Melissa Gilbert Didn't Get Along with Her TV Sister Mary Who Was 'Different from Other Kids' on the Show

• Melissa Sue Anderson and Melissa Gilbert never got along with one another.

• They had a different relationship with their TV dad Michael Landon.

• Melissa Gilbert didn't talk to Michael Landon for years before calling him and becoming his caregiver until his death.

The iconic TV show "Little House on the Prairie" gave us an imaginative look into the simple farm life and the importance of family; however, some off-screen relationships were not always that bonded.

Melissa Gilbert and Melissa Sue Anderson played siblings on "Little House on the Prairie;" alas, their relationship reportedly never felt sisterly. But Gilbert said there was never a moment she did not have fun filming the show.

Gilbert and Melissa's sibling rivalry reportedly started when Gilbert was booking better roles outside the show, like "The Miracle Worker" and "The Diary of Anne Frank." On the contrary, Anderson told People that she only had her blind character, Mary Ingalls, going for her, which she did not like.

Anderson confessed that she felt that every time producers ran out of stories, her character would be the target for anything tragic. To put it into context, Anderson's character survived scarlet fever, lost her mind, and suffered a miscarriage.

Anderson and Gilbert were determined to grow their acting careers, but somehow they clashed. Gilbert expanded on their strained relationship in her book "Prairie Tale: A Memoir."

What Melissa Gilbert Said about Melissa Sue Anderson & Their Relationship

For a show about the Ingalls family's adventures, many fans thought the same unity was embodied amongst the actors. But the two Melissas found it difficult to form a connection. Gilbert wrote that she first interacted with Anderson at their screening test, but they got to know each other more on set.

However, Gilbert found it challenging to form the sisterly relationship they displayed on-screen. The co-stars were only a few years apart, but Gilbert felt like Anderson was out of her league.

Firstly, Gilbert thought Anderson was prettier than her. She wrote, "From the start, for whatever reason, we never had a real sisterly kinship. She was a strikingly pretty girl, and I wasn't, at least, I didn't think so."

The "Little House on the Prairie" star said Anderson was reserved and wore her emotions on her sleeve, so getting her on-screen sister to open up to her was difficult.

Gilbert said, "there was a distance to her, a coldness. Though sometimes I wonder if it was just that I never knew how to get her to let me in."

"Little House on the Prairie" ran for nine years, and most of the child actors got to see each other grow. Gilbert felt like she was getting the wrong attention while Anderson got all the marriage proposals.

The actress said, "As we got older, she was the girl everyone wanted to marry, and I was the plucky one they wanted to go fishing with."

The actresses also had different relationships with their mothers. Anderson had the kind of relationship that Gilbert envied. She described the mother and daughter as more private and connected and said Anderson was the center of her mother's world.

On the other hand, Gilbert said she and her mother were both emotional, so the ups and downs they experienced often happened on set for everyone to see.

Michael Landon, an actor in "Little House on the Prairie" and the director, was reportedly the one to address the fact that they had two Melissas on set.

Landon thought it was an issue that needed to be solved before it got out of hand. So he decided Anderson would be called Missy and Gilbert, Half Pint, which was also her character's nickname.

As Anderson reached puberty, her entire appearance changed, wrote Gilbert. This made her realize that she and her co-star would probably not end up close.

She expressed, "All of a sudden, she had long fingernails (I bit mine ravenously), wore makeup, smoked cigarettes, and guzzled TaB. She was beyond my league."

After Anderson stepped into her big girl pants, she also started dating famous actors, which was a shock to most set members, wrote Gilbert.

But the actress said they never discussed anything regarding dating, but it clicked that Anderson was ahead of her. She wrote, "Then when she began dating actor Lance Kerwin of 'James at 15' fame, forget it. She wasn't just out of my league. She was in a different universe."

Besides some of the differences she and Anderson had, Gilbert did make a genuine connection with her co-star Alison Arngrim and expressed how much she enjoyed her time on the show. She said all the cast members were great, but "there was only one mean person on the show" and never revealed a name.

Anderson also published a book, "The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House," and spoke about her experience on the famous show and her relationship with Gilbert.

What Melissa Sue Anderson Said about Melissa Gilbert and Their Relationship

Anderson also shared the same sentiments about Gilbert. The actress acknowledged that she and her co-star never needed to build a close relationship because they knew how different they were.

Anderson said there was only a year and a half between them, but it felt like five years at that time. She remembered that she and Gilbert had school together in a trailer and praised her for being smart.

As much as Anderson acknowledged that Gilbert was a hard worker, she also believed that her adoptive parents, comedian Paul Gilbert and Barbara Crane, a dancer, and actress, encouraged her to act. She said:

"Melissa was a clever kid. She knew what worked for her. I believe she was encouraged to act as young as she could, for as long as she could. She was very nice, but we couldn't have been more different."

On the other hand, Anderson admitted that she was the first person in her family to act, so she felt the need to work harder and have longevity in her career.

Therefore, the maturity that Anderson believed she had made her feel alienated from the other child actors. "I was different from the other kids on the show," said Anderson.

Anderson expressed that she was happy that she and Gilbert did not try to become best friends during "Little House on the Prairie" because she had a vision for her career that she needed to bring to life.

Melissa Sue Anderson's Relationship with Mike Landon

Another person that played a role in each of Gilbert and Anderson's life in "Little House on the Prairie" was Landon. However, both actresses had different relationships with the actor.

For Anderson, Landon played more of a brotherly role than a parental one. Anderson said that she grew up seeing Landon's life change and some of his personal and professional life decisions because of this transition.

Anderson was reportedly alluding to the end of Landon's first marriage and the quick transition into his second one. But the actress said she did not see or talk to Landon much after he tied the knot with his second wife.

However, Anderson did not judge Landon for his relationship, nor did she expect him to empathize with her after "Little House on the Prairie" ended.

Anderson pointed out that Landon was part of "Bonanza" for 14 years and said if she were in his shoes, she would have spread her wings and explored different projects.

Anderson reasoned her thoughts and expressed that she was motivated by planning and becoming self-sufficient. The actress added that she only delivers the best work when detached from people, but that does not mean she is angry she's serious about her job.

Although Anderson wished that Landon could have been more explorative with his acting career, she still respected his opinion and advice about the industry.

The actress revealed that she used to go to Landon for advice even as an adult. Anderson said she and the "Bonzana" star shared an eagerness to learn, which made their relationship strong.

Landon did the brave thing of coming out about his cancer diagnosis. In an interview with Hollywood Chicago, Anderson expressed that it was one of the first times a celebrity was honest about their illnesses.

The "While She Was Out" actress believed Landon did not want his diagnosis to be speculated by the media and felt it was unfortunate that he only lived three months after the cancer was discovered.

However, Anderson added that Landon left the world knowing he meant a lot to people and could see his significant contribution to the acting field.

The actress appreciated Landon and said without him; she does not believe she would have gotten her breakthrough on "Little House on the Prairie." Anderson added, "There is no Mike Landon. And that show would never have sold if it wasn't for Mike Landon."

Landon played a vital role in both Anderson's and Gilbert's life. He had built a special relationship with each of them that will continue to live with them.

Melissa Gilbert Is "Aching" for Michael Landon

Opposite to the brotherly connection that Anderson shared with Landon, Gilbert said Landon was like a father to her. As stated by ABC news, Gilbert and Landon grew even closer after her father died in 1976.

Gibert was only eleven when she lost her father and was so affected by this loss that she confessed she wanted Landon to become her "substitute father." The actress said their families developed a strong relationship and had yearly Easter vacations together.

Gilbert told CBS News that Landon made her feel safe and she would only confide in him when she felt overwhelmed by things going on in her life. She felt comfortable, loved, and supported by Landon at all times.

Gilbert gave credit to her on-screen father when asked where the values of "Little House on Prairie" came from. She said the show's values reflected Landon and how much of a good leader he was.

Gilbert remembered Landon as an understanding person who always saw the good in people and believed everyone had the chance to be great. She said, "He was that man. He believed that people are always really good at heart."

The actress continued to emphasize the kindness and fairness Landon had for people. For these reasons and more, Gilbert believed that Landon's voice would have played an important role in today's society.

Gilbert recalled the last day on the "Little House on the Prairie" set. The actress said it was an emotional time for everyone, but she remembered crying with Landon and confiding in him about how scared she was to end this chapter of her life. But Landon assured her it was just the beginning of her career.

Gilbert and Landon also drifted apart after his second marriage. The actress confessed that they went a long time without speaking until she randomly decided to give him a call after she saw him on "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson."

That phone call was all the actors needed to reconnect. Gilbert reportedly went to Landon's house and became his caregiver till he died in 1991.

On the 31st anniversary of Landon's death, Gilbert shared an emotional tribute to her "Pa." The actress expressed how even after 30 years, she still severely missed Landon and felt the pain of his death. She wrote:

"I am missing Michael Landon. So much so I can feel it in my chest, in my heart. I am aching for him."

Landon left a lasting impression on everyone he had worked with; his lawyer Jay Eller read a tribute written by actor Eli Wallach and said television would miss Landon's talent.

Eller also said he asked Landon what he would have done if he lost his curly hair to chemotherapy, and the actor reportedly joked and said, "I am rich; I can buy that." "Little House on the Prairie" continues to be a memorable part of many childhoods today.