Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > Michael Landon
Michael Landon Facts
| Sign | Scorpio |
| Born |
Oct 31, 1936 Forest Hills, Queens, NY |
| Died |
Jul 1, 1991 Malibu, CA |
| Age | Died at 54 |
| Total Facts | 61 |
Brian Keith and Ernest Borgnine attended his funeral.
12 years after his death, his eldest sister, Evelyn, died on New Years' Day, 2003.
According to "Little House on the Prairie" (1974), co-star, Karen Grassle, she once said in an interview that he had a very lonely childhood as a result of his parents fighting.
Actress Melissa Gilbert's son Michael (b. 1995) was named after him.
After his second divorce and the cancellation of "Little House on the Prairie" (1974), Melissa Gilbert didn't keep Landon in touch at all, until she reluctantly called him, when watching her TV father on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962). After the call, she went to the Landon home, where Gilbert was his caregiver until his death.
Almost got the lead role in "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" (1959).
Always claimed to have chosen his professional name by picking the name Michael Landon out of the Los Angeles telephone directory.
Attended Ronald Reagan's second inauguration as Governor of California on 3 January 1971, and his first inauguration as President of the United States on 20 January 1981.
Before he became a successful actor, he worked in a warehouse and at a gas station.
Before his death, he appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962) to talk about his brave battle against cancer and his life and it was the highest-rated show of all time.
Best remembered by the public for his role as Little Joe on "Bonanza" (1959) and for his starring role as Charles Ingalls on "Little House on the Prairie" (1974).
By most accounts he was exactly like the kind, gentle, heroic characters he portrayed onscreen and in fact few, if any, people complained about working with him, something rare in Hollywood.
Charles Ingalls, Landon's character on "Little House on the Prairie" (1974), was ranked #4 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].
Children: Mark Fraser Landon (adopted-born October 1, 1958); aka Mark Landon) and Josh Fraser Landon (adopted as newborn in 1960-born February 11, 1960) with Dodie Levy-Fraser. Leslie Ann Landon (b 11 October 1963; aka Leslie Landon), Michael Graham Landon (b. 20 June 1965; aka Michael Landon Jr.), Shawna Leigh Landon (b. December 4, 1971; aka Shawna Landon) and Christopher Beau Landon (b. 27 February 1975; Christopher Landon) with Lynn Noe and Jennifer Rachel Landon (b. 29 August 1983; aka Jennifer Landon)and Sean Matthew Landon (b. 6/1986) with Cindy Landon. He also had a step-daughter, Cheryl Ann Pontrelli.
Comedian and ex-talk show host, Johnny Carson was a longtime friend of his and had (in private) always confided in Landon and shared his own issues with him.
Despite being given a less than three per cent chance of survival, Landon announced he was going to beat his pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately by the time of the diagnosis it had already spread to his liver and stomach.
Encouraged by his wife, Landon quit smoking in the summer of 1989 following his friend Victor French's death.
Graduated third from the bottom of his class academically in 1954.
Grew up in the southern New Jersey town of Collingswood and graduated Collingswood High School in 1954.
Had a lot of hobbies during the prime of his life: fishing, karate, golfing, swimming, spending family time, painting, cooking, playing bridge, playing with disabled people and weightlifting.
Had an IQ of 159.
Had to drop out of the University of California-Los Angeles because he tore his shoulder ligaments, which would prevent him from throwing the javelin again, and he was attending UCLA on an athletic scholarship.
He encouraged his children, not to make the same mistake Landon had made, when he was a teenager. As a result, his children were told to study, without watching television, except if it was "Little House on the Prairie" (1974).
He once invited Shirley Jones to an art exhibit.
He smoked 4 packs of unfiltered Menthol cigarettes a day during his lifetime, which probably contributed to the pancreatic cancer that killed him.
He was left-handed, and his awkward handwriting (he often hand-wrote scripts) sometimes made it difficult for his secretary to read what he'd written).
His adoptive son, Mark Landon, died in May 2009 at the age of 60.
His birthplace, Forest Hills, is a neighborhood area in Queens, New York.
His daughter Leslie Landon attended the same middle school as his future "Little House on the Prairie" (1974), co-star, Melissa Gilbert. Leslie heard Gilbert in the school cafeteria say that she was going to play Laura Ingalls.
His father died of a heart attack in February 1959.
His last wife was former make-up artist Cindy Clerico, whom he met near the end of the "Little House" run in 1981, and married two years later.
His mother Peggy died on March 15, 1981.
His parents were Jewish and Irish Catholic.
His second wife, Marjorie Lynn Noe, was one of the few people who refused to attend his funeral, because she told her children that the divorce had already been like a death to her.
His show "Highway to Heaven" (1984) was canceled due to his co-star's, Victor French's death at the end of the fifth season.
His stepdaughter, Cheryl, recalled in his biography "I Promised My Dad" that once Landon was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he realized that all the years of smoking, drinking and eating an unhealthy diet had taken their toll. Later, despite going on a regimen that included a naturalistic approach to the cancer (coffee enemas and a healthy diet), Landon was devastated to learn that the cancer had tripled in size.
In 1954, he was the national high school record holder in the javelin throw.
Inducted (as a cast member of "Little House on the Prairie") into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1998.
Interred at Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, California, USA.
Is buried at the same cemetery as his TV father, Lorne Greene (Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, California).
Landon had appeared in almost every episode of "Little House on the Prairie" (1974), from 1974 to 1982, with the exception of the final year. He appeared in 177 of the 204 episodes of the series.
Left an estate worth $100 million.
Like his "Bonanza" (1959) co-star Lorne Greene, Landon was a staunch supporter of the Republican Party.
Michael and his first wife Dodie were adopting a son named Jason in 1961. Shortly before or after their divorce in 1962, Dodie gave the child up for adoption to another couple.
Never legally adopted his stepdaughter, Cheryl, because of her birth father's objections.
On 21 May 1991 he had a near fatal blood clot in his left leg that was successfully treated at Cedars-Sinai Hospital.
Publicly supported Richard Nixon in the 1972 presidential election, and campaigned for Ronald Reagan in the 1980 and 1984 presidential elections.
Starred with Victor French in two of his successful TV series.
Started having grey hair at age 20.
Studied karate under Chuck Norris, as did the children of his "Bonanza" co-star Dan Blocker.