Where is Jonathan Gilbert Now? Why He Vanished After ‘Little House on the Prairie’—and His Secret Reunion With His Sister
Younger brother to Melissa Gilbert, he grew up playing Willie on 'Little House', then disappeared from the public eye at 18—inside the child star's life and comeback
If you were a Little House on the Prairie fan, you’ll remember the character of Willie Oleson, the mischievous, prank-loving younger brother of Nellie Oleson (Alison Arngrim). But did you know that the actor who portrayed him is costar Melissa Gilbert’s younger brother?
While not biologically related, Gilbert, who starred as Laura Ingalls on Little House, and Jonathan were both adopted by the same parents, actors Barbara Cowan and Paul Gilbert. Melissa was adopted at just one day old, in 1964, while Jonathan, who is three years younger, was adopted a few years after her.
Jonathan booked his role on Little House at age 7 and remained on the series until its end in 1983, when he was about 16 years old. However, not long after Little House came to an end, he fled from the spotlight and lived a private life far away, not only from Hollywood but from his entire family as well.
Find out what happened to the former child actor and if Jonathan Gilbert still talks to his sister, Melissa Gilbert
How did Jonathan and Melissa Gilbert both get cast on ‘Little House’?
Although they are brother and sister in real life, Jonathan and Melissa didn’t play siblings in the show. Jonathan joined the cast as Willie after his sister booked the lead role as Laura, though the part certainly wasn’t handed to him.
“I remember auditioning for Michael Landon, and he just laughed and laughed, and as a kid, I didn’t know what the hell he was laughing about,” Jonathan recalled. “He was magic. One of the greatest actor-directors ever.”
What happened to Jonathan Gilbert after ‘Little House’?
Following the end of Little House, Jonathan never acted in anything else, only appearing in the show’s 1984 finale, the TV movie, Little House: The Last Farewell.
In her 2009 memoir, Prairie Tale, Melissa Gilbert revealed what happened to her younger brother and why the world never saw him again. She wrote in her book that Jonathan “completely cut himself off from the family” once he turned 18, and that the two of them had no relationship for a long time afterwards. She also shared, “Surprisingly, I am at peace with it.”
Of course, this led to some issues with his family, given that Melissa was referred to as “America’s Sweetheart,” their half-sister, Sara Gilbert, was a burgeoning actress and their parents were both in entertainment. As a result, Jonathan didn’t have much contact with them over the years. Instead, he relocated to New York and eventually became a stockbroker
Does Jonathan Gilbert talk to Melissa Gilbert?
It’s been 42 years since Little House came to an end and nearly as long since the world has seen Jonathan Gilbert. Although Melissa shared in her memoir that she and her brother had lost touch, the two of them finally did reconnect about a decade later.
“I’ve been speaking to Jonathan since we reconnected at Christmastime of 2019,” Melissa said in an interview. “Maybe it was even 2018. We have been in constant communication since then and he’s doing very well. We haven’t been able to see each other because he’s on the West Coast, and I’m on the East Coast, and travel has been rather prickly. So, I’m hoping to get back to LA at Christmastime this year and see my mom, my sister and him, and maybe get everyone together again. We’ll see.”
Jonathan finally re-emerged into the spotlight for the show’s 50th Anniversary celebration in Simi Valley, California, appearing at a Q&A with Alison Arngrim, where they recreated some old photos together. Showing up at the celebration was a complete surprise to everyone, including his real-life sister.
Now that the two are close once more, Gilbert has shared photos of them from childhood on her Instagram, including a sweet birthday shoutout in 2023.
“Yesterday was my baby brother’s birthday!” she wrote. “Love him so much! Happy to say he remains one of the funniest people I know. Love you, Brocephus!”
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