Melissa Gilbert recalls childhood stunt on ‘Little House’ set

Actress Melissa Gilbert recently shared a memory of a spontaneous stunt she performed at age 11 while filming the NBC series ‘Little House on the Prairie’.

While sitting in a metal folding chair by a creek in full costume, Gilbert celebrated winning a card game by throwing her arms up. The movement caused the chair to tip backward, sending her somersaulting over a bank and into the water.

Gilbert noted that she managed to land on her feet and successfully kept her character’s signature braids dry during the fall. The incident initially caused silence among the cast and crew due to concern for her safety, but ended in applause once they realized she was uninjured.