Katherine "Scottie" MacGregor, born Dorlee Deane McGregor on January 12, 1925, was an American actress best known for her iconic role as Harriet Oleson in the beloved television series Little House on the Prairie.
Born in Glendale, California, Katherine moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, with her mother Beatrice at a young age, where she spent most of her childhood. She graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in drama and began her career as a dance instructor at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in New York City.
Katherine studied acting under renowned instructors N. Richard Nash, Sanford Meisner, and Stella Adler, and began working in theater on and off Broadway, as well as in summer stock productions. She adopted the stage name Scottie MacGregor, later switching to Katherine as her given name.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Katherine worked extensively in television, appearing in numerous episodes of popular series such as Love of Life, The Secret Storm, The Nurses, and Mannix. She also had roles in several TV movies, including The Death of Me Yet, The Girls of Huntington House, and Tell Me Where It Hurts.
MacGregor's breakthrough role came in 1974, when she was cast as Harriet Oleson, the lovable and cantankerous wife of the general store owner, in the iconic NBC series Little House on the Prairie. Her performance earned her widespread recognition and acclaim, and she became a beloved figure in American television.
After Little House on the Prairie, Katherine withdrew from screen productions and dedicated herself to local theater and teaching acting to children. She also converted to Hinduism and spent several years in India on a spiritual pilgrimage.
Katherine MacGregor passed away on November 14, 2018, at the age of 93, at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.
