Best known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright on the iconic western television show “Bonanza” and Charles Ingalls in “Little House on the Prairie,” the late Michael Landon remains one of Hollywood’s most revered actors.
Landon’s influence on the film industry was significant, helping many young actors and actresses achieve remarkable success. Throughout his extensive TV career, Landon appeared on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, sharing this impressive record with Lucille Ball.
He played numerous roles in famous movies, including “Highway to Heaven,” and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. Landon was married three times, but it was his third wife, Cindy Landon, whom he called the love of his life. They remained together until his tragic death in 1991 at the age of 54. Landon was a father of nine, and all his children agree that he was the epitome of a loving and caring father, much like his character Charles Ingalls.
Although he kept his private life out of the spotlight and rarely spoke about his children publicly, Michael Landon was known as a devoted father. He had two adopted sons, Mark and John, with his first wife, Dodie Levy-Fraser. With his second wife, Lynn Noe, he had four children: Leslie, Michael Jr., Christopher, and Shawna, and he adopted Noe’s daughter, Cheryl. With Cindy Clerico, who was 20 years his junior, Landon had two children, Jennifer and Matthew.
In 2019, Jennifer Landon told Closer Weekly that her father was “a fantastic father who was curious about everything and loved to teach the children.” Following Landon’s passing, his children were heartbroken. His son Christopher Landon, a director, shared that during his father’s last days, their roles reversed, with Michael becoming like a “son” and Christopher taking on the role of “father.”
Michael Landon died of pancreatic cancer, and unfortunately, in 2021, Christopher was diagnosed with kidney cancer.
In a social media post, Christopher shared with his fans that he had been diagnosed with kidney cancer and had undergone emergency surgery to remove part of his kidney. Thankfully, his cancer was caught early, and the surgery was successful.
Christopher urged his followers to prioritize their health and get tested before it’s too late.