Melissa Ellen Gilbert born May 8, [ 1 ] [ 2 ] is an American actress. Gilbert began her career as a child actress in the late s, appearing in numerous commercials and guest-starring roles on television. As an adult, she continued her career mainly in television films. In , she was a contestant on season fourteen of the popular reality dance competition show Dancing with the Stars on ABC. She briefly ran for the U. Congress in , but withdrew her candidacy before the election.
She is the author of several memoirs, a children's book, and a cookbook. Gilbert was born in Los Angeles , California, on May 8, , to a newly engaged couple, Kathy Wood and David Darlington, and placed for adoption immediately after birth. Gilbert's parents divorced when she was 6 years old.
Her mother then married attorney Harold Abeles, and together they had biological daughter Sara Rebecca Abeles the actress known professionally as Sara Gilbert on January 29, On February 13, , Paul Gilbert died. Although year-old Melissa was told that he had suffered a stroke, she found out years later that he had been a VA patient who dealt with chronic pain, and that he had taken his own life.
The marriage of Barbara and Harold Abeles later ended in divorce. Gilbert's earliest television appearances were in dozens of commercials, including one for Alpo dog food with Lorne Greene Michael Landon's television father on Bonanza. She also attended school with Landon's daughter, Leslie Landon.
It was Leslie who informed her that she had won the role of Laura Ingalls Wilder , the second oldest daughter, on Little House on the Prairie , beating out over child actresses for the part. The pilot was shot in and was a ratings success.
