Katherine MacGregor from ‘Little House on the Prairie’ has died

Getty Images / NBCU Photo Bank

Little House on the Prairie” fans have said goodbye to another great star. Katherine “Scottie” MacGregor, who played the mean-spirited Harriet Oleson on the long-running series, died Tuesday, Nov. 13, in Woodland Hills, California. She was 93.

Born Dorlee Deane MacGregor in 1925, the late actor built a career in the theater before transitioning to television and film. She played Harriet, the sassy and gossipy general store owner’s wife, in 153 episodes of “Little House on the Prairie,” and the role undoubtedly made MacGregor a household name.

Learn more about MacGregor’s life in this video posted to YouTube by Access:

MacGregor took a step back from acting after “Little House on the Prairie” came to an end. A devout Hindu, MacGregor was said to have gone on a pilgrimage in India during the filming of the series’ 1984 TV movie, “The Last Farewell.” But she did appear in the short film “The Lottery” in 2014.

Before joining the cast of “Little House on the Prairie,” MacGregor played a longshoreman’s mother in the 1954 film “On the Waterfront” and appeared on Broadway in the 1958 show, “Handful of Fire.” She also had guest-starring roles on “All in the Family,” “Ironside” and a few other popular series in the 1960s and 1970s.

Following the news of her passing, “Little House on the Prairie” fans took to social media to pay tribute to MacGregor. Twitter user @Bill_Pritchard called MacGregor “a gifted comedian” who was “perfect at portraying the lady you loved to hate.”

Another Twitter user, @mickisuzette, wrote that the NBC drama was “a huge part” of their childhood.

https://twitter.com/mickisuzette/status/1062885857093402624

MacGregor’s co-stars also took to social media to honor the late actor. Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls on “Little House on the Prairie,” shared a still from the show to her Instagram account. In the caption, she wrote that MacGregor had “taught me so much… about acting… vintage jewelry… life.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqKgVykgg7g/

Alison Arngrim, MacGregor’s TV daughter, also posted a tribute to her Facebook page, writing that her “second mother has now gone to her rest.”

MacGregor’s representative confirmed that the actress had been living at the Motion Picture Fund Long-Term Nursing Care facility in Woodland Hills when she passed away. A cause of death has yet to be announced.

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About the Author
Annamarya Scaccia
Annamarya Scaccia is an award-winning freelance journalist who reports on public health, lifestyle, parenting and politics. Like any native New Yorker, Annamarya drinks too much coffee and has strong opinions about the Yankees.

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