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Melissa Sue Anderson

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Melissa Sue Anderson

Melissa Sue Anderson (born September 26, 1962) is an American-Canadian actress. She began her career as a child actress after appearing in several commercials in Los Angeles. Anderson is known for her role as Mary Ingalls in the NBC drama series Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983), for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She is also known for film roles that include Vivian in Midnight Offerings (1981), Ginny in the slasher film Happy Birthday to Me (1981), and Alex in the ABC Afterschool Special, Which Mother Is Mine? (1979). Anderson became a naturalized citizen of Canada in 2007. In 2010, she published The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House, an autobiographical account of her years acting in Little House on the Prairie.

Infobox

Born
(1962-09-26) September 26, 1962 (age 63)Berkeley, California, U.S.
Citizenship
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Occupation
Actress
Years active
1972–present
Known for
mw- Little House on the Prairie Midnight Offerings Happy Birthday to Me Which Mother Is Mine?
Spouse
mw- Michael Sloan (m. 1990; died 2025)
Children
2

Tables

Melissa Sue Anderson film credits · Filmography › Film
1981
Role(s)
Virginia Wainwright
1984
Goma-2
Role(s)
Kukki
Notes
Uncredited[citation needed]
Role(s)
Jennie
1988
The Suicide Club
Role(s)
Laura Donovan on TV
Role(s)
Young Nurse
1989
Looking Your Best
1990
Role(s)
Dulcie Niles
1991
Manuel
1994
Animated Stories from the Bible: Music Video – Volume 1
Role(s)
Snake
Notes
Video; voice role
1995
Killer Lady
Role(s)
American Lady
2006
Role(s)
Hospital Patient
Notes
Uncredited[citation needed]
2010
Marker 187
Notes
Short film
2014
Role(s)
Stosh's Mother
Notes
Uncredited
2018
Role(s)
Guest Two
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1981
Happy Birthday to Me
Virginia Wainwright
1984
Goma-2
Kukki
Uncredited[citation needed]
Chattanooga Choo Choo
Jennie
1988
The Suicide Club
Laura Donovan on TV
Far North
Young Nurse
1989
Looking Your Best
1990
Dead Men Don't Die
Dulcie Niles
1991
Manuel
1994
Animated Stories from the Bible: Music Video – Volume 1
Snake
Video; voice role
1995
Killer Lady
American Lady
2006
Crazy Eights
Hospital Patient
Uncredited[citation needed]
2010
Marker 187
Short film
2014
Veronica Mars
Stosh's Mother
Uncredited
2018
The Con Is On
Guest Two
Melissa Sue Anderson television credits · Filmography › Television
1973
Role(s)
Millicent
Notes
Episode: "Never Too Young"
Role(s)
Cathy Muder (uncredited)
Notes
Episode: "The Enforcers"
1974–1981
Role(s)
Little House on the Prairie
Notes
Mary Ingalls
1976
Role(s)
Nancy Rizzi
Notes
TV movie
1977
Role(s)
Lacey Stevens
Notes
Episode: "Pilot"
Role(s)
Kate
Notes
Episode: "Very Good Friends"
1978
Role(s)
Director of the musical
Notes
Episode No. 2
1978–1980 & 1986
Role(s)
The Love Boat
Notes
Jennifer 'Chubs' Smith / Cindy Jerome / Cathy Cummings / Dana Colton
1979
Role(s)
Dana Lee Gilbert
Notes
TV movie
Role(s)
Alexandria 'Alex' Benton
Notes
Episode: "Which Mother Is Mine?"
Role(s)
Lisa
Notes
Episode: "The Overcharge"
Role(s)
Herself
Notes
Episode: "Roller Disco" (Part 2)
1980
Role(s)
Amy Marson
Notes
Episode: "Rogues to Riches/Stark Terror"
Role(s)
Mary Beth
Notes
Episode: "Princess"
1981
Role(s)
Vivian Sotherland
Notes
TV movie
Advice to the Lovelorn
Role(s)
Maureen Tyler
1982
Role(s)
Molly Rush
1982–1983
Role(s)
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Notes
Kitty Pryde / Sprite
1983
Role(s)
Toby King
Notes
TV movie
1984
Role(s)
Nikki Gatos
Notes
Episode: "Pilot"
Role(s)
Eve Crystal
Notes
Episode: "Hooray for Homicide"
Role(s)
Elizabeth
Notes
Episode: "A Minor Miracle"
1984–1985
Role(s)
Hotel
Notes
Cassie Ray / Anne Goldman
1986
Role(s)
Noelle Drake
Notes
TV movie
1987
Role(s)
Yvette Marcel
Notes
2 Episodes: "Memories of Manon: Parts 1 & 2"
1988–1989
Role(s)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Notes
Laura Donovan / Julie Fenton
1988
The Equalizer
Role(s)
Yvette Marcel
Notes
2 Episodes: "The Mystery of Manon: Parts 1 & 2"
1989
Role(s)
Colleen McCloud
1993–1994
Role(s)
X-Men: The Animated Series
Notes
Snowbird
1994
Role(s)
Michelle Ryder
Notes
Episode: "Who Killed Alexander the Great?"
1998
Role(s)
Dr. Marilyn Blake
Notes
TV movie
1999
Partners
Role(s)
Cheryl Darrin
Notes
3 episodes
2000
Role(s)
Tanya Ferguson
Notes
TV movie
2006
Role(s)
First Lady Megan Hollister
Notes
Miniseries
2007
Role(s)
Mother
Notes
Voice, uncredited[citation needed]
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1973
The Brady Bunch
Millicent
Episode: "Never Too Young"
Shaft
Cathy Muder (uncredited)
Episode: "The Enforcers"
1974–1981
Little House on the Prairie
Mary Ingalls
Main role
1976
The Loneliest Runner
Nancy Rizzi
TV movie
1977
James at 15
Lacey Stevens
Episode: "Pilot"
ABC Afterschool Special
Kate
Episode: "Very Good Friends"
1978
The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour
Director of the musical
Episode No. 2
1978–1980 & 1986
The Love Boat
Jennifer 'Chubs' Smith / Cindy Jerome / Cathy Cummings / Dana Colton
4 episodes
1979
Survival of Dana
Dana Lee Gilbert
TV movie
ABC Afterschool Special
Alexandria 'Alex' Benton
Episode: "Which Mother Is Mine?"
A New Kind of Family
Lisa
Episode: "The Overcharge"
CHiPs
Herself
Episode: "Roller Disco" (Part 2)
1980
Fantasy Island
Amy Marson
Episode: "Rogues to Riches/Stark Terror"
Insight
Mary Beth
Episode: "Princess"
1981
Midnight Offerings
Vivian Sotherland
TV movie
Advice to the Lovelorn
Maureen Tyler
1982
An Innocent Love
Molly Rush
1982–1983
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Kitty Pryde / Sprite
Voice, 2 episodes
1983
First Affair
Toby King
TV movie
1984
Finder of Lost Loves
Nikki Gatos
Episode: "Pilot"
Murder, She Wrote
Eve Crystal
Episode: "Hooray for Homicide"
Glitter
Elizabeth
Episode: "A Minor Miracle"
1984–1985
Hotel
Cassie Ray / Anne Goldman
2 episodes
1986
Dark Mansions
Noelle Drake
TV movie
1987
The Equalizer
Yvette Marcel
2 Episodes: "Memories of Manon: Parts 1 & 2"
1988–1989
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Laura Donovan / Julie Fenton
2 episodes
1988
The Equalizer
Yvette Marcel
2 Episodes: "The Mystery of Manon: Parts 1 & 2"
1989
The Return of Sam McCloud
Colleen McCloud
1993–1994
X-Men: The Animated Series
Snowbird
Voice, 2 episodes
1994
Burke's Law
Michelle Ryder
Episode: "Who Killed Alexander the Great?"
1998
Earthquake in New York
Dr. Marilyn Blake
TV movie
1999
Partners
Cheryl Darrin
3 episodes
2000
Thin Ice
Tanya Ferguson
TV movie
2006
Apocalypse
First Lady Megan Hollister
Miniseries
2007
Marco Polo
Mother
Voice, uncredited[citation needed]

References

  1. Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel
  2. Hartford Courant
  3. Los Angeles Times
  4. Screen World 2002
    https://archive.org/details/screenworldvol530000unse/page/321
  5. People
    http://people.com/archive/with-dates-like-sinatra-junior-melissa-sue-anderson-is-outgrowing-her-little-house-vol-15-no-21/
  6. Anderson Daily Bulletin
  7. The Tampa Times
  8. "On Location" by Vic Partipilo, Oakland Post (25 Sept, 1979) Retrieved from ProQuest 371735895
    https://www.proquest.com/docview/371735895
  9. "Watch it!" by Bud Laughton, The Boston Globe (7 June, 1981) [First Edition] Retrieved from ProQuest 294123620
    https://www.proquest.com/docview/294123620
  10. YoungArtistAwards.org
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110402060410/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms3.htm
  11. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1990/01/28/michael-landon/9dc41b8b-a6bb-4e4c-b35d-bc05715526f7/
  12. Yahoo! Entertainment
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180802041034/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/little-house-prairie-cast-where-140127358/photo-melissa-sue-anderson-as-mary-1444920045222.html
  13. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180504120858/http://radiotvtalk.blog.ajc.com/2010/05/05/interview-with-melissa-sue-anderson-mary-on-little-house-on-the-prairie-coming-to-atlanta-510-511/
  14. Biography.com
    https://www.biography.com/people/melissa-sue-anderson
  15. Montreal Gazette
    https://www.pressreader.com/canada/montreal-gazette/20070702/281526516643514
  16. "Michael Sloan Dies: Co-Creator Of 'The Equalizer', Longtime Husband Of Melissa Sue Anderson Was 78"
    https://deadline.com/2025/08/michael-sloan-dead-equalizer-1236489726/
  17. "Michael Sloan, Co-Creator of 'The Equalizer,' Dies at 78"
    https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/michael-sloan-dead-equalizer-1236489958/
  18. "Michael Sloan, creator of 'The Equalizer', dies at 78"
    https://www.livemint.com/entertainment/michael-sloan-creator-of-the-equalizer-dies-at-78-11755279904314.html
  19. Also released as a 96-minute TV movie, Memories of Manon
  20. Also released as a 90-minute TV movie, The Equalizer: The Mystery of Manon
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