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Meet ‘Bonanza’ Star Michael Landon’s Last Wife & Mother of ‘Yellowstone’ Actress Jen Landon: Cindy Landon

We all remember the late “Little House on the Prairie” star Michael Landon for his phenomenal acting, charisma, and charm– but what about his wife? 

For a good portion of her life, Michael Landon’s wife, Cindy, has remained out of the spotlight. Recently, she’s garnered new-found fame for her work in the industry as a documentary filmmaker. 

Like Landon, Cindy also had a career in Hollywood. She began as a makeup artist, working on films, and later moved up the ranks. Following her husband’s death, she made her debut appearance in the 1991 documentary Michael Landon: Memories With Laughter And Love, directed by their son, Michael Landon Jr.

Afterward, in 2004, she worked on the production of Jeff Nathanson’s romantic comedy The Last Shot.” She later co-produced the 2006 documentary Whaledreamers

In 2011, she acted as the executive producer for the documentary After Kony: Staging Hope.  She then worked on the documentaries “The Eyes Of Thailand” in 2012 and Unity in 2015. She was recently an executive producer for Louie Psihoyos’ documentary The Game Changers in 2018.

It seems like Michael Landon and Cindy’s daughter, Jennifer, has also followed in their footsteps. You can catch her in season three of “Yellowstone,” as she plays the role of the rough and daring new ranch hand, Teeter. 

As one of nine children in the Landon family, she got her start on soap operas before making her way to the Dutton family ranch. 

Michael Landon’s Wife Recalls Moment Before He Passed

When Michael Landon was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April of 1991, his family had no idea that it would take his life just three short months later. Seven months after his passing, Cindy recalled the last days of his life. 

“It was hard to get the images of when he was sick out of my mind,” said Cindy. The two wed on Valentine’s Day in 1983. “Then I had a dream not long ago that he was fine but had only two weeks, and he was leaving us again.”

According to Cindy, when Landon shared the news with his kids, everyone was devastated. “I could feel every nerve in my body,” said Chris, one of his sons said, “like it was all lit up.”

By the end of summer of 1991, a hospice nurse told Cindy that her husband was in his final stage of life. 

When Michael Landon passed away on July 1, Cindy was by his side. His last words to her were, “I love you.”Cindy also said that “watching him go through the whole process” prepared her for that final moment.