'Highway To Heaven' Reboot To Debut Shortly After Late Star Michael Landon's 85th Birthday

Oct 31, 2021 by apost team

Michael Landon was an American actor, writer, director, and producer, best known for his television roles — primarily Little Joe on "Bonanza" and Charles Ingalls on "Little House On The Prairie." The actor was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995 and has appeared on the cover of TV Guide 22 times — a feat only accomplished previously by Lucille Ball. 

Landon has been recognized for his writing abilities as well as for his acting. His script for the "Bonanza" episode "Forever" was considered one of the most memorable television specials of all time by TV Guide in 2002. The script featured an emotional recalling of the beloved character Hoss, portrayed by Dan Blocker prior to his passing. Landon began directing the show in 1968.

The star used much of what he learned from writing and directing on "Bonanza" when he worked on "Little House On The Prairie." Landon was also incredibly loyal to the people he worked with, including producer Kent McCray, director William F. Claxton and composer David Rose who all worked with Landon on "Bonanza," "Little House On The Prairie" and "Highway to Heaven."

Outside of his career, Landon was a family man who was married three times and had nine children. His first marriage was to Dodie Levy-Fraser, his second to Marjorie Lynn Noe, and his third wife was Cindy Clerico. Despite the tumultuous nature of some of the relationships, most ended amicably. His last marriage ended with his death in 1991 from pancreatic cancer. Landon celebrates his heavenly birthday today and would have turned 85 years old had he been with us. 

Now in a timely fashion, for not long after what would have been the star's birthday, Lifetime is making a TV-movie series reboot of the 1980s drama "Highway to Heaven" that starred Michael Landon.

Landon was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz on Oct. 31, 1936, in a neighborhood of Queens, New York, called Forest Hills. He was born to Peggy O'Neil, a dancer and comedian, and Eli Maurice Orowitz. When he was 4, Landon's family moved to Collingswood, New Jersey, near Philadelphia. 

Landon attended Collingswood High School and was an excellent javelin thrower. His 193 feet and 4-inch toss in 1954 was the longest throw by a high schooler that year in the entire United States. Being a javelin thrower earned Landon a scholarship to the University of Southern California. However, he tore his shoulder ligaments his freshman year and decided to leave school entirely. 

The star had a difficult time growing up but made sure not to repeat the same mistakes his family made. Landon said to People magazine, "I never wanted to have a family even close to what (my parents had), and I never have." 

After dropping out of college and still living in Los Angeles, Landon decided to pursue a career in show business. He took a job as a gas station attendant at a service station across from Warner Bros. studios and was eventually noticed by an agent. This was when he decided to change his name by selecting "Michael Landon" from a phone book.

Landon went on to be featured in a number of films, including the 1957 flick "I Was a Teenage Werewolf," "High School Confidential" in 1958, and "The Legend of Tom Dooley" in 1959. He also appeared in many television series throughout the late 50s before landing the role of Little Joe Cartwright on "Bonanza." Landon was 22 when the series began airing, and it ran from 1959 till 1973.

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Apart from his professional life, Landon was also known for his somewhat tumultuous personal life. Landon was married to Dodie Levy-Fraser in 1956, at the time he was beginning his acting career. The couple adopted two children together, Mark and Josh, but they eventually divorced in 1962.

It is believed that Landon had begun seeing his second wife, Lynn Noe, that same year. Noe was an American actress best known for her time on the television series "The Mike Douglas Show." Upon meeting Landon, Noe already had a daughter from a previous relationship named Cheryl, who was nine at the time. 

Noe and Landon initially met on the set of "Bonanza." They were married in 1963, the year after the birth of their first child together, Leslie Ann. Landon chose to adopt Cheryl when the couple got married. The pair then went on to have three more children, Michael Jr., Shawna Leigh, and Christopher Beau. The couple divorced in 1982.

Landon's third marriage was to Cindy Clerico, a producer who first met Landon when she was working as a makeup artist on the set of "Little House On The Prairie." Clerico and Landon were married the same year their daughter Jennifer was born, in 1983. In 1986, Clerico and Landon had another child, a son named Sean. Tragically, Jennifer and Sean were still young children when their father passed away in 1991. 

Not long after what would have been the actor's 85th birthday, Lifetime is making a TV-movie series reboot of "Highway to Heaven," according to TV Line. Grammy winner Jill Scott will star in the role equivalent to Landon's as an angel, while "7th Heaven" actor Barry Watson will play the principal who becomes aware of her identity. The reboot is set to premiere on Nov. 6, 2021. 

Will you be watching the reboot movie? Let us know your thoughts, and be sure to pass this on to other Michael Landon fans you know!