Who are Melissa Gilbert’s siblings? The American actress grew up with two younger adoptive siblings, a brother, Jonathan and a half-sister, Sara. In July 2026, Melissa also discovered three biological older brothers, Matt, Laird, and Mark, from her birth mother’s side after using a genealogy app.
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Key takeaways
- Melissa Gilbert was adopted shortly after birth by actor Paul Gilbert and actress Barbara Crane, who raised her in Hollywood.
- She grew up with her adoptive brother, Jonathan Gilbert, and her younger half-sister, actress Sara Gilbert.
- Jonathan Gilbert is a former child actor best known for Little House on the Prairie, and Sara Gilbert is the Emmy-nominated actress known for Roseanne, The Conners, and The Talk.
- Melissa’s biological parents were Kathy Wood and David Darlington, whom she learned more about later in life.
- In 2026, Melissa publicly revealed that she had discovered three biological half-brothers, Matt, Laird, and Mark (deceased), on her birth mother’s side, plus four half-siblings from her birth father’s family.
Who are Melissa Gilbert’s siblings?
The Little House on the Prairie alum has two adoptive siblings who were raised with her and several biological half-siblings whom she discovered later in life after reconnecting with her birth family. Discover more details about them below.
Jonathan Gilbert (adoptive brother)
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Jonathan Gilbert is Melissa Gilbert’s adoptive brother. Both were adopted by actor and comedian Paul Gilbert and actress Barbara Crane. Jonathan was born on 28 April 1967, and joined the family about two years after Melissa.
Like his sister, Jonathan became a child actor. He is best known for portraying Willie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie from 1974 to 1983, appearing alongside Melissa, who played Laura Ingalls Wilder. Melissa Gilbert and Jonathan Gilbert also appeared in the 1979 TV film The Miracle Worker.
After Little House on the Prairie ended, Jonathan left acting altogether. He earned a degree in finance and built a career in the financial industry, choosing to stay out of the public eye. Melissa reflected on her brother’s decision to leave Hollywood and distance himself from the family in her 2009 memoir, Prairie Tale: A Memoir, writing:
My brother, Jonathan, completely cut himself off from the family. He turned 18 and simply disappeared. Though he would turn up a couple of times over several years, I have only seen him three times in the last two decades. Surprisingly, I am at peace with it.
Sara Gilbert (adoptive half-sister)
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Sara Gilbert is Melissa Gilbert’s adoptive half-sister. She was born Sara Rebecca Abeles on 29 January 1975, to Barbara Cowan and her second husband, Harold Abeles, after Barbara’s divorce from Paul Gilbert. Although Sara is Barbara’s biological daughter, she adopted the Gilbert surname early in her acting career.
Inspired by watching Melissa succeed in Hollywood, Sara began acting as a child. She achieved widespread fame as Darlene Conner on Roseanne (1988–1997, 2018) and later reprised the role in The Conners (2018–2025). She also co-created and co-hosted the daytime talk show The Talk from 2010 to 2019.
Melissa and Sara have remained close over the years and have often spoken positively about each other. Sara has credited Melissa with inspiring her acting career after watching her receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In a 1989 interview published by the Chicago Sun-Times, Sara spoke about Melissa’s influence, saying:
I always thought it was an asset having a sister in the business, because she always gave me little suggestions. I always talk with Melissa. She’s really great.
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As for her personal life, Sara Gilbert filed for legal separation from Linda Perry in December 2019 after nearly six years of marriage. They share a son, Rhodes Emilio. Sara also has two children, Levi Hawk and Sawyer Jane, from a previous relationship.
Melissa Gilbert’s biological half-siblings
In a July 2026 Instagram post, Melissa revealed that she had discovered three older half-brothers on her birth mother’s side and four older half-siblings from her father’s side whom she had never known about before. She found them after connecting with her cousin, Harry Lee Scott, through a family history app. The actress wrote:
For those who don’t know, I was adopted at birth. For which I will be eternally grateful. Decades ago, I found my birth father’s family. Including my three older half-siblings. Those relationships were a bit fraught. Not very close and still full of secrets. Not what I’d hoped but ultimately an important part of my story and one for which I will always be grateful to them for.
She continued:
A few weeks ago I connected, through an app, with my fifth biological cousin on my birth mother’s side @harleesco. His intrepid research ala @henrylouisgates led me to my biological siblings on my birth mother’s side. I’d always wished for a big brother, and I found out I have three. @mattlabrat @lepracon4gold and Mark (who passed years ago).
A closer look at Melissa Gilbert’s parents
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Melissa Gilbert was born on 8 May 1964 and adopted shortly after birth by Barbara Cowan (née Crane) and Paul Gilbert, both of whom worked in the entertainment industry. As an adult, Melissa also learned more about her biological parents, Kathy Wood and David Darlington, and has spoken publicly about reconnecting with her birth family. Find more details about them below:
Paul Gilbert (adoptive father)
Paul Gilbert, born Ed MacMahon on 27 December 1918, was an American actor, comedian, singer, dancer, and former trapeze artist. He appeared in numerous television shows and films during the 1950s and 1960s, including The Duke (1954), So This Is Paris (1955), Cat Ballou (1965), Sylvia (1965), and Women of the Prehistoric Planet (1966).
Gilbert also made guest appearances on popular programs such as The Dean Martin Show, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, The Hollywood Palace, and Perry Mason. In 1962, Gilbert married actress and dancer Barbara Crane. Two years later, the couple adopted Melissa Gilbert just one day after she was born, and they later adopted Jonathan Gilbert.
Paul and Barbara divorced in the early 1970s. On 13 February 1976, Paul Gilbert died at the age of 57. Melissa was initially told that he had died from a stroke. However, in her 2009 memoir Prairie Tale, she revealed that she later learned he took his life after living with severe chronic pain.
Barbara Crane Gilbert Cowan (adoptive mother)
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Barbara Cowan was born on 25 April 1936 in Brooklyn, New York, United States. She is an actress, film producer and dancer, known for Sorority Girl (1957), Unwed Mother (1958) and Satisfied (2024). Barbara is the daughter of Harry Crane, the Emmy-winning comedy writer and one of the creators of the classic sitcom The Honeymooners, and dancer Julia Grandes Crane.
After adopting Melissa with her first husband, Paul Gilbert, Barbara later divorced him and married attorney Harold Abeles in 1975. Together, they welcomed a daughter, Sara Gilbert. Barbara and Harold later divorced. She went on to marry Hollywood publicist Warren Cowan, and they remained together until he died in 2008.
Barbara generally stayed out of the spotlight while supporting her children’s careers.
Melissa Gilbert’s biological parents
Melissa was born to Kathy Wood, an exotic dancer and David Darlington, a stock car racer, mechanic, and musician. Kathy and David were originally married to other people, each having three children with their respective spouses. They eloped together, and Melissa was conceived during a motorcycle trip in the desert.
After becoming pregnant, they divorced their former spouses and married each other. Because they were already raising six children and could not financially afford a seventh child, they placed Melissa for adoption 24 hours after her birth. She was adopted the next day by actors Paul Gilbert and Barbara Cowan.
Did Melissa Gilbert ever find her biological parents?
Melissa began searching for her birth parents in her adult years. Though Kathy passed away in 1980 before they could meet, Melissa successfully reached her biological father. In July 2025, the actress discussed her journey of finding her birth parents on an episode of Patrick Labyorteaux’s podcast, The Patrick LabyorScheaux. She noted:
They were each married to other people and had three children each and ran off together and conceived me on a motorcycle trip in the desert. Explains a lot. And then they left their spouses for each other and got married after [getting] pregnant with me and moved all the kids in, so I was number seven. So the decision was made to put me up for adoption.
Speaking about how she called her biological father to introduce herself, she explained:
I didn’t tell him who I was, and then he asked me, ‘Well, who are you? What do you do?’ And I said, ‘Well, here’s the thing.’ And I said, ‘Did you ever watch Little House on the Prairie?’ And he said, ‘You’re Laura, aren’t you? I knew it.’ He knew it. He could see, and when I met my half-siblings, we all look alike. So, you could definitely see it. So, it’s pretty clear.
FAQs
- Does Melissa Gilbert have any biological siblings? The actress has four biological half-siblings from her father’s side and three older half-brothers on her birth mother’s side whom she discovered via a DNA app.
- Are Sara Gilbert and Melissa Gilbert half-sisters? They are maternal half-sisters who share the same mother, Barbara Crane, but have different fathers.
- What happened to Melissa Gilbert’s brother? Her adoptive brother Jonathan Gilbert cut ties with Hollywood and his family at age 18 to become a stockbroker, though he briefly reunited with Melissa in 2024.
- Which Gilbert sister is adopted? Melissa Gilbert is the sister who was adopted at birth, whereas Sara Gilbert is the biological child of their mother.
- Why did Melissa Gilbert’s parents give her up for adoption? Her birth parents placed her for adoption because they were already raising six children from previous marriages and could not financially afford a seventh child.
- Does Melissa Gilbert talk to her sister? Melissa and Sara maintain a close and loving relationship.
- Are Melissa and Jonathan Gilbert biological siblings? They are not biologically related, as both were independently adopted as infants by Paul Gilbert and Barbara Crane.
- Are Melissa and Sara Gilbert biological sisters? They are not full biological sisters because Melissa was adopted, making them maternal half-sisters through their shared mother, Barbara Crane.
- When was Melissa Gilbert adopted? Melissa was adopted by Paul Gilbert and Barbara Crane immediately after her birth in May 1964.
- Does Melissa Gilbert have a relationship with her biological parents? Melissa never met her biological mother, who died in 1980. She later found her biological father, but they had a difficult and limited relationship.
Melissa Gilbert’s siblings and parents remain an important part of the remarkable family story behind her life and career. Her family story goes far beyond what many fans know from Little House on the Prairie. From her adoptive parents and siblings to the biological relatives she discovered later in life, her journey has been shaped by love, loss, and unexpected reunions.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng