Melissa Sue Anderson, at exactly 5ft 3 (160 cm), is an American-Canadian actress whose petite stature defined her wholesome, youthful image in Hollywood. Best known for portraying the prim and proper Mary Ingalls on the NBC series Little House on the Prairie (1974–1981), her compact height enhanced the character's innocent prairie girl persona, contributing to her Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.