Before Melora Hardin starred in “The Office,” she headed to the prairie.
The actress, who got her start in Hollywood as a child, auditioned for “Little House on the Prairie” when she was 9 years old. She was later cast in an episode to play Belinda, one of Albert Ingalls’ (Matthew Labyorteaux) classmates.
The 57-year-old, who has recently launched a collage-style wallpaper line, Storyboards by Melora Hardin, has fond memories of helping to bring the hit series to life. She told Fox News Digital that Michael Landon, who starred as beloved patriarch Charles Ingalls and directed the series, was revered on set by the fellow “Prairie” kids.
“Michael Landon made everyone feel safe,” she recalled. “He trusted in us, and we trusted in him. He was protective of us. And I think that was one of the most important lessons I learned early on [in Hollywood] – surround yourself with the people who make you feel safe.”
“I’ve always said that acting and making movies and TV are one of the greatest team sports around,” she shared. “And I believe Michael Landon was my first example of that. I learned from him right away. And it just felt amazing to be around people who made you feel safe to be a fool in front of, to fail in front of. As a performer, especially that young, it felt good to not feel constantly judged or challenged.”
WATCH: LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE CHILD STAR SAYS SET WAS LIKE ‘MAD MEN’
“It’s about working with great collaborators and not tolerating a–holes,” she said. “He didn’t have any a–holes on set. And I think that’s super important. If you feel safe, then you can do great work.”
Hardin had already been working “for a long time already” in showbusiness when she joined “Little House.” But Landon was different, she shared.
“I worked with people who weren’t quite as nice as he was,” said Hardin. “We had school on the set, and it was just so much fun to have other kids in school with you, working with you.”
“A lot of times I would be doing a movie or something, and I’d be the only [kid] in the room,” Hardin continued. “I’d be the only one in the classroom with the set teacher. And it was such a joy to have other kids when you got to be in class with them and then work with them. That was joyful. We would also play games. It was a really fun way to be a child, to be a child actor. It was certainly a highlight.”
Hardin revealed that from the moment she walked on set, Landon was “so warm.”
“He worked great with kids,” she gushed. “He really knew how to make us feel comfortable. He would let us do our thing. He wasn’t a meddling director. He was very joyful.
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“He had a longtime relationship with his crew and he surrounded people he really trusted. So it was seamless. He was just joyful. I never felt he was stressed. Maybe he was [working behind the scenes], but I never felt it as a kid. He just seemed to be having a great time… Everybody seemed to be smiling in my world as a young kid.”
Hardin also instantly bonded with Labyorteaux, 58.
“I remember during my first audition, we had to do this flashback sequence of us dancing together,” she recalled. “I was a dancer. I started dancing at 5. I was very serious about ballet. He was not yet cast as Albert, but he was cast as a young Charles [Ingalls]. We danced together, and he later told me he really wanted me to get the part because I didn’t step on his toes like the other girls did.”
Hardin returned for the 1983 TV movie “Little House: Look Back to Yesterday.” She played a new character, Michele, who was Albert’s love interest. They shared their first on-screen kiss.
“We both had a crush on each other,” she said. “It was an incredibly sweet moment. I think it was something that we were both nervous about and we both enjoyed it. That’s a forever memory for me. And we became best friends. He’s my youngest daughter’s godfather. It was a wonderful, fortuitous moment in our lives.”
“Little House on the Prairie” concluded after nine seasons in 1983. Landon passed away in 1991 at age 54 from pancreatic cancer. It was a somber time for the cast.
WATCH: ‘LITTLE HOUSE’ STAR MICHAEL LANDON WAS STUBBORN ABOUT HIS HEALTH: DAUGHTER
“I was still so young when he died, but I remember we were all sad,” she said. “… But I was just so happy that I had that time with him, that time we shared on set and the creative experience we shared. I got to witness what a lovely person he was. I will always remember him like that.”
Today, Harden has been keeping busy with her wallpaper line.
“My interest in art started really young,” she explained. “My dad’s an actor and an artist. And I think I learned very young from him that, yes, you can be an actor, but it’s also really important to have other things you’re passionate about. And I’ve been passionate about art, and I’ve always been passionate about collage. I don’t think I was ever a great artist. I tried painting. But it didn’t spark me in the way that collage does.”
“When I made my first film, I realized that collaging is sort of what you did in the editing room,” she shared. “It all goes together. I’m a songwriter and that’s like collaging, too, because you’re putting together words and melodies in a way that belong together somehow. I think it’s always been who I am.”
In January, Netflix confirmed that a reboot of the classic show had been given the green light. The streaming giant described it as “a transformed adaptation.” It will feature Rebecca Sonnenshine of “The Boys” and “The Vampire Diaries” as showrunner and executive producer.
Hardin feels it should be given a chance.
“There’s certainly a place for some sweet, feel-good content,” said Hardin. “I remember when a new ‘Hawaii Five-0’ was announced. I thought, ‘I remember when that was on when I was a kid,’ and I loved it. Can they do it justice?’
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“I think it’s the same feeling here [for fans]. When you lived during the time of the original and got to experience it, of course you’re going to feel like, ‘There’s no way they will be able to do it just as well.’ But that’s not trust.”
“I think now is a great time for feel-good content,” she said. “We need some sweetness. We need some entertainment. I do think there’s a need for warmth and stories that celebrate commitment to family. I think that’s important.”
“I think those good values of the olden days would be a nice thing to have on TV today for young people,” she continued. “So much stuff these days is jaded and so dark. And yet, ‘Little House’ was just filled with so much love, heart and good values. Who wouldn’t want to experience that today?”
