Michael Landon was one of television's most beloved stars, known for his iconic roles in Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, and Highway to Heaven. But beyond the screen, he was also a devoted father to nine children from three marriages. His kids have followed a variety of paths – some stepping into the entertainment industry like their father, while others have pursued careers in psychology and real estate.
Sadly, the iconic star passed away in 1991 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, just three months after revealing his diagnosis to the world. With a busy life and nine kids to take care of, his daughter believed that Michael neglected his health and failed to notice the warning signs.
Join our midlife community and kick-start your Second Act with empowering advice and inspiring tips to create the life you want
By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.
"I think if my dad was alive today, he would say, 'Boy, I blew it. I really should have been staying on top of my health every year and making sure I was getting full check-ups,'" Leslie Landon told Fox News in 2024. "If you're a caretaker, your main priority is your family. So, it’s very easy to put your health on the back burner."
Join HELLO! as we discover all about Michael's large brood, and what their relationship to their famous father was really like prior to his untimely death.
Mark was born in 1948 to Michael's first wife, Dodie Levy-Fraser, and was adopted by the TV star in 1956 when he and Dodie married.
Although he pursued a career in acting, like his father, he did not achieve the same success and appeared in three projects: 1991's Us, written and directed by Michael, the 1985 film Double Edge, and 1997's Goodbye America. He sadly passed away in 2009.
Josh was Dodie's second son from her previous relationship, whom Michael also adopted in 1956.
While not much is known of Josh, his father was fiercely protective of him and his brother, Mark. "I hate it when someone calls [them] 'adopted'," he explained in 1962.
"They're my sons – period. Not my 'adopted sons.' They're my sons and I'm their father until they die – or I die."
Cheryl was Michael's third adopted child, whom he became a father to when he married her mother, Marjorie Lynn Noe.
In 1973, she was involved in a major car accident after a college party. “It killed everyone but her, and it broke everything in her – all her ribs, her neck, you name it," Michael told People in 1985.
The accident served as inspiration for the creation of his series, Highway to Heaven. Cheryl went on to become a motivational speaker and wrote two books about her father's life.
Michael and Marjorie welcomed Leslie in 1962. She went on to star alongside her dad in several episodes of Little House on the Prairie, although she pivoted to a career in psychology in her adulthood.
Michael Jr. was born two years after his sister Leslie, and also joined his father on Little House on the Prairie.
Following in his footsteps, Michael Jr. became heavily involved in the film industry and worked on movies like The Velveteen Rabbit.
He even spearheaded the film Michael Landon: The Father I Knew in 1999, which explored their complicated family dynamics. He now works on the series When Calls the Heart.
Jennifer is perhaps Michael's most well-known child, thanks to her role in the smash hit series Yellowstone.
Born in 1983 to Michael and his third wife, Cindy, Jennifer joined her father on an episode of Highway to Heaven before embarking on an acting career in earnest.
She went on to appear in As the World Turns, The Young and the Restless, and Days of Our Lives. The blonde beauty played Teeter in Yellowstone alongside Kevin Costner and Kelly Reilly.
