| Occupation | Actor · stockbroker |
|---|---|
| Birth date | April 28, 1967 (age 59) |
| Birth place | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Father | Paul Gilbert |
| Relatives | Melissa Gilbert (sister) Sara Gilbert (sister) |
| Years active |
|
| Birth name | Jonathan J. Gilbert |
Jonathan J. Gilbert (born April 28, 1967) is an American former television and film actor known for his role as Willie Oleson on the TV series Little House on the Prairie.
Personal life
Gilbert was born on April 28, 1967.[1] He is the adopted son of actors Barbara Cowen (née Barbara Crane) and Paul Gilbert and brother of actresses Melissa Gilbert and Sara Gilbert.[2]
In Melissa Gilbert's autobiography, she wrote that when Jonathan was 18, he moved away from California and she had no relationship with him since then, for reasons supposedly unknown to her. Her autobiography states that he is a stockbroker living in New York City.[3]
He reunited with his sister, Melissa, and the cast of Little House for the 50th anniversary reunion of the show in Simi Valley on March 22, 2024.[4][5]
Acting career
Gilbert is best known for his performance as Willie Oleson on the NBC TV series, Little House on the Prairie, from 1974 to 1983.[6] He is also one of only six actors on Little House on the Prairie to appear throughout the entire series, along with Melissa Gilbert, Richard Bull, Kevin Hagen and Dabbs Greer and Katherine MacGregor. In 1979, Gilbert was in the made for TV movie The Little House Years also as Willie Oleson. Also in 1979, he was in the made-for-TV Movie The Miracle Worker as Jimmy.[7]
He was in two out of the three made-for-TV movies based on the Little House on the Prairie TV series (Little House: Look Back to Yesterday and Little House: The Last Farewell).[8][9]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–1983 | Little House on the Prairie | Willie Oleson | Recurring role |
| 1979 | The Little House Years | TV movie and archive footage | |
| The Miracle Worker | Jimmy | TV movie[7] | |
| 1983 | Little House: Look Back to Yesterday | Willie Oleson | TV movie |
| 1984 | Little House: The Last Farewell | TV movie[10] |
References
- ^ "California Birth Index, 1905–1995". Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Los Angeles County, California: Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Archived March 3, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
- ^ Davis 2009, p. 20.
- ^ Gilbert 2010.
- ^ "Melissa Gilbert And Her Brother on Little House On The...". Knitting and Crochet Forum. 2012-05-16. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
- ^ "Little House on the Prairie celebrates 50 years with a fan festival". USA TODAY. 2024-04-17. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
- ^ Trujillo, Laura (2024-04-17). "Little House on the Prairie show celebrates 50 years". USA TODAY. Archived August 19, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
- ^ "The Miracle Worker". Turner Classic Movies. Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner). Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
- ^ "Little House: Look Back to Yesterday (TV Movie 1983)". IMDb. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Little House: The Last Farewell (TV Movie 1984)". IMDb. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ Democrat and Chronicle Staff 1996, p. 44.
Sources
- Gilbert, Melissa (2010). Prairie Tale: A Memoir. 1st ed. New York City: Gallery Books. p. 114. ISBN 978-1416599173.
- Davis, Patti (2009). The Lives Our Mothers Leave Us: Prominent Women Discuss the Complex, Humorous, and Ultimately Loving Relationships They Have with Their Mothers. Carlsbad, California: Hay House. p. 20. ISBN 978-1401921620.
- Democrat and Chronicle Staff (June 30, 1996). "TCM Little House: The Last Farewell". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York: Gannett Company. p. 44. Retrieved September 10, 2016. (subscription required)
External links
- Jonathan Gilbert at IMDb