Michael Landon is one of America’s finest television stars and creators. He was constantly in the limelight with him starring in, writing, producing, and directing three successful television shows for 30 consecutive years.

I first heard of Michael Landon when I was 18 and watched Bonanza on TV. I enjoyed his character of Little Joe. The youngest of the Cartwright family, with a fiery temper and unquestioned devotion to his father. His character was also one that ended up in comedic and dangerous situations. I was more impressed when I found out he was only 22 when the show started in 1959.

During his time on the show, he received more fan mail than the others, which proved the young actor’s popularity. It was also on Bonanza where he would learn about what happens behind the camera. He wrote his first script in 1962 and went on to direct his first episode in 1968. This experience would prove valuable. Bonanza would last until 1972, when it was cancelled after ratings dropped due to cast member Dan Blocker’s death.

The year after Bonanza was cancelled, he was cast as Charles Ingles on Little House On The Prairie. A show set around Charles and his family as they settle down and live life on their land. This character was similar to his previous one on Bonanza, as they were both family men who would fight for their families and give their lives if needed. The show proved to be as successful as Bonanza and gave Michael Landon more opportunities to write and direct episodes of the show. This is the show that gave him a look into what producers do for the show, and soon he ended up as executive producer for the show. He even got his kids on the show, and they too went on to have successful careers in the entertainment industry.

Little House ran from 1974-1983 with an explosive ending. Literally, they blew the set up for the finale. With all this knowledge of how to run a show, Michael Landon decided to create one. He got the inspiration for Highway to Heaven while driving through Beverly Hills, and everyone was honking and shouting, and he thought how much better it would be if everyone put as much effort into being nice as they did angry, how easy it would be.

He pitched the show to NBC, where they weren’t sure, but Landon said that if the pilot failed, he would do another one for free. It was a success, and Highway to Heaven was picked up with Landon as creator, co-writer, director, executive producer, and co-lead. It was again a successful show and followed Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to help people, and his human sidekick, Mark Gordon, played by Victor French, who was also in Little House. It ran from 1983-1988 and was cancelled due to the 1988 writers strike. A new series would never have happened due to Victor French’s death a few months after it was cancelled.

Michael Landon was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 1991 and had filmed a television movie he wrote, directed, and starred in, which was meant to be a pilot for a new series called Us. However, he died in July 1991, and the film aired posthumously in September 1991.