Over the years, Cindy Landon has recorded a few accomplishments as a former make-up artist and producer. However, her popularity soared due to her marriage to the American actor and filmmaker, Micheal Landon. The couple’s love story spanned 8 years during which they created countless memories, supported each other, and also shared two children – Jennifer Landon and Sean Matthew Landon.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Michael was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, an illness that ultimately claimed his life. Nonetheless, Cindy and her children refuse to let his memory fade away and have since become advocates of the disease through their shared foundaton. Here’s all to know.
Cindy Landon is a Native of Los Angeles
Cindy (Clerico) Landon was born to her parents on January 27, 1957, and she’s 67 years old at present. We learned that she was raised in Los Angeles, California and her origins can be traced back to her Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.
Following her penchant for privacy, other information about her such as her siblings and parents’ identities and education pursuits have remained shrouded in mystery.
She also Pursues a Career in the Entertainment Industry
Even though Cindy is mostly known because of her marriage to the legendary actor Michael, she also holds her end in the entertainment industry. From our findings, she began her journey in the industry as a talented makeup artist, but her ambition and determination made her pursue a different path as an actress and producer. She made a notable appearance in the 1991 video documentary titled “Micheal Landon: Memories with Laughter and Love” paying homage to her husband.
Cindy later appeared in an uncredited role as a Hippie woman in the 1978 film “Coming Home” which was directed by Hal Ashby. Following this, she earned guest appearances in films such as “The Last Shot”, “Unity” and “The Eyes of Thailand”. She later ventured into producing and earned her first credit as the co-producer of the documentary “Whaledreamer”. She later continued with projects like “After Kony: Staging Hope”, “Sanctuary” and “Game Changer”.
Since the loss of her husband, Cindy has managed to navigate her life without being thrust into the public eye. At the moment, she is mostly involved in philanthropic works as well as overseeing the operations of the organization named after her and her late husband; “The Micheal and Cindy Foundation”. Moreover. she actively supports other foundations in the fight against cancer as a shared commitment to making a difference.
Read Also: Elaine Aronson Is Curtis Armstrong’s Wife: Their Life Together
Cindy Landon and Michael Landon Were Married For 8 Years
Cindy and her late husband Micheal shared a beautiful love story that originated on the set of the beloved television series that originated on the set of the television series “Little House on the Prairie”. At the time they crossed paths, her husband was an actor on the show and starred as Charles “Pa” Ingalls while she worked as a stand-in and makeup artist.
The pair would later begin a relationship that garnered attention particularly because of their age difference. Cindy, at the age of 28 was 20 years younger than Michael who was 46 at the time. Aside from this, Michael was reportedly still married to his second wife Lynn Noe when he started a relationship with her, and news made waves that she may have caused their split after almost two decades of being married. His first wife was Dodie Levy-Fraster.
Nevertheless, age proved to be inconsequential for Cindy and Micheal as they tied the knot on Febuary 14, 1983. Their wedding took place in an intimate ceremony attended by close friends and family members. Even though they kept their marriage from the spotlight, some information still managed to reach the public. One of such is linked to the fact that he hurt his second wife Neo who was also an actor. However, he shared that it wasn’t his intention to hurt her. He also added that;
You don’t dissolve a relationship to go to bed with someone 20 years younger. You have to have major differences and a deep-rooted need to stop a relationship after as many years as I was married,” Landon said.
“I would have done anything to make that relationship continue, but I could not,” he continued. “It’s not just difficult for the wife. It is painful for the husband too.”
Michael defended his third marriage several times and was positive that the third time was the magic. True to this, the couple spent 8 beautiful years together before Michael’s unfortunate passing after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 54 years old when he died in 1991.
Meet the Two Children of Jennifer and Michael
Cindy and Michael’s union blossomed into a beautiful family, as they welcomed two children into their lives.
Jennifer Landon
Their first child Jennifer was born on August 29, 1983, and she’s 41 years old right now. Following in the footsteps of her parents, Jennifer developed an interest in acting from a young age. At just 5 years old, she made her debut on the film “Highway to Heaven” sharing the screen with her late father, Michael Landon.
As Jennifer grew older, her dedication to the craft led her to pursue a formal education in drama at New York University. Today, she thrives as a professional actress and has made appearances in films and TV series such as Yellowstone”, “Animal Kingdom”, “Helstorm”, “Days of Our Lives”, and “Banshrr”.
In the wake of her father’s tragic passing, she became an advocate for individuals living with pancreatic cancer. She tirelessly raises awareness, encouraging early diagnoses and management.
Mattew Landon
Mattew ( 38), Cindy and Michael’s second child came into the world in 1986, three years after the birth of his sister. Unlike Jennifer, he prefers to lead a very private life, keeping a low profile away from the media outlets. However, behind the scenes, he has carved out a successful business in the property business and is mostly regarded as a renowned real estate agent. His expertise has earned him recognition from many media outlets.
In addition to his professional business, he joins his sister and mother to advocate for people living with pancreatic cancer lending his support to help others access necessary medical care.
Aside from Cindy and Michael’s two children, Michael is also a father of 5 more children linked to his first two marriages. They include his two adopted sons (Mark Fraser Landon and Josh Fraser) following his marriage to his first wife, an adopted daughter (Cheryl), and three more children with his second wife. Not so much has been established about them since they maintain relatively private lives.