<P> Francis started her acting career on television before her first birthday , first appearing in a Johnson & Johnson shampoo commercial at 6 months of age . She was known for her role as Cassandra Cooper Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie , for two seasons . Other television appearances include two series regular roles : Morningstar / Eveningstar and Joe 's World , and three films including Man , Woman and Child , where she played Paula Beckwith . She has also had appearances in the television series St. Elsewhere in 1986 and the 1988 film Bad Dreams , where she played young Cynthia . Melissa appeared in nearly 100 commercials during her acting career . She is reportedly the inspiration for the fictional character Avery Jessup ( conceived of and played by Elizabeth Banks ) in the show 30 Rock , although Banks herself has denied this . </P>
<P> Francis started her acting career on television before her first birthday , first appearing in a Johnson & Johnson shampoo commercial at 6 months of age . She was known for her role as Cassandra Cooper Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie , for two seasons . Other television appearances include two series regular roles : Morningstar / Eveningstar and Joe 's World , and three films including Man , Woman and Child , where she played Paula Beckwith . She has also had appearances in the television series St. Elsewhere in 1986 and the 1988 film Bad Dreams , where she played young Cynthia . Melissa appeared in nearly 100 commercials during her acting career . She is reportedly the inspiration for the fictional character Avery Jessup ( conceived of and played by Elizabeth Banks ) in the show 30 Rock , although Banks herself has denied this . </P>
little house on the prairie melissa francis character
little house on the prairie melissa francis character
Cassandra Cooper Ingalls
Cassandra Cooper Ingalls