All About Jennifer Landon’s Parents, Cindy Landon and the Late Actor Michael Landon

Jennifer Landon followed her father’s footsteps into Hollywood.

The Yellowstone star was raised by her father, Michael Landon, who was best known for his roles in the hit 1960s and ‘70s shows Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie and her mother, Cindy Landon, who was a makeup artist on the set of Little House on the Prairie and an actress.

Before she was the star of Yellowstone, she was acting at a young age alongside her father, Michael, on the set of his show Highway to Heaven. She appeared in the fifth season’s 13th episode titled “Merry Christmas from Grandpa.”

Jennifer has often shared heartfelt memories with her father, telling the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, “His mission was to genuinely — and on a spiritual level — connect with people. When I watch his shows, I can see that even though he’s acting, he is always tethered to the audience.”

“Even today I can feel the connection he and I had. Although I was a kid, he talked to me like an adult and treated me like one,” she continued.

Although Jennifer was only a child when Michael passed away from cancer, she has often shared her memories of growing up with him and her mother, Cindy.

Here is everything to know about Jennifer Landon’s parents, Cindy and Michael Landon.

Michael Landon was a beloved actor

Through the 1950s and into the 1990s, Michael was a fixture on television. He is best known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza, Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven. He appeared on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, with only Lucille Ball beating his record.

Michael was known for his professional performances on set. Cindy, his widow, told Fox News, “If you watch Little House, truly it was like watching Michael. The love that he had for his family, the type of person he was — it was all apparent.”

Cindy is a makeup artist and actress

Jennifer’s mother, Cindy, has worked in the entertainment industry for decades. Known best for her work as a producer on documentary films like Sanctuary and Whaledreamers, she has also worked behind the scenes as a makeup artist and stand-in actress. It was when she was a stand-in on set that she met Michael.

Although Michael was married to his second wife, Marjorie Lynn Noe, at the time, sparks flew between Cindy and Michael. Actress Karen Grassle, who played opposite Michael as Carolina “Ma” Ingalls, recalled in her book Bright Lights, Prairie Dust: Reflections on Life, Loss, and Love from Little House’s Ma, that Michael spoke with Cindy “longer than he talked to anyone else.”

Michael and Cindy tied the knot in 1983

Things got serious between Cindy and Michael after their meeting on set.

Michael divorced his second wife, Lynn Noe, and married Cindy in a quiet ceremony with only 30 guests. The California backyard beach wedding set in Malibu happened on Valentine’s Day 1983. Cindy was pregnant with Jennifer at the time.

Michael and Cindy stayed together until 1991, when Michael died at 54 years old from pancreatic cancer.

They welcomed two children

Before Michael met Cindy, he was married twice. In both relationships, he had children. In his first marriage to Dodie Levy-Fraser, he adopted her son, and the couple adopted another son together. He fathered five children with his second wife, Lynn.

Early in his relationship with Cindy, he became a father for the eighth time, to daughter Jennifer, who was born the same year they married. They welcomed a son, Sean, in 1986. Michael died when Jennifer and Sean were young.

“It is devastating beyond comprehension to lose a parent, especially at an early age,” she told the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. “When dad was fighting the disease, Sean was too young to understand. I understood more; I knew if he was doing well or not well on any given day.”

She added, “When he passed away, I suddenly saw things differently and questioned everything. Even today I question rules and structure. I can’t say how much his death has affected me, but I know it’s a significant part of the fabric of who I am.”

Jennifer has special memories of her late father

Growing up, Jennifer was obsessed with strawberry milk, and one winter in Colorado, Michael made a special surprise for her: strawberry milk snow.

After fresh snow had fallen, Michael had a trick up his sleeve.

“We were really not allowed to drink it [strawberry milk] at home,” she told the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. “To my delight, my dad had covered the entire backyard in (Nestlé) strawberry Quik. He brought out spoons and let me run around eating as much strawberry snow as I could.”

“That’s only one of the many, many awesome memories I have of him,” she added. “He loved to create adventure for us kids.”