My Prairie Cookbook (27 page)

Hello, Bonnet Heads! This is your section. I actually set up an e-mail account at one point so that fans of the show could send in questions. I was pleasantly surprised—not just by the questions themselves, but also by the number of questions that I received. There are a lot of Bonnet Heads out there! I got questions from all over the United States and Canada and a few from France. Several of them were from as far away as Australia. So I boiled them down to the most frequently asked, and here they are. Thanks so much for helping me with this project—it was such fun!

1.
How did the real Laura inspire you in your acting and portrayal of her? Did you read all of the
Little House on the Prairie
books, her additional writings (published in the newspapers of her time), or do any research on your own? I am curious about your emotional connection to the real Laura.

—Rita from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Laura is very similar to me. Based on the first two books, which I did read before we shot the pilot, I knew that I didn't have to create a character that was too different from my own personality. Remember, I was only nine years old, so I didn't really have a process for my performance yet. I was just so excited that I'd be able to dress up as Laura and live her adventures. It did get a little harder as Laura got older. The character eventually surpassed me in life experiences, so then I had to use my imagination and act the role. Until then, it was just instinct.

2.
When everyone sat down for dinner on
Little House on the Prairie,
what kind of food were you all really eating?

—Ann from Cary, North Carolina

As I said earlier, Kentucky Fried Chicken! We also ate Dinty Moore beef stew, Pillsbury biscuits, pies from the local grocery store, even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. For the Olesons' house, there was roast beef, potatoes, green beans, roast potatoes, and gravy. Generally, the food came from the commissary at the studio where we were shooting. Whatever the food was, there were always leftovers, and the cast and crew would devour them!

3.
How did you get along with the child extras on the set?

—Erin from Calgary, Alberta

We all got along great. We played together on and off the set. There were no social lines drawn on our set. No one had a private trailer, not even Mike or Karen. We each had the exact same tiny cubicle to change in. No one got special treatment, which was a wonderful thing.

4.
Do you feel as if you did justice to Laura's character?

—Wendi from Fargo, North Dakota

Gosh, I sure hope so. I sure tried to.

5.
What
Little House
items that you took home from the set do you still have today?

—Gina from Coral Springs, Florida

I have Pa's fiddle, my script from the pilot, my red dress from the end credits, Victor French's hat and shirt and shoes, the Wilder's Room & Board sign, and the sheet music for the opening theme song written and signed by the composer, David Rose.

6.
How much input did Michael Landon have on your interpretation of Laura? Did he allow any freedom of character interpretation?

—Rona-Laurie from New York, New York

Mike allowed absolute freedom of interpretation. He respected all of our abilities as actors. Occasionally, he'd guide one of us through a particular scene, but I know he hired each of us because he appreciated the interpretations he saw in our screen tests.

7.
Other than Michael Landon, who was your favorite person on the set of
Little House on the Prairie
? And why?

—Ben from Lakewood, Colorado

Hands down, Alison Arngrim, who played Nellie Oleson. We got along from day one. She's the only cast member aside from Mike that I had a consistent relationship with off the set. We are still really close today. Mostly because she's smart and funny and kind and . . . and . . . and . . .

8.
Was there anything that Laura Ingalls did in real life or in the books that you wish you had been able to do on the show? Something that wasn't written in the story lines?

—Robin from Los Angeles, California

Maybe playing catch with a pig's bladder—although I'm not entirely sure I would have wished for that when I was a kid! Beyond that, I can't think of anything. In all seriousness, playing Laura really was like a big game of dress-up or make-believe for me. It was an adventure every day.

9.
As Half-Pint, you used to run out of the little house and across the prairie a lot. Did you actually like running that much, or was it just part of the job? You also went fishing a lot; did you like fishing as much?

—Jennifer from Pennsylvania

Back then, running was no problem! Now, running is my least favorite way to get cardio. And I love fishing. Always have. I don't fish nearly as much now as I'd like to. There's just not enough time.

10.
Your first day on the set, you were so young. How was it? Were you scared out of your mind? Excited?

—Ashley from Pensacola, Florida

Honestly, I was fearless. I don't think I knew enough to be scared. I was thrilled to go on location. I loved everything about it. Now I always get nervous on my first day of work, whatever the project. Back then, everything was just one big adventure to me.

11.
In one season your teeth were cute and crooked, but then in the next season they were beautiful and straight. How did that happen so quickly?

—Kelley from Tarzana, California

Super braces! Actually, it was a long, slow process—much longer than it was for other kids. I had retainers and rubber bands and neck gear when we were filming. I had braces when we were on hiatus. Alison Arngrim had her braces the entire time, but she covered them with wax. Her teeth straightened much more quickly than mine did. Then again, Alison only had crooked teeth. I also had a wicked overbite!

12.
Did the cast have a favorite activity to do together while waiting to film?

—Amanda from North Hollywood, California

We did lots of different things. We played cards, board games, Frisbee, and football. What stands out in my memory are the epic Ping-Pong games with cast and crew teams. The games were fierce, but fun. Michael Landon and Kent McCray dominated. Their team was called “The Jew and the Giant.”

13.
What steps did you take to cry (with tears streaming down your face) for an emotional scene?

—Megan from Rockford, Illinois

Honestly, it differed. Sometimes it was enough to imagine that I was in the same situation as Laura. Sometimes I'd cry because Michael or Karen was crying. Sometimes I'd think of something in my life that made me sad. Sometimes the makeup guys would put fake tears on my cheeks and that would be enough to make me cry for real. As much time as I spent running on the show, I think I spent ten times more than that crying.

14.
How much of farming life did you ever have to do or try to do on the show, such as milking cows, collecting eggs, helping plant a harvest, and so on?

—Michelle from California (transplanted from Tennessee)

I've milked a cow, collected eggs, mucked stalls, and churned butter. I mean, I know how to do all of those things for a few minutes at a time as long as a prop man or wrangler is nearby. However, I can definitely bait my own hook!

15.
In many episodes of
Little House on the Prairie
, there is a certain actor who played several different roles. He has black hair and a mustache, and he can be seen as a church member, a stagecoach driver, and various other roles. Who is he?

—Shelly from Hot Springs, Arkansas

I believe you are referring to Jack Lilley. He was also Victor French's photo and stunt double. Jack is a wrangler today. I have worked with him a couple of times since
Little House
ended. He remains a dear and true friend. I'm guessing Jack was in so many episodes because he was a good friend of Mike Landon's and because he was a very talented stuntman and actor.

16.
Will there ever be a
Little House on the Prairie
reunion show?

—Lenoir from Wilkesboro, North Carolina

We have talked about it for years, but it would be very hard to do without Mike, Victor, Dabbs, Kevin, and all our other cast mates who have passed away.