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Who Is Melissa Sue Anderson?
Melissa Sue Anderson, born on September 26, 1962, in Berkeley, California, is an accomplished actress best known for her portrayal of Mary Ingalls on the beloved television series Little House on the Prairie. She began her career with commercials and guest appearances on television before securing her iconic role, which she played from 1974 to 1981. Following Little House, Anderson continued her acting career but did not achieve the same level of success. In 2002, she relocated to Canada with her family and later published a memoir titled The Way I See It in 2010.
Early Life
Anderson grew up as the younger sister of Maureen, who was twelve years her senior. The family moved to Southern California when she was seven. Due to her childhood asthma, her parents encouraged her to engage in physical activities, leading her to dance classes. One of her dance instructors recognized her talent and suggested she pursue acting. After being introduced to an agent, Anderson began her career as a child actor.
Her striking features, characterized by golden hair and blue eyes, quickly captured the attention of casting directors. Anderson’s early roles included a notable guest appearance as a love interest for Bobby Brady on The Brady Bunch in 1973 and a part in the television series Shaft, which was based on the acclaimed film.
Little House on the Prairie
In 1974, at just 11 years old, Anderson was cast as Mary Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie, a series adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. Embracing the role of the well-behaved eldest Ingalls daughter, she had the opportunity to work alongside Michael Landon. Despite the show’s success, Anderson, who experienced her parents’ divorce at the age of 13, remained somewhat distant from her fellow child actors.
During the fourth season, her character lost her sight, a storyline that garnered critical acclaim and earned Anderson an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1978—the first and only nomination for any actor from Little House. While she received praise for her performance, the series increasingly subjected her character to tragic circumstances, prompting Anderson to depart in 1981 after her last appearance in the episode “A Christmas They Never Forgot.”
Life Outside Little House
Even while starring on Little House, Anderson sought various opportunities. She appeared in television movies, guest-starred on shows like The Love Boat, and won an Emmy for her work in the ABC Afterschool Special Which Mother Is Mine? (1979). Although she was offered the role originally intended for Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon (1980), she declined due to the nudity required for the part. Instead, she made her feature film debut in the horror film Happy Birthday to Me (1981).
After leaving Little House, Anderson continued to act in both television and film, making guest appearances on series like Murder, She Wrote and The Equalizer. During this period, she attracted media attention for her high-profile relationships with Frank Sinatra Jr. and Lorenzo Lamas.
Family Life and Continuing Career
In 1990, Anderson married Michael Sloan, a writer, producer, and director. The couple welcomed two children: daughter Piper in 1991 and son Griffin in 1996. Anderson eventually chose to focus on her role as a mother, and the family relocated to Canada in 2002, becoming Canadian citizens in 2007.
As her children grew, Anderson gradually re-emerged in the public eye. In 2006, she appeared in the NBC miniseries 10.5: Apocalypse. She also released her autobiography, The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House (2010), and participated in a Little House cast reunion on the Today show in 2014, marking a nostalgic return to her roots in the entertainment industry.