Melissa Gilbert Felt ‘Sadness’ At Home After Brother Jonathan ‘Cut Himself Off’ From The Family

May 27, 2022

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 still very young. 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.

Melissa had been adopted just one day after she was born and grew up surrounded by performing arts and entertainment. Her adoptive father had begun his career as an aerialist but had to quit the family business as a vaudeville performer after suffering a fall.

Paul then picked up acting gigs in the industry in the early 1950s and was cast in the series "The Duke" in 1954. Showing off his plethora of talents, Paul continued to find success in the business and appeared on "The Spike Jones Show" the same year before moving on to appear in other shows such as "The NBC Comedy Hour," "The Colgate Comedy Hour" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

As a pretty established star himself, it was only fitting for Paul's adopted children to enter the entertainment industry. Both Melissa and Jonathon found themselves working on television and became notable characters in the series "Little House on the Prairie." While there were plenty of wonderful moments that came with being on the show, there were also some difficulties behind the scenes, especially for Melissa and her family.

Melissa was met with tragedy and heartache shortly after she began acting in "Little House on the Prairie," as her father passed away. Speaking with Oprah Winfrey in 2014, Melissa went into detail about the hardships she endured in her home life. "I had my own familial traumas and difficulties," she said. "My father died when I was 11. My parents divorced when I was 6. My mother remarried a few times. There was sadness and discomfort at home."

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.

If you or anybody you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please call Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit befrienders.org to find your local suicide prevention hotline. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.