“Little House on the Prairie” was a show full of complex storylines and innocent characters. These qualities made it a huge hit when it premiered in the ’70s. Based on the series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, a famous poet, farmer, journalist, teacher, and writer, the show brought audiences into the late 1800s and showed them a world they had never seen before. Sadly, Ingalls Wilder passed away before she could see her books become live-action.

In celebration of Ingalls’ life and stories here are some interesting facts about the stars of “Little House.”

Melissa Gilbert

Melissa Gilbert played the beautiful, young, talented, and gifted Laura Ingalls Wilder on “Little House.” The made her famous, and when it ended, she kept working. Today, Gilbert’s career is still going strong as she makes regular appearances in movies and on TV.

In 2001, Gilbert added a new role to life when she became the president of the Screen Actors Guild. She served two terms in the position. She has also become an accomplished writer, publishing her autobiography, Prairie Tale: A Memoir, in 2010.