The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House » (First)

Melissa Sue Anderson is an Emmy–Award winning actress known to millions for playing Mary Ingalls on the NBC television series Little House on the Prairie, which aired from 1974 to 1983. She played First Lady Megan Hollister in the 2006 miniseries 10.5: Apocalypse. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Born and raised in California, she lives in Montreal, Canada, with her husband, television producer and screenwriter Michael Sloan, and their two children.

From age eleven in 1974 until she left the show in 1981, Melissa Anderson literally grew up before the viewers of Little House on the Prairie.

Melissa, as Mary, is remembered by many as “the blind sister”—and she was the only actor in the series to be nominated for an Emmy. In The Way I See It, she takes readers onto the set and inside the world of the iconic series created by Michael Landon, who, Melissa discovered, was not perfect, as much as he tried to be. In this memoir she also shares her memories of working with guest stars like Todd Bridges, Mariette Hartley, Sean Penn, Patricia Neal, and Johnny Cash.

Contents

Preface: “I think it’s a … Western.”

Chapter 1: TOO WELL-FED AND A SEVEN YEAR CONTRACT

Chapter 2: THE PILOT, COOGAN’S LAW, HIVES AND WHIPLASH

SEASON ONE   JUNE, 1974-FEBRUARY, 1975

Chapter 3: “COUNTRY GIRLS” / ”A HARVEST OF FRIENDS”

Chapter 4: “TOWN PARTY, COUNTRY PARTY” / ”THE LOVE OF JOHNNY JOHNSON” AND EATING FOR THE CAMERA 101

Chapter 5: “THE RACCOON” / ”THE VOICE OF TINKER JONES”

Chapter 6: “THE AWARD”

Chapter 7: MAGIC MOUNTAIN IN DISGUISE

SEASON TWO  MAY, 1975-JANUARY, 1976

Chapter 8: “FOUR EYES”

Chapter 9: “THE CAMP OUT” / ”THE GIFT” AND “THE LONLIEST RUNNER”

Chapter 10:  “REMEMBER ME, PARTS I & II” / “SOLDIER’S RETURN”

SEASON THREE  MAY, 1976-FEBRUARY 1977

Chapter 11:  “THE COLLECTION” / “I’LL RIDE THE WIND”

Chapter 12:  “THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON”

SEASON FOUR  MAY, 1977-January, 1978

Chapter 13: TIMES OF CHANGE” / ”THE HANDYMAN” AND

“THE CREEPER OF WALNUT GROVE” / “THE AFTERMATH”

Chapter 14: I’LL BE WAVING AS YOU DRIVE AWAY” PARTS I & II

SEASON FIVE  MAY, 1978-JANUARY, 1979

Chapter 15: “THE WEDDING”, THE EMMY’S AND COOKING? WITH STEVEN SPEILBERG

SEASON SIX  MAY, 1979-JANUARY, 1980

Chapter 16: I WAS A BLIND PIONEER AND YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD PROBLEMS

SEASON SEVEN  MAY, 1980-JANUARY, 1981

Chapter 17:   “BLIND JUSTICE” AND “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME”

SEASON EIGHT  MAY, 1981-JANUARY, 1982

Chapter 18:   “A CHRISTMAS THEY NEVER FORGOT” AND “WHERE PIGEONS GO TO DIE”

Chapter 19:   REFLECTIONS

Epilogue