Melissa Gilbert engaged to Timothy Busfield

Melissa Gilbert is engaged, and she’s keeping it in the TV-star family: The groom-to-be is Timothy Busfield, formerly of “thirtysomething” and “The West Wing.”

The two are engaged, “and both are incredibly happy,” a representative of Gilbert confirmed to People on Tuesday.

“They’ve known each other for quite some time, as their paths have crossed off-and-on over the past 20 years,” a source told Us Weekly, which first reported the news. They got engaged over the holidays, said the source, and celebrated the occasion Monday at Mr. Chow restaurant in Beverly Hills.

In addition to acting, Busfield is a prolific TV director, with episodes of “Damages,” “Lipstick Jungle” and “Without a Trace” under his belt, to name a few. The “Little House on the Prairie” star popped back into the public eye last year on “Dancing With the Stars,” where she partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy and finished fifth.

It will be a third marriage for both actors. Gilbert, 48 and a mother of two, was previously married to Bo Brinkman and Bruce Boxleitner. The split with Boxleitner was finalized in 2011. Busfield, 55 and a father of three, was married to Radha Delmarter and then Jennifer Merwin. His second marriage, which ended in 2007, lasted nearly 20 years.

ALSO:

Melissa Gilbert files for divorce from Bruce Boxleitner

Melissa Gilbert says she’s doing OK after ‘DWTS’ accident

Melissa Gilbert: Like ‘fire and fire’ working with Maks on ‘DWTS’

Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs and on Facebook facebook.com/ministryofgossip.

PHOTOS AND MORE:

PHOTOS: Celebrity portraits by The Times