Michael Boxleitner is an American actor and the younger son of actress Melissa Gilbert and actor Bruce Boxleitner. He was born on October 6, 1995, and was named after actor Michael Landon, who worked with Gilbert on Little House on the Prairie. Michael has also followed his parents into acting, with work in theater and an appearance on FBI: Most Wanted.
Michael Boxleitner’s Profile Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Boxleitner |
| Date of birth | October 6, 1995 |
| Age | 30 years old |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actor |
| Mother | Melissa Gilbert |
| Father | Bruce Boxleitner |
| Stepfather | Timothy Busfield |
| Half-brother | Dakota Brinkman |
| Named after | Michael Landon |
| Known for | Being Melissa Gilbert and Bruce Boxleitner’s son |
| TV credit | FBI: Most Wanted |
| Relationship status | Not publicly confirmed |
| Children | No publicly confirmed children |
| Net worth | Not reliably known |
His Birth and Early Life
Michael Boxleitner was born on October 6, 1995. His exact birthplace is not clearly stated in the available information.
Michael had a difficult start to life because he was born early. Melissa Gilbert said she gave birth to him at only 28 weeks.
He weighed about 3 pounds at birth and could not breathe on his own. He had to spend time in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Gilbert later shared the story of his birth on social media. She said she had been afraid for her son because of his condition.
Michael grew up in a family closely connected to television and film. Both of his biological parents are actors.
Why Was He Named Michael?
Michael was named after actor Michael Landon.
Landon played Charles Ingalls on the television series Little House on the Prairie. Melissa Gilbert played his on-screen daughter, Laura Ingalls.
Gilbert and Landon became close while working on the show. She later chose his first name for her younger son.
His Mother Melissa Gilbert
Melissa Gilbert is an American actress best known for playing Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie.
She became famous as a child through the series and continued working in television and film as an adult.
Michael is Melissa’s second son. She first became a mother in 1989 when she welcomed Dakota Brinkman with her first husband, Bo Brinkman.
Melissa later married actor Bruce Boxleitner, and Michael was born during their marriage.
She married her third husband, actor Timothy Busfield, in 2013.
Melissa has spoken publicly about raising Michael. She has also shared old photos and memories from his childhood.
His Father Bruce Boxleitner
Michael’s biological father is Bruce Boxleitner, an American actor.
Bruce has had a long career in film and television and is known for projects including Scarecrow and Mrs. King and Tron.
Michael’s parents eventually ended their marriage.
There is limited public information about Michael’s relationship with Bruce. However, Michael discussed the subject in a 2026 character letter written in support of his stepfather, Timothy Busfield.
Michael said Busfield had been more present as a father figure in his life than his biological father. This was Michael’s personal description of their relationships.
His Brother Dakota Brinkman
Michael has an older half-brother named Dakota Paul Brinkman.
Dakota was born on May 1, 1989. His parents are Melissa Gilbert and her first husband, director Bo Brinkman.
Dakota has also done some acting but has mostly stayed away from the spotlight.
He later worked as a lead writer for gaming company Nights at the Game Table from 2019 to 2020.
Dakota married Marissa, and they have a daughter named Ripley, who was born on June 8, 2021.
Michael is therefore an uncle to Ripley.
His Education
Michael Boxleitner’s education has not been widely documented.
There is no reliable public information in the available sources about his high school, college, university, or acting school.
His Acting Career
Michael Boxleitner has followed members of his family into acting.
He has reportedly worked in several theater productions. However, the names of those stage productions are not given in the available information.
He has also worked on television.
Michael appeared in an episode of the CBS crime drama FBI: Most Wanted.
Details about his character and other television work are limited.
Michael and Timothy Busfield
Actor and director Timothy Busfield became Michael’s stepfather when he married Melissa Gilbert in 2013.
Michael Boxleitner was a teenager around the time Timothy became part of the family.
Melissa has said Timothy played an important role in guiding and supporting Michael during his teenage years.
Michael himself discussed their relationship publicly in January 2026.
He wrote a character letter to a judge in support of Timothy. In the letter, Michael described his stepfather as his hero and said he had known him for about 15 years.
He described Timothy as kind, thoughtful, supportive, and professional. Michael also said Timothy had played a major father-like role in his life.
The letter became public because Busfield was facing criminal allegations at the time. Busfield denied the charges. Michael was not involved in the allegations.
His Public Appearances
Michael has occasionally attended public events with his mother.
On April 3, 2011, Michael and Melissa Gilbert attended the Los Angeles premiere of Born to Be Wild 3D.
Michael was also photographed with his mother and older brother Dakota at the premiere of The Powerpuff Girls Movie when he was younger.
He has generally received much less media attention than his parents.
His Relationship With Melissa Gilbert
Melissa has shared several details about Michael Boxleitner over the years.
In 2016, she looked back at his premature birth and shared an old photograph from the time he was born.
She has also spoken about raising her children while dealing with misophonia, a condition that can cause strong reactions to certain sounds.
In a 2024 interview, Melissa said sounds such as chewing bothered her. She recalled using a hand signal to remind her children to close their mouths while eating. She also said her children were not allowed to chew gum around her.
She later received treatment that helped her manage the condition.
Is Michael Boxleitner Married?
Michael Boxleitner’s current relationship status is not publicly confirmed in the available information.
There is no reliable information showing that he is married or identifying a current wife or girlfriend.
Does Michael Boxleitner Have Children?
Michael does not have any publicly confirmed children in the available sources.
His older brother Dakota has a daughter named Ripley, making Michael her uncle.
Michael Boxleitner’s Net Worth
Michael Boxleitner’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
There is little public information about his acting income, property, investments, or other sources of money.
Any specific net worth figure published online should be treated as an estimate unless it is supported by reliable financial information.
Is Michael Boxleitner on Social Media?
Michael Boxleitner has had some connection to social media.
In an older Instagram post, Melissa Gilbert tagged an account using the name @michaelgarrett95, which appeared to belong to Michael.
However, his current verified social media accounts are not clearly established in the available information.
He appears to keep much of his personal life private.
What Is Michael Doing Now?
Michael continues to be described as an actor. His known work includes theater productions and an appearance on FBI: Most Wanted.
He received media attention again in January 2026 after his letter supporting his stepfather, Timothy Busfield, became public.
There is limited reliable information about Michael’s latest acting project or other current work.
Facts About Michael Boxleitner
- Michael Boxleitner was born on October 6, 1995.
- He is the son of Melissa Gilbert and Bruce Boxleitner.
- He was born prematurely at 28 weeks.
- He weighed about 3 pounds at birth.
- He spent time in the NICU because he could not breathe on his own.
- Michael Boxleitner was named after Michael Landon.
- His older half-brother is Dakota Brinkman.
- His stepfather is Timothy Busfield.
- Michael has worked as an actor.
- He has appeared in theater productions.
- He appeared in an episode of FBI: Most Wanted.
- He has attended public events with his mother.
- Michael described Timothy Busfield as an important father figure in his life in 2026.
- His current relationship status is not publicly confirmed.
- He does not have any publicly confirmed children.
- His personal net worth is not reliably known.
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