Michael Landon Children, Wife, Biography, & Net Worth

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Michael Landon was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz, on Saturday, October 31st, 1936, in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. In 1941, he and his family moved to Collingswood, New Jersey. Michael Landon was a popular American actor, director, and producer. Considered to be a television legend, he was featured on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, second only to Lucille Ball.

Landon, who was from a Jewish-Catholic family, grew up in a largely Protestant neighborhood, battling personal issues both at home and the schoolyard. Overcoming the odds, he successfully auditioned for the Warner Bros. acting school and made his screen debut in 1955 in an episode of the comedy-western ‘Luke and the Tenderfoot’. He landed his first leading role in the cult classic ‘I Was a Teenage Werewolf’ in 1957 and followed that up by playing an albino in the critically acclaimed ‘God’s Little Acre’.

In 1959, he was cast in his career-defining role as Little Joe Cartwright in the Western-drama ‘Bonanza’. Since then, he had portrayed other memorable characters on TV, such as Charles Ingalls in ‘Little House on the Prairie’ and Jonathan Smith in ‘Highway to Heaven’, establishing a glorious and lasting legacy. He had written, directed, and produced several episodes of his various shows as well as numerous telefilms. He was also an accomplished singer, releasing several tracks over the years. In 1984, Landon received his own Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Michael Landon

Michael Landon

Michael Landon was an American actor, writer, director, and producer known for his roles in I Was a Teenage Werewolf, Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie.

Wiki/Biodata

Birth NameEugene Maurice Orowitz
Nick NameMichael Landon, Landon, Michael
Age54 Years 8 Months 1 Day
ReligionNot Known
Sun Sign/Zodiac SignScorpio
Birth PlaceForest Hills, New York City, United States
Date of BirthOctober 31, 1936
Day- Saturday
Date of DeathJuly 1, 1991
Age 54 Years 8 Months 1 Day
Cause of DeathCancer
Death PlaceMalibu, California, United States
NationalityAmerican
ResidenceNot Known
Home TownNot Known
HobbiesNot Known

Family

Mother's Name Peggy
Father's Name Eli Maurice Orowitz
BrotherNot Known
SisterNot Known

Girlfriends/Affairs/ Marital Status and More

Affairs/GirlfriendsNot Known
Wife/Spouse Cindy Landon (M. 1983–1991), Dodie Levy-Fraser (M. 1956–1962), Lynn Noe (M. 1963–1982)
ChildrenCheryl Ann Pontrelli, Christopher Landon, Jennifer Landon, Josh Fraser Landon, Leslie Landon, Mark Landon, Michael Landon Jr., Sean Matthew Landon, Shawna Landon

Education

SchoolNot Known
College/UniversityNot Known
Educational QualificationNot Known
ProfessionActor, Writer, Director, Producer
Brands EndorsedNot Known
Career ManagerNot Known

Height, Weight, and Figure Measurements

Height (Approx.)5ft 9 (175.3 cm)
Weight (Approx.)Not Known

Michael Landon was an American actor, writer, director and producer born on October 31, 1936, in Queens, New York. Born Eugene Maurice Orowitz, he changed his name to Michael Landon after entering acting school.

Landon appeared in several notable roles, starring in the film I Was a Teenage Werewolf and the TV series Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie. Landon died of cancer on July 1, 1991.

Michael Landon With First Wife Dodie Levy-Fraser

Originally named Eugene Maurice Orowitz, Landon was born on October 31, 1936, in New York City, New York to parents Peggy (née O’Neill) and Eli Maurice Orowitz. He had a sister named Evelyn who was three years older than him. In 1941, the family relocated to Philadelphia, New Jersey where his Bar Mitzvah was held at Temple Beth Shalom. Eli worked as a studio publicist and theatre manager while Peggy was a comedian and dancer.

 He had a troublesome childhood with an emotionally unstable mother at home and social pressures at school. Once, during a beach vacation, his mother attempted suicide by drowning herself.
Michael Landon First Wife Dodie Levy-Fraser

Landon managed to save her but it deeply affected him. The incident, which he later dubbed as the worst experience in his life, left him in stress, which in turn caused his childhood problem of nocturnal enuresis to persist. His mother would hang the wet sheets outside his window to display them to the neighbors, further traumatizing him.

Landon studied at Collingwood High School where he displayed prodigious skills as a javelin thrower. It even garnered him a sports scholarship to the University of Southern California but a torn ligament during his freshman year put a stop to his sports career.

American actor best remembered for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza, Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie, and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven. One of his Little House co-stars – Melissa Anderson – commented upon his stature in her book, saying “He wore lifts almost all the time back then. Our wardrobe man, Andy, said that between the lifts on the inside of his ‘Charles Ingalls’ boots and the heels on the outside, he gained quite a few inches.”

Michael Landon Photo

Michael Landon Net Worth

According to WoodGram, Michael Landon’s estimated Net Worth, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. Let’s check, How Rich is Michael Landon?

Estimated Net Worth $40 Million (at the time of death)
Annual SalaryUnder Review.
Income SourcePrimary Income source TV Actor (profession).

Noted, Currently, We don’t have enough information about Cars, Monthly/Yearly Salary, etc. We will update you soon.

Michael Landon Net Worth: $40 Million

Тhе Аmеrісаn асtоr, рrоduсеr, wrіtеr аnd dіrесtоr Місhаеl Lаndоn hаd аn еѕtіmаtеd nеt wоrth оf ѕоmеwhеrе nеаr $40 mіllіоn аt thе dау hе раѕѕеd аwау. Не ассоmрlіѕhеd hіѕ wеаlth frоm hіѕ wоrk іn fіlmѕ аnd ѕеrіеѕ. Місhаеl Lаndоn ѕаlаrу аnd еаrnіngѕ реr еріѕоdе оf thе ѕеrіеѕ hе wоrkеd оn аrе nоt rеvеаlеd. Місhаеl Lаndоn wаѕ оnе оf thе grеаtеѕt асtоrѕ whо саmе frоm thе 50ѕ. Не hаd 59 сrеdіtѕ аѕ аn асtоr іn fіlmѕ аnd ѕеrіеѕ аlоng wіth оthеr wоrk fоr hіm іn thе іnduѕtrу.
Місhаеl Lаndоn, Мау Yоur Ѕоul Rеѕt Іn Реасе.

Michael Landon Net Worth Real Estate: Michael Landon owned several pieces of valuable real estate during his time. He owned a seven-bedroom mansion in Malibu that featured 70 feet of ocean frontage. He sold that house in 1989 for $6 million which is equal to around $11 million today. In 2014, an updated version of that home sold for $40 million. Michael owned another mansion in Malibu canyon that was much more private. This second property is an equestrian compound that has a 9000 square foot home.

His surviving family still owns that property today. In 2015, Michael’s widow Cindy Landon spent $7.5 million on a mansion above Malibu’s Broad Beach. She proceeded to renovate the property to the studs. She listed the home for sale in 2018 for $18 million but did not find a buyer. She proceeded to rent the house for $100,000 per month until, in 2019, she found a buyer for $15.7 million. The buyer? Television tycoon Seth MacFarlane.

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Michael Landon Wife, Affairs and More

Dodie Levy-Fraser (they married in March 1956. They divorced in December 1962)

Michael Landon Children With Dodie

  • Mark Fraser Landon, born on October 1, 1958, dies on May 12, 2009 (adopted)
  • Josh Fraser Landon, born on February 11, 1960 (adopted)
  • Jason Samuel (Landon) Smith, born May 13, 1961 (adopted)
Michael Landon Second Wife Marjorie Lynn Noe

Marjorie Lynn Noe (born Marjorie Lynn Noe, they were married on January 12, 1963. They divorced in 1980)

Michael Landon Children With Marjorie

  • Leslie Ann Landon, born on October 11, 1962
  • Michael Landon Jr. born on June 20, 1964
  • Shawna Leigh Landon, born on December 4, 1971
  • Christopher Beau Landon, born on February 27, 1975
Michael Landon Third Wife Cindy Clerico

Cindy Clerico (they married on February 14, 1983)

Michael Landon Children With Cindy

  • Jennifer Rachel Landon, born on August 29, 1983
  • Sean Matthew Landon, born on August 8, 1986

Career

Two of his first big roles were as Tony Rivers in I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) and Tom Dooley in the western The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959). That same year he was approached by producer David Dortort to star in a pilot called The Restless Gun (1957), which was renamed when the series was picked up to Bonanza (1959). Landon played Little Joe Cartwright, the youngest of the three Cartwright brothers, a cocky and somewhat rebellious youth nevertheless had a way with the ladies.

For 14 years, Landon became the heart and soul of the show, endearing himself to both younger and older viewers, and he became a household name during the 1960s and 1970s.

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In 1968, after almost ten years of playing Little Joe, he wanted an opportunity to direct and write some episodes of the show. After the season finale in 1972, Dan Blocker, who played his older brother Hoss and was also a close friend, died from a blood clot in his lung, after gall bladder surgery, but Michael decided to go back to work, revisiting his own character in a two-part episode called “Forever.”

Bonanza (1959) was finally canceled in early 1973, after 14 years and 430 episodes. Michael didn’t have to wait long until he landed another successful role that most TV audiences of the 1970s would thoroughly enjoy, his second TV western, for NBC, Little House on the Prairie (1974).

That show was based on a popular book written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and he played enduring patriarch and farmer Charles Ingalls. Unlike Bonanza (1959), where he was mostly just a “hired gun,” on this show he served as the producer, writer, director, and executive producer.

Michael Landon First Wife Dodie Levy-Fraser

By the end of its eighth season in 1982, Landon decided to step down from his role on “Little House” as he saw his TV children grown up and moved out of their father’s house, and a year later, the show was canceled.

After 14 years on Bonanza (1959) and 8 years on Little House on the Prairie (1974), it was about time to focus on something else, and once again, he didn’t have to wait too long before Highway to Heaven (1984) came along.

Unlike the western shows that he did for 23 years, this NBC fantasy/drama show focused on Jonathan Smith, an angel whose job was to save peoples’ lives and work for God, his boss. Victor French played ex-cop Mark Gordon, who turned down a fortune but had redeemed himself by meeting Jonathan.

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Michael Landon Movies

1956These Wilder Years
1957I Was a Teenage Werewolf
1958Maracaibo
High School Confidential
God's Little Acre
1959The Legend of Tom Dooley
1961The Errand Boy
1984Sam's Son

TV Shows & Serials List

1959-1973Bonanza
1974-1983Little House on the Prairie
1984-1989Highway to Heaven

Michael Landon Death And Battle With Cancer

After Little House on the Prairie, Landon went on to produce, direct and star in another much-loved series, Highway to Heaven and wrote and directed the TV film, Where Pigeons Go to Die. In 1991, Landon had a new family-oriented pilot in production, when friends and relatives noticed he was looking tired.
 
He assured them it was just because he was working hard to get his new show underway. At the end of March, he cut short a Utah ski trip with Cindy and their children because he was having severe abdominal pains. On his own, back in Los Angeles, he checked into Cedars-Sinai Hospital for an MRI, which revealed a large tumor. A biopsy confirmed the worst news.
Michael Landon Image

After a brief stay in the hospital at the end of May to treat a blood clot, Landon made peace with his fate and decided to live out his remaining days at home with his family. In the coming months, he spoke with his sister on the phone regularly, repairing that tenuous relationship.

On the afternoon of July 1st, surrounded by his family and close friends, he passed away at his Malibu home. His ashes were placed in a mausoleum close to the grave of his beloved TV father, Lorne Greene.

Michael Landon left behind a legacy in a body of work that pays tribute to the American Spirit, the strength of family, a solid work ethic and the infectious joy found in optimism and laughter.

Some Known Facts About Michael Landon

  • He Chose His Stage Name From The Telephone Book.
  • He Was A Record-Holding Athlete.
  • Chuck Norris Taught Him Karate.
  • He Did Poorly In School Despite A High IQ.
  • His Hair Was Naturally Gray.
  • He Had A Falling Out With Melissa Gilbert.
  • Johnny Carson Was One Of His Closest Friends.
  • He Spent 34 Years At NBC.
  • He Saved His Mother’s Life As A Child.
  • He Wrote And Directed Two Semi-Autobiographical Films.
  • He Wrote The Poem Charles Reads In Season Two.

FAQ’s

How Long Did Michael Landon Live With Pancreatic Cancer?

The Landon Family Enjoys Time Together When The Children Were Young. Michael Landon Was Diagnosed With Pancreatic Cancer In April 1991 And Passed Away Three Months After That.

What Did Michael Landon Died Of?

Nearly 30 Years After Michael Landon’s Shocking Death, Details Surrounding The Little House On The Prairie Star’s Health Are Being Investigated. At The Young Age Of 54, Landon Died On July 1, 1991, From Pancreatic Cancer, Just Months After His Diagnosis.

What Ethnicity Is Michael Landon?”]American

Could Michael Landon Play The Violin?”]Despite the Religious Themes In The Series Michael Landon Never Practiced Any Religion As An Adult. Michael Landon (Rather Obviously) Did Not Know How To Play A Fiddle (Violin).

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