Stories

‘Little House’s Karen Grassle Claims Michael Landon Was ‘Sexist Bully’

ADVERTISEMENT

Karen Grassle, who famously played the role of Ma Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie, is claiming that Michael Landon was a sexist bully on set. In her new memoir titled Bright Lights, Prairie Dust: Reflections on Life, Loss, and Love from Little House’s Ma, Grassle spills all the details of both her private life and showbiz career.

Some of the topics she covers in the book include two unwanted pregnancies, her exposure to an STD, and her relationship with actor, director, and producer Michael Landon, which was anything but wholesome and happy like the show.

ADVERTISEMENT

Karen Grassle remembers a lot about Michael Landon… a whole lot of bad

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRARIE, Karen Grassle, Season 1, 1974-1983 / Everett Collection

“It took me a long time to really dig in and fully uncover the layers of my story,” Grassle says of her memoir. “I had to resist my natural propensity for privacy to get to the truth.” And when it comes to her stories of her Pa Ingalls (Landon) it’s certainly unsettling to think about.

ADVERTISEMENT

RELATED: Melissa Gilbert Ended Her Friendship With Michael Landon After Learning What He Did

At first, Grassle saw Landon as a demanding boss but also an “amazing, multi-talented person.” She notes that he carried the weight of the whole show on his shoulders and worked very hard at it.

A feud about Grassle’s pay

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, from left: Karen Grassle, Michael Landon, 1974-83. / Everett Collection

Landon had soured a bit after an ongoing dispute over Grassle’s salary, which she was getting paid between $2,000 and $4,000 a week at the time. He refused her request for a raise, claiming that her earnings should correspond with the earnings of the child actors. “I felt insulted as his co-star on a hit series,” she adds. “I didn’t want to gouge anybody, but I expected a fair wage.”

Grassle also adds that Landon apparently claimed that the audience didn’t find her as popular as she thought she was. That’s when, eventually, we began to see less and less of Ma. She was completely left out of storylines and had her scenes cut. Grassle claims that Landon would elicit laughs from the crew by mocking her figure and facial expressions when they were reviewing her footage.

She never thought to fight back at the time

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE (1974-1983) Karen Grassle, Michael Landon. / Everett Collection

She also recalls the foul language and conduct that would happen during scenes that happened in the bedroom, where on-set male crew members would egg him on. “Mike would say ‘c__’ and make disgusting jokes about how a woman smelled after sex,” she says, noting that these comments made her want to “disappear.”

“It was almost like I was frozen,” she said. “But, as a woman in the 1970s film industry, I was so accustomed to these putdowns, it never occurred to me to sharply rebuke him… I kept up the professionalism. I’d be the good girl, play the part and hope.”

Despite everything, after a number of trials and tribulations and fighting her own demons, Grassle says she’s happy the two reconciled before Landon’s death from pancreatic cancer in 1991. And, today, she continues to be an advocate for working women fighting for what they deserve.

RELATED: Michael Landon, America’s Favorite Pa, Had A Truly Troubled Life

Show comments
Share
Published by

Recent Posts

King Charles Appears Gaunt In Virtual Appearance For Maundy Thursday After Cancer Diagnosis

King Charles is going ahead with some of his usual appointments and duties. Recently, he…

3 hours ago

Billie Lourd Shows Off Son Watching Great Grandmother Debbie Reynolds In ‘Singin’ In The Rain’

Billie Lourd recently shared a snap of her three-year-old son, Kingston, to Instagram, watching his…

3 hours ago

‘Growing Pains’ Cast Then And Now 2024

UPDATE 3/28/2024 The pains of growing… made better thanks to the seven-season run of Growing…

4 hours ago

Fans Concerned About Tim McGraw, Faith Hill’s Daughter As She Looks ‘Too Thin’

Country music icons Tim McGraw and Faith Hill welcomed their third daughter, Audrey Caroline, in…

4 hours ago

Prince, Paris And Bigi Jackson Make Rare Red Carpet Appearance At ‘MJ: The Musical’

Michael Jackson's three children, Prince, Paris, and Bigi, made a rare public appearance together on…

5 hours ago

Rare Photo Of Johnny Depp Divides Fans As He Looks Like ‘Totally Different Person’

Guitarist and artist Micki Free shared a rare photo of Johnny Depp that left his…

5 hours ago