Stars of 'Little House on the Prairie' reunite

Right now, Little House on the Prairie is a family favorite in the 70s and 80s. Now fans are gathering to celebrate the Emmy-winning show's 50th anniversary. Chris Connelly spoke exclusively to three of the show's stars. Good morning, Chris. Hey, good morning, George. A hit for nine seasons in the 70s and 80s, Little House on the Prairie has also enchanted, entertained, and reassured successive generations after that, as they gather for a fan festival this weekend. On the series' 50th anniversary, three of the show's stars reflect and remember and return to where it all began. It's been a half century since the Ingalls family and their prairie life in the 1870s made their network television debut. Now to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the series Little House on the Prairie, it stars Melissa Gilbert as plucky and dominable Laura. Well, today I wanna play Uncle John. Karen Grassley as her steadfast mother, Carolyn. What am I gonna do with the life? And Allison Arngrim as Laura's nemesis, Nellie Olsen. My home is the best home in all of Walnut Grove. All returning to the place where they made pop culture history and taking multiple generations of devoted fans back to that prairie home. Oh, now I... The trio visiting these set replicas at Simi Valley, California's Big Sky Ranch as they prepare for this weekend's Prairiepalooza, a fan festival. Oh my God. Also featuring costumes and memorabilia, plus recreations of those iconic sets, like the schoolhouse. Zen, you came up the aisle and it did the death stare. The mercantile and the little house itself. Why do you think there are so many multiple generations of people who love this show now? People are finding values, comfort, and a message that they long for. And I think, you know, it's just simple human decency. Reliably providing reassurance and familial love of a bygone era, all during its 200 plus episodes from 1974 to 1983. It's the 50th anniversary of one of the most beloved shows in the history of television. What does it feel like to just hear that? When we did the show, we went, yeah, this is a really good show. Oh, it seems to be a hit. That's nice. But the idea that 50 years later that people would still be this excited about it, it's absolutely mind blowing. It's overwhelming, actually. I'm remembering so much and so much of my childhood and so many wonderful experiences and emotional experiences attached to all of these people. Foremost among those as Pa, the late Michael Landon, producer, director, writer, and blazingly charismatic star of Little House. On and off camera, a key figure in Melissa Gilbert's life. Michael Landon was one of the first girl dads. Yeah, that's technically, he was the TV girl dad. He was magnetic and he drew me in, but he also played with me right away. And our relationship immediately became like parental and in that way, but he treated us when he worked with us like contemporaries, not like kids. For decades of young viewers navigating the turbulence and change of their own lives, watching Laura grow to honorable womanhood, secure and supported in the enduring warmth of her family and community, has given them hope and belief and resilience too. You gave them something they couldn't have gotten any other way. What do you think that was that you gave them? Gosh, I never thought of it that way. I can only think it's love. The mutual affection and respect, and yes, the love, shared by these cast members 50 years down the line is palpable. You can feel it when you're around them. And they'll be there this weekend at the Fan Festival, along with lots more cast members, interacting and sharing their special memories as well. It's one more reason for the decades-long popularity of Little House. Guys? I think our director, Lily, is gonna go. Yeah. You're like, oh, oh, what is it? Chris, thank you for the memories. I was going to watch. Go to that memory lane. Nellie Olsen. Yeah, thank you, Chris.