Melissa Gilbert Reveals Why She Won’t Do a ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Reboot (EXCLUSIVE)

As many classic television shows are getting new life, Melissa Gilbert — who starred as Laura Ingalls Wilder on the NBC series from 1974 to 1983 — tells Closer Weekly that she hopes to preserve the purity of the original Little House on the Prairie series.

“Little House went into syndication while it was on the air and is still on the air every day all over the world, so there’s no need to reboot it,” she reflected to Closer.

Melissa explains that any reboot wouldn’t be the same without the late Michael Landon, who will always hold a special place in her heart. “He was an absolute mentor and father figure,” she says. “He had this amazing ability to nurture and to teach at the same time.”

Melissa, 53, tells Closer that the Little House set “was a really fun place to grow up.” She admits, “Saying goodbye wasn’t easy. The cast and crew were family.”

For more on Melissa, pick up the latest issue of Closer Weekly, on newsstands now — and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for exclusive news!

Click through the gallery below to see the cast of Little House on the Prairie then and now!