# Melissa Gilbert

Melissa Ellen Gilbert (born May 8, 1964) is an American actress. Gilbert began her career as a child actress in the late 1960s, appearing in numerous commercials and guest-starring roles on television. From 1974 to 1983, she starred as Laura Ingalls Wilder, the second-oldest daughter of Charles Ingalls (played by Michael Landon) on the NBC series Little House on the Prairie. During the run of Little House, Gilbert appeared in several television films, including The Diary of Anne Frank (1980), and The Miracle Worker (1979). As an adult, she continued her career mainly in television films. From 2009 to 2010, Gilbert appeared as Caroline "Ma" Ingalls in the touring production of Little House on the Prairie, the Musical. In 2012, she was a contestant on season fourteen of the reality dance competition show Dancing with the Stars on ABC.
Gilbert served as president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) from 2001 to 2005. She briefly ran for the U.S. Congress in 2016, but withdrew her candidacy before the election. She is the author of several memoirs, a children's book, and a cookbook.

## Early life and family

Gilbert was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 8, 1964, to a newly engaged couple, Kathy Wood and David Darlington, and placed for adoption immediately after birth. She was adopted the next day by actor and comedian Paul Gilbert and his wife, dancer and actress Barbara Crane, the daughter of The Honeymooners creator Harry Crane. The Gilberts later adopted a son, Jonathan, who co-starred on Little House on the Prairie.
Gilbert's parents divorced when she was 6 years old. Her mother then married attorney Harold Abeles, and together they had biological daughter Sara Rebecca Abeles (the actress known professionally as Sara Gilbert) on January 29, 1975.
On February 13, 1976, Paul Gilbert died. Although 11-year-old Melissa was told that he had suffered a stroke, she found out years later that he had been a VA patient who dealt with chronic pain, and that he had taken his own life. The marriage of Barbara and Harold Abeles later ended in divorce. According to her biography, Gilbert was raised in her adoptive mother's Jewish religion, but did not have any formal religious education or conversion ceremony.

## Career
### Little House on the Prairie

Gilbert's earliest television appearances were in dozens of commercials, including one for Alpo dog food with Lorne Greene (Michael Landon's television father on Bonanza). She also attended school with Landon's daughter, Leslie Landon. It was Leslie who informed her that she had won the role of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the second oldest daughter, on Little House on the Prairie, beating out over 500 child actresses for the part. The pilot was shot in 1973 and was a ratings success. Almost a year later, Gilbert began filming the series. Gilbert became extremely close to the Landon family after her adoptive father died. However, a rift developed between Michael Landon and Gilbert after the revelation of Landon's affair with Little House's young makeup artist, Cindy Clerico.
Gilbert had limited contact with Landon after Little House ended during the 1983–84 season. Seven years later, she was contacted by Landon's family and upon news of his condition, paid him a heartfelt visit following his May 9, 1991, appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson where he discussed his pancreatic cancer. She visited Landon at his Malibu home where he was, by then, bedridden, and they spent the afternoon together. Landon died one week later. When Gilbert gave birth to her son with second husband Bruce Boxleitner on October 6, 1995, they named him Michael, in honor of Landon. During the show's run, Gilbert appeared in several television films, including The Diary of Anne Frank and The Miracle Worker.

### Career after Little House

Gilbert has continued to work regularly, mainly in television. She starred as Jean Donovan in the biopic Choices of the Heart (1983), and as Anna Sheridan in three episodes of Babylon 5 with then-husband Boxleitner in 1996. She also provided the voice of Batgirl on the 1990s Batman: The Animated Series, though she would be replaced by voice actress Tara Strong for the series' follow-up The New Batman Adventures.
For her contribution to the television industry, Gilbert received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6429 Hollywood Blvd in 1985. Her then-fiancé, Rob Lowe, was present with her when her star was unveiled during the ceremony.
In 1998, she was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 2006, Gilbert appeared as Shari Noble, a patient looking to reconstruct her nipples after committing zoophilia with her dog in a season four episode of Nip/Tuck.
In 2008 and through 2009, Gilbert played Caroline "Ma" Ingalls in the musical adaptation of Little House on the Prairie. This world premiere production at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis was directed by Francesca Zambello and also starred Kara Lindsay as Laura. The show ran through October 19 and was on a US National tour for 2009–10. The tour ended in June 2010 at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri.
In March and April 2018, Gilbert starred in an Off-Off-Broadway, limited-run production of Geraldine Aron's 2001 one-woman play 2001 My Brilliant Divorce.

### Dancing with the Stars

In March 2012, Gilbert joined the cast of celebrity contestants on season 14 of Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. During week four's show, while dancing the Paso Doble, she fell and hit her head on Maksim's leg and suffered a mild concussion and was taken to a hospital. She went home to recuperate, but returned to continue in the competition. In week eight of competition, she was eliminated, finishing in fifth place.

### Screen Actors Guild presidency (2001–2005)

Gilbert was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild in 2001 after a contentious candidacy, in which she ultimately beat her opponent, Rhoda actress Valerie Harper. In 2003, she was re-elected, defeating Kent McCord with 50% of the vote to his 42%. In July 2005, she announced that she would not seek a third term.

### 2016 congressional campaign

On August 10, 2015, Gilbert announced her campaign for Michigan's 8th congressional district in the 2016 elections to the United States House of Representatives. Gilbert, who was the presumptive Democratic nominee in the district, dropped out of the race in May 2016, citing health issues.
In 2022, Gilbert launched a lifestyle app aimed at women called Modern Prairie.

## Personal life
### Relationships

Gilbert was married to actor Bo Brinkman from 1988-1994, and to actor Bruce Boxleitner from 1995-2011.
In January 2013, Gilbert's representative confirmed her engagement to actor Timothy Busfield. They married on April 24, 2013, lived in Howell, Michigan, from 2013 to 2018, and moved to New York City late in 2018. Also in 2018, the couple purchased a cottage in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York; they said they were renovating it and intended to make it their permanent home.

### Tax issues

Following her announcement as a candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan, a spokesperson for her opponent's campaign referred to Gilbert as a "tax cheat". Gilbert owed $360,000 in back federal taxes and $112,000 in California state taxes. Gilbert responded by stating that this is not true, that the tax debt was an outgrowth of a stalled acting career, the economy, and divorce. She also stated that she had negotiated a repayment plan with the IRS.

### Health issues

In her late thirties, Gilbert battled addiction to prescription medication and alcohol.
While playing the role of Caroline "Ma" Ingalls in the touring musical Little House on the Prairie, a visit to the doctor revealed that Gilbert had been working with a broken back for months. On July 22, 2010, Gilbert underwent surgery to replace a disc as well as fuse a vertebra in her lower spine. The surgery was described as a complete success.
In January 2015, Gilbert decided to have her breast implants removed for health reasons.
Gilbert has misophonia.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1967 | The Reluctant Astronaut | Niece | |
| 1979 | Nutcracker Fantasy | Clara | Voice |
| 1985 | Sylvester | Charlie | |
| 1986 | Drug Free Kids: A Parents' Guide | | Video |
| 1987 | Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife | Marian (Wife) | Film |
| 1989 | Ice House | Kay | Shattered Trust |
| 2007 | Safe Harbour | Ophelia MacKenzie | Video |
| 2015 | One Smart Fellow | Ellen | Short film |
| 2019 | Guest Artist | | Producer |
| 2019 | When We Last Spoke | Ruby | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1968 | The Dean Martin Comedy Hour | Girl on Santa's Lap | Episode: "1968 Christmas Show" |
| 1972 | Gunsmoke | Spratt's Child | Episode: "The Judgement" |
| 1972 | Emergency! | Jenny | Episode: "Dinner Date" |
| 1973 | Tenafly | Suzie's sister | Episode: "The Cash and Carry Caper" |
| 1974–1983 | Little House on the Prairie | Laura Ingalls | Main role |
| 1977 | Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A. | Kelly Sullivan | TV movie |
| 1978 | The Love Boat | Rosemary 'Rocky' Simpson | Episode: "Rocky" |
| 1978 | The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour | Herself | Episode 1.2 |
| 1979 | The Miracle Worker | Helen Keller | TV movie |
| 1979 | The Little House Years | Laura Ingalls Wilder | TV movie |
| 1980 | The Diary of Anne Frank | Anne Frank | TV movie |
| 1981 | Splendor in the Grass | Wilma Dean 'Deanie' Loomis | TV movie |
| 1983 | Choices of the Heart | Jean Donovan | TV movie |
| 1983 | Little House: Look Back to Yesterday | Laura Ingalls Wilder | TV movie |
| 1984 | Little House: The Last Farewell | Laura Ingalls Wilder | TV movie |
| 1984 | Family Secrets | Sara Calloway | TV movie |
| 1984 | Little House: Bless All the Dear Children | Laura Ingalls Wilder | TV movie |
| 1985 | Faerie Tale Theatre | Gerda | Episode: "The Snow Queen" |
| 1986 | Choices | Terry Granger | TV movie |
| 1986 | Penalty Phase | Leah Furman | TV movie |
| 1987 | Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife | Marian | TV movie |
| 1988 | Killer Instinct | Dr. Lisa DaVito | TV movie |
| 1989 | Ice House | Kay | TV movie |
| 1989 | Chameleons | | TV movie |
| 1990 | Without Her Consent | Emily Briggs | TV movie |
| 1990 | Forbidden Nights | Judith Shapiro | TV movie |
| 1990 | Joshua's Heart | Claudia | TV movie |
| 1990 | Donor | Dr. Kristine Lipton | TV movie |
| 1990 | The Lookalike | Gina / Jennifer | TV movie |
| 1991 | The Hidden Room | | Episode: "Spirit Cabinet" |
| 1991 | Roseanne | Patty | Episode: "Troubles with the Rubbles" |
| 1992 | Stand by Your Man | Rochelle Dunphy | Main role |
| 1992 | With a Vengeance | Jenna King / Valerie Tanner | TV movie |
| 1992–1994 | Batman: The Animated Series | Barbara Gordon / Batgirl | Voice - 6 Episodes: I Am the Night, Heart of Steel, Shadow of the Bat and Batgirl Returns |
| 1993 | Family of Strangers | Julie Lawson | TV movie |
| 1993 | With Hostile Intent | Miranda Berkley | TV movie |
| 1993 | Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story | Shari Karney | TV movie |
| 1993 | House of Secrets | Marion Ravinel | TV movie |
| 1993 | Dying to Remember | Lynn Matthews | TV movie |
| 1994 | The Babymaker: The Dr. Cecil Jacobson Story | Mary Bennett | TV movie |
| 1994 | Against Her Will: The Carrie Buck Story | Melissa Prentice | TV movie |
| 1994 | Asbestos in Obstetrics | Fire Captain | TV movie |
| 1994 | Cries from the Heart | Karen Barth | TV movie |
| 1994–1995 | Sweet Justice | Kate Delacroy | Main role |
| 1995 | Zoya | Zoya Ossipov | TV movie |
| 1996 | Babylon 5 | Anna Sheridan | 3 episodes |
| 1996 | A Holiday for Love | Emma Murphy | TV movie |
| 1997 | Seduction in a Small Town | Sarah Jenks | TV movie |
| 1997 | Childhood Sweetheart? | Karen Carlson | TV movie |
| 1998 | The Outer Limits | Teresa Janovitch | Episode: "Relativity Theory" |
| 1998 | Murder at 75 Birch | Gwen Todson | TV movie |
| 1998 | Her Own Rules | Meredith Sanders | TV movie |
| 1998 | Touched by an Angel | Michelle Tanner | Episode: "The Peacemaker" |
| 1999 | The Soul Collector | Rebecca | TV movie |
| 1999 | Mistaken Identity | Sarah Barlow | TV movie |
| 2000 | A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle | Donielle | TV movie |
| 2001 | Sanctuary | Jo Ellen Hathaway | TV movie |
| 2002 | Providence | Lorna Berlin | Episode: "Smoke and Mirrors" |
| 2002 | Presidio Med | Grace Bennett | Episode: "Once Upon a Family" |
| 2003 | Then Came Jones | Devon Jones-Thomas | TV movie |
| 2003 | Storyline Online | Herself | Episode: "My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother" |
| 2003 | Hollywood Wives: The New Generation | Taylor Singer | TV movie |
| 2004 | Heart of the Storm | Cassie Broadbeck | TV movie |
| 2005 | Thicker than Water | Natalie Travers | TV movie |
| 2005 | Fat Actress | Herself | Episode: "Charlie's Angels or Too Pooped to Pop" |
| 2005 | 7th Heaven | Marie Wagner | Episode: "Honor Thy Mother" |
| 2006 | Nip/Tuck | Shari Noble | Episode: "Shari Noble" |
| 2007 | Sacrifices of the Heart | Kate Weston / Anne Weston | TV movie |
| 2011 | The Christmas Pageant | Vera Parks | TV movie |
| 2012 | Dancing with the Stars | Herself (Contestant) | 14 episodes |
| 2015 | The Night Shift | Lindsay | Episode: "Hold On" |
| 2015 | Secrets and Lies | Lisa Daly | 5 episodes |
| 2017 | Tenure | Tilly Masters | TV movie |
| 2018 | Hometown Christmas | Mary Russell | TV movie |
| 2025 | When Calls the Heart | Georgie McGill | TV Series |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Title of work | Result |
| 1980 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special | The Miracle Worker | Nominated |
| 1980 | Young Artist Award | Best Juvenile Actress in a TV Series or Special | Little House on the Prairie | Nominated |
| 1981 | Golden Globe Award | Best Actress – Television Series Drama | Little House on the Prairie | Nominated |
| 1982 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress in a Television Special | Splendor in the Grass | Nominated |
| 1983 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress in a Drama Series | Little House on the Prairie | Won |
| 1984 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress in a Drama Series | Little House on the Prairie | Won |
| 2000 | Golden Boot Awards | Golden Boot | n/a | Won |
| 2006 | TV Land Awards | Most Memorable Kiss | Little House on the Prairie | Won |

## Books

* Gilbert, Melissa (2009). Prairie Tale: A Memoir (1st ed.). Gallery Books. ISBN 978-1-416-59914-2. (Memoir)
* Daisy and Josephine (2014) (Children's Book)
* My Prairie Cookbook: Memories and Frontier Food from My Little House to Yours (2014). (Cookbook)
* Back to the Prairie: A Home Remade, A Life Rediscovered. (2022) (Memoir)