If you are a fan of the classic TV series Little House on the Prairie, you might have wondered if Leslie Landon, who played schoolteacher Etta Plum, is related to Michael Landon, who played Charles Ingalls. The answer is yes, they are father and daughter in real life. Here is everything you need to know about their family and professional relationship.
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Who is Leslie Landon?
Leslie Landon was born on October 11, 1962, in Los Angeles, California. She is the fourth child and second daughter of Michael Landon and his second wife, Marjorie Lynn Noe. She has eight siblings, including two brothers and a sister from her parents’ marriage, a half-sister from her mother’s first marriage, a half-sister and a half-brother from her father’s third marriage, and an adopted brother and a half-brother from her father’s first marriage
Leslie Landon started her acting career as a child actress, appearing in several episodes of Little House on the Prairie between 1975 and 1981. She also had a small role in the western film The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959), which starred her father However, her most notable role was as Etta Plum, the schoolteacher who replaced Laura Ingalls (played by Melissa Gilbert) in the final season of Little House on the Prairie. She also reprised her role in three TV movies based on the series: Little House: Look Back to Yesterday (1983), Little House: Bless All the Dear Children (1984), and Little House: The Last Farewell (1984)
Leslie Landon retired from acting in 1984 and pursued a different career path. She obtained a BA in psychology and an MA in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University and a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy from the California Graduate Institute. She is now a licensed therapist, specializing in children dealing with loss. She also co-authored a book titled When Children Grieve: For Adults to Help Children Deal with Death, Divorce, Pet Loss, Moving, and Other Losses
Leslie Landon married Brian Matthews in 1990 and they have four children together. Their eldest daughter, Rachel Matthews, is also an actress who made her film debut in Happy Death Day (2017), which was directed by her uncle Christopher Landon
Who is Michael Landon?
Michael Landon was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz on October 31, 1936, in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. He was an American actor, writer, director, producer, and singer who became famous 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). He also appeared on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, second only to Lucille Ball
Michael Landon had a troubled childhood due to his parents’ unhappy marriage and his mother’s suicidal attempts. He also suffered from bedwetting until he was 14 years old. He found solace in sports and excelled at javelin throwing, which earned him an athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California. However, he injured his arm and dropped out of college after one semester. He then worked various odd jobs and took acting classes to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. He changed his name to Michael Landon after entering acting school
Michael Landon made his film debut in These Wilder Years (1956) and his TV debut in Telephone Time (1956). He gained recognition for his role as Tony Rivers in I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957), which became a cult classic. He also starred in several western films such as The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959), God’s Little Acre (1958), and The Last Sunset (1961). However, his breakthrough role came when he was cast as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza (1959), one of the most popular TV shows of all time. He played the youngest son of Ben Cartwright (played by Lorne Greene) for 14 seasons until the show ended in 1973. He also wrote and directed some episodes of the show
Michael Landon continued his success with another hit TV series, Little House on the Prairie (1974), based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. He played Charles Ingalls, the patriarch of a pioneer family living in Minnesota in the late 1800s. He also served as the producer, writer, director, and executive producer of the show. He worked with his daughter Leslie Landon, who played Etta Plum, and his son Michael Landon Jr., who played Jim in one episode. He also became close friends with Melissa Gilbert, who played his daughter Laura Ingalls. The show ran for nine seasons and spawned three TV movies
Michael Landon created and starred in his third TV series, Highway to Heaven (1984), in which he played Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth to help people in need. He also wrote, directed, and produced many episodes of the show. He co-starred with Victor French, who played Mark Gordon, a former cop who became Jonathan’s human companion. The show was well-received by critics and audiences for its positive and uplifting messages. It lasted for five seasons until 1989.
Michael Landon was married three times and had nine children. His first wife was Dodie Levy-Fraser, whom he married in 1956 and divorced in 1962. They adopted a son, Mark Landon (who died in 2009), and a daughter, Josh Landon. His second wife was Marjorie Lynn Noe, whom he married in 1963 and divorced in 1982. They had four children: Cheryl Lynn Landon (from Marjorie’s previous marriage), Leslie Landon, Michael Landon Jr., and Shawna Landon. His third wife was Cindy Clerico, whom he married in 1983 and remained with until his death. They had two children: Jennifer Landon and Sean Matthew Landon.
Michael Landon was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 1991. He went public with his illness and appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) to talk about his condition and his optimism. He also planned to work on a new TV series called Us (1991), which was based on his own life. However, his health deteriorated rapidly and he died on July 1, 1991, at his home in Malibu, California. He was 54 years old. He was buried at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Leslie Landon and Michael Landon are related by blood as father and daughter. They shared a strong bond and worked together on Little House on the Prairie for several years. They also inherited their father’s talent and passion for acting and filmmaking. Leslie Landon followed her father’s footsteps as an actress, writer, director, producer, and therapist. Michael Landon left behind a legacy of memorable TV shows that touched millions of hearts around the world.
