Star on ‘Real Housewives’ steps behind the camera

Some people forget — or just don’t know — that before Kyle Richards joined Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and became a reality star, she was a working actress.

Like her sister Kim, Richards, 49, began her acting career as a child, landing feature roles in “Little House on the Prairie” and “The Watcher in the Woods” (in which her co-star was Bette Davis!) and racking up a long list of guest-starring credits on big shows such as “Fantasy Island,” “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “ER.”

On Thursday, the reality star and mother of four returns to her scripted roots with “American Woman,” only this time as a co-executive producer.

Set in the 1970s, the series is inspired by Richards’ childhood and her late mother, Kathleen. It stars Alicia Silverstone as an unconventional mother, Bonnie, struggling to raise two daughters after leaving her cheating husband. The comedy is the latest series for the Paramount Network, a rebranding of Viacom’s Spike channel.

The following is an edited transcript. She (was) strict, and she could get a temper sometimes. But as an adult you’re like well, yeah, hello, she was raising these kids on her own. She was stressed. She wanted the best for us, and she was doing her best like we all are trying to do. And I just really wanted to share that story once I lost my mom as a sort of love letter to her too. And just inspire other women.