Melissa Gilbert's Husband Caught Off Guard by Split Announcement?

By Rob Shuter Posted Mar 3rd 2011 11:17AM

'Little House on the Prairie' star Melissa Gilbert shocked everyone, including her husband, when she announced this week that she was separating from Bruce Boxleitner, her partner for the past 16 years.

"Bruce wasn't ready to announce to the world that they had separated," a friend of the couple's tells me. "And was surprised when he saw that her people had confirmed what he considered to be a very private and personal matter."

The couple said "I do" back in 1995 and have one child together, a 15-year-old son named after her 'Prairie' co-star Michael Landon. Melissa also has another son, Dakota, 21, from a previous marriage and two stepsons, ages 30 and 25, from Bruce's previous marriage to actress Kathryn Ogilvy.

"We have loved each other for a very long time and we share four incredible sons together," Gilbert said through her spokesperson. "On behalf of our family we ask to be allowed our privacy during this very difficult time."

Which is exactly what Bruce wanted from the moment they separated. A friend of Bruce's tells me he only wishes she hadn't released the statement, while at the same time asking for privacy.

"Any chance of them getting back together is over," my source says. "After 16 years together the two of them just see the world and handle situations in very different ways."

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Tags: bruce boxleitner, Melissa Gilbert

Comments

(459)

Thursday 03 March

By Caroline

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I'm shocked, too! What happened to Melissa Gilbert???:((( Yikes!

By yikes!

I thought that, too -- what in the WORLD happened to her LIPS!!! Good grief!

By Kara

I don't know why women think they need bloated lips. It looks so stupid. She was attractive before she messed her face up....

By stu

celebrities that haven't been heard from in yr's think any1 cares whats going on w/ them now?
i must say Bruce & Perry King have aged very well.

By BTDT

As evidenced by her face, this is an emotionally damaged lady.

Friday 04 March

By Sarah

It's called Botox. I don't think she looks "emotionally damaged". She's just had some work done. She IS starting to look like Joan Rivers. Maybe Bruce is the emotionally damaged one.

By jeff

it's the result of plastic surgery after you age. Wait till you see Demi Moore in a few years!

By kericaye

TOO MUCH lip collegan! plus, Bruce is gorgeous, he wont be alone for long! I guarentee it.Stupid Melissa, oh well, "all is fair in love and war" and thats a great tune!

By Belle

I know, huh? She almost looks like she's had a stroke on the one side of her face, and her lips only serves to make her look like a stroke victim with fish lips.

By john

I know she looks like Melissa Rivers!!!!!!!!!!

By Lucky Charm

My first thought too....Yet another argument for avoiding plastic surgury!

By Jeanie

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I know! She looks like a tranny -- seriously.

By jaba

Age, and the effort of trying to remain young looking. We're used to seeing her as a kid. Besides "Little House," I couldn't tell you what other productions she was in!

By mark

I think what happened to Melissa is that she is now almost 49 years old. Pull up her official web site, look at her old pictures. She always had those full lips. She also used to have more weight in her face which filled in those deep lines that now look so severe, and is making her look her age. Can't stop time folks, but I think she needs to put on a few pounds to fill up those lines. Her pics from 7/8 years ago showed a lot more curves as she was spilling out of the top of her dresses. Even Bruce doesn't look much like the guy he did way back in his Babylon 5 days.... it's reality people; you don't look like you did 10 years ago either... get real.

By Geo

Apparently she wanted to be hot stuff. It just didn't work out.

By Charlene

She looks like she's turning into her mother.

By georgesdodgeram

She looks like Joan Rivers for crying out loud wtf happened to her?

By ruby

She looks like that other Melissa, Joan rivers daughter. Melissa Gilbert has always looked like a ventrilioquist dummy,never good looking but a very nice person though.

By JEFF

Do people in Hollywood actually think their lips look good like this ?

By bleck

I'm thinking it's the crack.

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