Melissa Gilbert Honors 'Little House' TV Dad Michael Landon on What Would Have Been His 90th Birthday

Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls on “Little House on the Prairie,” has posted an emotional tribute to her TV father, Michael Landon, on what would have been his 90th birthday. She signed it with the nickname he gave her on the show: “Half-Pint.”

The Instagram post included a carousel of photos of the two together on the “Little House” set. TV Insider reported that it went up on Friday, Oct. 30. USA Today described it as posted on Saturday, Oct. 31, which was Landon’s birthday.

What Melissa Gilbert wrote

“Ninety years. I wonder what you would think of that,” Gilbert, 62, began. “I can almost hear your laugh, see that enchanting twinkle in your eyes, and feel your arms around me. I was just a little girl when you took my hand and changed my life forever.”

She credited Landon with shaping her both on set and off: “You taught me so much more than how to be a professional. You taught me to be brave, to trust myself to find humor in the hardest moments, and to lead with my heart.”

Gilbert also wrote about how much time has passed: “The little girl with the braids has silver in her hair now. She’s a wife, mother, and grandmother, but she still lives inside me, and she still misses you so much.”

The most widely quoted line was: “You weren’t my father, but you did help raise me. So much of who I am began with you.” USA Today noted that Gilbert’s own father died when she was 11, two years after she started playing Laura.

She ended the post: “Happy birthday, Pa. I love you. Your Half-Pint.”

Who was Michael Landon?

Landon played Charles “Pa” Ingalls on NBC’s “Little House on the Prairie,” which ran for nine seasons from 1974 to 1983. According to USA Today, he also worked on the show as an executive producer, writer and director. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 1991 and died three months later, at age 54.

In her tribute, Gilbert said she now thinks “less about how long you’ve been gone and more about how much of you remains,” pointing to his work and “the beautiful family you created.”

Why the tribute hit home

“Little House” still has a large audience. TV Insider notes the original series streams on Peacock, and a reboot with an all-new cast premiered on Netflix in July. Gilbert’s post, with its personal memories and set photos, gave longtime fans a rare look back at the bond between the show’s best-known father and daughter.

FAQ