Remember, Karen Grassle played the mother of the family, Caroline Ingalls, in the soap opera “La Petite Maison dans La Prairie”. What becomes of the actress, who celebrated her 80th birthday? His alcoholism, his strained relationship with Michael Landon (interpreter of Charles Ingalls), his affair with another actor in the series, his marriages, his daughter … and other secrets.
Karen Grassle turned 80 on February 25, 2022! Remember, in the cult soap opera The Little House On The Prairiewe followed the adventures of Charles et Caroline Ingalls…camped by none other than Karen Grassle! But what is she now? Did you know that the former actress, who made juicy revelations in her recently published memoir, was at odds with Michael Landon (interpreter of Charles Ingalls), whom she had fought l’alcoholismsummer married three times and had a liaison with another actor The Little House On The Prairie? Secrets of the one who rocked our childhood…
Karen Grassle fell into the pot of comedy as a child
Karen Grassle was born on February 25, 1942 in Berkeley, California. It is at school that the child takes a liking to the comedyplaying in several drama show. In 1951, she also played the role of Bonnie Draper in the television series Love of Life, when she was only 9 years old. In the 1960s, she enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in order to live from her passion.
Karen Grassle wanted to change her name
At the start of her career, the actress plans to change career name. She first takes the pseudonym Gabrielle Treein reference to 1960s model Penelope Tree and 19th century actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree, “I chose my new last name combining theater and glamor“, she declares in her memoirs, Vibrant Lights, Prairie Dust.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30iie3xf5a8
Karen Grassle: why she took back her real name
1974 is the year of success for Karen Grassle, who first plays in the series Gunsmokethen is hired to camp Caroline Ingalls alongside Michael Landon, who plays Charles Ingalls, in The Little House On The Prairie. She is far from suspecting the success that awaits her…
It was during her audition for the role of Caroline Ingalls that Karen Grassle decided to revert to original name pour artist name. As Michael Landon asks her why she chose to call herself Gabrielle Tree, she offers him a confused answer.
“I embarked on a complicated explanation which included Carlos Castaneda, the idea of persona in Jungian psychology, a dizzying theory of identity, mystery and power (…) It was a failure“, she recalled in her memoir. After a conversation with producer Ed Friendly regarding whether or not to sport a stage name, Karen Grassle therefore opted for simplicity!
Karen Grassle tackles Michael Landon and his “foul language”
While his working relationship with Michael Landon, interpreter of Charles Ingalls, starts well, things deteriorate quickly. “In private, Mike has started pressuring me to give in. He told me that the production had carried out surveys and that the character of Caroline was not liked enough by the fans“, said the actress in her memoir.
And to add: “The worst was his foul language during our one-on-one scenes, filmed in the bedroom (…) He started to tell stories dirty jokes as we sat in bed… i mightn’t escape, i was stuck in this bed, in this very small room, surrounded by men, and with the light pointed at both of us. It was so humiliating“.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_O1eSZQlVw
Karen Grassle suffered from alcoholism
Karen Grassle has experienced other bad times on the set of The Little House On The Prairiebut this time, because of his alcoholism. One day, when she had consumed a glass of wine during the lunch break, she realized her addiction. “Back on set, I mightn’t stop thinking regarding that bottle of wine, she recalled, I didn’t feel well. I got some fresh air, I went to the bathroom, I drank mouthwash, I smoked a cigarette… I did everything to avoid thinking regarding drinking“, she remembered.
Karen Grassle: how she healed herself from the bottle
Then she decided to go to a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous…but had a hard time accepting the obvious. “I got drunk once more and had a fight with a very dear friend. I cried all the tears in my body. The next morning, I had had enough and I decided that I should never drink once more“, she concluded. A long and difficult fight qshe finally wonespecially thanks to the support of his family.
Karen Grassle: marriages and children
The actress marries for the first time with the comedian Leon Russomthen in 1982, she sealed her union with J. Allen Radford, land developer by profession. Together they adopt a little Lily, but divorced quickly, a few years later. Finally, in 1991, she married Scott T. Sutherland. But then once more, the marriage ended in divorce nine years later.
Karen Grassle had an affair with an actor from La Petite Maison dans La Prairie…
If relations are not looking good with her playing partner Michael Landon, Karen Grassle has the crush on another actor from the cult soap opera, Gil Gerard, who plays Chris Nelson for an episode of season 4. The actress may have been in a relationship at the time, but she mightn’t resist the actor’s charismadespite the advice of the hairdresser of the series, who urges him not to venture into this terrain with such “skirt-chaser“, according to his memoir.
…. and got gonorrhea because of him
But following their short romance, Karen Grassle becomes disillusioned. Gil Gerard announces to him that he has gonorrheasexually transmitted infection, and that the actress, potentially contaminated, must be treated with antibiotics. The story does not say if the actress regrets having given in to temptation…
Karen Grassle: her last film
In addition to the roles she plays for television, Karen Grassle appears (more rarely) on the big screen. In 1994, we see him in Wyatt Earpby Lawrence Kasdan, then in Tales of Everyday Magic by Michael A. Goorjian in 2012, and in Lasso by Evan Cecil, in 2017, the last film in which she played to date.
What becomes of Karen Grassle?
Today, Karen Grassle enjoy his retirementlaunched her YouTube channel in which she read children’s stories and takes care of her, in particular thanks to the Pilates, which she practices regularly. Withdrawn, but not inactive!