BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Full Name: Melissa Ellen Gilbert
Description: Actress, USA
Known For: Mainly known for – “Little House”
Location: CA, United States of America
Date Born: 8th May 1964
Location Born: Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
Melissa Gilbert
Melissa Ellen Gilbert (born May 8, 1964) is an American actress, television director, and 2016 Democratic candidate for Michigan’s 8th congressional district.
An American actress, writer, and producer, primarily in movies and television. Gilbert is best known as a child actress who co-starred as Charles Ingalls’s (played by Michael Landon) second daughter, Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the dramatic television series Little House on the Prairie (1974–1984).
As an adult, she has a very long list of acting, voicework, writing, producing, and directing credits. Melissa also served two terms as President of the Screen Actors Guild. On June 9, 2009, her autobiography Prairie Tale: A Memoir was released.
Gilbert was adopted one day later by actor and comedian Paul Gilbert (born Ed MacMahon, he changed his name to Paul Gilbert to get a Screen Actors Guild card)[citation needed]and his wife, dancer and actress Barbara Crane, the daughter of The Honeymooners creator Harry Crane. The couple later adopted a son, Jonathan Gilbert, who co-starred with Melissa as Willie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie.
On February 12, 1975, Paul Gilbert suffered a stroke and died at the age of 56. Barbara and Harold Abeles’ marriage later ended in divorce.
With Hollywood connections in her family background and a natural ability for entertaining at a very young age, Gilbert had already done dozens of commercials, including one for Alpo dog food with Lorne Greene (Michael Landon’s television father on Bonanza).
She tried out for the role of Laura Ingalls, Charles Ingalls’ middle daughter, on NBC’s 2-hour pilot of the book Little House on the Prairie.
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. A rift, however, developed between Michael Landon and Gilbert after the revelation of Landon’s affair with Little House’s young makeup artist, Cindy Clerico.
Gilbert had no contact with Landon after Little House ended during the 1983/1984 season. Seven years later, on May 9, 1991, when she saw a gaunt-looking Landon on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson discussing his pancreatic cancer, she was compelled to finally telephone him.
She visited Landon at his Malibu home where he was, by then, bedridden, and they spent the afternoon together. Landon died one week later.
For her contribution to the television industry, Gilbert has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6429 Hollywood Blvd in 1985.
Her then fiance, Rob Lowe, was present with her when her star was unveiled during the ceremony. She is one of the youngest actresses to have been honored with a star.
At age 17, she reconnected with then little-known actor Rob Lowe, also 17. They had met briefly when they were about 14. In 1981, Gilbert, in her convertible, saw Lowe stopped next to her at a red light. Gilbert dated Lowe on and off for six years. During this time, both had affairs with other famous people. She also dated Tom Cruise, John Cusack, Scott Baio, and Billy Idol. After a failed romance with Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, Lowe got back with and proposed to Gilbert. While making wedding plans, Gilbert found out she was pregnant. After Gilbert informed Lowe of the pregnancy, he ended their relationship. Gilbert miscarried several days later.
After her break up with Lowe, Gilbert left for New York City to star in the play A Shayna Maidel. Gilbert was set up with actor Bo Brinkman, a cousin of actors Randy Quaid and Dennis Quaid. The couple married on February 22, 1988, only seven weeks after her relationship with Rob Lowe ended. Gilbert became pregnant months later. On May 1, 1989, she gave birth to son Dakota Paul Brinkman. They divorced in 1992.
Only weeks after Gilbert’s divorce filing, Bruce Boxleitner’s ex-wife, Kathryn Holcomb, set Boxleitner up with Gilbert. Holcomb by then was married to actor Ian Ogilvy. Gilbert had met Boxleitner as a teenager when they both were on Battle of the Network Stars when Gilbert introduced herself, and she had a pin-up of him in her locker. But Boxleitner ignored her because she was a teen and he was many years older than she was. After reconnecting, the couple started dating on and off for over a year. They were engaged twice and Boxleitner broke up with her each time. After reuniting for a third time, they finally married on January 1, 1995, in her mother’s living room. Gilbert quickly became pregnant, but went into premature labor more than two months before her due date. She gave birth to a son, Michael Garrett Boxleitner, named in honor of Michael Landon, on October 6, 1995. His middle name is in honor of Garrett Peckinpah, her friend Sandy Peckinpah’s son, who had died suddenly of meningitis at age 16. Gilbert is also stepmother to Boxleitner’s two sons with Holcomb, Sam (born 1980) and Lee (born 1985). On March 1, 2011, Gilbert announced that she and Boxleitner had separated.[10] On August 22, 2011, Gilbert filed for divorce from Boxleitner.
On January 29, 2013, Gilbert’s representative confirmed the actress’ engagement to fellow actor Timothy Busfield. The couple married on April 24, 2013. Since July 2013, Gilbert and Busfield have resided in Howell, Michigan.