This well-known actress was given up for adoption as a newborn by her biological parents, who prioritized their careers over raising her. Her adoptive parents kept her origins a secret until the truth eventually surfaced.
Paul Gilbert, their daughter, and Barbara Crane at the 4th Annual People’s Choice Awards on February 20, 1978 | Source: Getty Images
Born on May 8, 1964, at The French Hospital in Los Angeles, which no longer exists, the future star was adopted by Barbara Crane and Paul Gilbert when she was just 24 hours old. The couple also adopted her younger brother, Jonathan. Paul was a versatile performer—stand-up comedian, actor, dancer, and former circus aerialist. Barbara, an actress in her twenties, had a brief career. When the actress was six, Barbara and Paul divorced, but she fondly remembered Paul as “the most incredibly talented, vivacious, funny, loving, fair person I ever knew.”
Paul passed away in 1976, with many believing he died of a stroke in his sleep. Adoption wasn’t hidden from her. In her memoir “Prairie Tale,” the star revealed that she was told her biological mother, Kathy Wood, was a prima ballerina and her father, David Darlington, was a Rhodes Scholar. Her adoptive parents claimed her birth parents gave her up to focus on their careers. However, when she grew up, she discovered her real mother was indeed a dancer but not a prima ballerina, and her father was a sign painter and stock car racer. Both Kathy and David were previously married with children before deciding they couldn’t afford another child and gave her up for adoption.
A Shock After Her Adoptive Father’s Death
After Paul’s death, the actress was shocked to learn more about her adoption. Her godmother, Mitzi, revealed that when Barbara and Paul brought her home, it was unexpected. Barbara admitted, “We had no plans to adopt a child.” They weren’t actively seeking adoption but got a call about her availability. Paul told Barbara to “‘go get it,’” a phrase that surprised the actress. Barbara explained they were undergoing fertility treatments at the time and had not discussed adoption until that call.
In a 2020 interview, the actress shared how secretive her adoptive family was. At 11, she was told her father died from a stroke, but at 45, she discovered he had committed suicide. The secret was kept from everyone, causing her great distress. She hired a detective who uncovered that Paul, a WWII veteran, was in severe pain under VA care and took his own life. Learning the truth caused her significant grief, but she eventually came to terms with it and now advocates for mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
An actress seen at the Santa Monica Bowling Alley in Santa Monica on January 23, 1982 | Source: Getty Images
Despite feeling betrayed for a long time, the star forgave Barbara for keeping the truth hidden. The actress’s identity and her current life are revealed in the next part.
Meet the Star: Melissa Gilbert
The actress is Melissa Gilbert, beloved for her role as Laura “Half-Pint” Ingalls Wilder on “Little House on the Prairie” from 1974 to 1983. In July 2022, she released her memoir “Back to the Prairie” and now enjoys life with her family. She feels “blessed” and is in a different place than her late adoptive father. She wishes Paul had experienced the joy of grandchildren and the love of a supportive partner.
Melissa is married to her third husband, Timothy Busfield. In May 2022, they were grandparents to eight grandchildren. In 2012, Busfield, going through his second divorce, met Melissa in a bar where she was waiting for a friend. The couple had a private wedding in April 2013 in Santa Barbara, California, with Melissa wearing a Morgane Le Faye dress suggested by Barbara. In her book, Melissa shared that their ceremony was just the two of them.
Having spent most of her life in Hollywood, Melissa has two children: Dakota Paul Brinkman from her first marriage to actor Bo Brinkman, and Michael Garrett Boxleitner from her second marriage to Bruce Boxleitner. Busfield also has three children: Samuel, Daisy, and Wilson. The couple now enjoys a quiet life in a 14-acre cottage in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
