Michael Landon Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Was Michael Landon’s Net Worth?

Michael Landon, an American actor, writer, producer, and director, had a net worth equivalent to $40 million in current dollars at the time of his passing in 1991. He is most recognized for his leading roles in numerous iconic television series. Notably, he portrayed Joseph “Little Joe” Cartwright in “Bonanza” from 1959 to 1973, Charles Ingalls in “Little House on the Prairie” from 1974 to 1983, and Jonathan Smith in “Highway to Heaven” from 1984 to 1989.

Landon graced the cover of “TV Guide” 22 times, second only to Lucille Ball. In 1979, he received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama for “Little House on the Prairie.” He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. Tragically, Michael passed away on July 1, 1991, at the age of 54 due to pancreatic cancer. If he were alive today, his fortune could exceed $100 million.

Early Life

Born Eugene Maurice Orowitz on October 31, 1936, in Queens, New York, Michael Landon had a Roman Catholic mother, Peggy, and a Jewish father, Eugene. He had an older sister, Evelyn, who was born in 1933. At four years old, Landon relocated with his family to Collingswood, New Jersey, where he attended Temple Beth Shalom in Cherry Hill throughout elementary school.

At Collingswood High School, Landon thrived in athletics, setting a record for the longest javelin throw in 1954. His achievements earned him an athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California, but after suffering a shoulder injury, he lost the scholarship and dropped out of college.

Becoming interested in show business, Landon worked as a gas station attendant across from Warner Bros studios, where he caught the eye of a local talent agent, Bob Raison.

Early Career

After Bob Raison discovered him, Landon adopted the name Michael Landon from a phone book.

He began with several small parts and uncredited appearances on television. In 1956, he got his first starring role in the series “Telephone Time,” featuring in the episode “The Mystery of Casper Hauser” as the lead character. His early movie credits include “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” (1957), “Maracaibo” (1958), “High School Confidential” (1958), “God’s Little Acre” (1958), and “The Legend of Tom Dooley” (1959). He also made guest appearances on shows like “Crossroads,” “The Restless Gun” (pilot episode aired on “Schlitz Playhouse of Stars”), “Sheriff of Cochise,” “Crusader,” “Frontier Doctor,” “The Rifleman,” “The Adventures of Jim Bowie,” “Johnny Staccato,” “Wire Service,” “General Electric Theater,” “The Court of Last Resort,” “State Trooper,” “Tales of Wells Fargo,” “The Texan,” “The Tall Man,” “Tombstone Territory,” and “Wanted Dead or Alive.” Additionally, he featured in several episodes of Dick Powell’s “Zane Grey Theater.”

Michael also ventured into singing, releasing a single titled “Gimme a Little Kiss (Will ‘Ya’ Huh)”/” Be Patient with Me” in 1957 and a second single, “Linda is Lonesome”/” Without You,” in 1964.

“Bonanza”

In 1959, Landon started his role as Little Joe Cartwright on “Bonanza,” one of the first nationally aired color television programs. The series became a colossal success, dominating Nielsen ratings as the top show for three consecutive years. As the breakout star, Landon received a substantial amount of fan mail compared to his co-stars. With his rising fame, Michael gained the opportunity to write and direct several episodes of “Bonanza.”

Moreover, he directed a memorable special of the show, “Forever,” which was a two-hour wedding episode.

He, along with Lorne Greene and Victor Sen Yung, participated in all 14 seasons, appearing in 428 out of 431 episodes.

Eventually, the ratings of “Bonanza” dropped, leading to its cancellation in November 1972, with the final episode airing on January 16, 1973.

“Little House on the Prairie”

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“Highway to Heaven” and Later Work

From 1984 to 1989, Landon took on the role of Jonathan Smith in “Highway to Heaven.” He was not only the star but also created the series and acted as an executive producer, writer, and director. This series, which ended in 1989, was the only one throughout Landon’s career that he solely owned, with him appearing in all 111 episodes.

In 1984, Landon released “Sam’s Son,” a coming-of-age film that he both wrote and directed, which was loosely based on his own childhood experiences.

Additionally, he appeared as a celebrity panelist during the launch week of CBS’s “Match Game.”

(Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Personal Life

Throughout his life, Landon was married three times, fathering nine children altogether.

• His first marriage was to Dodie Levy-Fraser from 1956 to 1962, with whom he had two children: Mark (adopted, Dodie’s biological son) and Josh (also adopted as an infant).
• From 1963 to 1982, Landon was wed to Marjorie Lynn Noe, and they had five children: Cheryl (Lynn’s daughter from her first marriage), Leslie, Michael Jr., Shawna, and Christopher.
• He married Cindy Clerico in 1983 and remained with her until his death in 1991, together having two children, Jennifer and Sean.

A self-professed chain smoker and heavy drinker, Landon was diagnosed with an advanced form of pancreatic cancer in 1991 after experiencing severe headaches. The cancer was deemed inoperable and terminal. On July 1, 1991, he died at 54 years of age in his home in Malibu.

Resting in a private family mausoleum at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California, Landon was laid to rest.

Real Estate

Michael owned a variety of valuable real estate properties, including a seven-bedroom mansion in Malibu with 70 feet of oceanfront. He sold that property in 1989 for $6 million, which would be approximately $11 million today. In 2014, a renovated version of that mansion sold for $40 million.

Another more private property he owned was an equestrian compound in Malibu Canyon featuring a 9,000-square-foot home. This property is still held by his surviving family.

During the 1970s, Landon and fellow “Bonanza” cast members…The undeveloped beachfront property in Malibu was co-acquired by actor Lorne Green. In 1979, this land was donated to the state of California with the stipulation that it be transformed into a public beach named in honor of their co-star Dan Blocker, who passed away in 1972. The property is now known as Dan Blocker Beach and was transferred by California to Los Angeles County in 1995 along with several other adjacent parcels.

Cindy Landon, Michael’s widow, purchased a mansion above Malibu’s Broad Beach for $7.5 million in 2015 and undertook a complete renovation of the residence. In 2018, she listed the property for $18 million but was unable to find a buyer. Subsequently, she rented the house for $100,000 per month until television mogul Seth MacFarlane acquired it for $15.7 million in 2019.