After 50 years since its premiere, Little House on the Prairie continues to be a crowd favorite, as the classic show reflects on what people “crave most in life” and its lasting legacy.
The three-day event took place in Simi Valley California, the television series’ original filming location. Ms. Gilbert was joined alongside her co-stars and other cast members partaking in an interactive experience for fans alike.
The 59-year-old highlighted the overall theme of the show, pointing to family, community, love, faith, and hope as its reasons for success.
“It’s all the good juicy things that make human beings so wonderful and different from animals. I mean, that connection. And ‘Little House’ is a reminder of that” said Ms. Gilbert.
She recalls after so much time passing, the show began to see an increase and newfound viewership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the hardship seen during that time, the show acted as a reminder of “where we used to be.”
“At that time, I would look at numbers going up and reading things on social media and think, ‘Okay, well okay,’ and then it just started to blow up,” she continued, “All of a sudden, people are realizing that there’s a Little House on the Prairie [episode] for everything we’re going through.”
As much as Little House on the Prairie was a feel-good show, it took on a number of issues that remain prevalent in today’s society. While on the air, there were episodes that exemplified current events at the time.
“We dealt with the issues of 1974, the recession, that’s coming home from Vietnam, chauvinism, equal rights for women, equal rights for people of color, antisemitism. We dealt with all of that, but we didn’t do it in an exploitive way.”
She continued, “We’re still fighting for so many things in this country, and I think ‘Little House’ is sort of a bastion of what can be.”
Ms. Gilbert is best known for her role playing Laura Ingalls Wilder during the show’s 9-season run from 1974 to 1983.
Other cast members also spoke out about the series to mark its over 200-episode milestone. During an interview on “Good Morning America” actress Karen Grassle who played Laura’s mother on the show, says Little House on the Prairie provides viewers with a sense of comfort and familiarity. She adds, there are values and messages throughout that people “long for.”
Both Ms. Gilbert and Ms. Grassle leaned on one another during their tenure, as Ms. Gilbert’s character was growing up alongside the show. Laura’s blossoming from a child, to teenage girl, young woman, and on, is just another example of how people could resonate with what they see on television.
“I’m remembering so much, and so much of my childhood and so many wonderful experiences and emotional experiences,” said Ms. Gilbert.
Ms. Gilbert has even taken her role on screen and incorporated it into her everyday life. Back in 2022 she co-founded the Brand “Modern Prairie,” a community for older women, and wrote a number of memoirs on her life and time on the show.
Little House on the Prairie is based on a series of books written by Author Laura Ingalls Wilder and her real-life story. She follows the lives of her family and writes about her time growing up in the small farm town of Walnut Grove in the Midwest during the late 19th century.
The historical television series went on to win four primetime Emmy Awards with 43 overall nominations that include the Golden Globes and People’s Choice awards.
