Michael Landon’s children: Meet his nine kids from three marriages
Michael Landon’s children are Josh Mark, Michael Jr., Jennifer, Cheryl, Leslie, Shawna, Sean, and Christopher. He bore them in his three marriages with Dodie Levy-Fraser, Lynn Noe, and Cindy Landon. Many of them have followed in his footsteps and work in the entertainment industry as actors or directors.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Michael Landon’s children are Mark, Josh, Cheryl, Leslie, Michael Jr., Shawna, Christopher, Jennifer, and Sean.
- Michael Landon adopted three children: Mark, Cheryl and Josh Landon.
- Michael had two children with his first wife, Dodie Levy-Fraser: Mark and John Fraser. He had five with his second wife, Marjorie Lynn Noe, and two with Cindy Clerio.
- Out of his nine children, one, Mark Landon, is dead.
- His children have been involved in the entertainment industry as writers, directors, actors and producers.
Michael Landon’s children
Although some of Michael Landon’s children pursued careers in film and television, none reached the same level of global fame he did. Others left the entertainment industry altogether to follow their paths and have lived outside the spotlight. Here is a detailed look at Michael's nine children.
Mark Landon
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Mark Landon was the first child of Michael and Dodie Levy-Fraser. In 1956, at the age of eight, the couple adopted him. Mark followed in his father's footsteps and became an actor. He earned credits in Double Edge (1985), Us (1991), and Goodbye America (1997).
Unfortunately, on May 11, 20098, Mark was found dead in his home in West Hollywood, and buried at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Josh Landon
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Josh was born on February 11, 1960. Michael and Dodie adopted him as their second child. Josh has lived his life outside the public view, making it difficult to know personal details about him.
While little is known about his relationship with his father, Landon stated he did not like it when people referred to him as an adopted child.
They are my sons—period, not my ‘adopted sons.’ They are my sons and I am their father until they die—or I die.
Cheryl Ann Pontrelli
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Cheryl is Michael Landon's stepdaughter from Marjorie Lynn Noe's other relationship. After their wedding in 1963, they adopted her when she was about 9 to 10 years old. Although Michael Landon's daughter keeps her life private, she inspired her father to make the film "Highway to Heaven," in which Michael plays the role of an angel sent to earth to help people.
In 1973, Cheryl survived a car crash that killed four others, and Michael believed that divine intervention spared her life. Later, Cheryl wrote two books about his father: I Promised My Dad (1992) and Michael Landon’s Legacy: 7 Keys to Supercharging Your Life (2001). She became a motivational speaker and lecturer.
Leslie Landon
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Leslie Landon, Michael and Marjorie's first child, was born on October 11, 1965, in Los Angeles, California. She worked with her father in some of his films, such as Little House on the Prairie and Father Murphy.
Despite her relative success in the film industry, Leslie opted for a career away from the screen. She became a clinical psychologist after graduating with a bachelor’s and master’s from Pepperdine University and a PhD from California Graduate Institute.
In 1990, Leslie married Brian Matthews and has four children. Her eldest daughter, Racheal Matthews, is an actress, known for Happy Death Day.
Michael Landon Jr.
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Michael Graham Landon Jr., born on June 20, 1964, in Encino, California, was the second child born to Michael and Marjorie. At the age of 13, Michael Jr. began his acting career.
He appeared in Little House on the Prairie in the episode titled “The Election,” which he says “was my favourite of my father’s work and it greatly influenced the type of storytelling I wanted to pursue.”
From there, he was cast in Bonanza: The Next Generation, Superboy as Stretch, Back to Bonanza, Bonanza: The Return, and Bonanza: Under Attack. In addition to acting, Landon Jr. directed, wrote and produced films. In his 1999 film, Michael Landon: The Father I Knew, he details his privileged yet tumultuous childhood as the son of a superstar.
Regarding his love life, Michael Jr. is married to Sharee Gregory, and they have three children together: Ashley, Brittany, and Austin.
Shawna Leigh Landon
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On December 4, 1971, Michael and Marjorie welcomed their daughter, Shawna Leigh. Her acting credits include The Little House on the Prairie and The Little House Years. However, she left the acting industry to take on a different career path.
Shawna graduated from Beverly Hills High School and Loyola Marymount University, after which she held different roles. She was a retail associate at Theodore, a budget manager at MTV Networks and an administrative assistant at Teles Properties.
Furthermore, Shawna was a paraeducator at Southbay Adult School, a manager at Beck and Brix, and a marketing and outreach coordinator at Redondo Beach Police Foundation. Currently, she is a real estate agent at Compass in Beverly Hills.
Beyond her corporate pursuits, Shawna is a mother of three children. Dylan, Sophia and Olivia. Unfortunately, she lost her 27-year-old son Dylan on August 17, 2022. Shawna paid tribute to her son in a heartfelt Instagram post, noting that grief is not a strange occurrence since she lost her father at 19. Moreover, the thought that her son is with him consoles her.
Christopher Beau Landon
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Christopher was born on February 27, 1975, in Los Angeles, California, as the fourth biological child of Michael and Marjorie. He was a screenwriting student at Loyola Marymount University, but left after he landed a writing job.
He wrote Another Day in Paradise, Boys Life 3, Blood & Chocolate and Viral. Christopher also directed and produced films such as Burning Palms, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, and Happy Death Day.
Jennifer Landon
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Jennifer Landon is Michael’s daughter from his third marriage to Cindy Clerico. She is Michael’s most prominent child, as she was cast in Paramount’s Yellowstone in the role of Teeter.
Other films she is in include As The World Turns, The Young and the Restless, Days of Our Lives, Chicago Meds and The Resident. She won three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Gwen Norbeck Munson in As The World Turns.
Sean Matthew Landon
Source: Instagram
Sean Matthew Landon was five years old when his father died in 1991. On his 29th anniversary, he expressed gratitude for the time they spent together. He is a real estate executive at Douglas Elliman Real Estate. Previously, Sean worked at Coldwell Banker.
FAQs
- Who are Michael Landon's grandchildren? Michael Landon’s grandchildren are Ashley Landon, Brittany Landon, Austin Landon, Rachel Lynn Matthews, Justin Michael Matthews, Catherine Matthews, Joseph Matthews, Beau Landon‑Morris, and August “Gus” Kelly Landon‑Morris.
- How many kids did Michael Landon have? Michael Landon's kids are nine in total.
- How many times was Michael Landon married? Michael Landon married three times.
Final word
Although some of Michael Landon’s children pursued careers in film, others took different paths, exploring careers in psychology, real estate and other industries. They used their exposure to the entertainment industry to pivot into other fields, often acknowledging his influence in their lives. Beyond their careers, many have built families and maintained relatively low public profiles.
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