- Melissa Gilbert famously portrayed Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie from 1974 to 1983.
- Melissa went on the Hey Dude ... the 90s Called! podcast to talk about her career.
- Melissa revealed the unique way she learned she'd be starring on Little House on the Prairie.
With Little House on the Prairie being Melissa Gilbert's most well-known role, there aren't that many secrets left to reveal about her time on the show. But in a surprise turn of events, she's now spilling the tea on the unique way she discovered she'd portray Laura Ingalls.
When Melissa appeared on the Hey Dude! ... the 90s Called! podcast on June 3, she talked about her career with hosts Christine Taylor and David Lascher. When the subject of the audition process for Little House on the Prairie came up in discussion, Melissa revealed she learned about getting the role in the most surprising way. As she explained, Leslie Landon (whose dad was LHOTP star and executive producer Michael Landon) ran up to her while in school after hearing her dad talk about Melissa at home.
"I was at school one day and I was in the lunch area and this girl in an upper grade walked over to me," she shared in a clip posted on Instagram. "She said, 'Are you Melissa?' And I said, 'Yeah, I am.' And she said, 'I'm Leslie Landon. And my dad says you're gonna be Half Pint.'"
But that's not all Melissa had to say about discovering she got the part that would change her life.
As Melissa also noted, her agents weren't even aware she had booked the role on Little House on the Prairie. Because of this, Melissa made sure to call her mother while in school to tell her the news. And what's more, this interaction between Melissa and Leslie led to something even more special than just a job on TV.
"There were no cell phones, obviously, back then. So I run screaming to the office and tell them I have to call my mom immediately," she added. "My agents didn't know yet. My mom didn't know yet. Leslie got in so much trouble. We've been really close friends ever since that day ... That was just the beginning of a friendship that was filled with a lot of misadventures and adventures too for, now 50 years or more."
Well, this definitely was the start of an incredible career, as Melissa played Laura on Little House on the Prairie from 1974 until the show ended after nine seasons in 1983. And even though she's had other parts since then (like a beloved turn on When Calls the Heart in 2025), it's clear that portraying Laura will always have a special place in her heart.
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
