I Promised My Dad: An Intimate Portrait of Michael Landon (Hardcover)

~ Cheryl Landon Wilson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After actor, director and scriptwriter Michael Landon became incurably ill with cancer, his stepdaughter Cheryl Wilson determined "to honor and protect his name" following his death. This balanced portrait, written with freelancer Scovell, accomplishes its purpose, although the Landon it presents turns out to be less admirable than the star's heroic TV personas. Born Eugene Orowitz, the young Landon was shunned by school peers and unappreciated by his remote father and insulting mother. He Landon changed his name and later later starred as Little Joe in the TV series Bonanza ; roles in Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven soon followed. Landon married three times (Wilson is the daughter of his second wife); in general, Wilson remembers him fondly, although she was heartbroken by his decision to leave her mother, his wife of 18 years, for another woman. Two sides of Landon emerge: the model father who helped Wilson recover after a car accident and an addiction to painkillers, and the moody practical joker who withdrew from loved ones during his third marriage. More a description of Landon's domestic life than his career, this biography views him through eyes both adoring and disappointed. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

For those who grew up with television's Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, and Highway to Heaven, Michael Landon was a familiar and beloved figure. News of his inoperable cancer and untimely death rocked the country. Here, his stepdaughter tells his complex story, from an unhappy childhood, through several marriages, to his ultimate triumphs as a father and an actor/writer/director. She is compassionately honest about his shortcomings and continually reemphasizes his positive qualities. Cheryl's gratitude for Landon's love and generosity shine through. He treated her as his own daughter and stood by her while she recuperated from a horrifying car accident. This is as much her story as it is his, and there is an unshakable feeling of both love and sadness beyond its final pages. For circulating libraries.
- Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, N.J.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (November 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671793527
• ISBN-13: 978-0671793524
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #739,520 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars No Intimate Portrait of Michael Landon, August 24, 2003

By	H. C. Traveller (Guildford, Surrey United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I totally agree with Kandice Esposito's excellent, articulate and objective synthesis of this book. Michael Landon deserves an infintely better biography than this.

Michael's journey through life was not an easy one and he had both his good and less good sides as we all do. But I would like to read a book that compassionately reflects his life's journey from being a survivor of child abuse to one of the most beloved and successful individuals in the history of television.

Cheryl Landon's book seems to me to be the autobiography of a needy individual not yet able to fully resolve her relationship with her late stepfather. The book is poorly written in terms of content and structure and is very poorly illustrated. There are so many wonderful and evocative photos of Michael that could have been used to make this book a collector's item for that aspect alone.

I am so glad that I didn't waste my money on this book and, instead, bought the A&E Michael Landon Biography from Amazon. It is a fascinating, compassionate and respectful video that tells the viewer so much about Michael and it also contains many utterly delightful family photos as well as very interesting comments from his family, friends and colleagues. This video is a fine tribute and one that all of us who hold Michael in affection can enjoy

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, July 9, 2001

By	Deborah Ava Esposito (NC, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had mixed emotions after reading this book. I felt it was extremely self-serving and biased, both on the part of the writer. I feel that Michael Landon, had he wanted a book written about himself, should have been respected enough to make that decision for himself. This book wallows way too much in the emotions of the writer, often seeming whiny and desperate. It also seems to be a biography of the writer herself, not only about her stepfather. "I promised my dad" -Promised your dad to write a book about elements that were best left private and sacred, or at the very least, should have had his permission to disclose? Promised him to write a book about yourself and your own misgivings? There were also many subtle negative inferences to Michael Landon's wife Cindy, as well as her relations. This book seems to be a poor attempt to salve regret. Michael Landon deserved much, much better. I think Michael Landon's memory would have been better served through a more professional, gracious and respectful medium than the spirit in which this book was created. This book does not seem a fitting tribute to such a fine individual, actor, director, writer, husband, father, friend and grandfather.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, but you shouldn't stop here., July 21, 2006

By	S. Renuard "Eclectic" (Mount Ida, AR United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a terrific book for any Michael Landon fan who wants to know the more personal side and home life of the man. But if you truly want to know all sides of him, there are other books out there that show a more unbiased look you should read as well. You have to keep in mind that this comes from a grieving daughter who is still bitter over his divorce from her mother. Although there's no doubt that she loved him dearly, being an actual step-daughter, it's obvious that she took her mother's side in the divorce. There are always two sides to any dispute. I'm not saying he did nothing wrong. But she conveniently leaves his side out, not only about the divorce, but about how unfair she makes his will seem. After reading several other books on Michael Landon, the whole picture comes more clearly into view. Over all, I would still strongly recommend this book, but it shouldn't stand alone.