Little House in the Hollywood Hills: A Bad Girl's Guide to Becoming Miss Beadle, Mary X, and Me

by Charlotte Fawdington, Andy Demsky

Charlotte Stewart is known by millions of fans worldwide for her role as the beloved schoolteacher, Miss Beadle, on the iconic TV show, Little House on the Prairie, currently broadcast in syndication in more than 100 countries around the world. Here for the first time an adult cast member writes about the experience of making the show-the challenges, the joys, and the sometimes-turbulent behind-the-scenes relationships. Charlotte, with Andy Demsky, reveal a no-holds-barred, heart-breaking, and ultimately joyful account of fifty years in film and television offers a backstage pass to Hollywood's cocaine-fueled glory years in the 1970s, and includes Charlotte's celebrated work as Mary X in David Lynch's cult classic film, Eraserhead, as well as her later work as Betty Briggs in the highly-rated television series, Twin Peaks. Charlotte recalls working with leading men, from Jimmy Stewart, Elvis Presley, Kevin Bacon, and Kyle MacLachlan. She also details off-stage friendships with Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, as well as with relationships and flings with some of TV, film, and music's biggest names, including Jon Voight, Richard Dreyfuss, Victor French, Tim Considine, Bill Murray, and Jim Morrison. Ultimately, Charlotte's story is that of a survivor. Six years after her career-making role on Little House on the Prairie, she lost everything and was living on vodka and hotdogs. Yet through the darkest periods of her life-divorce, drug-use, cancer, financial ruin, the death of a spouse, and alcoholism-she never lost her humanity or sense of humor. David Lynch writes, "Charlotte Stewart is my kind of girl-a talented, courageous actress-a loyal friend and one who brings happiness to work." Charlotte's story is far from over. She is set to reprise her role of Betty Briggs in the new Twin Peaks series to be seen on Showtime in 2017. Throughout the year, she is a featured celebrity in fan events and festivals for Little House on the Prairie and Twin Peaks both in the U.S. and abroad. Co-author Andy Demsky is a writer and journalist, whose work has been published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times magazine and Better Homes & Gardens, and he co-wrote Doug Shafer's critically acclaimed memoir, A Vineyard in Napa.

Genres: Memoir, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Tv, Film

326 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Mediaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a better book that I would have guessed because the actress that played the teacher on Little House is nothing like her character--she has a shocking lifetime wild side and names names as she sleeps he way through Hollywood. There are some great sections but too much emphasis on Eraserhead and Twin Peaks, as well as her bragging about decades of cocaine abuse and alcoholism.

The first half makes for entertaining reading as she namedrops the famous people she slept with, though almost no details are given. Singer Jim Morrison? Jon Voight? Mike Connors from Mannix? Mr. Edwards from Little House? She hung out with the Rolling Stones, the men from West Side Story, the dad from The Waltons, and Gene Kelly! This woman never met a guy she wasn't willing to sleep with (except for a hilarious date with Don Knotts and turning down creepy Glenn Ford), and she doesn't apologize for any of it, including the sad abortion she had with her future husband, co-star Tim Considine from My Three Sons.

But that also gets to the heart of the problem of the book. This woman is now in her upper 70s and seems to take great joy in recounting how immoral she was. Lots of sex, cheating on her husband, sleeping with married men, drugs, and drinking. She treats it all like it's normal and no big deal--literally saying it's no different to her than reading a book or eating a meal. No lessons learned, just a hedonistic life that, if anything, she misses as she ages. Where is the moral message?

"Why did I sleep around? At the time, I told myself it was fun and it felt good." That's the extent of her introspection, other than adding after cheating on her first husband, "The men I slept with wanted me. I ranked high in their priorities." That does provide some insight into all people who choose to sleep around, because they simply like to feel wanted and a priority (even temporarily). Or maybe she internally realized that her value in Hollywood was only coming because she was willing to go to bed with almost anyone and not expect a commitment.

Most around her were having sex, drinking too much and doing lots of serious drugs. When her business manager steals all her earnings, leaving her penniless, she says, "Syd wasn't a bad guy. He was a good guy with a bad addiction." Seriously? He was a criminal. I guess someone who never went a day without drugs for decades can rationalize anything--and that attitude represents the liberal/leftist view that tries to present evildoers as "good."

I like that she is not enamored of everyone she encounters--Jack Lord, Dennis Weaver, Michael Gross and Shirley MacLaine are shown to be terrible to work with. But where is the fact checker? There are a number of major errors about TV and Hollywood. (Julie Andrews was not in The Private War of Major Benson, Richard Basehart was in the TV version of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and not the movie, etc.). At one point she claimed that near the end of his life Michael Landon "was guest starring on a show in the 1990s, I believe it was Touched by an Angel." HUH? Simply look up his IMDb--Landon didn't guest star late in life and certainly not on Touched by an Angel! The coauthor should have caught these or done better research.

In the last half of the book she finally admits to being an alcoholic, but then decades later when her third husband dies she starts drinking again and goes right back to her old immoral ways. Typically there are lessons or morals in a book like this, but here there are none.

There is a lengthy section on Little House which adds some depth to the other books the series' stars have written. But there's also way too much about Eraserhead and Twin Peaks, for which you have to be an extreme fan to make it through.

Probably most fun was that she was on so many TV shows as a guest star in the 1950s and 1960s. Those watching reruns of Bonanza and Gunsmoke and My Three Sons will have to look for her work. And of course I love Little House, but this book will make you visualize the prim schoolteacher bedding crusty Mr. Edwards. I will not be able to get the image out of my mind that this sweet on-screen woman is in reality a trashy, promiscuous typical Hollywood immoral type. Which says something very sad about the TV industry and the people who make "family" shows.

Read in 2018 and 2025.

[Tammy Buchli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who knows me knows I hate the Little House TV series. I can (and frequently do) give chapter and verse on the deficiencies of the show as opposed to the books. And yet... obviously, I watched it. Otherwise how could I produce those compare and contrast rants? And I have a guilty affection for dishy Hollywood tell-alls. So, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I found myself really liking Charlotte. It was a really fun read.

[Becky Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Turns out Miss Beadle is an alcoholic, liked weed and cocaine, turned down a proposition from Michael Landon, and had an affair with Mr Edwards. She also seems to know everyone in Hollywood. Lots of skimming.

[Peggy King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt that this book about her life was very eye opening. She really does a great job explaining and showing all that actors and actresses go through along with sharing about her life outside of acting.

[Bob Andelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say it enough: if you love pop culture, you really have to read actress Charlotte Stewart's new book, "Little House in the Hollywood Hills: A Bad Girl's Guide to Becoming Miss Beadle, Mary X, and Me." It is the celebrity memoir you always hope for, packed with amazing anecdotes of people you know -- including ELVIS PRESLEY, Jim Morrison (yep, of The Doors), Neil Young, Michael Landon and David Lynch -- and the TV shows (Twin Peaks, My Three Sons, Little House on the Prairie) and movies (Eraserhead) you love, topped off with sex, alcohol and drug addiction.

Plus the author is such a delight! Watch this Mr. Media Interviews by Bob Andelman interview and read her book. You won't be disappointed!

https://youtu.be/HR6cxlKzcK0

[Sylviemom01 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooh. I have been waiting for this book. I finally ordered it from Amazon. I love anything Little House and grew up during that whole Waltons, Bonanza, Gunsmoke era. I love auto-biographies. This one did not disappoint. From her early days as a child to starting acting, it was a blast to read the ins and outs of show business. She also took us to the vulnerable side of this business. How it can make one feel small if the parts are not coming in or the crowd one hangs around with. Not to say that wasn't the times back then. I loved the Little House insight. I also understand recovery as my sister has over 20 years sober. Loved the book period.

[Cindy Gerlach · Rating 2 out of 5]

Name drop much? Stewart claims she doesn’t, but it’s a who’s who of “I met him,” “I know him” and “I slept with him.” She did do some legitimate work (“Eraserhead,” “Twin Peaks”) and she is self-deprecating enough that she has some credibility. But overall? A bit of a yawn, though some industry insights are worth noting.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5 stars)
Actress Charlotte Stewart is beloved for her iconic role as Miss Beadle, the schoolteacher in the classic hit 1970s television program Little House of the Prairie . Her memoir is not for those fans who are only interested in cozy stories from the Little House or preserving an idealized fantasy that the actress and the character are the same person; this is Charlotte Stewart's story.

Stewart does give plenty of attention to her experience on Little House and the role Eva Beadle played in her life. But that isn't her whole story. Stewart took on a plethora of small and large roles, notably as "Mary X" in David Lynch's horror film Eraser Head and his later cult classic Twin Peaks . Stewart is also candid about her real life struggles with addiction to alcohol, her casual sexual life; and her substance use. She had intimate friendships with rock stars and troubled Hollywood stars. Hers is also a story of recovery and relapse; acceptance; cancer survival; love found and lost and found again; and how her relationship with the fan community has given her life purpose, support, and mutual love in her later years.

Stewart is forthright about her experience with addiction --the ways alcoholics justify their self-dialogue and addictive behaviors, and the daily struggle to stay in recovery (especially when the hardest life events challenge sobriety). Readers without a compassionate and emphatic viewpoint may judge Stewart's life choices and struggles a amoral or unapologetic, but her true humility, self-compassion, and courage in being an authentic face for such common (but stigmatized) human issues is admirable, and my appreciation for her as a whole person (of which Miss Beadle is a part) broadened in dimension. I did not see Stewart as dismissing her behavior, but as sharing the inner dialogue that she had at the height of her struggles, and as forgiving and accepting herself for having human struggles; thankful she found a real-life supportive community too.

Now nearly a decade old, and co-written with author Andy Demsky, this memoir, as any in the medium given to memory vagaries memory and personal biases. Also like many Hollywood memoirs, this indulges in celebrity gossip. My least favorite parts; at times, these asides were not entirely necessary to Charlotte's story, and came across as pandering to audience desires for sensational tidbits about other celebrities -- (I can't fault the authors for that). All in all, Stewart's memoir is well-rounded, multi-dimensional, and truly touching. The audio edition, with Stewart giving voice to her own story is a treasure. I thank her for sharing her story.

Content notes: alcoholism; drug use; casual sex; abortion; sexual exploitation; suicide; cancer; death and grief.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best kind of autobiographies are the ones you pick up being more or less unaware of the person who's the subject of the book, but come to love by the end. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book. I never watched Little House on the Prairie or Bonanza, though I have seen Eraserhead, Twin Peaks, Tremors, and probably saw her in some of her smaller roles in the '80s and '90s. I found out about the book from a post online that said it was a funny autobiography that they recommended to someone else, so I found a copy and read it over a few days.

It is a very light-hearted autobiography with some serious moments. She recounts the stories of her early marriage and its demise, and goes from this to how she became a more famous actor while continuing to party through the Hollywood Hills in the '70s which eventually leads to her downfall, followed by a cancer diagnosis, then finding the love of her life and the loss of this love.

I give Charlotte credit for being pretty open about her faults. She didn't sugar coat why her marriage with Tim Considine ended, just explains what happens and admits it was wrong and later attempts to make amends. That's a hard thing for people to do. He wasn't completely innocent either, but she did what was right and you have to admire someone for that.

Later she recounts a brief relationship with Jim Morrison, which she said she had never told anyone before writing about in this book. It's an interesting snapshot of the last days of the Doors' singer.

By the end when she had a relapse after the death of her husband and had to confess to her loved ones that she had been lying to them about her drinking, I was enthralled with her life. Her relapse inadvertently led to this book, so I'm glad for that, though not that she had to endure the losses she did in order to give us this wonderful book. I'm grateful that she ultimately chose to share her story with the world, even the parts that were a bit unsavory. It's a thoroughly entertaining read.

[Cheryl Malandrinos · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who thought maybe Charlotte Stewart was defined only as the beautiful and kind schoolteacher on Little House on the Prairie, Little House in the Hollywood Hills will show what a diverse and talented actress she really is. Though definitely more well known as Ms. Beadle (LHOP) or Betty Briggs from Twin Peaks, Stewart's career has spanned decades and found her on everything from soap operas to TV shows to big screen movies like Tremors.

In her classy, eloquent style Stewart shares her work, her life and her personal struggles. She shares glimpses into what an actor's life is and about the addictions and breast cancer diagnosis she's had to fight along the way. She shares memories of her husbands and the actors she has the chance to work with. You come away feeling like you really know her.

Little House in the Hollywood Hills reads at a much slower pace than some other celebrity memoirs. Three other female stars from Little House on the Prairie have written memoirs, and you'll notice the slow and steady pace of Stewart's book is different from the others. You're really immersing yourself into her life, and she brings you in calmly and casually and holds you there for a moment or two before bringing you further.

Little House in the Hollywood Hills is the perfect addition to your Little House on the Prairie book or TV tie-in collection.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lately I've been on a "Little House kick", meaning I try to find as much 'backstory' about the show as possible. So I was excited when I saw that Miss Beadle herself, Charlotte Stewart, had written a book. I wasn't as fond of it as I thought I would be, and a lot of it, like the drugs, sex and rock and roll was eye opening. I really just wanted to read this to learn about her Little House years. I did learn a lot about her and it was fun to read about the behind the scenes stuff and about the people she worked with. In the e-book anyway, there aren't any pictures and I wish there would have been, but I didn't realize that she had worked with so many famous people, like Henry Fonda and even Elvis. That stuff was interesting, but after a while it got kind of boring so I skipped around to the parts about Little House.
I was never a huge Miss Beadle fan, so that might be why this book wasn't a favorite of mine, but it's well written and extremely candid, which true "Bonnetheads" will definitely appreciate. You'll never look at Miss Beadle the same way after reading this. You'll probably like her better!

[Rebekah Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Just as pain and darkness can be a spiral, so too can hope and joy--a spiral motivating people to become their very best." -pg 276

What a transparent and healing memoir to engage with as someone who found hope in the character Miss Beadle during Little House re runs when I was enduring chemotherapy treatments back in the 1990s!

The loving way Charlotte teaches life...."We are the stories we tell ourselves about oursevles" pg 208....such a balanced mix of accountability and grace for the things everyone individually responds to when we cause harm and when we experience harm as members of the human race!

All this during the backdrop of a life lived from the 1940s into the 21st century with the world changing outside and Hollywood changing inside: this is a memoir from the first generation raised on regular TV/media viewing.

I highly recommend this US American cultural read as we as a global society are experiencing many changes with access to social media more quickly than we ever have in the past.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read some of the memoirs of the former child actresses from Little House on the Prairie a few years back, I eagerly read the recent book from Karen Grassle who played Ma in the series. I was hoping for something a bit juicer in her book, but then Goodreads showed me that Charlotte Stewart had written her own memoir back in 2016, and her remembrances proved to be what I was looking for!

Stewart played school teacher Miss Beadle in the first four seasons, and she spilled the tea on some of the drama behind the scenes. Stewart, like Grassle, was nothing like her character and was a free spirit in real life. Sex, drugs and rock & roll were her life for decades, and she met or romanced many men who were famous at the time. While LHOTP might be her claim to fame, she also had important roles in the cult classic movie Eraserhead and in the Twin Peaks series. This dishy memoir was a fun read, and I'm glad that Stewart is now sober, remarried and happy.

[Micaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, I am rounding up from a 3.5, mainly because this was pretty brutally honest.

I came at this as a Little House fan, and a Twin Peaks fan, but apparently a terrible Twin Peaks fan, because I had totally forgot that Ms. Beadle was IN TWIN PEAKS. Mind blown. But I digress.

I felt like (although she says this wasn't the goal) that this was a name dropping book. I mean, she mentions everyone from Michael Landon (duh) to HARRISON FORD?! Everyone in Hollywood was mentioned in this book.

Also, I felt like the writing was like just a telling of facts. "I was born; I moved to Pasadena, then I became an actress, here is a list of my jobs."

But, when it came to the nitty gritty of her life, she bared it all, and THAT I have mad respect for.

[nancy kessler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book

Loved this book. Charlotte Stewart was very honest and reasonably humble in telling her story. The only reason I did not give a 5 rating was editing was not the best. I often had to go back and reread sentences over and over thinking did I miss a word , the sentence did not make sense. And it would be words missing or incorrect spelling. Thruout the book the editing was a problem.
But the story made up for this and was a true page turner. Thank you Charlotte Stewart for telling and sharing. A fine actress who knew so many Hollywood folks and I will always love her in Miss Beadle character. She was so perfect in Country Girls ,the teacher you would wish for. Buy this book .Money well spent.

[Destiny Pifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not going to lie I mainly got this book after finding out that Charlotte Stewart was once married to Tim Considine of My Three Sons but after reading it I was blown away by the life Stewart led. Struggling with low self-esteem Stewart fell into drugs and alcohol. Her marriage to Considine failed and she found herself fighting for roles and trying to keep her head above water. She talks a bit about her days on Little House on the Praire where she played Miss Beadle. She also talks about her role on the freaky movie Eraserhead and creepy show Twin Peaks. She also talks about hitting rock bottom and almost losing her life. I have to say I was really impressed by this memoir and found myself wishing I could sit down and chat with Stewart. Highly recommend this!

[Marie Kruse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's my take on this book. I honestly never heard of Charlotte Stewart until she played Miss Beadle on Little House on the Prairie. What a colorful past she had! The book is full of name dropping of all the men in her life starting with Tim Considine, her first husband. She is very honest to talk about her drug and alcohol abuse for many years. She was wild, she admits, and slept with about any guy who paid attention to her. I was a bit bothered that she seemed to boast about it but I guess she was just trying to be honest. Anyway, always remember that an actor is just a character in a TV show. If they are believable, they just are excellent at playing a part. Good job, Charlotte, you are a very good actor.

[Samantha Cornwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

When reading another individual's biography, you never really know what to expect. I love diving in and seeing other people's stories and seeing ups and downs of life. Feeling honored to have been included in that. Charlotte Stewart had quite a struggle over the course of her life and she shares the highs and the lows she experienced, from sex, alcohol, drugs, her many roles in the film and television industry, finding sobriety and the love of her life- losing him a few years back, and everything in between. I'm grateful for the opportunity to see who Charlotte is, outside what she gave us for four years as Miss Eva Beadle. Worth the read!

[Georgiacyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I see you, Miss Beadle! A large section of this book seemed like it was little more than name dropping, and possibly an advertisement for The Liquid Butterfly, which I'm assuming no longer exists. But later on the book becomes more serious and inward looking. It is written in a very upbeat tone and, overall, is an enjoyable read. Alison Arngrim's book is mentioned several times. To me, there is no comparison. Alison Arngrim's book is pure entertainment and hard to beat. it is nice to get a very different perspective from another Little House cast member, especially since the two have remained so close.

[Goose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read from the actress that played Miss Beadle on Little House on the Prairie. No, I didn't know she was in Eraserhead and if I had known she was on Twin Peaks, I had forgotten. Really enjoyed the earlier parts of the book when she was just starting out. It's always fun to read about what episodes of shows people show up on. There's plenty of name dropping and some surprises like her Victor French hooking up. I would recommend this book to any open-minded fans of the actress or the shows on which she has appeared. Not recommended to those shocked by the bar truck, near the set of Little House, where Stewart and others would stop for a drink or two at the end of the day.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading enjoyed reading about "Miss Beadle" of Little House of the Prairie fame. She knew many of the musicians back in the 70's, including Jim Morrison of The Doors. I enjoyed reading about her 4 years on "Little House", and all the fun times she had on the series. I felt badly for her when she lost all of her money and property, because of a bad finance manager. She has an alcohol and cocaine addition, and talks about her stint in rehab and her recovery. I didn't know that she was first married to "My Three Sons", Tim Considine.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG Miss Beadle! I grew up watching Little House and I never knew "Miss Beadle" had such an interesting life. From the people she hung out with (Jim Morrison!!), the stories of her career from My Three Sons to Twin Peaks (which I never realized was her!)... and she was in Eraserhead of all things! There were also some really tough parts, like her battle with drugs and alcohol and the loss of friends and loved ones. I really enjoyed this book and have a new appreciation for the actress. I finished this book really liking her!

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I doubt I could pick Stewart out of a crowd unless she was dressed as Miss Beadle. I was here for the David Lynch stuff. I've watched Twin Peaks multiple times without ever realizing Miss Beadle was also Mrs. Briggs. Her reminisces about Eraserhead lead me to rewatching and appreciating it more. Lynch really started his career with a fully formed style. You'd never know this was his first film just by watching it. The Little House stuff doesn't add much to what was already written about the show. She writes a lot about her substance abuse issues without wallowing in it. Living in squalor with a drunken Jack Nance sounds rather nasty but it makes a good story. Why concentrate on the addiction angle when the rest of her life was so interesting? She had a broad range of friends and acquaintances and a rich body of work (both acting and non) that were a better focus of the tale.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book

I enjoyed reading the book so much!! I grew up watching Little House and really enjoy reading about my favorite actors real lives. Charlotte said she hopes we like her as much as Miss Beatle but I like her even more!! Unlike Miss Beatle Charlotte is human and a lot more cool and more like myself!! Thank u for sharing ur story. May God Bless U Always

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up watching and reading "Little House on the Prairie", so it was really cool to get a glimpse at the woman who played the country school teacher. Much like Karen Grassle, who played Ma Ingalls, Ms. Stewart is so much more than a stalwart, morally upright prairie woman. She comes across as a very real person, with flaws and foibles, just like the rest of us. I'm sure it was hard to be so honest about her struggles, but maybe it will help someone else who faces the same addictions.

[Koren · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the end, the author states that she didn't mean for this to be a name-dropping book, but really that is what it is. We read about everyone she has sex with, does drugs with, and of course, works with. There is very little here about the show she is most well-known for, the teacher on Little House On The Prairie. It seems like she goes out of her way to let you know that she is not at all like the character she plays on television. There are better Little House memoirs out there.

[Lauri Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired

I invested my time hoping to learn about the behind the scenes workings of one my favorite shows and came away with so much more. Charlotte Stewart is a brilliant, honest writer who tears down the wall and lets us into her life. I was always a fan of Miss Beadle, but now I adore Ms. Stewart. This is a brave reflection of how to live life to its fullest in all its glory, mistakes, redemptions, pain, sorrow, and joy. I feel honored to have read it.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read. Charlotte Stewart has lived a very colorful life, from drugs, to various tv shows and movies, and the multitude of men throughout her life. Most of all I enjoyed reading about her time on Little House as Miss Beadle…and her recollections of memories shared on set, and her friendships with the cast and crew, especially Michael Landon.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte Stewarts life could not be more different than her Prairie Schoolmarm character Eva Beadle. With a sardonic sense of humor, more ups and downs and jobs then I could count, and enough sex, drugs and rock n roll to freeze the prairie over, you'll hardly be bored as you devour this wonderfully fun look into Charlotte's life!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely could have been edited a bit better (for example - one of the photo captions had the author's last name misspelled) and got past rambly at certain points but this is a solid read. Charlotte has lived quite a life and the writing style kept you engaged. Will be purchasing a psychical copy of this one to add to my Little House collection of books.