More comments about what Michael Landon and his work or legacy have meant to people

I admire Michael Landon’s exceptional talents as an actor, producer, director and writer and his overall dedication to his craft. In my opinion, he was (and still is) one of television’s most accomplished and creative stars on both sides of the camera. I believe that Michael was able to accomplish all that he did because of his exceptional talents, a high intellect, a positive can-do attitude, and an incredibly strong work ethic. All those qualities make up a nice recipe for success and are qualities for which he alone deserves credit and recognition.

Michael was one of the most handsome, charismatic, and gifted actors to ever grace the small screen. He was so believable that it was easy to get lost in the stories unfolding before my eyes and ‘forget’ that he was acting. I don’t know if actors think this way or not, but to me that is the ultimate compliment that I can give an actor. Although it’s rare for actors who have been so identified with one character to be as successful portraying another character, Michael did it not once, but twice, and I’m sure he would have done it again with Us. The fact that he was able to accomplish what few actors are able to do is a true testament to his exceptional acting abilities.

Michael’s dedication to producing great family programming, even though such programming was (and still is sadly) treated as some sort of poor relation to other primetime dramas, is very admirable. He could have just created the type of show that was ‘in fashion’ at the time, but he didn’t take the easy way out. Instead, he produced high-quality family programs that touched people in a positive way and I think that is a wonderful thing to do with your life.

I appreciate the positive messages embodied in his work and the extraordinary efforts he put in to creating (including his prolific work as a director and writer) such high-quality, heartfelt, and oftentimes thought-provoking shows. Sometimes his stories made me cry, sometimes laugh, but they always stirred up some tangible emotional response. Many of his shows provided great inspiration as you watched the outcome of the stories play out on your television screen. He also tackled some controversial issues head on, especially during Highway to Heaven, and by doing so he raised awareness in an entertaining format that gave viewers pause to think about the issues in a context that could serve as a springboard for discussion. I think the combination of emotional, inspirational and intellectual responses that his work triggered in me is why Michael’s work had such a profound and lasting impact on me.

Although I caught glimpses of Michael in a few of the last Bonanza episodes to air, enough to know that I liked what I saw, I really ‘discovered’ him on Little House on the Prairie. I did, by the way, eventually catch most if not all Bonanza episodes in syndication many years after it had ended its original run and really came to love his portrayal of Little Joe. But as much as I enjoy watching him as Little Joe and Jonathan Smith, I think I will probably always identify him the most with his role of Pa Ingalls.

Michael’s vision and immense talent enabled him to transform the Little House on the Prairie books into a series that is a television classic. Little House on the Prairie epitomizes good, honest, family television with shows that stress the importance of love, family, faith, and community while still being entertaining to watch. With Charles Ingalls, Michael created a character that was honest, loyal, faithful, firm and hardworking but yet still very loving, warm and affectionate. I marvel at how Michael was able to create an ideal but yet still realistic father figure because he wasn’t afraid to show that Pa Ingalls had some flaws and sometimes made mistakes and I don’t think any other actor then or now could pull that off as convincingly and as effectively as Michael did. It really was Michael’s portrayal of Charles Ingalls that made Little House on the Prairie so special to me, especially the wonderful closeness shown between Pa and Laura. I guess that father-daughter closeness hits a special chord in me because I had been so close to my own dad and lost him to cancer.

Highway to Heaven more than any other of Michael’s shows conveyed the message that we each possess the power inside of us to make a difference…to make our family, our community, our world a better place. Highway to Heaven episodes tackled big and sometimes controversial issues and in the process broadened my mind. Michael was able to entertain as well as inform. One only has to turn on their television to truly appreciate what a rare and wonderful gift he had. Some say that Highway to Heaven was preachy but it never came off that way to me. Jonathan never ‘glowed’ or passed on any personal message from God like they did on the later TV series Touched by an Angel. In fact, Jonathan and Mark rarely revealed their divine mandate or preached at those they were trying to help but instead tried to encourage or persuade people to do the right thing.

In both Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven there were many messages interwoven into the storylines: messages of hope, courage, forgiveness, friendship and love. Michael tried to show people how to love and laugh. He tried to use his craft to inspire viewers to be better people. Just watching episodes of Little House on the Prairie or Highway to Heaven makes you want to be a better person, to be more empathetic to the plight of other people, to get out there and help someone else, and be less judgmental of others.

I also admire Michael for the positive and constructive manner in which he handled his fame off-camera, including his work for charitable causes. In interviews, Michael always seemed so genuine and sincere and he exuded warmth, enthusiasm, energy, and just a real gusto for living life to the fullest. I also enjoyed his wonderful sense of humor, playfulness and overall sense of fun that came across in both his character portrayals and in his real-life interviews.

The fact that Michael was able to turn difficult childhood experiences and other disappointments in his life into positive opportunities is another reason why I admire him. I greatly appreciate his openness in discussing some of the difficulties he had encountered in his life. It seemed to me that Michael chose to share those difficulties that he had encountered where he felt that he could do some good, like his disclosures about the religious conflict and intolerance that he faced in his childhood home and community and his disclosures (and TV movie) about being a bed wetter which literally opened the door for meaningful discussions of, and education about, a condition that affects millions of children every year. Some of those early life experiences seemed to inform his later advocacy of tolerance and acceptance no matter a person’s race, religion, station in life, or mental or physical limitations.

My admiration for Michael grew even more as I watched how he handled the final chapter in his life. Facing your own impending death is one of the most difficult things a person has to deal with, but it had to be even more difficult for Michael to have to wage his battle and depart life with the eyes of the media fixated on him. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it must have been for him to do that press conference, and remain so upbeat and at times humorous, or to do those televised and print interviews discussing the prospect of his own impending death. Absent was any trace of self-pity for what had been dealt him. Each time he transformed those moments into a celebration or appreciation for life and used an adversity in his own life to pass on a positive and life-affirming message to all not to take life for granted…to live every minute. You might expect to see such a message depicted in one of Michael’s television shows, but this time he was living it and he never faltered. He was truly inspiring. All I can say is thank you, Michael, for the final gift (life lesson) you gave all of us by providing such a stellar example of how to face death with dignity, grace, courage, honesty, and humor.

When I think about Michael Landon two words always come to mind: heart and humor. For me, his legacy will always be about love, laughter, family, tolerance and acceptance of all people, and a concern for preserving our environment for future generations. He had stated his belief that one person can make a difference and I guess the best tribute to him is to acknowledge that he did make a huge difference during the time we were blessed to have him here with us. Although he was taken way too soon, Michael left behind a rich legacy of high-quality family entertainment that will be cherished from one generation to the next.

While Michael and the work that he would have done are sorely missed, I will always remember him with great affection, appreciation and admiration.

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