Little House on the Prairie's Melissa Gilbert, Karen Grassle and Alison Arngrim Reunite Ahead of 50th Anniversary

Mar. 15, 2025

The Ingalls family is still strong after half a century!

In anticipation ofLittle House on the Prairiecelebrating its milestone 50th anniversary later this year in September, three of the show’s stars,Melissa Gilbert,Karen Grassleand Alison Arngrim, reunited onGood Morning Americato reflect on the series' resonance after so many years.

On Thursday’s episode ofGMA, Gilbert, 59, Grassle, 82, Arngrim, 62, got back together at Big Sky Ranch in Simi Valley, California, where the show was filmed during its nine-season run from 1974 to 1982.

As fans will recall, Gilbert played lead Laura Ingalls, Grassle portrayed her mother Caroline and Arngrim took on the role of classmate Nellie Oleson on the NBC western.

The former costars visited recreations of the schoolhouse, mercantile and the iconic little house itself, which are set up, along with costumes and memorabilia, for an upcoming fan event known as Prairie Palooza.

From left: Melissa Gilbert, Karen Grassle, Alison Arngrim.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty, Michael Bezjian/WireImage, Frazer Harrison/Getty

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty, Michael Bezjian/WireImage, Frazer Harrison/Getty

After lovingly touring recreations of the set and recounting their memories filming there, the three actresses also opened up about how special it is that the series, following Laura Ingalls' coming of age while living in Minnesota in the late 1800s, is still so beloved.

“When we did the show, we went, ‘Yeah, this is a really good show, Oh, it seems to be a hit, that’s nice.’ But the idea that 50 years later, people would still be excited about it, it’s absolutely mind-blowing,” Arngrim said.

Grassle reasoned that audiences still connect to the show because “people are finding values, comfort and message that they long for.”

“And I think, it’s just simple human decency,” she added.

‘Little House on the Prairie’ cast members Matthew Laborteaux, Melissa Gilbert, Michael Landon, Dean Butler, Melissa Sue Anderson, Linwood Boomer, Karen Grassle and Lindsay/Sidney Greenbush.NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Gilbert also opened up about how “emotional” it was for her to be back at Big Sky Ranch, since she spent her entire adolescence from the time she was 10 years old until she was 18 on the show. “It’s overwhelming, actually,” she admitted. “I’m remembering so much and so much of my childhood and so many wonderful experiences and emotional experiences attached to all of these people.”

The performers on the Emmy-winning series took the opportunity to reflect on the legacy of their late costarMichael Landon, who played the father Charles Ingalls and died at age 54 from pancreatic cancer in 1991.

“He was magnetic,” the formerDancing with the Starscontestant said. “He drew me in, but he also played with me right away. And our relationship immediately became parental in that way, but he treated us when he worked with us like contemporaries, not like kids.”

Melissa Gilbert as Lauren Ingalls Wilder and Alison Arngrim as Nellie Oleson on ‘Little House on the Prairie’.NBCU Photo Bank/Getty

NBCU Photo Bank/Getty

Little House on the Prairiewas loosely based on Laura Ingall Wilder’s iconicLittle Housebook series about her childhood growing up in the Midwest in the late 1800s. The show aired over 200 episodes and a handful of specials during its nine-season run and was lauded for both its performances and compelling depiction of adolescence and family issues at the time.

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In November of last year, Gilbert spoke to PEOPLE aboutembracing aging as a former child starand shared what it means to her that fans still loveLittle Houseand her character, who was nicknamed “Half Pint.”

“There are people who will perennially assume that I’m 12 years old,” theWest Wingactress said. “And Iwillalways be that girl, full of wonder and running through the fields. Half Pint is inside me always. But we are all aging.”

She added that “having the fan base with me as we age together is a huge plus. We can share these conversations together.”

source: people.com