The Day Michael Landon Broke Melissa Gilbert’s Heart
There’s no denying it: Michael Landon broke Melissa Gilbert‘s heart. I’m sure he didn’t mean to, but nevertheless, he did. So, what exactly did the Little House on the Prairie star do to get that kind of reaction out of his costar? Let’s get into the details.
After Bonanza ended its run, Michael took everything he had learned while making that series and delivered another huge hit to NBC: Little House on the Prairie, which was based on the classic book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Over the course of that show’s nine seasons, from 1974 to 1983, Michael truly connected with his cast mates. They all looked up to him. They respected him for what he’d accomplished throughout his career, and many looked up to him as a mentor and, in some cases, a father figure. And of all the cast members, no one was closer to Michael than Melissa Gilbert.
Everett Collection
The two had a special bond from the very beginning. In fact, when Michael was auditioning Melissa, there was no doubt in his mind that she was the best choice to play the character affectionately nicknamed “Half-Pint.”
Speaking of that nickname, did you know that Michael called Melissa that off-screen as well? These two actors became so close that Melissa would often spend entire weekends with the Landon clan. Truthfully, they seemed to her like the picture-perfect family.
In a 2024 interview with People magazine, Melissa reminisced, “Mike’s kids went to the same school I went to. I slept over at their house all the time. They slept over at my house.”
So, what was it that would break Melissa’s heart and make her feel so uncomfortable that she would decide to take a step back from the entire Landon family?
Credit: Ivan Nagy/TV Guide©NBC/Everett Collection
Those who have read Melissa’s excellent memoir, Prairie Tale, know that while Melissa was filming the Helen Keller television movie, 1979’s The Miracle Worker, she noticed that something seemed to be going on with Landon and one of the stand-ins — a pretty young lady by the name of Cindy Clerico.
The movie filmed with the same crew as Little House, and on some of the same sets, so Michael came to visit the shoot a number of times. Typically, Michael would make it a point to say “hi” to Melissa before anybody else, but on one particular day, Michael made a beeline to Cindy instead. As Melissa watched the scene play out, slowly but surely, she realized exactly what was happening. And that, my friends, is what truly broke her heart.
NBC/Everett Collection
In 1982, the same year that Little House ended, Michael would divorce his second wife, Lynn, and then a year later, marry Cindy. All of this was super difficult for Melissa, who was going through some tough times of her own and would have really appreciated being able to seek Michael’s counsel. Unfortunately, at this time in both of their lives, that was something that neither of them could do.
Fortunately, prior to Michael’s passing in 1991, the two actors were able to reconcile. A few months earlier, Melissa finally connected with Michael at one of his daughter’s weddings, and they not only spoke, but they embraced. And just like that, all of the awkwardness that had seemed insurmountable years earlier simply washed away. Melissa would again visit with Michael in his hospital room shortly before his death, and I have to believe that time spent with her dear friend was beyond special.
Remind Puzzler Tv Families
Vol 1, Issue 4
Who was your favorite TV family? We cover the decades, from the Cleavers, Waltons and Brady Bunch, to the Ewings, Keatons, Partridges, Tanners and Taylors. Plus, we've got the Goldbergs, Hecks, Haungs and more. There were so many favorite TV families you can expect a follow-up Puzzler issue in the future!
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