Alison Margaret Arngrim (born January 18, 1962 in New York City, U.S.) is an American actress, 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 portrayal of Nellie Oleson on the NBC television series Little House on the Prairie from 1974 to 1981.
Very successful in France with two shows with French comedian-writer-director Patrick Loubatière: Confessions d'une Garce de la Prairie (2006+) and La malle aux trésors de Nellie Oleson (2012+).
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Release of her book, "Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated". [June 2010]
She is on the national advisory committee of the National Association to Protect Children. She has spoken in the media about her own experiences as a victim of child sexual abuse and helped lobby on behalf of a California law toughening sentences against abusers who victimize family members.
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Calls the character she played in Little House on the Prairie (1974), Nellie Oleson, "The living embodiment of PMS."
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After being passed over for the roles of Laura and Mary Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie (1974), she won the part of "Nasty" Nellie Oleson on the spot, after playing mean so convincingly in her audition.
In Little House on the Prairie (1974), her character of Nellie Oleson was renowned for making life miserable for Laura Ingalls (Melissa Gilbert). Reportedly, at a parade many years after the show's run had come to an end, a fan threw a can of orange soda at Arngrim's head screaming: "I hate you for all the things you did to Laura!"
Following the AIDS-related death of the Little House on the Prairie (1974) husband, actor Steve Tracy, she began working as an AIDS activist. She regularly volunteered at AIDS Project Los Angeles and at Tuesday's Child, a family-oriented AIDS organization.
She often fainted on the Little House on the Prairie (1974) set because the show taped in California's Simi Valley, where the temperature was routinely 100+ degrees.
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Her signature "Nellie Oleson curls" were a wig, which were held so tightly to her head that her scalp bled.
$15 Million
