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Melissa Ellen Gilbert was born on May 8th, 1964 in Los Angeles. She was adopted when she was only 1 day old. As a baby she was already modeling baby clothes, and appeared in her first commercial at only 3 years old, but took time off until she was 7. Then she started her numerous commercial appearences. Since she was a little girl, she had the energy and confidence to act. Her first real dissapointment was when she didn't get a part for "Miracle on 34th St." But within 2 weeks, she got the role for Laura Ingalls. She was the only one whose screen test was sent to NBC Studios. It was Michael Landon's daughter Leslie Landon who told Melissa that she had won the role of Laura when the two of them stood in line at their school cafeteria. Her father died when she was only 11, so it was then when Michael Landon really stepped in as a fatherly figure for her.
Her grandfather was the creator of "The Honeymooners," her sister Sara was on "Roseanne," and her brother Jonathan played Willie on "Little House." And, she's the Goddaughter of Charlie Brill. On February 21st, 1988, she married Bo Brikman, and later had a son-Dakota Paul, born on May 1st, 1989. The couple divorced in 1992. In 1995, she married her favorite star as a teenager-Bruce Boxleitner. They had a son-Michael Garrett, named after Michael Landon, born on October 6th, 1995.
In March of 2002, Melissa Gilbert was elected Screen Actor's Guild president, beating Valerie Harper. She is also the youngest person ever to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Filmography
Little House on the Prairie (1974-1984)
Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A. (1977)
Battle of the Network Stars IV (1978)
The Miracle Worker (1979)
Nutcracker Fantasy (1979) (voice)
The Diary of Anne Frank (1980)
Splendor in the Grass (1981)
Faerie Tale Theatre (1982)
Choices of the Heart (1983)
Little House: Look Back to Yesterday (1983)
The Snow Queen(1983)
Little House: Bless All the Dear Children (1983)
Little House: The Last Farewell (1984)
Family Secrets (1984)
Melissa Gilbert Tribute
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