Michael Landon Movies
The son of a Jewish movie-publicist father and an Irish Catholic musical-comedy actress, Michael Landon grew up in a predominantly Protestant New Jersey neighborhood. The social pressures brought to bear on young Michael, both at home and in the schoolyard, led to an acute bedwetting problem, which he would later dramatize (very discreetly) in the 1976 TV movie The Loneliest Runner. ... (read more) Determined to better his lot in life, Landon excelled in high school athletics; his prowess at javelin throwing won him a scholarship at the University of Southern California, but a torn ligament during his freshman year ended his college career. Taking a series of manual labor jobs, Landon had no real direction in life until he agreed to help a friend audition for the Warners Bros. acting school. The friend didn't get the job, but Landon did, launching a career that would eventually span nearly four decades. Michael's first film lead was in the now-legendary I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957), widely derided at the time but later reassessed as one of the better examples of the late-'50s "drive-in horror" genre. The actor received his first good reviews for his performance as an albino in God's Little Acre. This led to his attaining the title role in 1959's The Legend of Tom Dooley, which in turn was instrumental in his being cast as Little Joe Cartwright on the popular TV western Bonanza. During his fourteen-year Bonanza stint, Landon was given the opportunity to write and direct a few episodes. He carried over these newfound skills into his next TV project, Little House on the Prairie, which ran from 1974 to 1982 (just before Little House, Landon made his TV-movie directorial bow with It's Good to Be Alive, the biopic of baseball great Roy Campanella). Landon also oversaw two spinoff series, Little House: The New Beginning (1982-83) and Father Murphy (1984). Landon kept up his career momentum with a third long-running TV series, Highway to Heaven (1984-89) wherein the actor/producer/director/writer played guardian angel Jonathan Smith. One of the most popular TV personalities of the '70s and '80s, Landon was not universally beloved by his Hollywood contemporaries, what with his dictatorial on-set behavior and his tendency to shed his wives whenever they matured past childbearing age. Still, for every detractor, there was a friend, family member or coworker who felt that Landon was the salt of the earth. In early 1991, Landon began work on his fourth TV series, Us, when he began experiencing stomach pains. In April of that same year, the actor was informed that he had inoperable pancreatic cancer. The courage and dignity with which Michael Landon lived his final months on earth resulted in a public outpouring of love, affection and support, the like of which was seldom witnessed in the cynical, self-involved '90s. Michael Landon died in his Malibu home on July 1, 1991, with his third wife Cindy at his side. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Us
1991
It was impossible back in September of 1991 to objectively critique the TV movie Us. The film had been intended as the pilot for a new series, to be produced, directed and...
Where Pigeons Go to Die
1990
Michael Landon produced, directed and wrote the 1990 TV movie Where Pigeons Go to Die. Landon also narrated the story as the adult counterpart of young protagonist Robert Hy...
American Red Cross Emergency Test
1990
This medical instructional video is produced by the American Red Cross. Taking the viewer first through a twenty-question test on proper procedures for life-threatening medical...
Blue Angels
1989
"The Blue Angels" are the United States Navy's precision flying team, who have been dazzling audiences with their airborne feats of expertise and daring-do since 1946. Blue...
Highway to Heaven: Season 05
1988
For its fifth and final season on NBC, Highway to Heaven was moved from its familiar Wednesday-night timeslot, first to Tuesdays at 9 PM (EST), then to Fridays at 10 PM. No...
Monsters and Maniacs
1988
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Highway to Heaven: Season 04
1987
Remaining in its familiar Wednesday-night slot on NBC, Highway to Heaven entered its fourth season with probationary angel Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon) still...
Highway to Heaven: Season 03
1986
Probationary angel Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon) still hasn't earned his wings by the time Highway to Heaven enters its third season, but that does not stay him from...
Highway to Heaven: Thoroughbreds, Part 2
1985
In the conclusion of a two-part story, wealthy horse breeder Mr. Armstrong (Stephen Elliott) is still dead set against the romance between his playboy son Garth (John...
Highway to Heaven: Thoroughbreds, Part 1
1985
Highway to Heaven closes out its first season with episode one of a two-part story. Angel-in-training Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon) is assigned to a horse-breeding...
Highway to Heaven: The Right Thing
1985
This episode of Highway to Heaven reunites star-writer Michael Landon with his former Little House on the Prairie co-star Matthew Laborteaux. Be that as it may, the...
Highway to Heaven: An Investment in Caring
1985
A strong cast of veteran stage and screen actors distinguish this episode, in which a neighborhood largely comprised of senior citizens is in danger of obliteration. A soulless...
Highway to Heaven: The Banker and the Bum
1985
Ned Beatty plays a dual role in this episode as insensitive banker and mayoral candidate J. Melvin Rich and happy-go-lucky hobo Willy the Waver. Hoping to cure {%Mr....
Highway to Heaven: A Match Made in Heaven
1985
Guest star James Troesch and his wife, Theresa Troesch, co-wrote the script for this episode in which he recreates his characterization of Scotty, an ebullient young...
Highway to Heaven: As Difficult as ABC
1985
High-school basketball star Brian Baldwin (Glenn Michael Jones) has been assured a hefty scholarship to the college of his choice. Unfortunately, Brian is disqualified...
Highway to Heaven: A Child of God
1985
William Windom guest stars as Reverend Stearns, an otherwise above-board minister who has let his personal feelings nearly ruin his life. Because his daughter Marsha...
Highway to Heaven: One Winged Angels
1985
The "real" world clashes head-on with the Heavenly afterworld when probationary angel Jonathan (Michael Landon) is assigned to straighten out the trouble-prone son (Wil...
Highway to Heaven: Going Home, Going Home
1985
An unconscious Mark (Victor French) is hurtled "forward into the past" as the result of a traffic accident. Ending up in the West of his childhood, Mark comes faces to...
Highway to Heaven: Plane Death
1985
The angelic Mark (Victor French) is reunited (after a fashion) with his old Air Force buddy, who is now a border drug-enforcement agent. Unfortunately, Mark's friend has...
Highway to Heaven: Season 02
1985
Probational angel Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon) and his mortal sidekick Mark Gordon (Victor French) continue helping unfortunate souls and perform earthly good deeds...