Former child star Melissa Sue Anderson says starring with Michael Landon in the famous American Western drama series “Little House on the Prairie” was a dream come true. Anderson, on the other hand, stated that once she had children, she did not want to raise them the way Landon did.
Melissa Sue Anderson, well known for her role as Laura Ingalls’ elder sister Mary on “Little House on the Prairie,” will turn 60 on September 26, 2022.
She remembered Landon walking her and her mother out after her audition and admiring her automobile. Anderson thanked the producer for escorting them out, to which he replied: “At any moment.” Take precautions.”
The young genius stated that their talk might have ended there, and she and her mother would have been fine. “He could have died content.” Michael was genuinely delighted.
The audition process continued, and she was successful in landing the position. Anderson’s character went blind during Season 4 of the program, and she garnered an Emmy nomination for the portrayal.
Anderson talked about her friendship with Landon, which was going well, and she even considered him a big brother.
She told People in 1981 that their lifestyles developed gradually while filming the TV show. She was “growing up,” and Landon’s life was “changing,” with some personal and professional decisions to be made. Anderson went on to say that she saw significantly less of her co-star.
When questioned about what Landon taught her about showbiz or television shows during an interview with Hollywood Chicago in June 2010, the California native said that she used to ask the filmmaker for pointers.
“I turned to him for counsel over the years, even as an adult. I believe I reminded him of himself when he first began. “We were both eager to learn new things.”
As Anderson played Mary on the most popular program of the 1970s, her on-screen character suffered more than she could have imagined. She got catatonic after losing her child in the fire and being blind.
Such difficulties caused the Hollywood starlet to leave the series, which aired from 1974 until 1983. Anderson’s most recent appearance on “Little House on the Prairie” was in the episode “A Christmas They Never Forgot.”
She discovered new chances when she appeared in her first feature film, “Happy Birthday to Me,” the same year she said goodbye to her Mary persona. Anderson continued to perform in films, theater, and on television while dating Hollywood hunks like Lorenzo Lamas and Frank Sinatra Jr.
In 1990, the “Midnight Offerings” actress married actor Michael Sloan. Griffin, born in 1996, and Piper, born in 1991, were the couple’s first two children.
Anderson opted to focus fully on her family after beginning one, and she and her family migrated to Canada in 2002. In 2007, the TV personality and the artist were granted Canadian citizenship.
The whole family went to see @TheEqualizer film based on the character my husband created. A great piece of drama with fine acting by Denzel, Pedro Pascal, and the terrific Ashton Sanders. Incredible action sequences. pic.twitter.com/Jrmh1YLVHC
— Melissa Anderson (@MelissAnderson) July 21, 2018
During an appearance on the Canadian television show “etalk,” she said that she “totally withdrew” from show business for over seven years so that her children may have their own identities rather than being recognized for her popularity.
Anderson remembered Landon wandering around and stopping to sign autographs at his daughter’s birthday celebration. She claims that such experiences divert children’s attention.
“It diverts so much of the focus that should be on the child and instead goes to the parent, which I believe is inappropriate.” The kids, you know, they should be the stars of their own little lives.”
The mother of two added that she did her best to grow her children to be “confident in themselves,” therefore she chose to nurture her children away from Hollywood and not in the same way as Landon. They encourage her to return to acting now that they are all grown up.
My husband and I at #TIFF14 for the world premiere of #TheEqualizer! Be sure to see it in theaters Sept 26! pic.twitter.com/BAbBdHX89m
— Melissa Anderson (@MelissAnderson) September 10, 2014
When asked why she quit performing, Anderson explained that she was arranging a wedding while pregnant with her first child at the time. In addition, her husband Sloan traveled frequently, while she preferred to stay at home with her daughter:
“I didn’t want to miss out on anything, to be honest.” I wanted to be there, but I also didn’t want her to be Melissa Anderson’s daughter.”
Anderson recalled accompanying Landon and his children to Magic Mountain, where he had to sign autographs and chat with people every few minutes.
“Aren’t you adorable?” Take a look at yourself. “Please tell me your name.” “And having a parent there who fully overshadows that is just so odd, and I didn’t want it to be like that, so I believe it worked out nicely.”
#FBF to my daugther @PiperSloan‘s wedding!! #WeddingHARMONy pic.twitter.com/mvB5tg4N0b
— Melissa Anderson (@MelissAnderson) November 25, 2016
Anderson and Sloan’s marriage has lasted 32 years. Their older children now have ordinary professions and do not seek careers in show business.
Piper, the couple’s married daughter, works as a senior manager for professional education at the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Anderson shared wedding images of her child on November 25, 2016, on Twitter. The bride chose a white lace gown, while her mother wore a champagne-colored gown.
Griffin Sloan, Sloan’s son, works at the legal firm Haworth, Barber & Gerstman.
Anderson once gave updates on her life in Canada, saying it was “great” and that she and her family “enjoyed” their time there.
“People are wonderful, and my children speak French fluently.” They are incredibly skilled. I can read it rather well. According to their adoring mother, they had not lost their American citizenship.
As her children got older, the “Equalizer” star’s workload lessened. Anderson appears in the miniseries “10.5 Apocalypse” in 2006. She and her family moved to Montreal, Canada, in May 2007.
Anderson published a novel about her time on “Little House” in 2010 and attended the show’s cast reunion in 2014.
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