Melissa Sue Anderson began her acting career as a child, appearing in commercials and guest roles on TV shows before landing the role of Mary Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie.  Her portrayal of the eldest daughter of the Ingalls family earned her recognition — she was nominated for a major acting award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Over the course of her early career she demonstrated the talent that the show’s producers recognized, and she played a key part of a beloved series that remains in popular culture today.

Despite her success in Hollywood, Anderson made a deliberate decision to step away from the spotlight for much of her adult life. She has said that when her children entered the picture, she prioritized raising them and giving them a chance to form their own identities rather than being “Melissa Anderson’s children”.  In 2002, she moved with her family to Montreal, Canada, and in 2007 they became Canadian citizens. While she has taken occasional acting roles, her main focus shifted to family life and a more private lifestyle.

In addition to her acting past, Anderson wrote a memoir in 2010 titled The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House, offering insight into her years on the series and her reflections afterward. Her children are now grown: a daughter born circa 1991 and a son born circa 1996. Today, she lives a quieter life in Canada, occasionally appearing in small film or television roles, content with the path she chose away from major stardom