The Office star Melora Hardin gushes over Michael Landon directing her on Little House on the Prairie set

The Office star Melora Hardin fondly remembered her time with the late Michael Landon on the set of Little House on the Prairie.

Landon, who died of pancreatic cancer in 1991 at the age of 54, not only starred in the iconic 1974-1983 series, but also worked as a writer and director.

Hardin was cast in season 5 as Belinda, a classmate of Albert Ingalls (Matthew Labyorteaux), the son of Landon’s character, Charles Ingalls.

“He was just so warm,” Hardin said on the radio Still Here Hollywood with Steve Kmetko podcast. ‘He was so sweet. He made all the children and adults, everyone, feel like he had really chosen you. And he just let you do your thing.”

Hardin returned for the 1983 TV movie Little House: Look Back to Yesterday as Michele.

“And if he ever gave you directions, you never felt admonished by him. He was just sweet,” she continued, adding that Landon knew “how to talk to kids.”

Landon, who died of pancreatic cancer in 1991 at the age of 54, not only starred in the iconic 1974-1983 series, but also worked as a writer and director; (Image: (back row left) Melisssa Sue Anderson as Mary Ingalls Kendall, Michael Landon as Charles Philip Ingalls, Melissa Gilbert as Laura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder, Linwood Boomer as Adam Kendall (front row left) Matthew Laborteaux as Albert Quinn Ingalls, Karen Grassle as Caroline Quiner Holbrook Ingalls, Lindsay or Sydney Greenbush as Carrie Ingalls)

She also praised the Highway to Heaven star for creating a “sense of community” on set.

Looking back on her role as Belinda, Hardin recalled how her character was tormented by Nancy, the troubled adopted sister of Little House on the Prairie’s infamous Nellie Oleson.

“My character was Belinda, and she was locked in the icehouse by the new Nellie [a.k.a. Nancy]who was just as mean as old Nellie,” Hardin said on the podcast.

As for her role as Michele, she shared a memorable milestone: her first on-screen kiss with co-star Matthew Labyorteaux.

“I played his love interest and actually Matthew and I had our first on-screen kiss together,” Hardin revealed.

‘And he is still a very good friend of mine and the godfather of my second daughter.’

Hardin is best known for her role as Jan Levinson on The Office, where she brought her unique blend of ambition and clumsiness to the role of Michael Scott’s love interest.

She also played Trudy Monk, wife of Adrian Monk, in the hit show Monk, bringing a sweet and quirky touch to the character.

“He was just so warm,” Hardin said on the Still Here Hollywood with Steve Kmetko podcast. ‘He was so sweet. He made all the children and adults, everyone, feel like he had really chosen you. And he just let you do your thing;” (Landon in 1976)

Hardin returned for the 1983 TV movie Little House: Look Back to Yesterday as Michele; (seen in 1980)

“And if he ever gave you directions, you never felt admonished by him. He was just sweet,” she continued, adding that Landon knew “how to talk to kids.”

Hardin is best known for her role as Jan Levinson on The Office, where she brought her unique blend of ambition and clumsiness to the role of Michael Scott’s love interest.

Over the years, she has appeared in many different projects, including 24, The Bold Type and Hannah Montana: The Movie.

The podcast comes after she revealed there is potential for the US Office to ‘return as a film’ when she gave an update on the series this week.

The show starring Steve Carell, which ran for nine series from 2005 to 2013, will reportedly return to screens after writers Matthew Belloni and Jonathan Handel previously claimed creator Greg Daniels is working on a comeback.

Now Melora, who starred in the series as Jan Levinson, has admitted that she “passed on some ideas to Greg.”

Speaking in an interview with The American sunshe explained, “That’s up to Greg, because he’s the maestro. I would definitely show up. I think many of us would.

“I would love to make a movie because then it would just be quick and we would do it. I think we can bring everyone back for that.’

She added: “I’ve talked to Greg about some ideas. I thought this would be funny if Jan was some kind of self-help guru because she was so flawed.”