▁was ▁born ▁September ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁in ▁Ber keley , ▁California , ▁the ▁second ▁of ▁two ▁daughters , ▁to ▁James ▁and ▁Mar ion ▁Anderson . ▁Her ▁sister , ▁Ma ure en , ▁is ▁twelve ▁years ▁her ▁senior . ▁When ▁she ▁was ▁seven ▁years ▁old , ▁Anderson ' s ▁family ▁re located ▁from ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Bay ▁Area ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁Her ▁parents ▁divor ced ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁th ir teen ▁years ▁old , ▁and ▁she ▁was ▁raised ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁by ▁her ▁mother . ▁As ▁a ▁young ▁child , ▁Anderson ▁appeared ▁in ▁commer ci als ▁for ▁Matt el ▁and ▁S ears . ▁ ▁Career ▁Anderson ' s ▁show ▁business ▁career ▁began ▁when ▁a ▁dance ▁teacher ▁ur ged ▁her ▁parents ▁to ▁find ▁an ▁agent ▁for ▁her . ▁After ▁appearing ▁in ▁commer ci als , ▁she ▁was ▁soon ▁in ▁demand ▁for ▁television ▁roles . ▁Her ▁first ▁came ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁episode ▁of ▁Bew itch ed ▁titled ▁" Tab ith a ' s ▁First ▁Day ▁of ▁School ". ▁Another ▁memor able ▁early ▁role ▁was ▁as ▁Mill ic ent , ▁a ▁girl ▁who ▁kiss ed ▁Bobby ▁on ▁The ▁Br ady ▁B unch . ▁She ▁also ▁appeared ▁in ▁an ▁episode ▁of ▁Sh aft ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁eleven , ▁Anderson ▁land ed ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Mary ▁Ing alls ▁on ▁Little ▁House ▁on ▁the ▁Pra irie . ▁She ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁star ▁on ▁the ▁series ▁for ▁eight ▁seasons ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1