Melissa Gilbert being forced to kiss an older actor when she was 15 on Little House On The Prairie goes viral after husband Timothy Busfield’s arrest

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A scene from “Little House on the Prairie” featuring Melissa Gilbert, who was 15 at the time, kissing a 23-year-old actor is currently getting a lot of attention online.

It was her first kiss. 

The story about a kiss when she was a minor is resurfacing because her husband, Timothy Busfield, has been arrested in New Mexico on charges related to the sexual abuse of a child and criminal sexual contact with a minor.

After a warrant was issued for his arrest, he surrendered to police in Albuquerque on January 13, 2026.

I’ve been following this case closely, and it’s heartbreaking. The accusations against him involve claims that he behaved inappropriately towards two young twin actors while directing an episode of ‘The Cleaning Lady.’ Apparently, he’s being charged based on allegations of touching them inappropriately on set.

Melissa Gilbert, the beloved actress who starred as Laura Ingalls in the classic TV show that aired from 1974 to 1983, was filming a love scene with her on-screen husband, Dean Butler, when her mother started crying while watching nearby.

A strong emotional reaction caused a disruption on set, forcing Michael Landon, the star and director, to immediately stop filming.

Butler described the incident as a complete surprise, noting that such displays of emotion were unusual for their film set, as he detailed in his 2024 memoir, Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond.

He burst into tears because his mom didn’t think he should play Almanzo Wilder – at 23, he was much older than the 15-year-old actor who played Gilbert.

Looking back at his writing, I think what really upset her, what finally broke her heart, was seeing him kiss my mother. It wasn’t just anger, it was a deeply protective feeling, like she couldn’t stand to see anyone else so close to her child. He described it as a ‘protective displeasure,’ and that really captures it – she was fiercely maternal.

What seems like a small difference in age now used to feel like a huge gap in the past.

In his book, he shared that he and Gilbert stayed friends after the show, and she had previously mentioned feeling awkward about the kiss they shared.

He remembered the star telling him, ‘You were a grown man – you had a car and your own place. I was just a young teenager… still wearing little-girl shoes, not allowed to shave, and I hadn’t even gone on a date yet.’

She also told him that she ‘just wasn’t ready to have that kind of physical contact with anybody.’ 

Almanzo Wilder and Laura Ingalls first met in the sixth season episode ‘Back to School (Part 1),’ and they shared their first kiss in the episode ‘Sweet Sixteen’.

In an interview with People magazine in April, actor Keith Butler described meeting Melissa during the filming of “Back to School.” He said she didn’t seem like a woman at all, but rather a very bright, energetic, and outgoing little girl who was remarkably capable and full of life.

It’s hard to say how much of herself she was able to bring to the role by the end, but she was asked to return for another season. Considering her limited life experience, I think she handled it remarkably well.

Butler discussed the ‘anxiety’ they both felt before filming the kiss.

Oh my gosh, when they finally kissed, you could just feel the tension! It was like, both of them were so nervous and wondering what would happen next, but they just went for it! It was amazing, honestly. I was on the edge of my seat!

Butler explained that the romance in the story felt genuine and straightforward, which is why so many viewers connected with it.

That’s likely why this remains so popular – it offers a perfect, heartwarming vision of romance and young love.

I was a huge fan of Laura, and everyone else was too! Seeing how much they adored her really influenced me. When she seemed to favor this particular guy, I figured he must be something special. Honestly, that connection she had with the audience carried over to me – they immediately embraced me because she had their trust and affection. I really benefited from that incredible connection she had built with everyone.

According to Butler, the on-screen kiss could have been problematic due to the age and size difference between the actors if Michael Landon hadn’t carefully directed it.

I’m not sure you’ll be able to get that done today. Melissa and I have discussed this extensively over the years, and it’s not a good fit for your skills.

Our casting process was truly unique—something that hadn’t happened before and hasn’t been replicated since. It’s something that couldn’t be done now, and frankly, it wouldn’t even make sense to try.

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2026-01-16 21:57