Alison Arngrim

Alison Margaret Arngrim (born January 18, 1962 in New York, New York) is an American actress and stand-up comedian. 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, and many other beloved animated programs. Her brother Stefan Arngrim was also a child actor. Arngrim is possibly best known as a former child star, playing the role of Nellie Oleson in the NBC television series Little House on the Prairie. She had originally auditioned for the role of Laura Ingalls, and later Mary Ingalls, on Little House on The Prairie, but received the role of Nellie Oleson. Arngrim lives in Los Angeles now with her musician husband, Robert Paul Schoonover. In 2010, she published her autobiography, titled Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated. (Bowker Author Biography)