NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Michael Landon

Michael Landon (October 31, 1936 - July 1, 1991) was an American actor, writer, director, and producer, who starred in three popular NBC TV series that spanned three decades. He is widely known for his roles as 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). Although his Bonanza co-star David Canary and youngest daughter Jennifer Landon have both won Emmys, Landon was never given the honor. Nonetheless, few prime time actors have been so prolific. With twenty-eight years of full-hour episodic acting (the star was not on-camera for most of "Little House On The Prairie's" final season), he surpasses the TV mileage of both James Arness and Lucille Ball. Landon produced, wrote, and directed many of his series' episodes, including his only short-lived production, Father Murphy, which starred his friend and "Little House" co-star Merlin Olsen. He also hosted the annual long-running coverage of the "Tournament of Roses Parade" with Kelly Lange, also on NBC. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (794x1158, 102 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Michael Landon User:Garion96/Images Portal:Biography/Selected anniversaries/October 31 ... is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Austin Street, the main shopping area in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. ... This article is about the state. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Location of Malibu in Los Angeles County, California Coordinates: , Country State County Los Angeles Incorporated (city) 1991-03-28 [2] Government - Mayor Jeff Jennings [1] Area - Total 100. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Buskers perform on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ... is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Actor (disambiguation). ... A television director is usually responsible for directing the actors and other taped aspects of a television production. ... The primary role of a television producer is to coordinate and control all aspects of production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking. ... This article is about the television network. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... Little Joe Cartwright Little Joe Cartwright was the youngest Cartwright on the 1960s television series Bonanza. ... The Bonanza logo was superimposed upon a map of a wild west frontier area. ... See also: 1958 in television, other events of 1959, 1960 in television and the list of years in television. For the American network television schedule, please see 1959-60 American network television schedule. ... See also: 1972 in television, other events of 1973, 1974 in television and the list of years in television. For the American network television schedule, please see 1973-74 American network television schedule. ... Charles Ingalls with his wife Caroline Ingalls Charles Phillip Ingalls was the father of Laura Ingalls Wilder, known for her Little House on the Prairie series of books. ... Little House On The Prairie was an American one-hour dramatic television program that aired on the NBC network from September 11, 1974 to March 21, 1983. ... The year 1974 in television involved some significant events. ... // February 8 - Minipops premieres on Channel 4 in the UK. Though a ratings success, it is canceled after the first series due to heavy media criticism. ... Highway to Heaven is a television drama which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1984. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1989. ... David Canary as Adam Chandler, in a still from the opening sequence of All My Children. ... Jennifer Rachel Landon (born on August 29, 1983 in Malibu, California) is a two time emmy award winning American actress. ... An Emmy Award. ... This biographical article needs additional references for verification. ... Lucille DÃ©sirÃ©e Ball (August 6, 1911 â€“ April 26, 1989) was an iconic American comedienne, film, television, stage and radio actress, glamour girl and star of the landmark sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show and Heres Lucy. ... Father Murphy was an American television drama series that aired on the NBC network from November 3, 1981 to September 18, 1983. ... Merlin Jay Olsen (born September 15, 1940) is an American former National Football League player and actor. ... A float from the 2004 Rose Parade A close up of roses used to create a rose bowl parade float. ... Kelly Lange is a former American news anchor for NBC and an author. ... This article is about the television network. ...

Biography

Early life

Landon was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz in Forest Hills, a neighborhood of Queens, New York. Landon's father, Eli Maurice Orowitz, was a Jewish American actor and movie theater manager, and his mother, Kathleen Ignatius O’Neill, was an Irish American Roman Catholic dancer and comedienne. Eugene was the Orowitz' second child; his sister, Evelyn, was born three years earlier. In 1941, when Orowitz was 4 years old, he and his family moved to Collingswood, New Jersey, where he later attended Collingswood High School.^[1] Austin Street, the main shopping area in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. ... For other uses, see Queens (disambiguation) and Queen. ... This article is about the state. ... A Jewish American (also commonly American Jew) is an American (a citizen of the United States) of Jewish descent who maintains a connection to the Jewish community, either through actively practicing Judaism or through cultural and historical affiliation. ... Irish population density in the United States, 1872. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... Motto: Its Where You Want To Be Location of Collingswood within Camden County, New Jersey. ... Collingswood High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Collingswood in Camden County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Collingswood Public Schools. ...

Life at home was anything but pleasant for young Landon. His parents would often speak to each other through him, saying such things as "Tell your father that dinner is ready." and "Tell your mother that I'll be there in a minute."^{[citation needed]}

In addition to his parents’ refusal to speak to one another, Landon bore a terrible secret; he was a bed wetter. His mother would hang his soiled bedsheets in an effort to humiliate her son. Landon would later draw on this experience for the made-for-television movie The Loneliest Runner.^{[citation needed]}

Michael also had to bear the burden of living with his mother's constant suicidal tendencies. He would often find his mother sticking her head in the oven. He once tried to prevent his mother from drowning herself in the ocean during one of the family's rare vacations. He pulled at her and hit her as hard as he could to convince her to come back. He finally knocked her down and dragged her back to the beach. Forty-five minutes after this suicide attempt, Landon's mother and sister were playing on the beach as if nothing had happened. Landon later threw up.^{[citation needed]}

Early career

After changing his name to Landon (selected from a phone book) he soon became one of the more popular and enduring young actors of the late 1950s, making his first appearance in The Mystery of Casper Hauser. This part led to other roles such as: I Was A Teenage Werewolf, Crossroads, The Rifleman, Fight For The Title, The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Wire Service, Telephone Time, General Electric Theater, The Court of Last Resort, The Tales of Wells Fargo, Johnny Risk, and The Legend of Tom Dooley, among many others. I Was a Teenage Werewolf is a 1957 horror film starring Michael Landon as a troubled teenager and Whit Bissell as the primary adult. ... Crossroads or Cross roads may refer to: Crossroads (culture), an intersection of roads. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Adventures of Jim Bowie was an ABC Western television series that aired from 1956-58. ... A news agency is an organization journalists established to supply news reports to organizations in the news trade: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. ... General Electric Theater was a half-hour CBS television anthology broadcast every Sunday evening beginning February 1, 1953 and ending May 27, 1962. ...

Bonanza

In 1959, at age 22, Landon had his first starring TV role as Little Joe Cartwright on Bonanza, one of the first TV series to be broadcast in color. Also starring on the show were Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, and Dan Blocker. Landon's character was the green, cocky youngest Cartwright brother. The character evolved into a "ladies' man". During Bonanza's sixth season (1964-1965), the show topped the Nielsen Ratings and remained number one for three years. Landon, a southpaw, often performed his own stunts. Receiving more fan mail than any other cast member, the young actor successfully coaxed the powers-that-be to allow him to write and direct some episodes. It was a smart move, as he spent the next twenty plus years as one of television's most successful talents. In 1962, he wrote his first script. In 1968, he directed his first episode. In 1993, TV Guide listed Little Joe's September 1972 wedding episode, as one of TV's most memorable specials. Landon's script fondly recalled brother Hoss, who was initially the story's groom, before Dan Blocker's untimely death. During its final season, Bonanza declined in the ratings and NBC cancelled it in October 1972. Its last episode aired on January 16, 1973. Along with Lorne Greene, Landon appeared in all 14 seasons of the western. Michael Landon was loyal to many of his Bonanza associates including producer Kent McCray, director William F. Claxton, and composer David Rose, who remained with him throughout Bonanza as well as Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven. Lorne Greene in his role as Ben Cartwright in Bonanza Lorne Greene as Commander Adama in Battlestar Galactica Lorne Greene O.C., LL.D. (February 12, 1915 â€“ September 11, 1987) was a Canadian actor best known for two iconic roles on American television. ... Pernell Roberts (born 18 May 1928 in Waycross, Georgia, USA) is an American actor. ... Dan Blocker aka Dan Davis Blocker (real name - B. Dan D. Blocker) (December 10, 1928 â€“ May 13, 1972) was an American actor best remembered for his role as Eric Hoss Cartwright in the TV western blockbuster Bonanza. ... When TV viewers or entertainment professionals in the United States mention ratings they are often referring to Nielsen Ratings, a system developed by Nielsen Media Research to determine the audience size and composition of television programming. ... TV Guide is the name of two North American weekly magazines about television programming, one in the United States and one in Canada. ...

In 1962 Landon released a Bonanza related single, Gimme A Little Kiss/Be Patient With Me, on Columbia Records. Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ...

Little House On The Prairie

The year after Bonanza was canceled, Landon went on to star in the pilot of what would become another successful television series, Little House on the Prairie, again for NBC. The show was taken from a 1935 book that was published by Laura Ingalls Wilder, whose character in the show was played by then-unknown actress, Melissa Gilbert. In addition to Gilbert, two other unknown actresses also starred on the show: Melissa Sue Anderson who appeared as Mary Ingalls, the oldest daughter in the Ingalls family, and Karen Grassle, as Charles's wife, Caroline Ingalls. Landon served as executive producer, writer, and director of Little House, making him a driving force in Hollywood. The show, a success in its first season, emphasized family values and relationships. Little House became Landon's second-longest running series. Above all, the entire cast shared a close bond with Landon, especially Gilbert. See also: 1934 in literature, other events of 1935, 1936 in literature, list of years in literature. ... Laura Ingalls Wilder (February 7, 1867 â€“ February 10, 1957) was an American author. ... Melissa Ellen Gilbert (born May 8, 1964) is an American actress, writer and producer, primarily in movies and television. ... Melissa Sue Anderson (born September 26, 1962) is an American actress best known as playing Mary Ingalls in the NBC television series Little House on the Prairie, which aired from 1974 until 1982. ... Karen Grassle Karen Grassle (born February 25, 1942 in Berkeley, California) is an American actress, best known from the role of Caroline Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie TV series. ...

As Little House on the Prairie executive producer, Landon hired three sets of real-life siblings to appear on the show: Melissa and Jonathan Gilbert; Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush; and Matthew and Patrick Labyorteaux. Patrick appeared on Little House from 1977 to 1981 as Jonathan Garvey's son, Andy. Years later, he appeared as Bud Roberts in the hit series JAG, which ran for 10 years. For other uses, see JAG (disambiguation). ...

Landon's real-life son, Michael, appeared as Jim in the episode The Election and his real-life daughter, Leslie, also appeared in that episode as well as playing a plague victim in The Plague, an episode from the show's premiere season. Leslie would later appear as a dishwasher who befriends Laura in the season eight episode A Wiser Heart, and was cast as school teacher Etta Plum during the show's final season.

Tremendously popular with viewers, the show was nominated for several Emmy and Golden Globe awards. After eight seasons, Little House was retooled by NBC in 1982 as Little House: A New Beginning, which focused on the Wilder family and the Walnut Grove community. Though Landon remained the shows executive producer, director and writer, A New Beginning did not feature Charles and Caroline Ingalls. The New Beginning was actually the final chapter of Little House, as the series ended the show's run in 1983. The following year, three made-for-television movies followed, which served as the unofficial tenth season of Little House. The year 1982 in television involved some significant events. ...

Gilbert said that her mentor Landon became a second father to her when she lost her own dad at age 11. When not working on the Little House set, Gilbert spent many weekends at Landon's home. In 1981, when Gilbert was 17, she briefly dated Michael Landon Jr., who took her to her prom. After the series ended, Gilbert stayed connected with Michael Sr. for the next 8 years, until his death. After Landon's passing, she named her son, Michael Garrett Boxleitner (1995), after him.

Landon teamed up with Oscar-winner Paul Newman, and First Lady Nancy Reagan, for a drug abuse foundation called, Just Say No. Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... This article is about the American actor and race team owner. ... This article is about the use of the term first lady internationally. ... Nancy Davis Reagan (born Anne Frances Robbins on July 6, 1921) is the widow of the former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. ... Comparison of the perceived harm for various psychoactive drugs from a poll among medical psychiatrists specialized in addiction treatment[1] This article is an overview of the nontherapeutic use of alcohol and drugs of abuse. ... Mrs. ...

Highway to Heaven

After producing both the Father Murphy TV series and a movie, Sam's Son, Landon went on to star in another successful television series. On Highway to Heaven, he played Jonathan Smith, a probationary angel whose job was to help people in order to earn his angel wings. His co-star on the show was Victor French (who previously co-starred on Landon's Little House on the Prairie) as ex-cop, Mark Gordon. NBC didn't feel the show would last very long, but it too proved to be another hit for Landon. This was also the first religious fantasy drama series, starting a specialized sub genre which included later shows such as Touched By An Angel. On Highway, Landon served as executive producer, writer and director of the show. Though Landon liked directing and writing more than acting, he continued to act because actors were paid more, and his top-billing enticed network executives to buy his series.^{[citation needed]}. Highway to Heaven was the only show throughout his long career in television that he owned outright. Victor French Victor French (December 4, 1934 - June 15, 1989) was an American actor. ... This section contains a list of trivia items. ...

By 1985, prior to hiring his son Michael Landon Jr. as a member of his camera crew, he also brought real-life cancer patients and disabled people to the set. His decision to work with disabled people led him to hire a couple of adults with disabilities to write episodes for Highway to Heaven. This is a list of television-related events in 1985. ... Michael Landon Jr. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... The term disability, as it is applied to humans, refers to any condition that impedes the completion of daily tasks using traditional methods. ...

By its fifth season, Highway took a nose dive in the ratings, and in June 1989, co-star Victor French died of lung cancer. French's death contributed to the shows subsequent cancellation. Landon invited his youngest daughter Jennifer Landon to take part in the final episode. Victor French Victor French (December 4, 1934 - June 15, 1989) was an American actor. ...

Personal life and Death

(Landon at one point attempted to adopt Lynn's daughter, Cheryl Ann Pontrelli, from her first marriage, but the child's birth father wouldn't allow it.) is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Michael Landon Jr. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... is the 338th day of the year (339th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar, known as the year of cyclohexanol. ... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

His second marriage, to Marjorie Lynn Noe, ended in a bitter and public divorce in 1982. Landon had left Noe in 1980 when he met and became involved with Cindy Clerico. The final divorce decree did not address the division of assets^{[citation needed]}, and so there was a separate battle over the division of the couple's community property that took two years to settle and ended up costing Landon more than US$26 million in 1982^{[citation needed]}. She helped form a vocal Hollywood ex-wives association that included the former wives of Andy Griffith, Ken Berry, Don Knotts and Robert Goulet, entitled LADIES (Life After Divorce Is Eventually Sane). Defending himself in interviews, Landon replied, "Nobody's perfect. Not Charles Ingalls. Not Michael Landon."^{[citation needed]}. Many fans felt betrayed by Landon, who had always played morally upstanding characters on television. Kodak Film suddenly dropped him as their official spokesperson without fanfare. is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Jennifer Rachel Landon (born on August 29, 1983 in Malibu, California) is a two time emmy award winning American actress. ... is the 241st day of the year (242nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York- based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming. ... Gwen Munson (nÃ©e Norbeck) is a fictional character on the American soap opera As the World Turns. ... The first TIME cover devoted to soap operas: Dated January 12, 1976, Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes of Days of our Lives are featured with the headline Soap Operas: Sex and suffering in the afternoon. A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of fiction, usually broadcast on television... As the World Turns (ATWT) is the second longest-running American television soap opera (the first being Guiding Light),[1] airing each weekday on CBS Daytime. ... is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... USD redirects here. ... Not to be confused with Andy Griffiths. ... Kenneth Ronald Ken Berry (born November 3, 1933, in Moline, Illinois) is an American dancer, and comedic actor. ... Jesse Donald Knotts (July 21, 1924 â€“ February 24, 2006) was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show (a role which earned him five Emmy Awards), and as landlord Ralph Furley on the television sitcom Threeâ€™s... Robert Gerard Goulet (November 26, 1933 â€“ October 30, 2007) was a Grammy- and Tony Award-winning American entertainer. ...

In February 1959, Landon's father died of a heart attack. In 1973, his stepdaughter, Cheryl was involved in a serious car accident. She was hospitalized in a coma. Three years later in 1976, Cheryl suffered bouts of depression and became addicted to painkillers. In March 1981, Landon's mother, Peggy O'Neill, died. Heart attack redirects here. ... On the Threshold of Eternity. ...

In the 1983, Landon co-produced an NBC "true story" television movie, Love Is Forever, starring himself and Laura Gemser, which tells of Australian photojournalist John Everingham's successful attempt to scuba dive under the Mekong to rescue his lover from communist ruled Laos in 1977. This article is about the television network. ... â€œTelefilmâ€ redirects here. ... Laura Gemser in Nackte Eva / Eva Nera / Black Cobra starring Jack Palance, in (1976) Laura Gemser (born October 5, 1950, Java, Indonesia) is a Dutch erotic actress of Indo descent and is generally accepted as one of the 1970s most famous erotic icons. ... Scuba diving is swimming underwater while using self-contained breathing equipment. ... The Mekong is one of the worldâ€™s major rivers. ...

After the cancellation of Highway to Heaven and before his eventual move to CBS Landon wrote the teleplay and directed Where Pidgeons go to Die (TV movie). Based on a novel of the same name, the film starred Art Carney and was nominated for two Emmy awards.

Landon's shows were all on NBC, but after ending Highway, he moved to CBS and in 1991 starred in a two hour pilot called Us. This was meant to be another series for Landon, but on April 5, he was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, an inoperable pancreatic cancer that had spread to his liver and lymph nodes. On April 8, 1991, he appeared at a press conference to speak of his illness promising to do the best that he could to fight the cancer. On May 9, 1991, he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to speak of his illness and to publicly condemn the tabloid press for their sensational headlines and inaccurate stories, including the claim that he and his wife were trying to have another child. Less than 2 months later, on July 1, 1991, Landon died in Malibu, California, at the age of 54. The year 1991 in television involved some significant events. ... Adenocarcinoma is a form of carcinoma that originates in glandular tissue. ... Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor within the pancreatic gland. ... The liver is the largest internal organ in the human body, and is an organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. ... Lymph nodes are components of the lymphatic system. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Location of Malibu in Los Angeles County, California Coordinates: , Country State County Los Angeles Incorporated (city) 1991-03-28 [2] Government - Mayor Jeff Jennings [1] Area - Total 100. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

A community building at Malibu's Bluffs Park was named The Michael Landon Center following the actor's death.

He was interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California. Cindy and Michael's family were joined by 500 other mourners including former President Ronald Reagan (with whom Michael had once chopped wood) and his wife Nancy. Merlin Olsen, Ernest Borgnine, Brian Keith and many of Michael's co-stars, such as Melissa Gilbert and Melissa Sue Anderson, were present. Although Michael's first wife, Dodie, accompanied her two sons to the funeral, his second wife, Lynn, was absent. When asked why she didn't attend the funeral of the man she'd once shared nearly twenty years together, she would reply that she grieved Michael's death years before, when they were divorced. The Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 6001 W. Centinela Avenue, in Culver City, California. ... Motto: The Heart of Screenland Location of Culver City in Los Angeles County, California Coordinates: , Country State County Los Angeles Incorporated (city) 1917-09-07 [2] Government - City Manager Jerry Fulwood [1] Area - City 5. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Reagan redirects here. ... Ermes Effron Borgnino or better known as Ernest Borgnine (born January 24, 1917[1][2]) is a Golden Globe-, BAFTA- and Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Brian Keith (November 14, 1921 â€“ June 24, 1997) was an American stage, film and television actor. ...

After his death, Landon was again on the covers of weekly tabloids when his stepdaughter, Cheryl, alleged that he had made some last-minute changes to his will that gave a larger portion of his estate to his wife, Cindy, and their two children. Michael Landon has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 N. Vine Street. In 1998, he was inducted posthumously into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Buskers perform on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ... The Hall of Great Western Performers is a Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. ... Bronze Wrangler The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum and art gallery, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, housing one of the largest collections of: Western, American cowboy, American rodeo, and American Indian; art, artifacts, and archival materials, in the world. ... OKC redirects here. ...

Hobbies

Landon had a lot of hobbies over the years: fishing, karate, spending family time, painting, creating , building mosaic coffee tables, playing bridge, golfing, swimming, weightlifting, cooking, playing tennis, water skiing and hang gliding. According to the A&E Biography, he also spent a lot of time with disabled children and adults. On an episode of Highway, Landon's character took them to the Special Olympics, including a special needs man, who felt he couldn't do anything, when he can fix things to make them right. Biography is a documentary television program. ... The crowd at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games Opening Ceremonies in Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland. ...

Remembrances

Following Landon's death, his son, Michael Jr., produced a memorial special, Michael Landon: Memories with Laughter and Love, featuring the actor's friends and co-stars. Bonanza co-star David Canary said that one word that described Landon was "fearless" in his dealings with network brass. TV daughter Melissa Gilbert said that the actor made her feel "incredibly safe" and that he was "paternal." One of Landon's trademarks was his signature "cascading chuckle," as the actor loved practical jokes. Often cited was his bizarre sense of humor, which included having toads leap from his mouth and dressing as a superhero to visit a pizza parlor. Replaying a 1988 "Tonight Show" episode, Johnny Carson related how the actor took him to a restaurant after Carson accidentally ran over a cat. Landon had a fake menu made that had variations of the word cat woven into many of the courses.

References

The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that began publishing on March 31, 1925, under founding editor Lee Ellmaker. ... is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

External links

Hidden categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since December 2007 | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | Articles with unsourced statements since May 2007

Contents

Biography GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");