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Michael Landon

Michael Landon

Actor, director, producer and writer · Died July 1, 1991, aged 54 · Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Michael Landon (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz; October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is known 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). Landon appeared on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, second only to Lucille Ball.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 31, 1936
Died
July 1, 1991 (aged 54)
From
Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, director, producer and writer
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 54 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 30% in 30 days

What are Michael Landon's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
34%
Society
21%
Survival
16%
Self
9%
Morality
9%
Ideas
6%
Power
5%
Family bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeMortality2 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 2 · Dark 3

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 5 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 4 of 7 analyzed roles.

Hero
4 of 7
Mentor
2 of 7
Ally
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
6
Tense
5
Warm
5
Hopeful
6
Cathartic
2
Other
3

How their films linger

Hopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Michael Landon's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Landon's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

54 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page; 25 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Little House on the Prairie: A Merry Ingalls Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Executive Producer · as Charles Ingalls

  • Us (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Director · Executive Producer · Writer · as Jeff Hayes

  • Where Pigeons Go to Die(1990)

    Director · Executive Producer · Teleplay · as Adult Hugh Baudoum

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Creepy Classics (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Tony Rivers - (archive footage)

  • Highway to Heaven(1984)

    Show 111 episodes · Director · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer · as Jonathan Smith

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Sam's Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director · Screenplay · as Gene Orman

  • Little House: The Last Farewell(1984)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Charles Ingalls

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Little House: Bless All the Dear Children(1984)

    Executive Producer · as Charles Ingalls (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Little House: Look Back to Yesterday(1983)

    Producer · as Charles Ingalls

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Love Is Forever(1983)

    Executive Producer · as John Everingham

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Falcon Crest(1981)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • Father Murphy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 35 episodes · Director · Creator · Executive Producer · Producer · Writer

  • The Little House Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director · as Charles Ingalls

  • A Walking Tour of Sesame Street(1979)

    as Little Joe (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Killing Stone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • The Loneliest Runner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as John Curtis

  • Doug Henning's World of Magic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Actor

  • Little House on the Prairie(1974)

    Show 200 episodes · Director · Executive Producer · Producer · Production Executive · Writer · as Charles Ingalls

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Little House on the Prairie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director · Executive Producer · as Charles Ingalls

  • It's Good to Be Alive(1974)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Bing Crosby's Sun Valley Christmas Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Actor

  • The Special London Bridge Special(1972)

    as Tennis Player

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Electric Company(1971)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Swing Out, Sweet Land(1970)

    as Peter Minut

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Bonanza: Ride the Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Joseph 'Little Joe' Cartwright

  • Bonanza(1959)

    Show 431 episodes · Director · Story · Teleplay · Writer · as Joe Cartwright

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Johnny Staccato (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Legend of Tom Dooley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Tom Dooley

  • Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Aitchinson

  • The Rifleman(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Billy Mathis

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Texan(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Frontier Doctor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • God's Little Acre(1958)

    as Dave Dawson

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Wanted: Dead or Alive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Carl Martin · as Clay McGarrett

  • High School Confidential!(1958)

    as Steve Bentley

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Maracaibo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Lago Orlando

  • Tombstone Territory(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Chris Anderson

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Trackdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jed Daws

  • Alcoa Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Johnny Risk

  • Suspicion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Howard

  • I Was a Teenage Werewolf(1957)

    as Tony Rivers

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Fight for the Title (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Lombard

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Dan Overton · as Vance Coburn

  • Wire Service (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Pietro

  • State Trooper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Durando · as Willie Losada

  • The Adventures of Jim Bowie(1956)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jerome Juventin

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • These Wilder Years(1956)

    as Boy in Poolhall (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Telephone Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Matinee Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Eddie

  • Cheyenne(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Trooper (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Claude Duncan · as Dixon

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Don Burns · as Sandy

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Augie Barone

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 54 titles from 1948 to 2014.

Highest rated

Little House: The Last Farewell (1984)

Midcredits 92nd

Most popular right now

Bonanza (1959)

Film career

Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles.

  • 1957Screen debut· I Was a Teenage Werewolf
  • 1957First top-billed film· I Was a Teenage Werewolf

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting51 of 54: 38 only acting, 13 with another role · typical Midcredits score72ndDirecting13 of 54: 1 only directing, 12 with another role · typical Midcredits score75thWriting10 of 54: 0 only writing, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score81stProducing11 of 54: 0 only producing, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score81stOther crew3 of 54: 0 only other crew, 3 with another role

54 titles, 15 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 10 of them.

By decade

1940s1 · acting1950s28 · 28 acting · 1 crew1960s1 · acting1970s12 · 10 acting · 6 crew1980s9 · 8 acting · 6 crew1990s2 · 2 acting · 2 crew2010s1 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Michael Landon's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 13; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 75th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 23 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

The Special London Bridge Special (1972)

92nd percentile spread · 46% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, director, writer, producer

Little House: The Last Farewell (1984)

Midcredits 92nd · 82% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Michael Landon work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Landon's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Richard Bull shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles