Karen Grassle

infobox actor
name = Karen Grassle

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imagesize =
caption =
birthname = Karen Grassle
birthdate = birth date and age|1942|2|25
notable roles = Caroline Ingalls in "Little House on the Prairie"
location = flagicon|USA Berkeley, California, U.S.

Karen Grassle (born February 25, 1942, in Berkeley, California) is an American actress, her best known role was as Caroline Ingalls, the mother of Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the "Little House on the Prairie" TV series.

Early Career

She graduated from high school in 1959 (after skipping two grades), serving as the student body's vice-president, and afterwards enrolled in the University of California, Berkeley. She graduated with two BA degrees in 1965, one in English, the other in Dramatic Art. She received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and eventually became head of its Voice Department. Her first acting job in New York City was in the "Gingham Tree", and she began calling herself “Gabriel Tree”.

Little House

She (as Gabriel Tree) auditioned for the role of the mother, Caroline Ingalls, in the "Little House on the Prairie TV series", and won the part against 47 other candidates. Michael Landon convinced her to revert to her birth name.The series ran for nine seasons, from 1974 to 1983. In an interview, Karen said that she loved playing the role of "Caroline Ingalls". She said it made her feel like she was part of a great big family.

Later Works

After the series ended, she moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where she remained active in theater. She would later become co-founder of Sante Fe’s Resource Theatre Company, also serving as the art director. Eventually, she moved back to California, where she lives with her daughter.

In 2006, she performed in "Driving Miss Daisy" in the starring role of Miss Daisy at the Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.Aug 2008 Karen agreed to sign up as the promotional face for Premier Bathrooms - a supplier of bathing products for the elderly and infirm due to her association with the character of Caroline Ingalls extolling care and family values.

Personal Life

She was thrice married. Her first husband was Leon Russom. In 1982, she married James Allen Radford, and thirdly to Dr. Scott T. Sutherland in 1991. She and Radford had an adopted daughter.

External links

*imdb|0002111
*ibdb|42853
*tvtome person|id=53801 | name = Karen Grassle
* [http://www.mortystv.com/q1.shtml Karen Grassle Current Info]
* [http://www.imavision.com/lhop/eStore,wciProcess,ingalls3.html Official Little House on the Prairie site]
* [http://edson.free.fr/france-lapetitemaisondanslaprairie/grandemotte.htm Interview (French)]