Melissa Gilbert 'At Peace' Years After Brother Jonathan Cut Ties From Family Following Time On' Little House On The Prairie'

Mar 09, 2022 by apost team

Melissa Gilbert is a woman of many talents. She is best known for her work as an actress, television director, producer and politician. On top of that, she was also once the president of the Screen Actors Guild.

On May 8, 1964, Melissa was born to a couple who gave her up for adoption immediately after she was born. She was adopted by actor Paul Gilbert and his wife Barbara Crane just one day later. They later adopted a son named Jonathan Gilbert.

With such a talented set of parents, it's no surprise that Melissa and Jonathan went on to find themselves working in the entertainment industry. Melissa began making a name for herself at a very young age and had a stable career as a child actress in the late 1960s. She started off by appearing in several commercials and obtaining guest-starring roles on television shows.

Melissa got her big break when she starred as Laura Ingalls Wilder in the series "Little House on the Prairie." The series, which also starred Melissa's brother, had a successful run, airing from 1974 to 1982, with a sequel series generated shortly after.

The actress continued to find work in the acting department, mostly appearing in television films. She has also released a few memoirs that detail her life experiences. However, while Melissa has been able to enjoy a wonderful life filled with many opportunities, she spent much of it without her brother Jonathan. He had cut ties with his family after "Little House on the Prairie" ended. Since then, Melissa has wondered why Jonathan decided to leave.

"Little House on the Prairie" was a very successful TV series starring Melissa and Jonathan, as well as other actors such as Michael Landon, Karen Grassle and Melissa Sue Anderson. Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" book series, the show had a long run and helped establish many up-and-coming stars.

"It was like a really great summer camp, but I also got to play the ultimate game of dress-up," Melissa told CBS Sunday Morning as she reminisced on her time on the series. "I don't remember it ever not being fun."

In 2020, the TV series had a resurgence amongst fans as people turned to it as a source of comfort during a difficult time. Melissa explained that this was most likely because "Little House on the Prairie" reminded people of a "simpler time." She talked about how people just needed to learn how to come back together again using tools such as: "compassion, community, faith – whatever that faith looks like – love."

While the show had a great focus on family, it also touched on heavier topics – something that Melissa could relate to. Speaking with CBS Sunday Morning, Melissa said, "I tell people I do not have a family tree; I have a family shrub."

Her adoptive parents divorced when she was eight years old. In February 1976, Melissa's father, Paul, died. At the time, she thought it was from a stroke but found out several years later when she was 45 years old, that Paul had taken his own life. "That was a very deeply hidden secret from pretty much everybody in my life," Melissa said.

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These weren't the only hardships Melissa faced regarding her family. After a successful run on "Little House on the Prairie," her brother Jonathan decided to part ways with the family. Jonathan once had found fame and success as a child star appearing alongside his sister in "Little House on the Prairie." He portrayed Willie Oleson on the TV series as well as in the made-for-TV movie "The Little House Years."

However, Jonathan seemed to throw everything away, including his acting career and family. In her 2009 memoir "Prairie Tale: A Memoir," Melissa talked about how Jonathan completely decided to leave the family during his early adulthood. She wrote:

"...My brother, Jonathan, completely cut himself off from the family. He turned 18 and simply disappeared. Though he would turn up a couple of times over several years, I have only seen him three times in the last two decades."

Melissa continued, "Surprisingly, I am at peace with it. Though my heart does ache for my mother." After divorcing Paul, Melissa's mother, Barbara, went on to marry Harold Abeles. Together, they had one biological child named Sara – who is now a professional actress under the name Sara Gilbert. However, Barbara and Abeles later divorced.

While Melissa and Sara have both continued to act, Melissa has also shown her strengths in politics and ran for Congress in 2016. She won the primary but later dropped out. According to CNN, Jonathan went on to pursue a degree in finance and obtained his MBA. He now works as a stockbroker and lives in New York City. According to Melissa's autobiography, she still does not know why her brother cut ties.

Did you know about Melissa and Jonathan Gilbert's estranged relationship? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to any "Little House on the Prairie" fans you know.