MELISSA GILBERT BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Melissa Gilbert was born on May 8th, 1964 in Los Angeles, California with the birth name Melissa Ellen Gilbert.  At the age of one she was adopted by, Paul Gilbert an actor and comedian and his wife, actress, Barbara Crane.  They also adopted a boy by the name of, Jonathan Gilbert who later also did some acting with his sister.
 
Gilbert went on to become a actress, writer and producer for mostly television movies and series.  She was best known as a child actress from the television series, "Little House on the Prairie" (1974-1984).
 
Her career began working on a number of commercials as a child actor since both her parents were already involved in the industry they helped in making it easier for her to break in as a child actress.  Her first role to take her to the level of stardom was portraying Laura Ingells Wilder in, "Little House on the Prairie" which she auditioned for along with five hundred other little girls.  As her career continued, she mainly focused on television roles on such series and movies as, "Choices of the Heart" (1983), "Babylon 5" (1996) and "Zoya" (1995).
 
Along with her acting resume, Gilbert has also served for two terms as President of the Screen Actors Guild. 
 
Gilbert has been married twice throughout her lifetime.  Her first husband was Bo Brinkman from 1988 through 1992 and they had one child together.  She then married, Bruce Boxleitner in 1995 and they had one child together before she filed for divorce from him on August 22nd, 2011.  She is also the step mother to his two sons, Sam and Lee.
 
Between 2008 and 2009, she returned to remake the musical version of, "Little House on the Prairie" in the role of, Caroline 'Ma' Ingalls.  Some of her latest roles have been on the television series, "Fat Actress" (2005), "Nip/Tuck" (2006) and the television movies, "Sacrifices of the Heart" (2007) and "The Christmas Pageant" scheduled to release 2011.   
 
Despite her successful professional career she has had some personal issues to overcome such as battling alcoholism and drug abuse which she has now succeeded and is completely sober.
 
She has also been honored a number of ways such as being inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1998.  Also in 1998, US magazine featured her and named Gilbert as, "One of America's Ten Most Beautiful Women".  She was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to television.  

Filmography

2011 The Christmas Pageant
2007 Safe Harbour
2007 Sacrifices of the Heart
2006 Nip/Tuck
2005 7th Heaven 
2005 Fat Actress
2005 Thicker Than Water 
2004 Heart of the Storm 
2003 Hollywood Wives: The New Generation
2003 Storyline Online 
2003 Then Came Jones 
2002 Presidio Med 
2002 Providence 
2001 Sanctuary 
2000 A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle 
1999 Switched at Birth 
1999 The Soul Collector
1998 Touched by an Angel 
1998 Her Own Rules 
1998 Murder at 75 Birch 
1998 The Outer Limits 
1997 Childhood Sweetheart? 
1997 Seduction in a Small Town 
1996 A Holiday for Love 
1996 Babylon 5 
1995 Zoya 
1994-1995 Sweet Justice 
1992-1994 Batman 
1994 Cries from the Heart 
1994 Against Her Will: The Carrie Buck Story
1994 The Babymaker: The Dr. Cecil Jacobson Story 
1993 Dying to Remember
1993 House of Secrets
1993 Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story
1993 With Hostile Intent
1993 Family of Strangers 
1992 With a Vengeance 
1992 Stand by Your Man 
1991 The Hidden Room 
1990 The Lookalike 
1990 Donor
1990 Joshua's Heart 
1990 Forbidden Nights
1990 Without Her Consent 
1989 Chameleons
1989 Ice House 
1988 Killer Instinct
1987 Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife 
1986 The Penalty Phase 
1986 Choices 
1986 Drug Free Kids: A Parents' Guide
1985 Sylvester 
1985 Faerie Tale Theatre 
1984 Little House: Bless All the Dear Children 
1984 Family Secrets 
1984 Little House: The Last Farewell 
1983 Little House: Look Back to Yesterday 
1983 Choices of the Heart 
1974-1983 Little House on the Prairie 
1981 Splendor in the Grass 
1980 The Diary of Anne Frank 
1979 Little House Years 
1979 The Miracle Worker 
1979 Nutcracker Fantasy
1978 The Love Boat
1977 Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.
1977 Circus, Lions, Tigers and Melissas Too 
1972 Emergency! 
1972 Gunsmoke 
1967 The Reluctant Astronaut