Shannen Doherty: Remembering “Our House” and more

Shannen Doherty, at right, with co-star Wilford Brimley in the television drama "Our House" in 1986.

Source: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/shannen-doherty-mourns-house-co-212333670.html

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She was just a girl when we first saw her on TV. She grew up before our eyes, going from the prairie to her house, then Beverly Hills and beyond.

Sadly, I recently heard Shannen Doherty has terminal cancer, and it gave me pause to reflect on a career that began on “Little House on the Prairie” went to “Our House” and kept going right through to the 21st Century.

Child actor
Shannen Doherty literally grew up before our eyes on television. Her first role was at age 10 in 1981 in “Father Murphy”. That was a show I really liked where Merlin Olsen masquerades as a priest in the Old West to protect a group of orphans from being sent to a workhouse. It was created by Michael Landon, who was also in “Little House on the Prairie” at the time.

After another guest spot in the time travel adventure “Voyagers!” in 1982, Doherty joined the cast of “Little House on the Prairie” as Jenny Wilder, also in 1982. She would continue with that role in the TV movies “Little House: Look Back to Yesterday” in 1983; and “Little House: The Last Farewell” and “Little House: Bless All the Dear Children”, both in 1984. Jenny Wilder was the niece of Almanzo Wilder and his wife Laura Ingalls Wilder, played by Melissa Gilbert. They took in Jenny and raised her as their own when she was orphaned. Laura Ingalls Wilder is the actual, real-life creator of “Little House on the Prairie.”

Doherty also had guest starring roles in “Magnum P.I.” in 1983; and “Airwolf” in 1984. In 1985 she had guest roles in “The New Leave it to Beaver” and “Highway to Heaven”, as well as roles in the TV movie “The Other Lover” and the TV miniseries “Robert Kennedy and his Times”, where she played Robert’s sister Kathleen Kennedy.

She had big-screen roles as well 1982, with a voice role in “The Secret of NIMH” and an acting role in “Night Shift” with Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton. She was then in “Girls Just Want to have Fun” in 1985.

Everything changed for Shannen Doherty in 1986.

A home
Doherty landed the role of Kris Witherspoon in the drama “Our House” in 1986. Deirde Hall plays Jessie Witherspoon, a mother of three who, when her husband dies, moves to Los Angeles to live with her father-in-law Gus Witherspoon, played by the great Wilford Brimley. Doherty plays oldest daughter Kris Witherspoon, who is 15, while Chad Allen plays son David, 12, and Keri Houlihan plays Molly, 8.

“Our House” came out when I was in Grade 12, so I watched it on Channel 7 on the peasant vision dial its entire first season. However, it fell off my radar when I went to university in the Fall of 1987 and pretty much stopped watching television.

I loved this show. Every week, some member of the family or a friend, would end up in some kind of conflict. Gus Witherspoon would make it right, usually by telling someone off or putting them in their place.

“Our House” ran from 1986 to 1988 for total of 46 episodes.

Doherty closed out the decade by appearing in the motion picture “Heathers” in 1988; on the small screen in the TV movie “Alf Loves a Mystery” in 1987; and in a guest starring role in “21 Jump Street” in 1989.

The years after
Shannen Doherty keeps on acting to this day. She gained notoriety for two recurring roles in television shows in the 1990s.

From 1990 to 1994, she played Brenda Walsh in “Beverly Hills, 90210”. The show follows the lives of several friends who go from high school to college then into the adult world. Her twin brother Brandon Walsh, was played by Canadian Jason Priestley. The show also featured Luke Perry, Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, Brian Austin Green and more.

Then, from 1998 to 2001, she played Prue Halliwell, the oldest of three sisters who are witches, each with a special power on “Charmed”.

Doherty also appeared in movies such as “Mallrats” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”; as well as on television in several TV movies as well as guest spots in “Saturday Night Live”; several shows in the “Beverly Hills 90120” franchise and more.

Parting thoughts
Long after Shannen Doherty stopped playing the innocent Kris Witherspoon in “Our House”, she gained a reputation for being difficult on the set of both “Beverly Hills 90210” and “Charmed”. It has been reported she feuded with Jennie Garth on “Beverly Hills 90210” and with Alyssa Milano on “Charmed”.

Over time, much of that has been chalked up to immaturity.

The reality is, I often don’t care how people act off set. When they act, they are doing a job. If they are good at the job, all that should matter is if they are hurting anyone or not. Do I really care if my dentist doesn’t get along with his co-workers if he gives me an incredible root canal? Do I care about the cashier at IGA’s relations with co-workers, or the assistant at the eye doctor? Probably not.

The fact is, I really enjoyed her as Kris Witherspoon and as Prue Halliwell. She even twice got nominated for Saturn Awards for her role as Preu. Those are presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. I never really saw “Beverly Hills 90210” because that was on largely when I was in university.

To be honest, I think all of this takes a back seat to the fact Shannen Doherty is in a fight for her life. I just read in January of this year, she is undergoing a new cancer treatment that she has called a miracle.

You are in my thoughts and prayers Shannen.