Alison Arngrim
| Alison Arngrim | |
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| Born | Alison Margaret Arngrim January 18, 1962 New York City, New York, United States |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1974–present |
Alison Margaret Arngrim (born January 18, 1962; New York, New York, U.S.) is an American actress, stand-up comedian and author. Beginning her television career at the age of twelve, Arngrim is a Young Artist Award–Former Child Star "Lifetime Achievement" Award honoree, best known for her iconic portrayal of "bad girl" Nellie Oleson on the NBC television series Little House on the Prairie from 1974 to 1981.
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Early life
Arngrim's father, Thor Arngrim, was a well-known Hollywood manager. Her mother, Norma MacMillan, was a well-known voice actress, who provided the voices for characters on Casper the Friendly Ghost, Gumby, Davey and Goliath, Underdog, and many other beloved animated programs. Her brother Stefan Arngrim was also a child actor.
Acting career
After beginning a career as a child model and actress in television commercials, Arngrim rose to fame as a child star in 1974, playing the role of Nellie Oleson on the NBC television series Little House on the Prairie. She originally auditioned for the role of Laura Ingalls, and later Mary Ingalls, but was instead cast in the role of antagonist, Nellie Oleson. Arngrim would play the role of Nellie for seven seasons and her portrayal became a cultural reference and camp archetype for the spoiled "bad girl" throughout the 1970s.
Years later, in one of her stand-up routines, Arngrim described playing Nellie on Little House on The Prairie as "like having PMS for seven years."citation needed In 2002, she was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star "Lifetime Achievement" Award for her work as a child actress on Little House.1 At the 2006 TV Land Awards, Arngrim tied with Danielle Spencer ('Dee' on What's Happening!!) as the "Character Most in Need of a Time-out" for her role as Nellie.
In addition to her role on Little House, Arngrim also recorded the comedy record album, Heeere's Amy, in which she portrayed first daughter Amy Carter,2 her mother, who voiced the Kennedy children on the comedy albums of Vaughn Meader also guest starred on the album. After leaving Little House, Arngrim appeared in guest roles on television series like The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. She was also a frequent panelist on the short-lived NBC game show Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour.
Philanthropy
In addition to performing, Arngrim is also well known for her charity work. One of her inspirations for her charitable work is the memory of her friend and fellow actor Steve Tracy, who played the role of Nellie Oleson's husband Percival Dalton on Little House on the Prairie. Tracy died from complications from AIDS in 1986, after which Arngrim set her sights on becoming an activist towards AIDS awareness. She also focuses on other issues such as child abuse, speaking frequently for and lobbying with the group PROTECT. In 2004, Arngrim revealed that she, herself, was as an incest survivor on Larry King Live.
Author
In 2010, Arngrim published her autobiography, titled Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated.3 In the book she, for the first time, publicly identified her childhood abuser as her older brother, Stefan, though the book is mostly light-hearted and received critical praise for her ability to mix humor and personal tragedy.
Personal life
Arngrim was briefly married to a writer, Donald Spencer, in the late 1980s. On November 6, 1993, she married her second husband, musician Robert Paul Schoonover, whom she met while volunteering at AIDS Project Los Angeles, where he was director of the Southern California AIDS Hotline. Bride, groom, and the wedding party all wore black tuxedos with bare feet and black toenail polish to the wedding. Arngrim and Schoonover live in Los Angeles.
Arngrim regularly keeps in contact with her childhood friend Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie. She occasionally appears at Little House on the Prairie reunion events and autograph shows and has recently begun occasionally hosting guided tours, in partnership with Scott Michaels' Dearly Departed Tours,4 of Hollywood called Nasty Nellie Tours.
Filmography
- The Bilderberg Club: Meet the Shadow One World Government (2009) .... Dr. Samantha Klein
- Make the Yuletide Gay (2009) .... Heather
- Le Deal (2006) by Jean-Pierre Mocky (Edith)
- Surge of Power (2004) .... Cameo
- The Last Place on Earth (2002) .... Party Guest
- For the Love of May (2000) .... Jude
- The Nellie Olesons (1997) .... Actress
- I Married Wyatt Earp (1983) (TV) .... Amy
- Little House on the Prairie (1974) TV .... Nellie Oleson (1974–1981)
- Throw Out the Anchor (1974) .... Stevie
Awards
Wins
- 2002 - Young Artist Award: Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award for (Little House on the Prairie)
- 2006 - TV Land Award: for "Character Most Desperately in Need of a Timeout" (Little House on the Prairie)
Nominations
- 1981 - Young Artist Award: for Best Young Comedienne (Little House on the Prairie)
- 2008 - TV Land Award: for "Siblings That Make You Grateful for Your Own Crazy Family" (Little House on the Prairie)
References
- ^ "23rd Annual Young Artist Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms23A.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
- ^ Schmader, David (2009-06-10). "Did You Know This? I Did Not.". The Stranger. http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/06/10/did-you-know-this-i-did-not. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
- ^ Arngrim, Alison (2010). Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated. It Books. ISBN 978-0-06-196214-1.
- ^ http://www.dearlydepartedtours.com/DDT/AlisonArngrim.html
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