Michael Landon (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz; October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor, director, writer, and producer, best known for his iconic roles as Little Joe Cartwright in the long-running Western series Bonanza (1959–1973) and as the wholesome patriarch Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983).

A television legend whose wholesome, family-oriented characters embodied 1970s heartland values, Landon also created and starred in the inspirational series Highway to Heaven (1984–1989).