Little House on the Prairie may look perfect, but the show is full of funny mistakes and surprising behind-the-scenes stories.
Fans still love the show for its timeless lessons about family, kindness, and honesty — but sharp-eyed viewers have spotted plenty of bloopers.
Pregnancy mistake:
Laura announces her pregnancy in season 7, yet by the next summer she’s still pregnant, confusing fans.
Nellie’s curls:
Nellie Oleson’s famous blonde ringlets were actually a wig because the original curling process was too painful.
Colonel Sanders cameo:
In a hilarious blooper, Colonel Sanders appears in an episode set in the 1870s — even though he wasn’t born until 1890.
Missing winter coats:
Characters stroll through “freezing” Minneapolis with no coats because episodes were filmed in hot Tucson.
Modern fashion errors:
Caroline’s visible bra and 1970s-style perms appear in a show set in the 1880s.
Dummy on the train:
In “The Odyssey,” a stunt scene accidentally shows a dummy being thrown off a moving train.
Cast relationships:
Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary) was seen as distant, while Melissa Gilbert (Laura) and Alison Arngrim (Nellie) became best friends off-screen.
Emotional episode “My Ellen”:
A dramatic story about a drowning includes odd reactions from adults who don’t comfort Laura.
Michael Landon’s frog pranks:
Landon loved joking around and would even put live frogs in his mouth to scare the crew.
Gilbert vs. Landon:
Melissa Gilbert later felt betrayed when Landon had an affair with a younger staff member.
The traveling quilt:
The same quilt appears in multiple families’ homes — a clear prop reuse.
Dean Butler’s near accident:
On his first day, Butler (Almanzo) almost crashed a runaway horse wagon into a tree.
Albert’s fate:
Albert’s death was never fully confirmed, leaving fans debating for decades.
Aging mistake:
In the final movie, set in 1901, characters barely age despite many years passing.
Harriet’s absence:
Katherine MacGregor, who played Harriet Oleson, skipped the finale due to a trip to India and long-standing issues with Michael Landon.