Melissa Gilbert first made her mark as the main character of Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls, also known as “Half-Pint.” But she’s also been in other works such as “The Miracle Worker” and “The Diary of Anne Frank.” She also showed up on commercials and a few other shows before her breakout.
She’s still going strong, though her name might not be on everyone’s tongue. She got a spot on the reality TV show “Dancing With the Stars,” has played her original character’s mother (Caroline “Ma” Ingalls) in the touring production of “Little House on the Prairie, the Musical,” and has added her voice to “Batman: The Animated Series.”
Danny Bonaduce
Bonaduce's bright red hair and winning smile made him a famous character on "The Partridge Family," where he played the bass-playing middle child. Bonaduce seemed destined for life-long stardom, but life has a way of taking its own road. He's appeared in a number of films, including "Corvette Summer," and also had guest appearances on "CHiPs."
After a hiatus, he began to appear in episodes of "Married... with Children," "Space Ghost Coast to Coast," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigations," and "The Drew Carey Show." He also had his own reality show, "Breaking Bonaduce." He's been a regular morning host at Seattle radio station KZOK-FM since 2011.
Ron Howard
Howard first appeared on screen in the movie "Frontier Woman" in 1956, at the tender age of eighteen months. He got one of the lead roles in "The Andy Griffith Show," which made him a national name, and also had a role as Richie Cunningham in "Happy Days."
But Ron Howard has gone on to do much more. He's appeared in twenty-seven films, has directed twenty-eight films, and produced more than twenty others. Some of his most memorable turns behind the camera include "A Beautiful Mind," "Apollo 13," "Cocoon," and "The Da Vinci Code." He's constantly doing new and different projects, and everything he does has a unique style.
Kristy McNichol
While she made her start in commercials at a young age, McNichol appeared as a guest star on "Starsky & Hutch," "The Bionic Woman," "Love American Style," and "The Love Boat." She had a starring role as Patricia Apple in the show "Apple's Way" and has earned two Emmys for Best Supporting Actress for her work in "Family."
Her acting took side stage as she worked on her singing career, releasing "Kristy & Jimmy McNichol" for RCA records, which included the hit single “He's So Fine.”
Kristy’s Voice
McNichol's work has continued, and she made an appearance on "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia," which starred Mark Hamill and Dennis Quaid. She won a “Best Supporting Actress” Golden Globe Award working on "Only When I Laugh," and joined "Empty Nest" for a few seasons.
She's still part of the industry and has become a voice-acting expert, joining numerous other stars (including Mark Hamill) who have moved from behind the camera to behind the mic, appearing on animated shows like "Extreme Ghostbusters" and "Invasion America."