Melissa Gilbert Mourns ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Star in Touching Tribute

Melissa Gilbert mourned her Little House on the Prairie co-star, Michael Landon, in a touching tribute on what would have been his 90th birthday.

On Friday, October 30, the former child actress who played Laura Ingalls Wilder in the original LHOTP series took to Instagram to honor the actor who played her onscreen father, Charles “Pa” Ingalls.

“Ninety years. I wonder what you would think of that,” Gilbert, 62, began her update, which featured a carousel of photos of herself and Landon. “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 continued, “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.”

Additionally, Gilbert pointed out, “So 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 When Calls the Heart actress added, “I wish we could sit together and reminisce about all the fun we had and the work we did. I wish we could say all the things we never got the chance to say. You weren’t my father, but you did help raise me. So much of who I am began with you.”I

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To conclude her update, Gilbert wrote, “On what would have been your 90th birthday, I find myself thinking less about how long you’ve been gone and more about how much of you remains. The legacy of your wonderful work, but more importantly, the legacy of the beautiful family you created. Oh, Mike, you would be so proud of all of them. As for me, in my heart, I’ll always be that little girl running down a grassy hill, knowing you’re there to catch me. Happy birthday, Pa. I love you. Your Half-Pint.”

Landon died at 54 in 1991, following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Little House on the Prairie aired for nine seasons from 1974 to 1983. In addition to Gilbert and Landon, it starred Karen Grassle, Melissa Sue Anderson, Victor French, Katherine MacGregor, Richard Bull, Jonathan Gilbert,  Kevin Hagen, Alison Arngrim, Dean Butler, and others. A Little House on the Prairie reboot premiered in July, starring an entirely new cast.

Little House on the Prairie, streaming on Peacock; Little House on the Prairie reboot, streaming on Netflix