Shannen Doherty Posts Sweet Memories Of Actor Michael Landon

Jun 17, 2021 by apost team

It's always surprising to find out how two actors might know each other, whether it's through previous work or personal connections. One recent example came from former "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed" actress Shannen Doherty, who shared a photo of herself from the beginning of her career on her Instagram. The photo shows Doherty grinning widely with adorable gaps in her teeth.

What's interesting is that the photo is from the early '80s show "Father Murphy," which was created by revered actor and filmmaker Michael Landon. Although she was posting a photo of herself from her childhood, Doherty took the opportunity to honor Michael in her post. She detailed some behind-the-scenes details of the series, as well as noting that it wasn't the only time the duo worked together — he also cast her in one of the later seasons of "Little House on the Prairie."

Landon first shot to fame in the late '50s on the legendary TV show "Bonanza" before taking on other iconic acting roles, such as in "Little House on the Prairie" and "Highway to Heaven." He was incredibly well-loved by audiences, which helped to establish his beloved legacy. However, sadly, he passed away in 1991 at the age of 54 due to pancreatic cancer. 

Although Michael was taken too soon and is no longer with us, his memory lives on through his nine children. Some of them have followed their father into the entertainment industry, both in acting and behind the camera. This includes Christopher Landon, who commented on Doherty's touching post himself.

Fans of Shannen Doherty may not have recognized her in the photo she posted to her Instagram a few days ago. Taken from her time on the show "Father Murphy," the image shows a young Doherty who would have been around 11 years old at the time. Bright-eyed and showing off her kid's teeth in a wide grin, if it wasn't for her cherubic cheeks, the actress would be barely recognizable from how she looks as an adult. Doherty captioned the post: 

"Father Murphy. My first job with the amazing Michael Landon producing. I also worked with Jack Elam who was a wonderful character actor. We worked in Tucson, Arizona in 100 degree plus weather wearing buckskins and I loved every minute. It remains one of my fondest memories."

Michael Landon has been well-loved by fans ever since his star-making turn in "Bonanza," but to know how dearly Doherty remembers their time together just reinforces how great a person he was. She finished her caption with:

"Michael soon after cast me in Little House New Beginnings where I had the privilege of him directing me many times. #buckteeth"

After his success on "Bonanza," Michael hit TV gold once again in 1974 when he took on the role of Charles Ingalls in the series "Little House on the Prairie," which was adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of books. Michael played the patriarch of a family living on a farm in rural Minnesota from the 1870s to the 1890s. Not only did he act in it but Michael was also involved in the production side as executive producer and director. 

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While still working on "Little House on the Prairie," Michael also created "Father Murphy" in 1981 and served as the show's executive producer, as well as directing it alongside a few other people. Although it only ran for two seasons, it did bring Doherty and him together, which led to him casting her in the ninth season of "Little House on the Prairie," which went by the name "Little House: A New Beginning."

By that point, Michael wasn't acting on "Little House on the Prairie" anymore but was still heavily involved in the production side. Clearly, his work on the show's crew left an indelible impression on Doherty, who felt compelled to post about her experiences with him and the show decades later. 

Michael's son Christopher Landon is one of nine children that the actor had and he's probably the most famous. Working as a director, producer, and screenwriter in Hollywood, Christopher has built a successful career for himself, working frequently in the horror genre. He commented on Doherty's post with a red heart emoji, to which Doherty replied with two more.

Other commenters shared that they loved Doherty's work with Michael, while her "Beverly Hills, 90210" co-star Jennie Garth left her own message mentioning her daughter:

"This is amazing! ps fiona and I are rewatching LHOTP and she keeps asking me when you’re going to be on❤️"

Fans of Doherty's early work would probably remember her time on "Father Murphy" and "Little House on the Prairie" and might have already known that she'd worked with Michael. Nonetheless, it's incredibly heartwarming to see her publicly mention him and their time together as one of the fondest of her life.

Did you know Shannen Doherty had worked with Michael Landon, not once but twice? If you learned something from this then pass it on so others can find out!