What happened to Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie? – News Series

Whether you are a die-hard fan of Little House on the Prairie, a regular viewer or an occasional observer of the famous series created by Michael Landon in 1974, you are bound to know it!

American actress Melissa Gilbert, who played the protagonist Laura Ingalls, remains undeniably one of the most recognizable faces of this memorable family show that marked the history of television for almost a decade.

Present from the pilot of the series to the very last episode, little Melissa (aged 9 when she first wore Laura's dress and braided her hair) has thus lived dozens and dozens of memorable adventures in Walnut Grove.

The unforgettable Laura Ingalls

Between his rivalry with Nellie Oleson (played by Alison Arngrim, who has remained one of his great friends), his four hundred blows with his brother Albert, his deep and inspired discussions with his parents Charles and Caroline, or his unforgettable romance with Almanzo, it is difficult to remember only a few of his adventures.

As Little House on the Prairie celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, do you know what happened to the actress who played Laura? Aged only 19 when the series ended (in 1983), Melissa Gilbert continued her acting career.

In 1980, three years before the end of Little House, she played the lead role in the TV movie The Diary of Anne Frankthen that of Miracle in Alabama, centered on the life of Hellen Keller, a little girl who is deaf, mute and blind. This major challenge earned her an Emmy Award.

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A career in television…

Even though she never again found a role as legendary and as striking as that of Laura in Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Gilbert still tried her luck with series such as Stand By Your Man in 1992 and New Orleans Law in 1994, but these two projects unfortunately remained fairly confidential.

Participating in dozens of other TV movies, she also appears in more recognized programs such as the animated series Batman (in which she lends her voice to Barbara Gordon, that is to say Batgirl), the science fiction series Babylon 5, or as a guest star in 7th Heaven and Nip/Tuck.

…but not only that!

But Melissa Gilbert's career is not limited to television sets. Politically engaged, she was president of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001 to 2005, and even tried to enter the House of Representatives as a Democratic candidate in 2015.

In 2009, when she returned to the world of Walnut Grove, this time playing Caroline Ingalls (Laura's mother) in the musical dedicated to Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Gilbert also published her autobiography: a book entitled Prairie Tale: A Memoirin which she recounts her memories of filming, but also reveals her long years of struggle with alcoholism and drugs.

Three years later, she took part in the show Dancing with the StarsNow aged 59, she continues to meet fans of the series that made her famous, at various festivals and conventions.

(Re)discover our interview with Alison Arngrim, who played Nellie Oleson…