Melissa Gilbert on Her Sweet Bond With Michael Landon: ‘It Was Special’
Melissa Gilbert and Michael Landon had the sweetest of father-daughter relationships on-screen, but that connection didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling. Melissa Gilbert portrayed Laura Ingalls in the hit western series, Little House on the Prairie, from 1974 to 1983, alongside Michael Landon, who starred as her father, Charles Ingalls.
But it wasn’t only during filming that they maintained the father-daughter bond as Michael Landon, who died in 1991 of pancreatic cancer, stepped in as a real-life father figure for Gilbert in her early years. Learn more about their loving connection and what Gilbert has said about him.
Melissa Gilbert and Michael Landon’s first meeting
The two stars first met during Gilbert’s audition, when she was only nine years old. While Gilbert was fairly new to the life of an actress, Landon had been a tried and true star, having starred on Bonanza from 1959 until 1973. Gilbert quickly took to Landon and became comfortable with him.
“What I remember the most from my audition was meeting Michael Landon,” Gilbert shared. “[He had] this unbelievable glow that was captivating… He made me laugh and feel instantly comfortable and there was something between us that I had never experienced in an audition room. It was special and it was instant.”
Once she was cast to play Landon’s daughter, their bond only grew stronger. Gilbert shared that she felt close to him.
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