50 Years of Little House on the Prairie: Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

  

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 was 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.

Gilbert was raised in her adoptive mother's Jewish religion. 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 a biological daughter, Sara Rebecca Abeles (the actress known professionally as Sara Gilbert), in 1975. In 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.

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 her 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 her then-husband, Boxleitner, in 1996. She also provided the voice of Barbara Gordon/Batgirl on the 1990s Batman: The Animated Series, though she would be replaced by Mary Kay Bergman for the movie Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero and by 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 the 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

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

When We Last Spoke     Ruby     

Television

1968       The Dean Martin Comedy Hour Girl on Santa's Lap           Episode: "1968 Christmas Show"

1972       Gunsmoke          Spratt's Child      Episode: "The Judgement"

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"

The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour                Herself Episode 1.2

1979       The Miracle Worker        Helen Keller       TV movie

The Little House Years   Laura Ingalls Wilder

1980       The Diary of Anne Frank               Anne Frank

1981       Splendor in the Grass     Wilma Dean 'Deanie' Loomis

1983       Choices of the Heart       Jean Donovan

Little House: Look Back to Yesterday       Laura Ingalls Wilder

1984       Little House: The Last Farewell

Family Secrets   Sara Calloway

Little House: Bless All the Dear Children Laura Ingalls Wilder

1985       Faerie Tale Theatre         Gerda   Episode: "The Snow Queen"

1986       Choices                Terry Granger    TV movie

Penalty Phase   Leah Furman

1987       Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife  Marian

1988       Killer Instinct      Dr. Lisa DaVito

1989       Ice House            Kay

Chameleons      

1990       Without Her Consent     Emily Briggs

Forbidden Nights             Judith Shapiro

Joshua's Heart   Claudia

Donor   Dr. Kristine Lipton

The Lookalike    Gina / Jennifer

1991       The Hidden Room                            Episode: "Spirit Cabinet"

Roseanne            Patty     Episode: "Troubles with the Rubbles"

1992       Stand by Your Man          Rochelle Dunphy              Main role

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

With Hostile Intent          Miranda Berkley

Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story                Shari Karney

House of Secrets              Marion Ravinel

Dying to Remember       Lynn Matthews

1994       The Babymaker: The Dr. Cecil Jacobson Story      Mary Bennett

Against Her Will: The Carrie Buck Story   Melissa Prentice

Asbestos in Obstetrics   Fire Captain

Cries from the Heart       Karen Barth

1994–1995           Sweet Justice    Kate Delacroy    Main role

1995       Zoya      Zoya Ossipov     TV movie

1996       Babylon 5            Anna Sheridan  3 episodes

A Holiday for Love           Emma Murphy  TV movie

1997       Seduction in a Small Town            Sarah Jenks

Childhood Sweetheart?                Karen Carlson

1998       The Outer Limits               Teresa Janovitch              Episode: "Relativity Theory"

Murder at 75 Birch           Gwen Todson    TV movie

Her Own Rules  Meredith Sanders

Touched by an Angel      Michelle Tanner               Episode: "The Peacemaker"

1999       The Soul Collector            Rebecca               TV movie

Mistaken Identity            Sarah Barlow

2000       A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle             Donielle

2001       Sanctuary            Jo Ellen Hathaway

2002       Providence         Lorna Berlin        Episode: "Smoke and Mirrors"

Presidio Med     Grace Bennett  Episode: "Once Upon a Family"

2003       Then Came Jones            Devon Jones-Thomas    TV movie

Storyline Online                Herself Episode: "My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother"

Hollywood Wives: The New Generation                Taylor Singer      TV movie

2004       Heart of the Storm          Cassie Broadbeck

2005       Thicker than Water         Natalie Travers

Fat Actress          Herself Episode: "Charlie's Angels or Too Pooped to Pop"

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

2012       Dancing with the Stars   Herself (Contestant)      14 episodes

2015       The Night Shift  Lindsay Episode: "Hold On"

Secrets and Lies                Lisa Daly               5 episodes

2017       Tenure Tilly Masters       TV movie

2018       Hometown Christmas    Mary Russell

2025       When Calls the Heart     Georgie McGill  2 episodes

Awards and nominations

1980       Primetime Emmy Awards             Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special               The Miracle Worker                Nominated

Young Artist Award         Best Juvenile Actress in a TV Series or Special     Little House on the Prairie

1981       Golden Globe Award     Best Actress – Television Series Drama

1982       Young Artist Award         Best Young Actress in a Television Special             Splendor in the Grass

1983       Best Young Actress in a Drama Series      Little House on the Prairie            Won

1984

2000       Golden Boot Awards      Golden Boot      n/a

2006       TV Land Awards                Most Memorable Kiss    Little House on the Prairie

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)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Gilbert