Michael Landon
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Notes
"I want people to laugh and cry, not just sit and stare at the TV. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I think viewers are hungry for shows in which people say something meaningful." --Michael Landon ("The Complete Directory to Primetime TV Stars", 1987)
"Throughout his life, Landon had been able to turn trauma into triumph. He'd survived growing up with a weak father, a dranged mother, an unstable sister, the anti-Semitism that hounded him in Collingwood, New Jersey. He decided early that he would never take any crap from anybody. And he didn't." --Mark Morrison in TV Time, July 20-26, 1991)
Biography
Michel Landon was an immensely popular TV star who also appeared in occasional films, including the classic "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" (1957). Landon made his name as the romantic, impulsive youngest Cartwright brother, Little Joe, on the long-running hit "Bonanza" (1959-73), the first TV western broadcast in color and the number one series for seven consecutive seasons. Although he had scripted several episodes of "Bonanza," he sought complete authority over his next series, the pioneer family saga "Little House on the Prairie" (1974-82), loosely based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's autobiographical children's novels, in which he starred as frontier homesteader Charles Ingalls. Landon created the series and often directed and scripted episodes, which he imbued with his views on faith and family. Landon next produced and starred as Jonathan, the probationary angel whose mission is to bring love and understanding to people in trouble, on "Highway to Heaven" (1984-88). He also produced, wrote and directed the TV series "Father Murphy" and numerous TV movies including "The Loneliest Runner (1976), based on incidents in his own life, and the autobiographical feature film "Sam's Son" (1984), about a champion javelin thrower. Landon died from pancreatic cancer after a long, prominently media-covered but nonetheless dignified struggle at the age of 54.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Visual Effects (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Editing (Special)
Music (Special)
Life Events
1956
Made film debut in "These Wilder Years"
1957
First TV appearance, "Cavalcade of America" (ABC)
1957
First significant acting role, "I Was a Teenage Werewolf"
1959
Made starring role debut in a series as Little Joe Cartwright on "Bonanza" (NBC), also wrote and directed episodes
1962
Released a Bonanza-related single, "Gimme A Little Kiss/Be Patient With Me" on Columbia Records
1974
Directed first TV-movie, "It's Good To Be Alive" (CBS)
1974
Portrayed Charles Ingalls on the long-running NBC series, "Little House on the Prairie"; also executive produced, wrote and directed
1981
Created the series, "Father Murphy" (NBC), also wrote and directed episodes
1982
Executive produced but did not star in "Little House: A New Beginning" (NBC)
1983
Reprised role of Charles Ingalls for three "Little House on the Prairie" (NBC) made-for-television movies; also executive produced
1984
Returned to series TV as Jonathan Smith, a probationary angel, in "Highway to Heaven" (NBC), also executive produced, wrote and directed
1984
Wrote and directed first feature, "Sam's Son"; also co-starred in the film
1990
Wrote and directed the TV-movie, "Where Pigeons Go to Die" (NBC) starring Art Carney
1991
Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (April)
1991
Final film before his death, the CBS TV-movie, "Us"; also wrote, produced and directed
Videos
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
"I want people to laugh and cry, not just sit and stare at the TV. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I think viewers are hungry for shows in which people say something meaningful." --Michael Landon ("The Complete Directory to Primetime TV Stars", 1987)
"Throughout his life, Landon had been able to turn trauma into triumph. He'd survived growing up with a weak father, a dranged mother, an unstable sister, the anti-Semitism that hounded him in Collingwood, New Jersey. He decided early that he would never take any crap from anybody. And he didn't." --Mark Morrison in TV Time, July 20-26, 1991)
Landon became addicted to tranquilizers due to the stress of "Bonanza"'s success and later was able to rehabilitate.
He was a active in "Make a Wish Foundation" for children with terminal diseases.
Founded the Michael Landon Tennis Classic in Tucson to benefit Arizona charities (c. 1981).
Inducted into Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1995
