Who is Melissa Sue Anderson?

Melissa Sue Anderson, born on September 26, 1962, is an actress known for her role as Mary Ingalls in the beloved TV series “Little House on the Prairie” in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Let’s take a look at what she’s been up to lately.

Beginnings in Entertainment and Early Life

Melissa Sue, born in Berkeley, California, was the youngest of two girls. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was young, and she was raised primarily by her Roman Catholic mother after her parents’ divorce when she was 13 years old.

During her adolescence, Melissa Sue’s talent for acting was discovered when a teacher urged her parents to find an agent for her. She started appearing in commercials, including popular ones for Mattel and Sears. Her breakthrough came with guest appearances on shows like “Bewitched,” “The Brady Bunch,” and “Shaft.”

Little House on the Prairie and Beyond

However, it was her role as Mary Ingalls in “Little House on the Prairie” that truly launched her career. The series, which revolved around the life of a farm family in the 1870s and 1880s, ran for eight years. After leaving the show in the seventh season, Melissa Sue received a nomination for her role in the horror film “Happy Birthday to Me.”

Following her departure from “Little House on the Prairie,” Melissa Sue continued to work in films and television. She appeared in popular shows like “Murder, She Wrote” and “CHiPs,” as well as films like “The Equalizer.” She even tried her hand at production, working as an associate producer on a television episode.

Recent Years

In the latter phases of her career, Melissa Sue took on fewer acting roles. One of her final television performances was in the 2006 miniseries “10.5 Apocalypse.” She also appeared in short films and made an uncredited appearance as Stosh’s mother in “Veronica Mars” in 2014.

Melissa Sue Anderson also wrote an autobiography titled “The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House.” In this book, she shares behind-the-scenes stories about the cast, crew, and guests on the show.

In her personal life, Melissa Sue moved to Montreal in 2002 and became a Canadian citizen in 2007. She chose to prioritize her family and be a stay-at-home mom. She has openly talked about the challenges of playing a blind character on “Little House on the Prairie” but has expressed gratitude for the opportunity.

Although Melissa Sue Anderson may have stepped away from the spotlight, her role as Mary Ingalls continues to be cherished by fans of all ages.