Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Season 14

[MFWalkoff]

Melissa Gilbert
"The Little House Legend"

Pro: Maksim Chmerkovskiy

We fell in love with her back when she was a little girl in a little house on TV. Then Melissa Gilbert grew up to continue her to amaze and entertain her fans in a variety of ways.

A native of Los Angeles, Melissa Gilbert comes from a long line of entertainers including her grandfather, Harry Crane, creator and writer of The Honeymooners and her father, respected comedian, actor, musician and dancer, Paul Gilbert.

At age two, Melissa made her on-air debut modeling baby clothes and appeared in more than 30 TV commercials over the next seven years. At age nine, she joined the cast of Little House on the Prairie, continuing with the popular series for 10 years. She has since starred in hundreds of TV movies, specials and series including the Emmy award-winning Movie of the Week The Miracle Worker.

In feature film, Melissa starred in Sylvester and did a cameo role playing herself in Griffin Dunne's film Lisa Picard is Famous. On stage, she made her off-Broadway debut in A Shayna Maidel and later starred in The Miracle Worker, The Glass Menagerie and Love Letters. She made her directorial debut with the ABC after school special Me and My Hormones and produced the A&E documentary Child Stars: Their Story.

Melissa's legacy came full circle when she starred as Ma in the national tour of Little House on the Prairie the Musical. In 2009, Melissa shared her personal story in her New York Times bestselling memoir, Prairie Tale.

Melissa served two terms as the 23rd President of Screen Actors Guild, two terms as Vice President on the AFL-CIO executive council, as Vice President for the California Labor Federation, as a commissioner on the California Film Commission and as chair of the 2005 SAG Theatrical/Television Negotiating Committee.

An avid philanthropist, Melissa is the President of the Board of Directors for the Children's Hospice and palliative Care Coalition and recently became the first-ever national spokesperson for The Partnership at Drugfree.org. Melissa is a devoted mother to four sons. Bet they're all proud of their mom as she takes on her latest challenge on Dancing with the Stars!

Cast Bios - ABC.com

[Florimel]

I did not know she had done, "A Shayna Maidel," one of my most favorite plays. While I suspect that a lot of people have not heard of it, it was done as a tv movie starring Kyra Sedgwick and Amanda Plummer in 1992 under the title, Miss Rose White"

[OrangeCrush]

I just have a feeling that Melissa is the type who willl work hard at being good...so hopefully her and Max will go far

[dagwood]

Love Melissa Gilbert and love Maks so I hope they make it far.

[jucamer]

I always loved Melissa. I just hope she doesn't pull a Jennifer Grey - I loved her too but couldn't stand her at the end of her season

[combatcutie]

I am rooting for her. She seems like she is going to have a great work ethic and do well. I'm glad she got paired up with Maks. Love me some Maks

[Debb70]

I love her too, but while she looks great, she still has some mature bones and muscles, if you know what I mean. She's about my age and I hope she's able to avoid injury, like some of the older contestants have encountered before. Good luck Melissa! She'll be my favorite in the start for sure.

[Tilden]

I just saw a short clip of them discussing how Maks had never seen LHOP and didn't know who she was, and they were both teasing each other and laughing about it. In that clip, at least, they seemed to be getting along okay, and Maks typically does better, I think, with partners who are willing to stand up to him and with whom he can joke around (Kirstie and Erin, for instance). I think if Maks gives her crap, she'll probably just dish it right back, as opposed to taking it too personally.

[Fanny Mare]

I just saw a short clip of them discussing how Maks had never seen LHOP and didn't know who she was, and they were both teasing each other and laughing about it. In that clip, at least, they seemed to be getting along okay, and Maks typically does better, I think, with partners who are willing to stand up to him and with whom he can joke around (Kirstie and Erin, for instance). I think if Maks gives her crap, she'll probably just dish it right back, as opposed to taking it too personally.

His last partner didnt take crap, and threatened to quit. I hope it doesn't get that bad ( again)

[Bet2Win]

I was watching Lisa Rinna and Louis on YouTube, what a body she has!

Then I watched Maks and Kirstie's first week segment, I smiled through the whole thing once again. Maks had such a fun time with her; and their cha cha is my all time favorite routine on this show.

So, the question is, does Melissa Gilbert have a personality? I don't think I've ever watched an interview of her.