Acting
Michael Landon
Born 1936-10-31
Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York, USA
Department: Acting
Biography
Michael Landon (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz; October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza (1959–1973), Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983), and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven (1984–1989). Landon appeared on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, second only to Lucille Ball.
Known For
Prominent works featuring Michael Landon
TV
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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
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Little House on the Prairie
1974
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Match Game
1973
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Bonanza
1959
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TV
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The Mike Douglas Show
1961
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The Rifleman
1958
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Highway to Heaven
1984
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Falcon Crest
1981
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Matinee Theater
1955
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Studio One
1948
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Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (128 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Little House on the Prairie: A Merry Ingalls Christmas | Charles Ingalls | Movie | 2014 |
| Little House on the Prairie: A Merry Ingalls Christmas | Executive Producer | Movie | 2014 |
 | A Bing Crosby Christmas | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 1998 |
 | The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts | Self - Roastee (archive footage) | Movie | 1998 |
 | Us | Jeff Hayes | Movie | 1991 |
| Us | Director | Movie | 1991 |
| Us | Writer | Movie | 1991 |
| Us | Executive Producer | Movie | 1991 |
 | Where Pigeons Go to Die | Adult Hugh Baudoum | Movie | 1990 |
| Where Pigeons Go to Die | Director | Movie | 1990 |
| Where Pigeons Go to Die | Executive Producer | Movie | 1990 |
| Where Pigeons Go to Die | Teleplay | Movie | 1990 |
 | Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC | Self | Movie | 1988 |
 | Creepy Classics | Tony Rivers - (archive footage) | Movie | 1987 |
 | Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 1985 |
| The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Michael Landon | Self | Movie | 1984 | |
| Hollywood '84 | Self | TV Series | 1984 | |
 | Highway to Heaven | Jonathan Smith | TV Series | 1984 |
| Highway to Heaven | Writer | TV Series | 1984 |
| Highway to Heaven | Director | TV Series | 1984 |
| Highway to Heaven | Executive Producer | TV Series | 1984 |
| Highway to Heaven | Creator | TV Series | 1984 |
 | Sam's Son | Gene Orman | Movie | 1984 |
| Sam's Son | Director | Movie | 1984 |
| Sam's Son | Screenplay | Movie | 1984 |
 | Little House: The Last Farewell | Charles Ingalls | Movie | 1984 |
| Little House: The Last Farewell | Director | Movie | 1984 |
| Little House: The Last Farewell | Writer | Movie | 1984 |
 | Little House: Bless All the Dear Children | Charles Ingalls (voice) (uncredited) | Movie | 1983 |
| Little House: Bless All the Dear Children | Executive Producer | Movie | 1983 |
 | Little House: Look Back to Yesterday | Charles Ingalls | Movie | 1983 |
 | Love is Forever | John Everingham | Movie | 1983 |
| Love is Forever | Executive Producer | Movie | 1983 |
 | Walt Disney: One Man's Dream | Self | Movie | 1981 |
 | Falcon Crest | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1981 |
 | Father Murphy | Director | TV Series | 1981 |
| Father Murphy | Producer | TV Series | 1981 |
| Father Murphy | Writer | TV Series | 1981 |
| Father Murphy | Executive Producer | TV Series | 1981 |
| Father Murphy | Creator | TV Series | 1981 |
 | The Little House Years | Charles Ingalls | Movie | 1979 |
| The Little House Years | Director | Movie | 1979 |
 | A Walking Tour of Sesame Street | Little Joe (archive footage) | Movie | 1979 |
 | Killing Stone | Director | Movie | 1978 |
| Killing Stone | Writer | Movie | 1978 |
| Killing Stone | Producer | Movie | 1978 |
 | The Loneliest Runner | John Curtis | Movie | 1976 |
| The Loneliest Runner | Writer | Movie | 1976 |
| The Loneliest Runner | Director | Movie | 1976 |
| The Loneliest Runner | Producer | Movie | 1976 |
| Doug Henning's World of Magic | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1976 | |
 | Donny & Marie | Self | TV Series | 1976 |
 | Doug Henning's World of Magic | Self | TV Series | 1975 |
 | Mitzi & 100 Guys | Self | Movie | 1975 |
 | People's Choice Awards | Self - Presenter | TV Series | 1975 |
| People's Choice Awards | Self - Host | TV Series | 1975 |
 | Little House on the Prairie | Charles Ingalls | TV Series | 1974 |
| Little House on the Prairie | Director | TV Series | 1974 |
| Little House on the Prairie | Writer | TV Series | 1974 |
| Little House on the Prairie | Producer | TV Series | 1974 |
| Little House on the Prairie | Executive Producer | TV Series | 1974 |
| Little House on the Prairie | Production Executive | TV Series | 1974 |
 | Little House on the Prairie | Charles Ingalls | Movie | 1974 |
| Little House on the Prairie | Director | Movie | 1974 |
| Little House on the Prairie | Executive Producer | Movie | 1974 |
 | It's Good to Be Alive | Director | Movie | 1974 |
 | Bing Crosby's Sun Valley Christmas Show | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1973 |
 | The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts | Self | TV Series | 1973 |
 | Match Game | Self | TV Series | 1973 |
 | The Special London Bridge Special | Tennis Player | Movie | 1972 |
 | The Electric Company | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1971 |
| V.I.P. Schaukel | Self | TV Series | 1971 | |
 | The Pet Set | Self | TV Series | 1971 |
 | Swing Out, Sweet Land | Peter Minut | Movie | 1970 |
 | The Dean Martin Christmas Show | Self (uncredited) | Movie | 1968 |
 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Self | TV Series | 1968 |
 | Rowan & Martin at the Movies | Self | Movie | 1968 |
 | Hollywood Squares | Self | TV Series | 1966 |
 | Bonanza: Ride the Wind | Joseph 'Little Joe' Cartwright | Movie | 1966 |
 | Hullabaloo | Self - Host | TV Series | 1965 |
 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | TV Series | 1962 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self - Guest Host | TV Series | 1962 |
 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self - Co-Host | TV Series | 1961 |
 | Bonanza | Joe Cartwright | TV Series | 1959 |
| Bonanza | Story | TV Series | 1959 |
| Bonanza | Director | TV Series | 1959 |
| Bonanza | Writer | TV Series | 1959 |
| Bonanza | Teleplay | TV Series | 1959 |
 | Johnny Staccato | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1959 |
 | The Legend of Tom Dooley | Tom Dooley | Movie | 1959 |
 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse | Aitchinson | TV Series | 1958 |
 | The Rifleman | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1958 |
| The Rifleman | Billy Mathis | TV Series | 1958 |
 | The Texan | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1958 |
 | Frontier Doctor | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1958 |
 | God's Little Acre | Dave Dawson | Movie | 1958 |
 | Wanted: Dead or Alive | Carl Martin | TV Series | 1958 |
| Wanted: Dead or Alive | Clay McGarrett | TV Series | 1958 |
 | High School Confidential! | Steve Bentley | Movie | 1958 |
 | Maracaibo | Lago Orlando | Movie | 1958 |
 | Tombstone Territory | Chris Anderson | TV Series | 1957 |
 | Trackdown | Jed Daws | TV Series | 1957 |
 | Suspicion | Howard | TV Series | 1957 |
 | Alcoa Theatre | Johnny Risk | TV Series | 1957 |
 | Tonight Starring Jack Paar | Self | TV Series | 1957 |
 | I Was a Teenage Werewolf | Tony Rivers | Movie | 1957 |
| Fight for the Title | Lombard | Movie | 1957 | |
 | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Dan Overton | TV Series | 1956 |
| Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Vance Coburn | TV Series | 1956 |
 | Wire Service | Pietro | TV Series | 1956 |
| State Trooper | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1956 | |
| State Trooper | Willie Losada | TV Series | 1956 | |
| State Trooper | Joe Durando | TV Series | 1956 | |
 | The Adventures of Jim Bowie | Jerome Juventin | TV Series | 1956 |
 | These Wilder Years | Boy in Poolhall (uncredited) | Movie | 1956 |
 | Telephone Time | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1956 |
 | Matinee Theater | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1955 |
 | The 20th Century Fox Hour | Eddie | TV Series | 1955 |
 | Cheyenne | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1955 |
| Cheyenne | Trooper (uncredited) | TV Series | 1955 |
 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Self | TV Series | 1954 |
 | General Electric Theater | Claude Duncan | TV Series | 1953 |
| General Electric Theater | Dixon | TV Series | 1953 |
 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Sandy | TV Series | 1951 |
| Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1951 |
| Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Don Burns | TV Series | 1951 |
 | Studio One | Augie Barone | TV Series | 1948 |
 | Bambi | Self (archive footage) | TV Series | 1948 |