Michael Landon
(Eugene Maurice Orowitz)
actor, producer-director, writer
Born: 10/31/1936
Birthplace: Forest Hills, New York
Talented actor who starred for 14 years in Bonanza (1959–73) then went on to act in and executive produce other series such as Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven. He made his film debut in I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) which has become a cult classic. By the end of the Bonanza run, Landon had gained proficiency in writing and directing episodes of the series. He turned down several offers before agreeing to play Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie (1974–82) then left to develop Highway to Heaven (1984–89) in which he played an angel. Landon had begun work on a new series, Us, when he died of pancreatic and liver cancer.
Died: 7/1/1991 See also: