Michael Landon Biography

Michael Landon was a popular American actor, director, and producer. Considered a legend of American television, he was featured 22 times on the cover of ‘TV Guide,’ second only to Lucille Ball. Landon, who was from a Jewish-Catholic family, grew up in a largely Protestant neighborhood, battling personal issues at home and school. Overcoming the odds, he successfully auditioned at the ‘Warner Bros.’ acting school and made his screen debut in 1955, appearing in an episode of the comedy-western series ‘Luke and the Tenderfoot.’ He landed his first leading role in the cult classic ‘I Was a Teenage Werewolf’ in 1957. He followed it up by playing an albino in the critically acclaimed ‘God’s Little Acre.’ In 1959, he was cast to play ‘Little Joe Cartwright,’ his career-defining role, in the Western-drama series ‘Bonanza.’ He then went on to portray other memorable TV characters, such as ‘Charles Ingalls’ in ‘Little House on the Prairie’ and ‘Jonathan Smith’ in ‘Highway to Heaven.’ He also wrote, 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.’