Little House On The Prairie: Then & Now

Melissa Sue Anderson Now

By the time Little House on the Prairie had wrapped, Melissa was almost 20 and had big things ahead of her. The Canadian starlet went straight out of prime time TV and into her first movie role, a slasher-horror film called Happy Birthday to Me. She has over 57 acting credits to her name and currently has a movie, The Brits Are Coming, in post-production. In addition to continuing to perform as an actress, Melissa has also become a published author. In 2010, the now 54-year-old released her autobiography, entitled “The Way I See It”. The book chronicles her early life and career, particularly her experiences on Little House, as well as how her personal life was affected by the role.

Shannen Doherty as Jenny Wilder

Believe it or not, teen idol Shannen Doherty was actually a Little House on the Prairie cast member. She played the role of Jenny Wilder in the ninth and final season of the show. At the age of 11, Shannen took the role, and it was one of the earliest performances of her career. Prior to playing Jenny Wilder she had made appearances in three other shows, including The Phoenix, and Voyagers! The character of Jenny was a boon for Shannen, and she went on to portray her in three subsequent TV movies. Michael Landon is widely credited with helping Doherty win the role after he saw her appearance on Father Murphy.