Karen Grassle Looks Great at 81 & Shows Her Wrinkles Years after Fight for Motherhood

• Karen Grassle from "Little House on the Prairie" turns 81!
• Karen Grassle became a mom, just like her character Caroline, with a slight difference.

Karen Grassle, famous for playing Caroline Ingalls or "Ma" on "Little House on the Prairie," has turned 81! The actress has had a fruitful career and a storied life. Although she has lived a life filled with good memories, she has also faced some obstacles. Although her career skyrocketed, she had problems with her co-star and producer, Michael Landon.

When Grassle started on "Little House on the Prairie," Landon welcomed her warmly. Grassle mentioned he was an excellent director and made her feel comfortable in her new TV role — the first one she did. The two had an outstanding working relationship and enjoyed each other's company on set.

However, things soon took a change when they started filming the show's second season. At the time, Grassle felt she was underpaid for the prominent role she was playing in the show. Although she didn't want to make any waves, she also felt entitled to fair pay. So, she decided to speak her mind.

She had her first taste of child-rearing with her second husband, Alan Radford.

Grassle reached out to the executives and requested a pay raise. Landon handled the problem, speaking directly to Grassle. On many occasions, they had one-on-one meetings concerning her appeal in which he shot her down, trying to get her to retract the demand. No matter how much Landon tried, Grassle stood firm.

Landon said the producers wouldn't raise her salary because her character wasn't a "favorite." Nonetheless, Grassle's request was ultimately approved, but it caused her to be featured in fewer scenes, and Landon became distant and rude. The actress recalled:

"I felt insulted as his costar on a hit series. I didn't want to gouge anybody, but I expected a fair wage. But, as a woman in the 1970s film industry, I was so accustomed to these putdowns, it never occurred to me to sharply rebuke him."

The actress explained that the mood on set soon became uncomfortable, although they kept things professional. Luckily, the two managed to reconcile before Landon's death. Grassle never harbored any ill will toward her co-star, mentioning she missed their friendly back-and-forth after the ordeal.

Even after the show ended, Grassle praised Landon for his exceptional skills as an actor and director. She mentioned she admired his need to bring families together and provide wholesome entertainment that everyone could enjoy. She said, "I am very grateful that we mended our fences."

Karen Grassle Became a Mom Like Caroline, but in Another Way: At 81 She Is Not Alone

At the age of 81, Grassle is still going strong. The actress reflected on her life when she turned 78, saying she has had numerous wonderful experiences and has lived a life she is proud of. Grassle mentioned she has tons to be "grateful" for in life. She cited her luck in being on the popular TV show merely as one of the reasons.

These days, Grassle remains the strong, confident woman her mother taught her to be.

Grassle looked back at her childhood fondly, saying she had loving parents. She based her "Little House on the Prairie" character on her mother's "strength and wisdom" and adopted those qualities herself when she became a mom. However, having kids was always difficult for Grassle.

The actress was married three times in her life. She had her first taste of child-rearing with her second husband, Alan Radford. Radford had had children from a previous marriage, and Grassle adored her stepchildren. The two wanted a child of their own, but they had difficulty conceiving, so they turned to adoption. Grassle recalled:

"We were on the verge of beginning fertility treatment and started contacting people we knew about adoption. [A friend] referred me to her [adoption] attorney [who knew of] a young woman looking for a couple to adopt her child. It really felt like destiny."

The two ended up adopting two children together. Grassle marked her son Zachary Radford's birthday with an Instagram post in 2021. Although Grassle and Radford went their separate ways, they parted on good terms, and the actress looks back at her relationship with his kids fondly.

Even though Grassle couldn't have the traditional and big family like her character, Caroline, in "Little House on the Prairie," the actress still adored the children she had the chance to raise. The actress admitted that being a single mother could be challenging at times, but she stuck to what her mother taught her and enjoyed every second.

These days, Grassle remains the strong, confident woman her mother taught her to be. Recently, the actress shared an image on Instagram, smiling at the camera and flaunting her wrinkles without a care. The photo was meant to show her followers her trip to Washington D.C.

Grassle smiled at the camera from the lower left corner of the picture while the Washington Monument stretched up into the sky behind her shoulder. She was overjoyed to be in D.C., saying she was picked up by a close friend only referred to as Amy. She mentioned she was "so excited."

Grassle posted another photo of herself, this time with her agent, Jackie Stander. The actress held her old friend as they posed for a snapshot, and she mentioned in the caption, "It was so lovely to see her and catch up. Looking great, Jackie!!!" In response, one fan commented Grassle looked "great."

Karen Grassle Is Still Close to Her Ex

In 1966, Grassle tied the knot with the actor Leon Russom. At the time, they were both trying to build their careers. The two admitted that the marriage was a "leap of faith." In the end, they decided to go their separate ways in 1970. Shortly after their divorce, Russom landed a role on the soap opera "Love is a Many Splendored Thing."

Russom went on to star in a number of other shows, including "Another World," "Matlock," "Prison Break," and NYPD Blue. In 2019, he also starred in the hit film, "A Quiet Place." While Russom's career blossomed, Grassle also found success, and in 1982 she married again, this time to Radford. Grassle and Radford divorced in 1987, but years later, she still remembered him fondly, saying:

"I called Alan yesterday because I heard he wasn't feeling well. I just came across this beautiful butterfly box given to me by my three stepchildren many years ago. It was so touching. He helped them pick it out."

Grassle and Radford raised their two adopted children, Zachary and Lily Radford, together. The actress also opened up about being a stepmother, saying she had a special bond with Radford's three children. Eventually, in 1991, Grassle met her third husband, Dr. Scott Sutherland, but called it quits in 1997.

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