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Born May 8th, 1964 in Los Angeles, Melissa was adopted by actor parents Paul Gilbert and Barbara Crane when she was only a day old.
She lost out on a part in the remake of “Miracle on 34th Street” but two weeks later, landed the role that was to make her internationally famous, Laura Ingalls in “Little House on the Prairie”. Her brother, Jonathan, (an actor as well) played the role of Willie Oleson in the series.
After “Little House” went off the air, she took time for her college studies but still made headlines by dating people such as Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe.
She married actor Bo Brinkman in 1988 with whom she has a son called Cody. Three years after her divorce in 1992, she married another famous TV actor, Bruce Boxleitner, with whom she has a son called Michael Garrett, named for actor Michael Landon as well as a family friend.
The youngest person to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Melissa went on to star in and direct many productions. A recent TV biography entitled “Melissa Gilbert: Beyond the Prairie” talks about her life after “Little House”.
Melissa is currently the President of the Screen Actors Guild.
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