Gilbert Melissa life and biography

Melissa Ellen GilbertA (born May 8, 1964) is 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' (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.

The sensitive, delicately pretty actor came to fame as a girl playing Laura Ingalls on the NBC period drama series, Little House on the Prairie (1974-82). It was for her earnest, memorable portrayal of Laura that Gilbert became the youngest person to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Gilbert has made a few feature film appearances, but the majority of her work has been in television. She most often opted for roles as suffering, historically significant teenagers, such as in The Miracle Worker in 1979, The Diary of Anne Frank in 1980, and Splendor in the Grass in 1981. She remained prolific and eventually graduated to adult roles, including Choices in 1986 and A Family of Strangers in 1993. In addition, there were a few failed series attempts, such as Little House: A New Beginning in 1982, Stand By Your Man in 1992, and Sweet Justice in 1994. In 2001, Gilbert was voted in as president of the Screen Actors Guild and won win a second two-year term in 2003.

Gilbert has returned to the project that made her famous. Now in the role originally played by Karen Grassle on television, Gilbert has been starring as "Ma" in the touring production of Little House on the Prairie: The Musical. She also has shared her details of her life in A Prairie Tale, a memoir published in 2009.

During her teen years, Gilbert dated actors Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe. In 1988, she married actor and producer Bo Brinkman. They had one son, Dakota Paul (Cody), and later divorced. In 1995, she married actor Bruce Boxleitner. They have one son, Michael Garrett, born in 1995 and named after the late actor Michael Landon.

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