In the Spotlight: LIWnut ~ Marilyn!

It's Friday! Time for another Spotlight!! This week features one of our Canadian members, Marilyn. She shared some great pictures to be included - I loved seeing some current pics of Little House actors, especially with one of our own right next to them! Now let's sit back and read for a bit, and we'll spend a little time




How did you get interested in LHOTP? I had to watch 2 television programs one September and write reports on them. I watched Trapper John M.D. and LHOP.

Which came first for you: the books or the TV series? TV series but I got into the books soon after I found out that they existed.

If you’ve read any of the books, which one do you like best? I can't pick one, Farmer Boy and The Long Winter are tied.




How often do you watch the TV series? I don't watch on a regular basis anymore. I'm not in the States where they are on every day. Sometimes a Christian station runs them but at the moment I get my fix from the dvd's.

Have you watched other productions of LH? If so, did you like them? I've seen every production that comes out. I can't get enough of the story.

Did you get to see the LHOTP musical with Melissa Gilbert? Yes, I won tickets to see the show and was seated in the first 5 rows or so. Melissa was about 10 feet from me. It was amazing.

Do you have a favorite character? My favourite character from both the books and the show is Charles.

Do you believe that the moral lessons that Little House taught helped to make you a better person? I was raised living by these morals before I ever started watching the show. But seeing them helped to cement in my brain how important they really are.

Is there an episode that stands out in your mind as a favorite? The Lord Is My Shepherd. The ending gets me every time. I love it.

Do any of the episodes move you to tears? If so, why? I cry when someone is made to feel important or loved. There is a lot of that going on in the show.

Who do you most relate to? Mary.



Where were you born? Richmond Hill, ON Canada

How many states/places have you lived in? One Province, 4 different places

How many people are in your family? 5

Have you ever been married? / Are you married? No

Do you have children? No

Do any others in your family share your affection for Little House on the Prairie and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s work? No but they have a respect for my passion.

Have you met any of the cast members? Yes, 11 of them. Nellie, Ma, Miss Beadle, Carrie twins, Grace twins Alice and Andy Garvey, Mary and Almanzo. And then I saw Melissa G in the musical but I didn't meet her. Just being 10 feet away was amazing enough for me.



Do you own anything Little House related? I have a large LH Library, all of the Ashton Drake china dolls, a plate from DeSmet, a copy of the script from the show, siggys from cast members. Too much to mention.

Have you met any of the board members? Yes, I've met Lorrie and Beth Ingalls who is a member but has forgotten the way to Aaron's prairie. I've met Nicole from WG who posts here sometimes.


How long have you been a member on the LH board? Approximately 8 years. Gee I don't know. We had another site before this and I was there for a long time before we moved here. (But not as long as Elsie the Cow has.)

What are some things that you enjoy doing to relax? Reading, walking, napping.

What season do you like best? Spring, summer, autumn or winter? Spring

What season were you born in? Spring

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

What has been your biggest challenge? I have very low self esteem so my biggest challenge is being kind to myself.

What are some of your best memories? Family Camp every summer, visiting LH sites with a relative of Laura whose name is Ingalls!!

How did you find this board? Carol invited me to visit from Prairie Talk. Thanks Carol, I love ya!!

What is one of the things you like best about our LH board? I love the friendships that I have made here. I have some friend here that I chat with via email, facebook and msn messenger. It's amazing to be able to get to know people who share my passion of Laura and all things LHOP.

Were you shy or outgoing as a child? Oh so shy!!!

What did you want to be when you were growing up, and did that pan out? I wanted to be a teacher. That never happened as an occupation but I have taught in Sunday School and bible studies.

What was your first pet? Border Collie named Frisky

Did you go to your prom? If so, what was the theme & style of the time? No


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Thank you so much for your lovely pictures and for letting us get to know you a little better, Marilyn!

I love your pictures, Marilyn. It's so exciting you have been able to meet so many cast members. Thanks for sharing.

Good to know you better Prairie Pal....and oh the chats we used to have in the afternoons when I worked at the lawfirm.....

it's awesome to get to know you better.awesome picture.Nice to meet other canadians on here.

Marilyn, you are such a special forum member. And one I'm mighty envious of too! The Little House related opportunities you've had are simply amazing. They couldn't have happened to a nicer person. Thanks for sharing with us!

Thanks for sharing! I love the photo of you and the cast members!


Is that Alice Garvey seated on the way right?

Prairie Dweller wrote:

Is that Alice Garvey seated on the way right?

Oh, I was wondering who that was! I think you're right! I can 'see' her still!

Marliyn you are a treasure to know. So happy you have had the opportunities you have had to meet so many cast memebers. Maybe one day WE will meet!

I knew most of this, but it's great seeing you in the spotlight, Marilyn. Now, if we could just get you started on those books. Self-publishing is real big these days.

I love these pictures Marilyn!

Oh, Marilyn! I think you are the only one among us who met so many LHOTP cast members. I wish I could meet only one once in my life! You are also lucky to have met some of the people from here and go to Ingalls homes...and over all things: to see Melissa Gilbert close to you at the musical. That's a real luck!

And both, you and me related to the same character of the show: Mary!

Vanesa.

P.S: I like Charles as a character very much too.

Prairie Dweller and Amy, yes the lady on the far right is Hersha Parady, aka Alice Garvey. I wouldn't have been able to tell it was her either, she looks so different. But on that day, she was taking a picture between 2 little girls. Her hair was hidden behind them and she smiled and then I could see that it really was her. I chatted with her and she is really a sweet lady. I had just won a LHOP tricia contest and she was kinda impressed with me. And I was VERY excited to meet her, so we spent a bit of time chatting, it was neat.



Patrick Labrateaux was at the cast reunion too but had to leave early before the personal picture taking could happen. Here is a picture of "mother and son" together during the reunion.

I love the "mother and son" picture too. Thanks again for sharing, Marilyn. Seeing the pics is the next best thing to being there.

Great photo! Yes, hersha is changed, but you can *almost* easily say it's her. The hairstyle is different and she is a little more fat than when she worked at LHOTP, but she's still the same.

And, hey, Prairie Dweller and Amy! Both of you looks awesome!

Vanesa.

If Hersha hadn't been smiling in the photo I don't think that I would have recognized her!

I love the photo of her and Patrick! In that photo I definitely wouldn't have recognized him! Once I read who it was I could tell (all because of the smile again!), but before that I wasn't even certain the person was a cast member!

Wow, you have lots of great pictures of the cast. I'm so glad that you have gotten to meet so many of them and to travel to LH sites and events.

You are very privileged, Marilyn, to have been able to see a lot of the cast members.

Love your Pictures

Who is that guy sitting on the other side of MSA in that one picture that looks like a book signing? I don't recognize him.

Elsie the Cow! Hadn't thought about her in a long time.

I just reread through this thread and discovered an answered question.

Misti wrote:

Who is that guy sitting on the other side of MSA in that one picture that looks like a book signing? I don't recognize him.

Elsie the Cow! Hadn't thought about her in a long time.

Misti, the man sitting beside Melissa is William Anderson, well known LIW historian and a very interesting guy. He is a teacher in Michigan! He has written many books and booklets about Laura, the Ingalls family, the Wilder family, EJ Wilder, Rose to name a few. He is on the board of the Mansfield homesite. He is a good friend and we have some interesting chats each time we meet.

It's great to see pictures of you Marilyn. You have met so many LH cast members and I'm so happy for you.

I did not recognize some of them either until reading all the posts.

I hear that Melissa Gilbert is getting married again. She is such a beautiful woman. It's amazing to see how she's grown up after seeing her as a little girl, especially in the first two seasons of LH.

Take care, Marilyn!