Born to a pair of ballroom dancers, Kevin Hagen almost followed in their skilled footsteps. After that, he toyed with being a lawyer. In fact, he didn’t begin his acting career until the age of 27. Little House should forever be grateful he did, as his portrayal of Dr. Hiram Baker is a highlight of the series. Hagen lived his post-show life in relative obscurity in Oregon before succumbing to esophageal cancer in 2005.
Karen Grassale’s portrayal of “Ma” Caroline Ingalls came to define television mothers for an entire generation of viewers. Her firm, yet gentle character struck a chord with many. Grassale has stayed active in acting as the years have gone on, including numerous live theater gigs.
We have our second set of twins: Wendi and Brenda Turnbaugh who combined to play Grace Engalls. The twins didn’t act again after Little House ended, though they can still be found at reunion and fan events from time to time.
Following her run as Nancy Olsen on Little House, Allison Balson moved into a different entertainment field: music. Her song “I Wonder” was featured in the film Legend of the White Horse. She’s gone on to release several albums, as well as host a radio show and work for music charities.
Yet another set of siblings, though this pair has some marked differences. For starters, they’re male. Beyond that, instead of sharing one character, adopted brothers Patrick and Matthew Labyorteaux played separate characters: Andy and Albert Ingalls. Patrick has gone on to act in numerous projects, notably Wes Craven’s Deadly Friend. He also won the American Pac-Man championship in 1981. As for his brother, head to the next slide.
