What Has Melissa Sue Anderson Been Up To?

Actress Melissa Sue Anderson was born in Berkeley, California, on September 26, 1962. She gained notoriety in the late 1970s and early 1980s for her portrayal of Mary Ingalls in the adored television series “Little House on the Prairie.” Let’s see what she’s been up to this year!

Early Life and Entertainment Career Beginnings

Melissa Sue Anderson started her career in showbiz at a young age. She and her family relocated to Los Angeles when she was a little child, and during her dancing lessons, her teacher saw her potential and urged her parents to get her an agent. As a result, she started to feature in several ads, such as well-known ones for Mattel and Sears.

Television producers soon noticed her talent and charisma, and she started getting offers for playing parts. She has cameos in episodes of “Shaft,” “Bewitched,” and “The Brady Bunch,” among other television series. But her breakthrough performance in “Little House on the Prairie” would determine the course of her career for the following eight years.

“Little House on the Prairie” and Life After It

Following the completion of the seventh season of “Little House on the Prairie,” Melissa Sue Anderson persisted in showcasing her acting prowess. Her performance in the horror movie “Happy Birthday to Me” earned her a nomination, and she has starred in television series like “Murder, She Wrote,” “The Equalizer,” and “CHiPs.” She experimented with production as an associate producer on Michael Landon’s last movie, “Where Pigeons Go to Die,” in addition to her acting career.

In 1998, Melissa Sue Anderson was admitted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame in honor of her services to the entertainment business. In 1999, she also starred in the sitcom “Partners” on television. But as time passed, Melissa Sue Anderson made the decision to put more of an emphasis on her personal life and less on performing.

A Career Apart from Acting

Melissa Sue Anderson gave up performing in the later years of her career to focus on raising her family and being a stay-at-home mother. She was able to give priority to her family duties after moving to Montreal in 2002 and obtaining Canadian citizenship in 2007.

Melissa Sue Anderson kept pursuing her love of storytelling even as her acting roles decreased. She featured in other short films in addition to the popular series “Veronica Mars,” in which she played Stosh’s mother in 2014. Her autobiography, “The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House,” explores her childhood star experiences and offers intriguing behind-the-scenes glimpses into the lives of the devoted crew, guests, and cast.

Without a doubt, Melissa Sue Anderson has made a lasting impression on the entertainment world and the hearts of people everywhere. Her influence is still felt as she accepts her duty as a loving mother and considers her amazing journey.

Joyce DeWitt’s Candid Confession Confirms What We All Suspected

Decades may have passed since Three’s Company graced our screens, but its laughter still echoes in our hearts.

With unforgettable characters and side-splitting misunderstandings, this classic sitcom revolutionized the genre. Now, Joyce DeWitt reveals what really made the show a timeless treasure…

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From the hilarious antics of three single roommates to the unforgettable performances of John Ritter and Suzanne Somers, Three’s Company remains a beloved staple of American television. It’s hard to believe it’s been 40 years since the series finale aired on ABC, yet its charm and humor still resonate today.

To illustrate how long ago Three’s Company became a hit, I just watched the intro. Seeing the shots from Santa Monica Pier during the show’s prime reminds me of how much has changed since they filmed there.

Sadly, neither John Ritter nor Suzanne Somers are with us anymore; both were taken from us far too soon. But keeping the spirit of Three’s Company alive is Joyce DeWitt, 75, who shares her vibrant stories and cherished memories from the beloved show.

”The most dear, precious, tender – and utterly unexpected – experiences that have come from working in ‘Three’s Company’ are the many, many adults who have told me that ‘Three’s Company’ was a safe haven they could count on during their teen years – for some, the only safe haven,” Joyce DeWitt told US Weekly.

Joyce DeWitt circa 1978. (Photo by Images Press/IMAGES/Getty Images)
Starring as Janet Wood alongside John Ritter and Suzanne Somers, DeWitt became a television icon and she was such a day brightener for millions.

She appeared in 171 episodes of the show between 1976 and 1984.

“It was such a gift. I mean, it was iconic. But who would have thought it?” Joyce DeWitt told The Spec. “All we were trying to do was make people laugh. When I think about it, the show was really an attempt to do a contemporary version of a 16th-century farce. It was about silliness running wild. I mean, we were talking about serious issues at times, but that was always somewhere underneath.”

“John Ritter used to say, ‘We don’t want people to just laugh but to fall over their couch laughing,’” she added. “The real issue was always the depth of friendship and the love those characters had for each other. That’s what drew people to them.”

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After Three’s Company ended, DeWitt stepped away from the spotlight for over a decade before making her comeback to acting.

Yet, no matter what she has accomplished or plans to do in the future, the vast majority will always connect her with that iconic show. And there’s a very simple reason for that, according to DeWitt.

“It was a ‘time out’ from the oppressive, challenging, difficult circumstances they were navigating in their young lives,” DeWitt says and adds:

“And, oh by the way, they say the characters also did stupid, crazy stuff that made them laugh. But it was the love, trust and support of the characters, one to the other, that made them lifelong fans.”

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When you look at unedited photos from the Three’s Company set, the camaraderie among the cast shines through, especially in the images of Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers, who played the beloved Chrissy Snow.

Both actresses delivered iconic performances, portraying young women navigating a male-dominated industry. They contributed just as much to the show’s success as John Ritter, and in those early days, their smiles in photos tell a story of friendship and collaboration.

Yet, beneath the laughter, tensions simmered. While Somers was celebrated for her role as “the dumbest blonde in America,” her fight for equal pay created rifts that would grow over time. As she demanded a 500% salary increase — from $30,000 to $150,000 — her relationship with DeWitt became strained. The set, once filled with joy, was now fraught with conflict.

Somers had always viewed the show as a business among serious actors, and she realized that her approach annoyed her co-stars.

Somers was ultimately fired but had to finish the fifth season under strange circumstances. Isolated from her castmates, she filmed her scenes through bizarre phone calls, escorted by security. The tension escalated, leading to a heartbreaking split between Somers and DeWitt.

For over 30 years, they didn’t speak, a silence that seemed hard to reconcile when you viewed their early years together.

”They painted me as she’s trying to ruin the show,” Somers said in 2020. “So, I never talked to anybody on that show ever again. Ever again.”

Some speculated that DeWitt’s rivalry contributed to Somers’ exit, but it was ultimately the salary negotiations that drove a wedge between them.

Their differing circumstances — Somers as a single mother needing financial security versus DeWitt’s focus on her craft — further complicated their relationship.

“We had very different approaches to our careers,” DeWitt said of the relationship between her and Somers following the show. “We had very different needs. I did not have a child that I was supporting on my own. I didn’t have a business head, so I didn’t understand someone who did.”

However, in a beautiful twist, the two finally reunited in February 2012 on Somers’ talk show, Breaking Through. It was clear that they had buried the hatchet.

The former co-stars shared a heartfelt hug, and their open conversation about the past offered a glimpse of healing.

DeWitt expressed her deep respect for Somers’s accomplishments, saying, “You went up against ruthlessness, and it came down, but what you’ve gone on to do is immeasurable.” This moment highlighted the strength of their journey and the power of reconciliation. The two actresses remained friends until Somers’s tragic passing in 2023.

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In the interview with US Weekly, DeWitt spoke fondly of her late co-stars, paying tribute to their lasting impact. Reflecting on Somers, who passed away from breast cancer, DeWitt described her as ”absolutely wonderful.”

She also honored Ritter, who died in 2003 during heart surgery, calling him ”a true gift.”

As we revisit the photos from Three’s Company, we are transported back to a different, happier time—one brimming with laughter, friendship, and unforgettable moments. These images from the set not only celebrate the joy the cast brought to our screens but also highlight the enduring legacy they have left behind.