Alison Arngrim gained fame for her portrayal of Nellie Oleson on the popular NBC TV series ‘Little House on the Prairie’ from 1974 to 1981. She is known for her work as an actress, author, stand-up comic, and activist. In 2002, she was honored with a Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award from the Young Artist Awards for her role on the show.
Early Life & Struggles
Alison Margaret Arngrim was born in New York, on January 18, 1962. She was raised by her parents, Norma MacMillan, an actress, and Thor Arngrim, a talent manager. Norma was from Vancouver, British Columbia, while Thor was born in Canada.
Her mother, Norma, was a well-known voice actor who provided her voice for beloved characters such as Casper in the show ‘New Casper Cartoon Show’, Davey in ‘Davey and Goliath’, ‘Underdog’s’ significant other Sweet Polly Purebred, and the title character in ‘Gumby’.
Her father, Thor, was a multi-talented individual, working as an actor, producer, manager, and the creator of the Totem Theatre company.
Her older sibling, Stefan Arngrim, is both an actor and a musician. In her autobiographical book ‘Confessions of a Prairie Bitch’, Alison revealed that her brother Stefan sexually abused her.
For six years, Alison faced this abuse until she took on the role of Nellie Oleson in 1974, which brought an end to it. During that time, Stefan had already coerced her into using substances like LSD, cocaine, and marijuana, as well as subjected her to sexual abuse.
Alison Arngrim sought to take legal action for her abuse, but she discovered that the law does not allow for the imprisonment of a family member who commits sexual abuse. This rule applied to 26 states in the USA, making it impossible for her to press charges.
Alison Arngrim’s Career
Before getting the role of mean Nellie on the TV series ‘Little House on the Prairie’, Alison Arngrim had already gained experience as a child actor, appearing in commercials and the movie ‘Throw Out the Anchor’. She then went on to audition for the parts of Laura and Mary Ingalls before ultimately securing the role of Nellie.
She recalls a moment from a parade where she was hit in the face with a cup of orange soda. Surprisingly, she found satisfaction in the incident because it proved her successful performance in portraying a despised character to the crowd.
Alison Arngrim has admitted her surprise at the enduring popularity of ‘Little House on the Prairie’ through its reruns. She was pleasantly surprised to learn that both Bill Clinton and Saddam Hussein were also fans of the show.
Some of her credits include appearances in ‘The Love Boat’, ‘Fantasy Land’, and ‘The Comeback Kids’, as well as roles in films like ‘Make the Yuletide Gay’, ‘The Last Place on Earth’, and ‘Le Deal’. Additionally, she has authored a memoir and adapted it into a one-person stage performance.
She frequently performs comedy on stage alongside her director and comedian pal, Patrick Loubatière, and is highly renowned in France. Additionally, she has a French website named after her.
Personal Life
Alison Arngrim was previously wed to actor Donald Mark Spencer for four years, from April 8, 1989, to April 8, 1993. She has been married to musician Robert Paul Schoonover since November 6, 1993.
Net Worth
Alison Arngrim is a multi-talented individual from Canada and America, known for her skills in acting, comedy, and writing. She has a net worth of $400 thousand.
In her younger years, she was a child model, and later on, she made appearances in popular TV shows such as The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, and Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour.
