Melissa Gilbert

Gilbert was one of 500 young girls who auditioned for the role of Laura Ingalls Wilder in the TV series "Little House on the Prairie" (1974) and she was the only one whose screen test was sent to be considered at 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.

Inducted (as a cast member of "Little House on the Prairie" (1974)) into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1998.

Best known by the public for her role as Laura Ingalls Wilder on "Little House on the Prairie" (1974).

Has a combined family with her husband, Bruce Boxleitner: Bruce's two sons, Sam Boxleitner (b. 1980) and Lee Boxleitner (b. 1985). Sne become a mother, in reality, as first child, Dakota Brinkman (Dakota Paul Brinkman) was born on Monday, May 1st, 1989 and one son, together with Bruce, Michael Garrett Boxleitner, was born on Friday, October 6th, 1995.

Michael Landon Jr. took her to her senior prom in 1981.

Adopted sister of Sara Gilbert. Sara is the natural daughter of Barbara Cowan and Harold Abeles. Cowan and late husband Paul Gilbert together adopted Melissa and Jonathan Gilbert (both are not biologically related to each other). Sara took the last name of Paul Gilbert when she began acting in 1984.

She become a mother on Monday, May 1st 1989, with her first son, Dakota Brinkman (Dakota Brown Brinkman)'s birth occurred. Her second son, Michael Garrett Boxleitner's birth occurred on Friday, October 6th, 1995.

In national voting completed on Friday, 2 November 2001, Melissa Gilbert was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild, taking the position held since November of 1999 by William Daniels, who declined to run for another term. She held the position until 2005, when she was replaced by Alan Rosenberg.

Both her ex-husband (Bo Brinkman) and current husband (Bruce Boxleitner) played Confederate officers in Gods and Generals (2003).