Inside Michael Landon’s Relationships: The Three Women Who Married the TV Icon
Get the full story behind the ‘Little House’ star’s three marriages and the women he loved most
Michael Landon rose to superstardom thanks to his starring roles on hit television shows like Bonanza, which aired from 1959 to 1973, and Little House on the Prairie, on the air from 1974 until 1983. Throughout his successful career, Landon became a husband three times, welcoming nine children along the way.
The actor first wed Dodie Levy-Fraser, followed by his marriage to actress Marjorie Lynn Noe and, finally, his union with Cindy Landon. Despite his time being tragically cut short at age 54, Landon lived a very full and fortunate life. Learn more about Landon’s three marriages and the women he said “I do” to.
Dodie Levy-Fraser
The actor met his first wife, Dodie Levy-Fraser, at a young age, tying the knot when he was just 20 years old in 1956. Dodie had a son, Mark, from a previous marriage, who Landon adopted as his own after their wedding. The couple later adopted a second son, Josh, who was born in 1960.
Despite Landon’s rise to fame, thanks to his starring role on Bonanza, there is very little known about his marriage to Dodie. The two were only married for about six years, eventually divorcing in 1962 after Landon began having an affair with Lynn Noe, who would become his second wife.
Lynn Noe
Landon met his second wife, Marjorie Lynn Noe, while on the set of Bonanza. Landon, who played Little Joe Cartwright in every episode of the series, met Noe when she had an uncredited appearance in one episode as a Saloon Girl in 1960. He was 23 at the time, while Noe was 26.
Landon was unfaithful to his first wife with Noe, as he was experiencing difficulties with his marriage. He and Noe began a secret relationship, leading to his divorce from Levy-Fraser in 1962.
Once the divorce was finalized in December 1962, Landon and Noe quickly eloped in Mexico in January 1963. Noe had a daughter, Cheryl Ann Pontrelli, from her previous marriage, so when the two married, Landon adopted her.
The couple went on to have four children of their own. They first welcomed daughter Leslie Landon in 1962, followed by their son Michael Landon Jr. in 1964, daughter Shawna Landon in 1971 and son Christopher in 1975.
Unfortunately, their marriage became shaky and eventually fell apart after Noe found out about her husband’s affair with Cindy Clerico in 1980. Their divorce was finalized in 1982.
Cindy Landon
Landon’s third and final marriage began in a similar manner to that of his second. The actor met Cindy Clerico while filming Little House on the Prairie, where Clerico was a makeup artist and stand-in actress. Landon was married to Noe at the time of their meeting, but sparks flew anyway.
The two began having an affair, which led to the eventual end of his marriage with Noe. Shortly after his divorce, Michael and Cindy became husband and wife in a small California backyard ceremony of only 30 guests on Valentine’s Day in 1983. Cindy was pregnant with their child, Jennifer Landon, at the time of their vow exchange.
The Landons welcomed Jennifer in August 1983 and in 1986 had a second child, son Sean. Sadly, their marriage was cut short in 1991 when Landon died at age 54 of pancreatic cancer.
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