the Prairiepremiered, showcasing the lives of people in the American Midwest in the late 1800s. Adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved books, this series captivated viewers with over 200 episodes over nine seasons, plus three TV movies.
The show's lasting charm lies in the ensemble cast who brought the characters of Walnut Grove to life. From the unwavering wisdom ofMichael Landon's Charles "Pa" Ingalls toMelissa Gilbert's endearing portrayal of Laura, each actor contributed to the show's legacy.
While some of its stars had long careers in Hollywood after the series wrapped, others returned to their theater roots or walked away from showbusiness altogether.
Related:Little House on the Prairie's Melissa Gilbert Says Show Still Reflects the 'Juicy Things' People 'Crave' (Exclusive)
Below, see what the cast ofLittle House on the Prairiehas been up to.
Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls Wilder
Melissa Gilbert started acting at a young age and was cast as Laura Ingalls Wilder at 9 years old. She starred on the show for 10 years and her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
"I have to say with 100 percent conviction that one of the greatest gifts of my life was being cast onLittle House on the Prairie," Gilbert said in a 2022 interview withYahoo! Entertainment. "I got to grow up on a set with an incredible cast and crew. Everyone there is like a second family to me."
During her time onLittle House, Gilbert also appeared in two TV movies:The Miracle Workerin 1979 andThe Diary of Anne Frankin 1980. In 1985, at 21 years old, she became the youngest actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She continued acting, appearing in over 40 made-for-TV movies.
From 2001 to 2005, she served as the president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the third woman to hold this position. She has authored four books, includingPrairie Talein 2009,My Prairie Cookbookin 2014 and 2022'sBack to the Prairie: A Home Remade, A Life Rediscovered.
Gilbert was married to Bo Brinkman from 1988 to 1994 and had her first son, Dakota, in 1989. She then married Bruce Boxleitner in 1995 and had her second son, Michael, named after Landon. However, they divorced in 2011. In 2013, she married Timothy Busfield and moved away from Hollywood to Michigan and later to the Catskills in New York. She is also the co-founder ofModern Prairie, a lifestyle company for older women.
On Jan. 13, 2026,Busfield surrendered to authorities, four days after a warrant was released for his arrest.The West Wingactor was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. He denied the claims against him.
The same day, a rep for Gilbertissued a statementon her behalf revealing she is standing by her husband.
"Melissa Gilbert is not making public statements at this time. Any purported 'statements' circulating online — including AI-generated deepfakes of her 'breaking her silence' — should not be treated as coming from her," the statement began.
"She is honoring the request of Tim's lawyers not to speak publicly while the legal process unfolds," the statement continued. "During this period, her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family, as they navigate this moment. Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time. We ask that their privacy be respected."
Hewas releasedfrom Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County, N.M., on Tuesday, Jan. 20 and a trial date has been set forMay 2027.
Related:Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield's Relationship Timeline
Michael Landon as Charles "Pa" Ingalls
Michael Landon, born Eugene Maurice Orowitz, was already a well-known star when he joinedLittle House on the Prairie, with notable roles inI Was a Teenage WerewolfandBonanza. Landon not only played Charles, the head of the Ingalls family but also wrote, directed and produced the show.
AfterLittle House on the Prairie, he was an actor and executive producer onHighway to Heaven. He played Jonathan Smith, a probationary angel sent to help people on Earth. The show ran for five seasons and reunited Landon with familiar faces fromLittle House, including Victor French, Richard Bull, Matthew Labyorteaux andShannen Doherty.
In April of 1991, Landon announced that he'd been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Shortly after, he toldLIFE, "Death's gonna have to do a lot of fighting to get me." He died on July 1 of that year at the age of 54.
Landon had three marriages andnine children. His first marriage was to Dodie Levy-Fraser in 1956, and they had two children: Mark and Josh. They divorced in 1962. Landon then married Marjorie Lynn Noe in 1963 and had five children: Cheryl, Leslie, Michael Jr., Shawna and Christopher. They divorced in 1982. In 1983, Landon married Cindy Clerico, a makeup artist onLittle House on the Prairie, and they had two more children: Jennifer and Sean.
Karen Grassle as Caroline "Ma" Ingalls
Karen Grassle, born on Feb. 25, 1942, was a successful stage actor before becoming Caroline, the matriarch of the Ingalls family, inLittle House on the Prairie. In 1982, Grassle leftLittle House on the Prairie, a year before the series ended. She later detailed her"up and down" relationship with costar Landonon set.
"When I came on the pilot, he was extremely kind and sensitive and a good director and really gave me a chance to find my legs because [TV] was a new medium for me," she told PEOPLE.
"So I have to say it started out really, really great. It didn't stay great," she added, referring to the tension that grew after she asked for a pay raise for season 2. She later reconnected with Landon and reconciled before he died in 1991. "Mike and I ended on a positive note and I was so, so glad for that," she said.
After leading a theater company in Santa Fe, New Mexico, she joined the Actors Theatre of Louisville in Kentucky. She also appeared on TV shows likeMurder, She WroteandHoteland played Mrs. Sutherland in the 1994 movieWyatt Earp.
In 2021, she published a memoir titledBright Lights, Prairie Dustchronicling her life outside of the show.
Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary Ingalls
Melissa Sue Anderson played Mary Ingalls onLittle House on the Prairiefrom seasons 1 through 7. She later returned for three episodes in season 8.
During her time onLittle House, she was nominated for an Emmy. She also made her feature film debut in the 1981 horrorHappy Birthday to Me. She has since appeared in various movies and TV shows, includingThe Con Is OnwithUma Thurmanin 2018.
Anderson wrote a memoir,The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House, released in 2010. In it, she shared behind-the-scenes stories from her time as Mary Ingalls and covered her career before and afterLittle House on the Prairie.
She married writer and executive producer Michael Sloan in 1990 after meeting him on the set ofAlfred Hitchcock Presents. They have two children, Piper and Griffin. In 2002, they moved to Montreal, Canada, and became Canadian citizens in 2007.
In December 2025, Anderson had fans buzzing after reuniting with onscreen sister, Mellisa Gilbert. Though they played sisters in the show, they both admitted they were distant in real life.
"I'm so happy to have Melissa Anderson back in my life. We share such an important history that no one else on earth truly understands,"Gilbert wrote in part. "Just us Ingalls girls. The best part is, the past is now just that and we can move forward as the sisters/friends we always wanted to be. What a wonderful Christmas gift."
Alison Arngrim as Nellie Oleson
Alison Arngrim played Nellie Oleson, a bully and main rival of Laura Ingalls. Initially auditioning for Laura and Mary, she ultimately played Nellie for seven seasons.
AfterLittle House on the Prairie, Arngrim guest starred onThe Love BoatandFantasy Island. She continues to pursue acting on TV and stage. Her solo show,Confessions of a Prairie Bitch, premiered in New York in 2002 and has toured globally. In 2023, she mounted a new production of the play during the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Arngrim is also an author, stand-up comic, podcaster and cooking show host. Her memoir,Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated, was released in 2010.
Rachel Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush as Carrie Ingalls
Sisters Rachel Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush portrayed Carrie Ingalls onLittle Houseand were credited as "Lindsay Sidney Greenbush" in the show's opening.
After their final episode in 1982, Rachel Lindsay appeared inMatt Houston, while Sidney starred in the dramedyHambone and Hillie. They also collaborated on commercials for Doublemint gum, Mattel and Kentucky Fried Chicken before leaving acting to focus on school.
Rachel Lindsay met her husband, Danny Sanchez, on theLittle House on the Prairieset. He lived nearby and would sneak onto the set to hang out with the rest of the cast and crew. In aHallmark Home & Familyreunion special, she told the story of how they first met and then reconnected 30 years later. In 2014, they married under the tree where they met for the first time.
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Matthew Labyorteaux as Albert Quinn Ingalls
Matthew Labyorteaux first appeared onLittle House on the Prairiein 1976 as a younger Charles Ingalls in flashbacks. He later joined the cast as Albert, the adopted son of Charles and Caroline, a character created for the series. Labyorteaux's brother also appeared as Laura's friend, Andrew "Andy" Garvey.
In an interview withPop Culture Retro, Labyorteaux looked back at being cast in the series. "Little House on the Prairie, at the time ... everybody wanted to work on it, they wanted to work with Landon, they knew it was such a family crew and cast, and it was something that everyone strove to work towards. I just got very lucky," he said.
FollowingLittle House, he guest starred onThe Love BoatandNight Court. He also starred in two short-lived TV series,The Red Hand GangandWhiz Kids. In the mid-1990s, he transitioned to voice acting for animated series and video games, including providing the English voice for Jaden Yuki inYu-Gi-Oh! GX.
Labyorteaux married his wife, Leslie, in 2020 and is stepfather to her two children.
Jonathan Gilbert as Willie Oleson
Jonathan Gilbert, the younger brother of Melissa Gilbert, played Willie Oleson, Nellie's brother, in his first acting job. He appeared in all seasons ofLittle House on the Prairieand two of the TV movies. He also acted with his sister in the 1979 made-for-TV movieThe Miracle Worker.
Gilbert left Hollywood at 18 to attend business school and now works as a stockbroker in New York, according to his sister's memoir.
Related:The Gilbert Siblings: All About Melissa, Sara and Jonathan
Katherine MacGregor as Harriet Oleson
Katherine "Scottie" MacGregor, born Dorlee Deane MacGregor, played Harriet Olesen, Walnut Grove troublemaker and gossip — and mother to Nellie and Willie — from 1974 to 1983.
Prior to the show, she appeared in popular series likeAll in the FamilyandIronside. AfterLittle House on the Prairie, she returned to theater and mentored young actors before retiring in the early 2000s.
MacGregor died in 2018 at the age of 93. Gilbert shared a tribute onInstagram, writing, "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."
She added, "The thing people outside of our prairie family didn't know, was how loving and nurturing she was with the younger cast."
Richard Bull as Nels Oleson
Richard Bull played Nels Oleson, husband of Harriet and father of Nellie and Willie, from 1974 to 1984.
A character actor with over 100 credits, he was the Doctor onVoyage to the Bottom of the Seafrom 1964 to 1968. He later returned to guest roles, includingER,Hill Street Bluesand three episodes ofHighway to Heaven, which reunited him with Landon. His final TV credit was in a 2011 episode of the Kelsey Grammer series,Boss.
Bull died in 2014 at 89.
Victor French as Isaiah Edwards
Victor French portrayed Isaiah Edwards inLittle House on the Prairie, a mountain man who later settled in Walnut Grove. French appeared in over 50 episodes and all three TV movies. He also directed 18 episodes and the filmsLittle House: Look Back to YesterdayandLittle House: Bless All the Dear Children.
The son of actor Ted French, he gained recognition as an actor and stuntman in TV and film westerns likeGunsmokeandBonanza. In his final role, he reunited with Landon onHighway to Heaven. For five seasons, he starred as Mark Gordon, a retired police officer, and also directed 12 episodes.
French died on June 15, 1989, at 54, three months following a lung cancer diagnosis.
Kevin Hagen as Dr. Hiram "Doc" Baker
Kevin Hagen joinedLittle House on the Prairiein 1974 as Walnut Grove's town doctor and veterinarian Dr. Hiram "Doc" Baker
AfterLittle House on the Prairie, he appeared on shows likeGeneral HospitalandMatlock.Hagen starred in the one-man show,A Playful Dose of Prairie Wisdom, based on Doc Baker.
He was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2004 anddied on July 9, 2005.
Dean Butler as Almanzo James Wilder
Dean Butlerportrayed the character Almanzo Wilder, who later married Laura. Almanzo, lovingly called "Manly" by Laura, also attracted the attention of Nellie Oleson and other young ladies in Walnut Grove.
Butler has appeared in multiple TV shows, includingThe New Gidgetas Jeff 'Moondoggie' Griffin andBuffy the Vampire Slayeras Hank Summers, Buffy's dad. On stage, he starred as Rapunzel's Prince in the original Broadway production ofInto the Woods.
A director and producer, Butler created bonus features for theLittle House on the PrairieDVD collections and narrated a six-part documentary,The Little House Phenomenon. He also produced two documentaries,Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls WilderandAlmanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura.
Butler married actress Katherine Cannon in 2021. They first met in the 1980s when Cannon auditioned for Landon's seriesFather Murphy. She is best known for playing Felice, Donna Martin's mother, onBeverly Hills, 90210.
Jason Bateman as James Cooper Ingalls
Jason Batemanjoined the cast ofLittle House on the Prairieat age 12. He portrayed James Cooper Ingalls, the second adopted son of Caroline and Charles.
Bateman's career grew in the 1980s with sitcoms likeSilver Spoons,It's Your Move, andThe Hogan Family. He also starred in the film Teen Wolf, Too. In 2003, he landed the role of Michael Bluth onArrested Development, earning two Emmy nominations. He has also ventured into drama, starring as Marty Byrde on the crime dramaOzarkand directing nine episodes. In 2019, he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for his work on the episode "Reparations."
Bateman has been married to Amanda Anka, daughter of crooner Paul Anka, since 2001.They have two daughters, Francesca Nora and Maple Sylvie.
Shannen Doherty as Jenny Wilder
Shannen Dohertywas cast as Jenny Wilder, Laura and Almanzo's niece, in 1983.
Doherty went on to star inOur HouseandHeathersbefore landing the role of Brenda Walsh inBeverly Hills, 90210. Doherty later starred in the Kevin Smith filmMallratsand the TV seriesCharmed.
In 2023, the actor and director launchedLet's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, a podcast that reflects on her life and career. "I wanted to be clear about what it was like for me to work with Michael Landon onLittle House, what it was like to work with Wilford Brimley onOur House, to talk about the90210days. What was it like to be on the cover ofRolling Stonemagazine when you're in your early twenties?CharmedtoHeathersandMallrats," she told PEOPLE.
Doherty openly shared her experience of living with breast cancer following her initial diagnosis in 2015. She spoke with PEOPLE in a November 2023 cover story, revealing that the Stage 4 cancer had spread to her bones. "I'm not done with living. I'm not done with loving. I'm not done with creating. I'm not done with hopefully changing things for the better," she said.
On July 13, 2024,the actress died at age 53.
Kyle Richards as Alicia Sanderson Edwards
Kyle Richardsjoined the cast ofLittle House on the Prairiein 1975, playing Alicia Edwards, the adopted daughter of Grace and Isaiah Edwards, for 18 episodes between seasons 2 and 8.
Other notable roles include Lindsey inHalloweenand Nurse Dori Kerns inER. Since 2010, she's been a main cast member onThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, alongside her sisters,Kim Richards and Kathy Hilton.
Richards was married to Guraish Aldjufrie from 1988 to 1992. In 1996,she married Mauricio Umansky, a real estate agent in Los Angeles. They separated in 2023. She is a mom tofour daughters: Farrah, from her marriage to Aldjufrie, and Alexia, Sophia and Portia from her marriage to Umansky.
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