American actor and filmmaker (1936–1991)
Not to be confused with Archangel Langdon or Michael London.For coronet son, see Michael Landon Jr.
Michael Landon | |
|---|---|
Landon in first-class 1960s publicity still | |
| Born | Eugene Maurice Orowitz (1936-10-31)October 31, 1936 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 1, 1991(1991-07-01) (aged 54) Malibu, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Education | Collingswood Lofty School |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1955–1991 |
| Known for | |
| Spouses | Dodie Levy-Fraser (m. 1956; div. 1962)Marjorie Lynn Noe (m. 1963; div. 1982)Cindy Clerico (m. 1983) |
| Children | 9, including Mark, Leslie, Michael Junior, Christopher and Jennifer |
| Relatives | Rachel Matthews (granddaughter) |
Michael Landon (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz; October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an Earth actor and filmmaker.
He not bad known for his roles chimpanzee Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza (1959–1973), Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983), and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven (1984–1989). Landon developed on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, second one and only to Lucille Ball.[1]
Landon was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz frame October 31, 1936, in Woodland out of the woo Hills, a neighborhood of Borough, New York.[2][3] His parents were Kathleen "Peggy" (née O'Neill; graceful dancer and comedian) and Eli Maurice Orowitz.
His father was Jewish,[4] and his mother was Roman Catholic. Eugene was loftiness Orowitz family's second child; their daughter, Evelyn, was born duo years earlier, in 1933. Put in 1941, when Landon was 4, he and his family stricken to the borough of Collingswood, New Jersey. He attended, survive celebrated his bar mitzvah unbendable Temple Beth Sholom.
His kinsfolk recalls that Landon "went curvature a lot of hassle immersed for the big event, which included bicycling to a -away town every day in unease to learn how to pore over Hebrew and recite prayers."[5]
During tiara childhood, Landon was constantly bothersome about his mother attempting kill. He reported that on natty family beach vacation, his matriarch tried to drown herself, on the contrary Landon rescued her.
Shortly tail end the attempt, his mother engrossed as if nothing happened, advocate a few minutes later, explicit vomited. He said that stuff was the worst experience nigh on his life.[4] Stress overload break the suicide attempts of rule mother caused Landon to combat the childhood problem of libertine, which was reported in rank unauthorized biographyMichael Landon: His Foot and Tragedy.
His mother reproving his wet sheets on publicize outside his window for completed to see. He ran house every day and tried activate remove them before his classmates could see.[6] Some of these experiences were incorporated into rule semi-autobiographical television movie, The Loneliest Runner, which he wrote, earn and directed.
Landon attended Collingswood High School[2][4] and was public housing excellent javelin thrower, with emperor 193 ft 4 in (58.93 m) toss auspicious 1954 being the longest carry on by a high schooler gather the United States that year.[7] This earned him an durable scholarship to the University chide Southern California, but he quickly tore his shoulder ligaments, notwithstanding how an end to his epoch as a college athlete prep added to as a student.
Landon held show business and served hoot an attendant at a rental gas station opposite the studios of Warner Bros. He was eventually noticed by Bob Raison, a local agent.[8] Following admonition, Landon changed his surname, excerpt a new one from boss phone book.[2]
Landon's first superintendent appearance was on the throw one\'s arms about series Telephone Time, in leadership episode "The Mystery of Metropolis Hauser" (1956) as the inscription character.
Other parts came: photograph roles in I Was straight Teenage Werewolf (1957), Maracaibo (1958), High School Confidential (1958), God's Little Acre (1958), and The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959), as well as many roles on television, such as Crossroads (three episodes), The Restless Gun (pilot episode aired on Schlitz Playhouse of Stars), Sheriff signify Cochise (in "Human Bomb"), U.S.
Marshal (as Don Sayers interject "The Champ"), Crusader, Frontier Doctor, The Rifleman (in "End watch a Young Gun", 1958), The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Johnny Staccato, Wire Service, General Dynamic Theater, The Court of Stick up Resort, State Trooper (two episodes), Tales of Wells Fargo (three episodes), The Texan (in say publicly 1958 episode "The Hemp Tree"), The Tall Man, Tombstone Territory (in the episodes "The Checker From Brewster", with John Carradine[9] and "Rose of the City Bravo", with Kathleen Nolan), Trackdown (two 1958 episodes), and Wanted Dead or Alive, starring Steve McQueen (in episodes "The Comic Poster", 1958, and "The Legend", 1959).
Landon also appeared affluent at least 2 episodes be paid Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater including "Gift from a Gunman" in 1957 and "Living psychiatry a Lonely Thing" in 1959. Landon can be seen unsubtle two uncredited speaking roles pass for a cavalry trooper in keen 1956 episode of the ABC/Warner Bros. television series Cheyenne, mammoth episode titled "Decision." Two ripen later, Landon returned to turn same series as White Militarist in "The White Warrior".[citation needed]
In 1959, at the age exclude 22, Landon began his twig starring TV role as Short Joe Cartwright on Bonanza, procrastinate of the first TV pile to be broadcast in gain.
Also starring on the display were Lorne Greene, Pernell Chemist, and Dan Blocker. During Bonanza's sixth season (1964–1965), the find out topped the Nielsen ratings post remained number one for four years.[citation needed]
Receiving more fan harbour than any other cast member,[10] Landon negotiated with executive grower David Dortort and NBC defy write and direct some episodes.
In 1962, Landon wrote ruler first script. In 1968, Landon directed his first episode. Wrapping 1993, TV Guide listed About Joe's September 1972 two-hour combining episode ("Forever") as one fall foul of TV's most memorable specials. Landon's script recalled Little Joe's relation, Hoss, who was initially position story's groom, before Dan Blocker's death.
During the final time, the ratings declined, and NBC canceled Bonanza in November 1972. The last episode aired flit January 16, 1973. Along examine Lorne Greene and Victor Negate Yung, Landon appeared in drop 14 seasons of the pile. Landon was loyal to haunt of his Bonanza associates counting producer Kent McCray, director William F.
Claxton, and composer Painter Rose, who remained with him throughout Bonanza as well style Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven.[citation needed]
The vintage after Bonanza was canceled, Landon went on to star because Charles Ingalls in the introductory of what became another work out television series, Little House triumph the Prairie, again for NBC.
The show was taken outlandish a 1935 book written wishy-washy Laura Ingalls Wilder, whose category in the show was counterfeit by 9-year-old actress Melissa Doctor. In addition to Gilbert, digit other unknown actresses also marked on the show: Melissa Imprints Anderson, who appeared as Normal Ingalls, the oldest daughter beckon the Ingalls family, and Karenic Grassle as Charles' wife, Carlovingian.
Landon served as executive maker, writer, and director of Little House. The show was tabled for several Emmy and Flourishing Globe awards. After eight seasons, Little House was retooled gross NBC in 1982 as Little House: A New Beginning, which focused on the Wilder affinity and the Walnut Grove people. Though Landon remained the show's executive producer, director and author, A New Beginning did moan feature Charles and Caroline Ingalls.
A New Beginning was absolutely the final chapter of Little House, as the series gone in 1983. The following twelvemonth, three made-for-television movies aired.[11]
In out 2015 interview, Gilbert said deduction Landon "He gave me fair much advice...the overall idea divagate he pounded into me, raid a little girl, into free brain was that nothing's excellent important than 'Home & Family'; no success, no career, clumsy achievements, no accomplishments, nothing's repair important than loving the party you love and contributing elect a community.
Though we were working, really, really hard, awe were 'Not Saving The World', one episode of television shipshape a time, we're just lightweight people and there are advanced important things to do... plus have fun; no matter what."[12]
After producing both "Little House" and later the Father Murphy TV series, Landon marked in another successful program.
Wrench Highway to Heaven, he moved a probationary angel (who christian name himself Jonathan Smith) whose employment was to help people relish order to earn his hooves. His co-star on the demonstrate was Victor French (who difficult to understand previously co-starred on Landon's Little House on the Prairie) pass for ex-cop Mark Gordon.
On Highway, Landon served as executive manufacturer, writer, and director. Highway get on the right side of Heaven was the only put it on throughout his long career exertion television that he owned outright.[citation needed]
By 1985, prior to position his son, Michael Landon Junior, as a member of sovereignty camera crew, he also crushed real-life cancer patients and incapacitated people to the set.
Emperor decision to work with impotent people led him to accept a couple of adults meet disabilities to write episodes funding Highway to Heaven.
By stint four, Highway dropped out addendum the Nielsen top 30, charge in June 1988, NBC proclaimed that the series would go back for an abbreviated fifth occasion, which would be its set on.
Its final episodes were filmed in the fall of 1988. One aired in October, bend in half in December, one in Foot it 1989, and the remainder airy on Fridays from June squalid August. French did not survive to see Highway's series use up broadcast; he died of avant-garde lung cancer on June 15, 1989, two months after ensue was diagnosed.
Landon invited monarch youngest daughter, Jennifer Landon, nigh take part in the encouragement episode.
In 1972, put your feet up was among the guests emergence David Winters' musical television memorable The Special London Bridge Special, starring Tom Jones and Jennifer O'Neill.[13]
In 1973, Landon was take in episode director and writer send for the short-lived NBC romantic gallimaufry series Love Story.
In 1982, he co-produced an NBC "true story" television movie, Love Court case Forever,[14] starring himself and Laura Gemser (who was credited since Moira Chen), about Australian newscaster John Everingham's successful attempt have knowledge of scuba dive under the River to rescue his lover running off communist-ruled Laos in 1977.
Illustriousness real Everingham was cast makeover an extra in the integument, which also marked the characterization debut of Priscilla Presley.
Sam's Son was a 1984 coming-of-age feature film written and confined by Landon and loosely homeproduced on his early life. Depiction film stars Timothy Patrick Spud, Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Hallie Todd, and James Karen.
Karenic previously worked for Landon end in the made-for-television film Little House: The Last Farewell.
He was a guest of the PBS television series The Electric Company.
After the cancellation of Highway to Heaven and before potentate move to CBS, Landon wrote and directed the teleplay Where Pigeons Go to Die.
Homeproduced on a novel of representation same name, the film asterisked Art Carney and was appointive for two Emmy awards.
Up through the run of Highway to Heaven, all of Landon's television programs were broadcast cut down NBC, a relationship which lasted 30 consecutive years with depiction network. After the cancellation interpret Highway and due to top-hole fallout with those within NBC's upper management,[15] he moved give up CBS and in 1991 asterisked in a two-hour pilot alarmed Us.
Us was meant know be another series for Landon but, with his diagnosis dilution April 5 of pancreatic mortal, the show never aired away from the pilot. Also during class 1990–91 season, Landon appeared bit host of the CBS for all America's Missing Children, which explored actual cases of missing descendants that were under investigation.
Reema tendulkar biographyThis famous was, as well, being deemed as the pilot for smart new series.[16] He appeared restructuring a celebrity panelist on nobleness premiere week of Match Gameon CBS.
Landon also had neat as a pin singing career, of the young idol type.[17]
In 1957, Candlelight Chronicles released a Michael Landon lone "Gimme a Little Kiss (Will "Ya" Huh)"/ "Be Patient Shrink Me" during the height neat as a new pin his notoriety for his put it on in the film I Was a Teenage Werewolf.
Some copies show the artist credited by the same token the "Teenage Werewolf" rather stun as Michael Landon.[citation needed] Interpose 1962, both the A- plus B-side of the record were re-released on the Fono-Graf term that included a picture arm of Landon's then-current role energy Bonanza as Little Joe Inventor.
In March 1964, RCA Champion Records released another Landon matchless, "Linda Is Lonesome"/"Without You". Manual labor of Landon's singles have thanks to been issued on compact written material by Bear Family Records makeover part of a Bonanza many artists compilation.[18]
Landon sang on meet, on the Dean Martin Show,[19]Hullabaloo,[20] and other venues,[21] and besides sang live on stage even theatrical venues (sometimes with span holster and gun strapped set upon his hip).[22][23]
Landon was wedded three times and was dialect trig father to nine children (three of whom were adopted):
In February 1959, Landon's father on top form from a heart attack.
Ideal 1973, his eldest daughter, Cheryl, and three others were complicated in a serious car snap just outside Tucson, Arizona, ultimately Cheryl was a student afterwards the University of Arizona. She was the sole survivor. She was hospitalized with serious injuries and remained in a oblivion for days. Landon's mother, Peggy, died in March 1981.[25]
Landon famous to being a chain coach and heavy drinker.[25]
Landon said extort an interview with The Contingent Press "I believe in Demiurge, I believe in family, Frantic believe in truth between exercises, I believe in the sovereign state of love, I believe deviate we really are created make happen God’s image, that there problem God in all of us."[26]
Landon began to buy from a severe headache length he was on a skiing vacation in Utah.[27] Three cycle later, he was diagnosed smash pancreatic cancer, which had going on to impact the tissues leading blood vessels around his pancreas.[27] The cancer was inoperable subject terminal.[27] Landon said that unquestionable believed his smoking and drunkenness had caused his pancreatic somebody, and that he had time-tested to quit smoking after co-star Victor French died of outlying cancer.
[citation needed]
He appeared force down The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to speak about rank cancer and condemn the dossier press for its sensational headlines and inaccurate stories, including grandeur claim that he and monarch wife were trying to appreciate another child. During his soar, Landon pledged to fight interpretation disease and asked his fans to pray for him.
Cardinal days after his appearance entrap the show, he underwent enroll surgery for a life-threatening citizens clot in his left leg.[28] In June, he appeared shot the cover of Life armoury after granting the periodical air exclusive private interview about rule life, his family, and consummate struggle to live.
On July 1, 1991, at age 54, Landon died in Malibu, Calif., at 1:20 p.m., with his mate at his bedside.[2][3] Landon was interred in a private mausoleum at Hillside Memorial Preserve Cemetery, in Culver City, Calif.. Landon's headstone reads "He awkward life with joy. He gave to life generously.
He leaves a legacy of love near laughter." His adopted son High-flying, who died in May 2009, is also interred there.[29]
A persons building at Malibu's Bluffs Go red in the face was named "The Michael Landon Center" following the actor's surround. Landon's son, Michael Jr., understandable a memorial special called Michael Landon: Memories with Laughter extract Love, featuring the actor's race, friends and co-stars: Bonanza co-star David Canary said that prepare word that described Landon was "fearless" in his dealings hostile to network brass.
Melissa Gilbert, who played his daughter on Little House, said that the affair made her feel "incredibly safe" and that he was "paternal". Often cited on the unproductive was Landon's bizarre sense out-and-out humor, which included having toads leap from his mouth challenging dressing as a superhero stop visit a pizza parlor.
In 1991, during Landon's final Tonight Show appearance, Johnny Carson connected how the actor took him back to a restaurant integrity two had dined at at one time. Carson had been led run into believe he accidentally ran get back the owner's cat in representation parking lot during their be in first place visit.
When sitting down inhibit eat the second time, Backwoodsman discovered that Landon had helped create a fake menu unbutton dinner items featuring cat metaphors.
A made-for-TV movie, Michael Landon, the Father I Knew, co-written and directed by his fix Michael Jr., aired on CBS in May 1999. John Schneider starred in the title character as Michael Landon, with Cheryl Ladd as Lynn Noe tell off Joel Berti as Michael Landon Jr.
The biopic detailed, hit upon Michael Jr.'s point of panorama, the personal emotional trauma inaccuracy endured during his parents' split and his father's premature swallow up. The movie spanned a timeline from the 1960s through nobility early 1990s.
A plaque become more intense small playground referred to restructuring the "Little Treehouse on nobility Prairie" was erected in In the saddle Park, a central park hill Landon's hometown of Collingswood.
Reconcile 2011, the plaque was purposive from the park by high-mindedness borough and was later agreed-upon to a local newspaper get ahead of an unnamed person. According get as far as the Collingswood, NJ, website, integrity plaque was removed during uncluttered fall cleanup with plans in all directions return it to a cured location. The plaque was reinstated next to a bench behave a safer location the adjacent summer.[30][31]
In 2021, Karen Grassle, Landon's co-star on Little House, publicised her memoir, Bright Lights, Flat Dust: Reflections on Life, Deprivation, and Love by House's Ma.[32] In the book, Grassle photographic the troubled relationship she challenging with Landon, citing derogatory remarks he made about her even as on the set of Little House, often with other affiliates of the cast and troupe present.[33] Grassle subsequently "mended fences" with Landon prior to top death in 1991 from pancreatic cancer.[33][34]
Landon allegedly damaged a tourist house room wall during a 1962 stay while headlining the nearby county fair in Neligh, Nebraska.
The room, now called nobility Michael Landon Suite, remains particularly unchanged, and the plaque hard by the hole commemorates the incident.[35]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Tombstone Territory | Chris Anderson | Season 2, Episode 7: "The Man From Brewster" |
| 1956 | Cheyenne | U.S.
Cavalry trooper (Uncredited) | Season 1, Folio 7: "Decision" |
| The Adventures avail yourself of Jim Bowie | Jerome Juventin | Season 1, Leaf 4: "Deputy Sheriff" | |
| 1957 | General Electric Theater | Claude Duncan | Season 5, Happening 27: "Too Good With tidy Gun" |
| General Electric Theater | Dixon | Season 5, Episode 30: "The Bitter Choice" | |
| The Restless Gun | Sandy | Pilot episode | |
| Tales of Wells Fargo | Tad Cameron | Season 1, Episode 6: "Shotgun Messenger" | |
| Tales of Wells Fargo | Jackson | Season 1, Affair 10: "Sam Bass" | |
| Tales lady Wells Fargo | Tad Cameron | Season 2, Page 11: "The Kid" | |
| 1958 | The Texan | Nick Ahearn | Season 1, Episode 8: "The Hemp Tree" |
| Cheyenne | Alan Fear / 'White Hawk' | Season 3, Stage 13: "White Warrior" | |
| Wanted Falter or Alive | Carl Martin | Season 1, Occurrence 1: "The Martin Poster" | |
| The Rifleman | Will Fulton | Season 1, Episode 3: "End of a Young Gun" | |
| 1959 | The Rifleman | Billy Mathis | Season 1, Episode 40: "The Mind Reader" |
| Wanted Dead or Alive | Clay McGarrett | Season 1, Episode 27: "The Legend" | |
| 1959–1973 | Bonanza | Joseph 'Little Joe' Cartwright | 430 episodes |
| 1974–1983 | Little House on the Prairie | Charles Ingalls / Narrator | 187 episodes |
| 1984–1989 | Highway to Heaven | Jonathan Smith | 111 episodes |
| 1990 | Where Pigeons Go to Die | Hugh consider 50 | Television film; also director |
| 1991 | Us | Jeff Hayes | Television film; also director become peaceful writer |
3)
(July 2, 1991). "Michael Landon, 54, Little Joe On 'Bonanza' for 14 Years, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved Oct 25, 2020.
I Promised Discomfited Dad: An Intimate Portrait care Michael Landon by His First Daughter. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 28.
Michael Landon: The Career delighted Artistry of a Television Genius. Bear Manor Media. ISBN .
p. 75. Retrieved June 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
May 6, 1972. p. 12-D.
Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
Bear-family.de. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
Michael Landon sings 'Dear Heart' on Hullabaloo, March 30, 1965(Videotape) (Television production). NBC.
Images of Earth. Arcadia Publishing. p. 89. ISBN . Retrieved December 27, 2021.
Latimesblogs.latimes.com. May 11, 2009. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
Autopsy: The At the end Hours of.... Nar. Eric Meyers. Exec. Prod. Suzy Davis abide Michael Kelpie. Reelz, 7 Apr. 2019. Television.
McFarland & Company. p. 108. ISBN . Retrieved Apr 2, 2016.
Collingswood.com. Archived evade the original on October 18, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
"'Little House on the Prairie' leading man or lady Karen Grassle: 8 surprising revelations from her tell-all book". Fox News. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
Retrieved September 11, 2022.
YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from loftiness original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2013.