Melissa Gilbert

Melissa Ellen Gilbert is a Jewish American actress, writer, producer, and union leader best known for portraying Laura Ingalls Wilder on the television series Little House on the Prairie. She has also served as president of the Screen Actors Guild and pursued a political career. She grew up in the entertainment industry.

Melissa Gilbert was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 8, 1964. One day after her birth, she was adopted by actor and comedian Paul Gilbert and his wife, actress and dancer Barbara Crane, both of whom were Jewish. Her family environment was steeped in entertainment: Barbara was the daughter of television writer Harry Crane, and Melissa’s siblings also entered acting—Jonathan Gilbert played Willie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie, and Sara Gilbert became well known for her role on Roseanne.

Gilbert’s parents divorced when she was eight years old. Her adoptive father died suddenly in 1975 when she was 11, a loss that deeply affected her. She maintained close ties with Little House on the Prairie star Michael Landon, who became a mentor during her formative years.

Gilbert began her career as a child, appearing in numerous commercials, including one alongside actor Lorne Greene. In 1973, she was selected out of nearly 500 young actresses to play Laura Ingalls Wilder in the pilot of Little House on the Prairie. The series premiered in 1974 and ran until 1983, with Gilbert appearing throughout its nine-season run. The role brought her widespread recognition and made her a household name. At age 21, she became the youngest actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1985).

While Little House defined her early career, Gilbert starred in several made-for-television films during her youth. These included The Miracle Worker (1979), in which she played Helen Keller, The Diary of Anne Frank (1980), and Splendor in the Grass (1981). These roles established her reputation for portraying emotionally complex young women.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Gilbert appeared in numerous television films and series, including Choices (1986), A Family of Strangers (1993), and Sweet Justice (1994). She also returned to the Little House franchise in spin-offs and reunion specials.

In 2001, Gilbert succeeded William Daniels as president of the Screen Actors Guild. She served two terms until 2005, during which time she worked on issues related to actors’ rights, health care, and digital media.

She published her memoir, Prairie Tale, in 2009. It recounts her experiences in Hollywood, her personal struggles, and her career journey.

Gilbert remained active in entertainment, appearing in productions such as Nip/Tuck (2006) and The Christmas Pageant (2011) and competing on Dancing with the Stars in 2012. She later toured in the stage musical adaptation of Little House on the Prairie, this time playing “Ma,” Caroline Ingalls.

In 2015, Gilbert announced her candidacy for Congress in Michigan’s 8th district as a Democrat. Her campaign focused on working-class families and economic opportunity, but she withdrew in 2016 due to health concerns related to long-standing spinal injuries.

Gilbert’s personal life has also been in the public eye. She married actor Bo Brinkman (1988–1994), with whom she had one son. She later married actor Bruce Boxleitner (1995–2011), with whom she had a son. In 2013, she married actor Timothy Busfield, and the couple relocated to Michigan before settling in New York’s Catskill Mountains.

Although Gilbert was not raised in a strongly observant household, she has acknowledged her Jewish identity through her adoptive family background.

Sources: “Melissa Gilbert,” Famous Birthdays.
“Melissa Gilbert,” Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“Melissa Gilbert,” TMDB.
“Melissa Gilbert Biography,” TV Guide.
“Melissa Gilbert,” biography.com, (September 14, 2022).

Photo: Bob Bekian from Thousand Oaks Ca., USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.