30 Facts About Melissa Gilbert

1.

Melissa Ellen Gilbert was born on May 8,1964 and is an American actress, television director, producer, politician, and former president of the Screen Actors Guild.

2.

From 2009 to 2010, Melissa Gilbert appeared as Caroline "Ma" Ingalls in the touring production of Little House on the Prairie, the Musical.

3.

Melissa Gilbert served as the President of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001 to 2005.

4.

In 2016, Melissa Gilbert ran for US Congress as a Democrat in Michigan's 8th congressional district and she won the Democratic primary.

5.

Melissa Gilbert later dropped out because of health issues stemming from a 2012 accident.

6.

Melissa Gilbert was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 8,1964, to a newly engaged couple, Kathy Wood and David Darlington, and placed for adoption immediately after birth.

7.

Melissa Gilbert was adopted one day later by actor and comedian Paul Gilbert and his wife, dancer and actress Barbara Crane, the daughter of The Honeymooners creator Harry Crane.

8.

Melissa Gilbert became extremely close to the Landon family after her adoptive father died.

9.

Melissa Gilbert visited Landon at his Malibu home where he was, by then, bedridden, and they spent the afternoon together.

10.

When Melissa Gilbert gave birth to her son with second husband Bruce Boxleitner on October 6,1995, they named him Michael, in honor of Landon.

11.

Melissa Gilbert starred as Jean Donovan in the biopic Choices of the Heart, and as Anna Sheridan in three episodes of Babylon 5 with then-husband Boxleitner in 1996.

12.

Melissa Gilbert provided the voice of Batgirl on the 1990s Batman: The Animated Series, though she would be replaced by voice actress Tara Strong for the series' follow-up The New Batman Adventures.

13.

In 2008 and through 2009, Melissa Gilbert played Caroline "Ma" Ingalls in the musical adaptation of Little House on the Prairie.

14.

In March and April 2018, Melissa Gilbert starred in an Off-Off-Broadway, limited-run production of Geraldine Aron's 2001 one-woman play 2001 My Brilliant Divorce.

15.

In March 2012, Melissa Gilbert joined the cast of celebrity contestants on season 14 of Dancing with the Stars.

16.

Melissa Gilbert went home to recuperate, but returned to continue in the competition.

17.

Melissa Gilbert was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild in 2001 after a contentious candidacy, in which she ultimately beat her opponent, Rhoda actress Valerie Harper, 21,351 votes to 12,613 votes after a second vote was taken.

18.

Melissa Gilbert, who was the presumptive Democratic nominee in the district, dropped out of the race in May 2016, citing health issues.

19.

Melissa Gilbert was set up with actor Bo Brinkman, a cousin of actors Randy Quaid and Dennis Quaid.

20.

Weeks after Melissa Gilbert's divorce filing, actor Bruce Boxleitner's former wife set him up with Melissa Gilbert.

21.

Melissa Gilbert had met Boxleitner as a teenager when they both were on Battle of the Network Stars; he was her teenage crush.

22.

Melissa Gilbert gave birth to their son, on October 6,1995.

23.

On March 1,2011, Melissa Gilbert announced that she and Boxleitner had separated.

24.

In January 2013, Melissa Gilbert's representative confirmed her engagement to actor Timothy Busfield.

25.

Melissa Gilbert owed $360,000 in back federal taxes and $112,000 in California state taxes.

26.

Melissa Gilbert has stated the tax debt is an outgrowth of a stalled acting career, the economy, and divorce.

27.

Melissa Gilbert has negotiated a repayment plan with the IRS.

28.

Melissa Gilbert has battled alcoholism and drug abuse, which she wrote about in her 2009 autobiography.

29.

On July 22,2010, Melissa Gilbert underwent surgery to replace a disc as well as fuse a vertebra in her lower spine.

30.

In January 2015, Melissa Gilbert decided to have her breast implants removed for health reasons.