Alison Arngrim Reflects on Controversial ‘Little House’ Episode

Simi Valley, California — Alison Arngrim, best known for her role as Nellie Oleson in “Little House on the Prairie,” recently discussed the complexities of a specific episode from the show. On a podcast hosted by Pamela Bob, Arngrim mentioned how the episode, “Here Come the Brides,” which aired in 1977, would likely not be produced in today’s television climate.

In this episode, Arngrim’s character elopes with a teen named Luke Simms, played by Bob Marsic. Arngrim, who was just 15 when it was filmed, highlighted that her character was supposed to be 13, while Simms appeared much older. “I was super… teenage [with] puberty insanity happening,” she recalled. “This cat is playing, I guess, 16, 17. He’s in his late 20s,” she stated.

Arngrim expressed concern about the scene, which involved her character acting intimately with an older actor she had not yet met. “It’s young girls — children — accosting a grown man who they have not been introduced to. That would not happen today,” she said. Bob Marsic, at 22 during filming, shared that their kiss was filmed very early on. “I think we were like kissing on the first day or something… it was like, ‘Hi, introduce yourself, now you’re in love,'” Arngrim said.

The actress acknowledged that contemporary filming practices would most likely involve hiring younger actors and employing intimacy coordinators—both of which were absent during the show’s run. Arngrim described a particularly awkward moment when Marsic brought his girlfriend to the set while they were filming romantic scenes. “I was like, does this woman think that I am a threat?” she chuckled.

Dean Butler, her co-star who played Almanzo Wilder in the series, also reflected on the age differences in the show during a separate interview. He discussed the pressures faced by younger actors, specifically Melissa Gilbert, who was just 15 during her first kiss on screen. Butler noted, “You just couldn’t do it today. There would be way too much blowback.” He shared his admiration for Gilbert’s bravery in tackling such a significant moment.

The discussions surrounding these episodes highlight how the television landscape has evolved over the years and how such narratives would be approached differently today.