Melissa Sue Anderson – Age 59

Playing an iconic character as a child is a surefire way to build a solid career. That’s exactly how it worked for Melissa Sue Anderson, who played author Mary Ingalls in the classic TV series “Little House on the Prairie.” For this role, she earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

She continued to be popular and had film roles in productions like “Happy Birthday to Me ” and “First Affair.” She also continued to work in TV with small parts in “Murder, She Wrote,” “Glitter,” and “The Equalizer.” She maintains a youthful exuberance and showed this off on a 2021 episode of “Beyond with Steven Brittingham.”