She continues: "Are your parents coming for Christmas?" someone would ask. "Not this year," I'd reply. "Do you have brothers or sisters?" they'd wonder. "It's just me," I would say. I hadn't lied, but I hadn't told the truth either. The fact was that I grew up on dozens of Hollywood sets -- the fictional daughter of Michael Landon, Martin Sheen, Ted Danson, Glenn Close and others. I had hawked baby shampoo, McDonald's cheeseburgers and Campbell's soup. All that made the topic of my past even more attractive. And I didn't mind talking about that part.”

_{Photos: Melissa with the Little House on the Prairie family; with her own children today.}