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Michael Landon (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz; October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor and filmmaker. 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).
- Early life
- Acting career
- Writing
- Later years
Michael Landon was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz, on Saturday, October 31st, 1936, in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. In 1941, he and his family moved to Collingswood, New Jersey.
When Eugene was in high school, he participated -- and did very well -- in track and field, especially javelin throwing, and his athletic skills earned him a scholarship to USC. However, an accident injured his arm, ending his athletic career -- and his term at USC -- and he worked a number of odd jobs and small roles to make ends meet and decided ...
In 1968, after almost ten years of playing Little Joe, he wanted an opportunity to direct and write some episodes of the show. After the season finale in 1972, Dan Blocker, who played his older brother Hoss and was also a close friend, died from a blood clot in his lung, after gall bladder surgery, but Michael decided to go back to work, revisiting...
By the end of the fifth season in 1989, French was diagnosed with lung cancer and died in June of that same year. Landon was devastated by the loss and pulled the plug on Highway to Heaven (1984). In early 1991, after 35 years of working on NBC, he was axed by the network, so he moved to CBS to star in the pilot of a two-hour movie, Us (1991), in w...
- October 31, 1936
- July 1, 1991
Apr 2, 2014 · Orowitz landed a place in the acting school instead of his friend, and changed his name to Michael Landon after finding the name in a phone book.
- He Chose His Stage Name From The Telephone Book. Born Eugene Maurice Orowitz, he admitted that he simply chose the new moniker by flipping through the white pages.
- He Was A Record-Holding Athlete. Michael broke the record for javelin throwing while still in high school in 1954 and went on to earn an athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California.
- Chuck Norris Taught Him Karate. The notorious martial artist and star of The Way of the Dragon counted Michael among his famous students, which also included Priscilla Presley, Steve McQueen, and Bob Barker.
- He Did Poorly In School Despite A High IQ. His focus on athletics in high school had a detrimental effect on his grades after being a straight-A student in elementary school.
6 days ago · Michael Landon was an American television actor, director, and producer who was best known for his work on the series Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie. He also notably appeared in the cult film I Was a Teenage Werewolf and in the TV series Highway to Heaven.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Michael Landon was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz on October 31, 1936, in New York City, New York, USA, to Peggy (née O'Neill) and Eli Maurice Orowitz. He had a sister named Evelyn who was three years older than him.
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In 1941, he and his family moved to Collingswood, New Jersey. When Eugene was in high school, he participated -- and did very well -- in track and field, especially javelin throwing, and his athletic skills earned him a scholarship to USC. However, an accident...
