Melissa Gilbert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Melissa Gilbert
Gilbert in 2010
President of the Screen Actors Guild
In office October 15, 2001 – February 22, 2005
Preceded by	William Daniels
Succeeded by	Alan Rosenberg
Personal details
Born	Melissa Ellen Gilbert (1964-05-08) May 8, 1964 (age 61) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Spouses	Bo Brinkman ​ ​ (m. 1988; div. 1994)​ Bruce Boxleitner ​ ​ (m. 1995; div. 2011)​ Timothy Busfield ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	2
Parent	Paul Gilbert (father)
Relatives	Harry Crane (grandfather) Jonathan Gilbert (brother) Sara Gilbert (sister)
Known for	Little House on the Prairie The Miracle Worker
Occupation	Actress author
Years active	1967–present

Melissa Ellen Gilbert (born May 8, 1964) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Laura Ingalls Wilder in the popular TV series Little House on the Prairie. She started acting when she was a child in the late 1960s.

Besides acting, Melissa Gilbert also served as the president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) from 2001 to 2005. This is a group that helps actors. She has also written several books, including a children's book and a cookbook.

Early Life and Family

Melissa Gilbert was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 8, 1964. She was adopted very soon after she was born by actor and comedian Paul Gilbert and his wife, Barbara Crane. Barbara was a dancer and actress.

Later, Melissa's adoptive parents also adopted a son named Jonathan. He also acted in Little House on the Prairie with Melissa.

When Melissa was 8 years old, her adoptive parents divorced. Her mother then married Harold Abeles, and they had a daughter named Sara Rebecca Abeles, who is now known as actress Sara Gilbert.

Melissa was raised in her adoptive mother's Jewish faith.

Career Highlights

Little House on the Prairie

Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls, around 1975

Melissa Gilbert appeared in many TV commercials when she was young. She even did one for dog food with Lorne Greene, who played her TV grandfather on Bonanza.

Melissa went to school with Michael Landon's daughter, Leslie. Michael Landon was the star of Little House on the Prairie. Leslie told Melissa that she had won the part of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Melissa was chosen out of more than 500 other child actresses!

The first episode of Little House was filmed in 1973 and was very popular. Melissa started filming the series almost a year later. She became very close to the Landon family, especially after her adoptive father passed away.

Melissa stayed in touch with Michael Landon after the show ended in 1983. When he became ill with cancer, she visited him. When Melissa had her son in 1995, she named him Michael to honor Landon.

While working on Little House, Melissa also acted in other TV movies. These included The Diary of Anne Frank and The Miracle Worker.

Career After Little House

Melissa Gilbert at the 1991 Emmy Awards

Melissa Gilbert has continued to act a lot, mostly in television. She played Jean Donovan in the movie Choices of the Heart (1983). She also voiced Batgirl in the 1990s cartoon Batman: The Animated Series.

In 1985, Melissa received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for people who have done great work in entertainment. In 1998, she was added to the Western Performers Hall of Fame.

From 2008 to 2010, Melissa played Caroline "Ma" Ingalls in a musical version of Little House on the Prairie. This was a touring show that traveled around the United States.

Dancing with the Stars

In 2012, Melissa Gilbert was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. This is a TV show where celebrities learn to dance with professional partners.

During one of her dances, she fell and hit her head. She had a mild concussion but bravely returned to the competition. She finished in fifth place on the show.

Leading the Screen Actors Guild (2001–2005)

Melissa Gilbert was chosen to be the president of the Screen Actors Guild in 2001. This is a very important job because the Guild helps actors with their rights and working conditions. She was re-elected in 2003. She decided not to run for a third term in 2005.

Trying for Congress in 2016

In 2015, Melissa Gilbert announced that she would try to become a member of the U.S. Congress for Michigan. This means she wanted to be a politician who helps make laws for the country. However, she later decided to stop her campaign in 2016 because of health reasons.

Personal Life

Relationships

Melissa Gilbert has been married three times. She was married to actor Bo Brinkman from 1988 to 1994. Then, she was married to actor Bruce Boxleitner from 1995 to 2011.

In 2013, Melissa got engaged to actor Timothy Busfield. They got married on April 24, 2013. They have lived in Michigan and New York. They are now renovating a cottage in the Catskill Mountains in New York to make it their permanent home.

Health Issues

While Melissa was performing in the Little House on the Prairie musical, she found out she had been working with a broken back. In July 2010, she had surgery on her lower spine. The surgery was successful, and she recovered well.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

Books

• 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)

See also

In Spanish: Melissa Gilbert para niños