Gina Gillespie (born September 20, 1951) is an American former child actress who worked in film and television during the late 1950s and early 1960s. She is often remembered for two striking early appearances: portraying the first child actor to play Pippi Longstocking on American television and appearing as young Blanche Hudson in the feature film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. Her career is part of a broader family connection to show business; she is the sister of former Mouseketeer Darlene Gillespie.

Notable roles and credits

Gillespie accumulated a number of guest and recurring parts on family and dramatic programs of the era. Among her most-cited credits are a televised version of Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking and her film work in a high-profile psychological drama. Highlights include:

  • Television adaptations — she was cast as a child Pippi Longstocking in a 1961 teleplay that introduced many U.S. viewers to Lindgren's character.
  • Film appearances — she appears in credited roles in features of the early 1960s.
  • Adaptation work — her Pippi turn was part of an anthology series adaptation that brought children’s literature to television audiences.

Early life and family

Born in 1951, Gillespie entered show business as a child, following an interest in performance shared by other members of her family. Her sister, Darlene Gillespie, had a prominent childhood presence as a member of the original cast of a popular televised variety show for young performers, which helped familiarize audiences with the family name.

Television, Shirley Temple’s Storybook, and film presence

Gillespie’s portrayal of Pippi Longstocking occurred on an installment of Shirley Temple's Storybook, a program that presented dramatized children’s tales to a national audience. Later she was cast as the young version of Blanche Hudson in the Oscar-nominated film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, a role that linked her briefly to one of the era’s best-known Hollywood psychological thrillers.

Legacy and later life

Although most of Gina Gillespie’s credited work dates to her childhood, her performances are still cited in discussions of early television adaptations of children’s literature and memorable juvenile roles in classic films. As with many child actors of the period, her screen career was concentrated in a comparatively short span; she later stepped away from frequent professional acting. Her contributions remain of interest to historians of television, fans of classic family programming, and scholars examining adaptations of children’s books for the screen.