Melissa Ellen Gilbert (born May 8, 1964) is an American actress, writer and producer, primarily in movies and television. The naturally red-headed Gilbert is best known as a child actor who co-starred as Charles Ingalls' (played by Michael Landon) second daughter, Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the 1970s dramatic television series Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983). Not long after that she played Gerda in the Faerie Tale Theatre adaptation of The Snow Queen. She also provided the voicework for the roles of Clara in the Sanrio film, Nutcracker Fantasy and later Barbara Gordon in Batman: The Animated Series. More recently, she served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild.