Hollywood Memorial

Actor, Writer, Producer, Director. Although he had a genius level IQ, he failed to maintain passing grades in high school. He was, however, a popular student and was considered by most to be very funny. Warner Brothers was impressed with an audition, signed him and sent him to acting school for four months. During this time he decided to take a stage name and chose the name Michael Landon, picking it from a telephone book. His first notable appearance on film was in ‘I Was a Teenage Werewolf’ in 1957. Around this time producer David Dortort had a television show in the works that he had created called ‘Bonanza’ and he was chosen for the roll of ‘Little Joe Cartwright.’ The show premiered on September 12, 1959 and was a hit for 10 of the 14 years it was on the air. Landon wrote and directed several of the episodes. His next project was ‘Little House on the Prairie.’ The series, which premiered in 1974 and ended in 1983, was very successful. Relationships with his fellow actors on these projects were an essential part of his life and many remained close friends until his death. In 1984 he started his last television series, ‘Highway to Heaven,’ which was to run until 1989. In April of 1991 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, famously saying goodbye to his fans with Johnny Carson on the tonight show. He is interred in a glassed off corridor in a crypt that receives constant attention from his family in Hillside Memorial Park.