Michael Landon may have passed away over 30 years ago, but his legacy certainly lives on, thanks to his acting roles in classic TV series like ‘Bonanza,’ ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ and ‘Highway to Heaven.’
Despite being a household name, Landon was also a doting husband and loving father. His ultimate goal was to bond with his children, a desire perhaps rooted in his tumultuous childhood. Landon’s mother struggled immensely with her mental health, and he even saved her life after multiple suicide attempts.
Though Landon was a talented athlete in his youth, an injury during college ended his athletic pursuits. This unexpected twist led him to Los Angeles to try his luck in showbiz. Over his lengthy TV career, he graced the cover of TV Guide 22 times, an impressive feat matched only by Lucile Ball.
Landon’s personal life was as eventful as his career. He was married three times and fathered nine children. He adopted two 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 also adopted Noe’s daughter, Cheryl, from a previous relationship.
After his second marriage ended, Landon married Cindy Clerico. This caused quite a scandal at the time for two reasons: Cindy was 20 years younger, and many accused Landon of infidelity with her during his second marriage. Landon staunchly denied these accusations, telling People in 1985, “You don’t dissolve a relationship to go to bed with someone 20 years younger. You have to have major differences and a deep-rooted need to stop a relationship after as many years as I was married.”
His third marriage brought him two more children, Jennifer and Matthew. Despite his busy life, his daughter Jennifer told Closer Weekly in 2019 that he was “a fantastic father who was curious about everything and loved to teach the children.”
Sadly, Michael Landon passed away in 1991 at the age of 54, less than three months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was loved until the very end, with all his children rallying around him during his final moments.
The following year, his son, director Christopher Landon, told People about his father’s final days. He recounted how his father became like a “son,” while Christopher took on the role of “the father.”
Christopher, known for directing ‘Happy Death Day,’ has often paid tribute to his late father on social media.
A post shared by Chris Landon (@thechrislandon)
However, Christopher has battled his own health issues. In 2021, he revealed on social media that he had been diagnosed with kidney cancer. Posting an image of himself in a hospital bed on Instagram, he wrote, “Whelp….where to start. About a week ago I was diagnosed with kidney cancer. I was rushed into emergency surgery to have part of my kidney removed…”
A post shared by Chris Landon (@thechrislandon)
Fortunately, his illness was in its early stages, and doctors were able to perform surgery to remove parts of the kidneys.
Christopher encouraged everyone to get tested and stay on top of their health before it was too late.
How lovely to see that Michael Landon’s family is carrying on his legacy. It’s heartwarming to see!
