9 7 4 , ▁and ▁leaving ▁after ▁season ▁seven ; ▁later ▁appearing ▁in ▁two ▁episodes ▁of ▁season ▁eight ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁Michael ▁Land on ▁asked ▁Anderson ▁if ▁she ▁would ▁appear ▁in ▁his ▁aut obi ographical ▁film ▁The ▁L on eli est ▁Run ner . ▁Anderson ▁agreed ▁to ▁play ▁Nancy ▁R iz zi , ▁the ▁first ▁girl friend ▁of ▁John ▁Curt is ▁( based ▁on ▁Land on ▁and ▁played ▁by ▁L ance ▁Ker win ), ▁saying ▁she ▁was ▁very ▁thr illed ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁asked . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁she ▁once ▁again ▁co - star red ▁as ▁the ▁love ▁interest ▁opposite ▁L ance ▁Ker win ▁in ▁the ▁television ▁film ▁James ▁at ▁ 1 5 . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁a ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁Prim etime ▁Em my ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Le ading ▁Act ress ▁in ▁a ▁D rama ▁Series ▁for ▁her ▁work ▁on ▁Little ▁House ▁on ▁the ▁Pra irie ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁Em my ▁Award ▁for ▁her ▁performance ▁in ▁Which ▁Mother ▁Is ▁Mine ?, ▁which ▁a ired ▁as ▁an ▁ABC ▁After school ▁Special ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁Also ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁she ▁played ▁the ▁title ▁role ▁of ▁D ana ▁Lee ▁Gilbert , ▁a ▁North ▁Dak ota ▁transfer ▁student ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles ' ▁San ▁Fernando ▁Valley ▁in ▁CBS ' s ▁television ▁film ▁Sur v ival ▁of ▁D ana . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁Anderson