Melissa Ellen Gilbert (born May 8, 1964) is an American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the late 1960s, appearing in numerous commercials and guest-starring roles on television. From 1974 to 1983, she starred as Laura Ingalls Wilder, the second-oldest daughter of Charles Ingalls (played by Michael Landon) on the NBC series Little House on the Prairie. During the run of Little House, Gilbert appeared in several television films, including The Diary of Anne Frank (1980) and The Miracle Worker (1979).
During the 1980s, Gilbert successfully transitioned from the world’s most famous child star to a versatile adult actress and a staple of 1980s Hollywood social circles. This decade saw her conclude her iconic decade-long run as Laura Ingalls Wilder in 1983, receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985, and engage in a high-profile, tumultuous six-year romance with actor Rob Lowe.
Gilbert spent the first few years of the decade finishing her role on Little House on the Prairie, which aired its final regular season in 1983. She then focused on establishing herself in more mature, dramatic roles through television movies.
She delivered acclaimed performances in films like The Diary of Anne Frank (1980) and Choices of the Heart (1983), where she played lay missioner Jean Donovan. She expanded her range by appearing in stage productions like Broadway Bound and later provided the voice for Barbara Gordon / Batgirl in animation. At just 21 years old, she became the youngest person at the time to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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