In 1974, Katherine MacGregor revealed herself to the general public by playing Harriet Oleson, Nellie’s mother in Little House on the Prairie. The American actress was 49 years old at the time. But before becoming known in the cult series, what did she look like?
From 1974 to 1983, Katherine MacGregor brilliantly played the ruthless Harriet Oleson, as arrogant and harsh as she was comical in spite of herself. If her character has become one of the most iconic protagonists of the television series, what roles has she played before Little House on the Prairie ?
Katherine MacGregor, star de Broadway
After nine years of slipping into the shoes of Harriet Oleson, Katherine MacGregor leaves Little House on the Prairie. Following the end of the cult seriesthe actress decides to move away from film sets to return to her first love: the theater.
Before being a starHollywoodKatherine MacGregor was indeed a rising star of Broadway. Passionate about comedy, she experienced success on stage in 60s with the room Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
Television debut before Little House on the Prairie
After New-Yorkher acting career will nevertheless take her far from the theaters of Manhattansince she will move to Los Angeles in 1970. A winning bet, since it was there that she began to land a few roles on television, notably playing a nurse in seasons 4 and 5 of Mannixthen in The Iron Man.
In these two detective series, she plays a minor role. However, it is these two fictions that will open the doors to the small screen for him. Through perseverance, she was noticed by Michael Landon and gained access to the main cast of Little House on the Prairie. The beginnings of glory for the actress who died at the age of 93 in 2018, who will forever remain unforgettable Harriet Oleson in the minds of fans of the cult series 70s-80s.
Eloïse Judeaux Legendre
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