Profile of the Day: Michael Landon

Michael Landon

Remember watching Little House on the Prairie? On this day in 1936, star Michael Landon was born in Queens, New York.

He was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz to Peggy O’Neill, a dancer and comedy actress, and Eli Maurice Orowitz, a theater manager and publicist. Once he started acting school, he changed his name to “Michael Landon” after finding the name in a phone book.

In 1959, he landed his first starring role on television on the hit western series Bonanza. The show would be one of the first television series to be broadcast in color. He next landed one of his most memorable roles as the head of the Ingalls family in the show Little House on the Prairie. Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s best-selling book series, the wholesome show was beloved by audiences. Landon held multiple hats on the show, directing several episodes throughout the series’ run.

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Image: Wikimedia Commons