Are you a fan of the late actor Michael Landon? He was a talented actor known best
for his role as “Little Joe” Cartwright on the popular Western series Bonanza.
He became a huge star because of his good looks and his great acting abilities. Even
after Bonanza came to an end, he continued to have a successful career in both film and television.
He sadly passed away too young at the age of 54 in 1991. Nevertheless, fans old and new love watching
his performances to this day. He’s also passed on his acting talents to his daughter Jennifer
who is now all grown up and is a successful actress in her own right!
But how did Michael Landon venture into acting? How
has his daughter made her impact in show business?
Let’s learn about Michael Landon’s life and legacy and what his daughter Jennifer is up to today…
MICHAEL LANDON
Eugene Maurice Orowitz was born on the 31st of October, 1936, in Queens,
New York. He first considered pursuing a career as a professional athlete.
During his school years, he was an accomplished javelin thrower.
In 1954, he threw a javelin at a distance of 193 feet and 4 inches – which was the
record for a high school student in that year. He won an athletic scholarship at
the University of Southern California but sadly his athletic career was cut short.
He tore a ligament, and this put an end to his javelin throwing prospects. But he didn’t lose
hope and he knew he had the talent to entertain others. He found a job as a gas station attendant
across from Warner Brothers Studio – deciding that a career in show business was his destiny.
He was eventually discovered by a talent agent who helped him find work.
Around this time, Eugene created his stage name Michael Landon – a name he found in a phonebook.
He began his acting career in the mid-1950s – landing bit parts in popular TV shows.
His early TV work included roles in shows such as Luke and The Tenderfoot, The Loretta Young
Show, The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Crossroads, Telephone Time, and General Electric Theater.
While his profile was growing, he was struggling to land a role that would launch him to stardom.
But his big break came at the end of the 1950s when he was cast in a
lead role in a new Western series called Bonanza.
He was cast as Little Joe Cartwright – the youngest of the 3 Cartwright Brothers.
In the show, he portrayed the rebellious spirit that many American youth felt as
the conservative 50s were transitioning to the more free-spirited 60s. Not only was he
lauded for his performance, but women fawned over him due to his good looks.
And he never looked back after that. Following the end of Bonanza,
Michael Landon kept himself busy in both film and television.
He later starred as Charles Ingalls in the show Little House on the Prairie.
He also played Jonathan Smith in the 1980s TV series Highway to Heaven. He also wrote and
directed the feature film Sam’s Son – which was partially based on his teenage years.
He was sadly diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer
in April of 1991 and then passed away on July 1st, at the age of 54. He left behind an incredible
body of work including TV shows, TV movies, feature films, and even a few music records!
Landon was married three times and fathered 9 children. One of his children,
daughter Jennifer has also become a popular actress in her own right…
Before we tell you more about what Michael Landon’s daughter is up to today,
why not “like” this video and subscribe to FactsVerse
for more current news and interesting stories. Now, let’s get back to the video…
JENNIFER LANDON
Jennifer Landon was born on August 29th, 1983, in sunny Malibu,
California. She’s the daughter of Michael Landon and his wife Cindy Clerico. It seemed
that she was destined to follow in her father’s footsteps to pursue a career in show business.
Her first foray into acting came at the age of 5 when she had a small role in an episode
of Highway to Heaven alongside her father. This was one of two times she would act with
her father – the second being in a pilot for a show called Us that never got developed further.
After graduating from high school, she moved to New York City to study acting.
She appeared in several independent theater productions and honed her craft.
She made her feature film debut in 2004 when she appeared in a supporting role in the film L.A. DJ.
But she became a household name when she landed a role in the popular soap opera As The World Turns.
She played the character Gwen Muslon in over 500 episodes of the show.
She later became part of the ensemble cast of another popular As The World Turns,
in which she played Heather Stevens for 28 episodes. She’s focused mainly on television,
making guest appearances in popular shows such as House, Chicago Med, and The Resident.
She also appeared in a lead role in the controversial horror film I Spit On Your
Grave in 2015. Since 2017, she’s kept herself busy in television once again.
She played Hilary Nelson in 5 episodes of the soap opera Days of Our Lives and Amy in the show Animal
Kingdom. She’s also appeared in the TV movies Ride or Die, Within These Walls, and Run For Your Life.
But her biggest role yet came in 2020 with a new Western series that’s taken the country by storm!
MAKING IT BIG WITH “YELLOWSTONE”
In 2020, Jennifer Landon was cast as Teeter in the Western series Yellowstone.
The show premiered in 2018 and followed the Dutton family as they try to protect
their land. She was cast as Teeter in 2020 and has played the role until the
episode “Grass on the Streets and Weeds on the Rooftops” which aired in early 2022.
The show is arguably one of the biggest hits on American television and streaming services
and has become one that so many actors wish to appear on.
Jennifer Landon has managed to reach a new legion of fans through her appearances in the show.
In 2021 and 2022, she’s appeared as Sarah Allen in the popular TV series
FBI: Most Wanted. We hope to see her in future seasons of this show as well.
We can expect to see her in more high-profile TV shows and in meatier roles in the near future.
Her most recent feature film role was in the 2018 political drama film The Front Runner. She
played the role of Ann McDaniel in the film which focused on Senator Gary Hart’s fall from grace.
In 2020, she also starred in the TV movie Within These Walls
alongside Joshua Close and Tara Redmond van Rees.
While her early career focused on appearing in soap operas with the occasional bit part in a
mainstream show or TV movie, she’s now focused on recurring roles in major TV shows. While she
hasn’t done too many films, let’s hope we see her in more feature films in the coming years!
She’s a brilliant actress in her own right but much credit
has to go to her father who inspired her to pursue a career in acting.
She remembers her father fondly and her best memory of him involves a ski trip that they
went on. She also loves watching reruns of TV shows that her father starred in.
We’re sure that she’ll make a big impact in American television just as her father did…
MICHAEL LANDON’S LEGACY
Michael Landon was arguably one of the most famous American TV actors of all time. He appeared on the
cover of the magazine TV guide a total of 22 times. While he was part of an ensemble cast
on Bonanza – for many, he was the reason to watch the show. His brilliant acting skills,
boyish good looks, and charm led to his massive appeal.
He also had a reputation for being a professional and a joy to work with. He remained close to many
of the cast and crew members from Bonanza and worked with some of them in future projects.
The actress Melissa Gilbert who worked with Michael Landon on Little House on
the Prairie remembered him fondly. She felt that Michael Landon was
not only a brilliant co-star but was also a great father figure to her.
Apart from his acting roles, he also wrote and directed an episode of the NBC show
Love Story. He also made several guest appearances on talk shows and variety
shows, including The Special London Bridge Special, The Electric Company, and Match Game.
He was married three times to Dodie Levy-Fraser,
Marjorie Lynn Noe, and Cindy Clerico. His first two marriages ended in divorce and the last one
ended with his passing in 1991. He fathered a total of 9 children including actor Mark,
former actress Leslie Ann, actor/director/and writer Michael Jr., and filmmaker Christopher.
And of course, his daughter Jennifer is continuing his legacy alongside some of her siblings. Like
her father, she’s gained a reputation for being a talented and beautiful actress as well as a
brilliant professional…
Now, let’s hear from you:
Are you a fan of Jennifer Landon?
Here’s what we’d like to know from you:
Do you think that actors and actresses who have actors as parents have it
easier in show business? Or do you think that they need to work even
harder to prove themselves and not be overshadowed by their parents?
We look forward to reading your comments!
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