Colonel Sanders Cameo
One of the funniest bloopers occurred in a season eight episode titled “Wave of the Future.” Nellie’s restaurant was turning into a franchise, and things went awry. In an attempt to break free from the contract, she joined forces with Charles and Nels to open a rival restaurant. Then, bizarrely, Colonel Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (born in 1890, with KFC starting in 1952), showed up in the 1870s-1880s setting of “Little House” to offer Harriet a deal for a chicken franchise. There’s also a rumor that the fried chicken shown in the show’s meals actually came from KFC, making his cameo somewhat less outlandish.
The Missing Coats
In the episode “Bless All the Dear Children,” Laura’s baby gets kidnapped around Christmas in Minneapolis. Despite the frigid December weather typical of the city, characters were seen strolling around without coats. This oversight likely happened because the show was filmed in Tucson, Arizona, during the summer months.
A Fashion Slip
There were several fashion anachronisms in the series. In some episodes, Caroline’s bra could be glimpsed when she moved a certain way, even though bras weren’t invented until 1912. Some women sported hairstyles with perms or curls that were more fitting for the 1970s rather than the 1880s. Also, most men in the series were clean-shaven, contrary to historical photos of the era when beards were common among adult men, including Charles Ingalls himself.