Un père trop célèbre

So, the film lacks all of the hype of recent Tv movies. But makes up for it in good performances. I was truly impressed with John Schneider's performance. At first, I didn't even know it was him. He melts into the character of Michael Landon with ease. The film revolves around Michael Landon Jr.'s memories of his father and his life growing up as the son of a famous actor. His father is portrayed as the wholesome figure we all knew from his shows, but grows into a cheating husband and throws his families away, again and again. It was refreshing to see a different aspect of Michael Landon's life.

This film is about the life and times of Michael Landon, fifties teenage b-movie actor and star of successful and long-running TV series like "Bonanza", "Little House on the Prairie" and "Highway to Heaven". It focuses on the private life of Landon, reaching from his early "Bonanza" days in the sixties to his sad cancer death in 1991.

Directed by his son, Michael Landon jr., it is rather an autobiography about a tragic father and son relationship. As Landon left his family very early for another younger woman, it's the only thing that this movie is really about. What could have become an interesting portrait of a TV actor is just a boring and cheesy kitchen sink drama and a bit of an autotherapy of the director. You won't learn much about Landon or his works, but more about his hair styles during all those decades. And that's not enough for an interesting movie.

For any parent who has several adult children, the odds are that one of those children are going to have strong negative feelings about something true or perceived to be true about something their parent did or did not do.

I had the honor of writing (in 1996) the online biography for the 'Michael Landon International Internet Fan Club. I grew up watching Bonanza and raised my own family during Little House on the Prairie. I once again travelled with Michael during Highway to Heaven.

Michael had his own set of problems with his parents, which had nothing to do with divorce. Michael Sr.'s problems were those of 'identification'. His father, a Jew, was a workaholic and detached from his mentally ill mother, who was a Catholic.

It is pretty easy to see why Michael Landon became a 'controller' as he matured during his later 'Bonanza' days. He lived, as a child, teen and young adult in a home that he had little, if any, control over his own life.

What happened between Michael Landon and his second wife, Lynn Noe was between them. I spoke extensively to the late Victoria King, Michael's older sister. She related that Lynn, who became a 'born again Christian' was at odds with Michael, who was happy being Jewish and that his children, particularly Michael Jr., was angry because of his parents' divorce, but also because his father would not 'convert' to Christianity.

Vicky said that even during the time that Michael was dying he was told by family members that he would 'go to hell', if he didn't convert. Thank God that God is the Judge of our fate. Otherwise, we would all be in trouble.

One of the statements Michael Landon made that really hit home with me was, "In my dreams, my children love me". I do pray that his children will forgive him for what they think or perceive to be wrongs against them. He could have left them without a dime to fend for themselves, but he loved his children, provided for them, their mothers and even his own mother and sister, which he did not have to do.

Michael Landon, thanks for all the fond memories you gave and continue to give millions, (thank goodness for reruns!) and, may your memory be for a blessing.

Carol 'Channah Leah' Shoemaker

I'm sorry Mr OhioBonanza - it seems you are too emotionally involved with the Landon's for any impartial reasoning. Did you fail to read the title : 'The Father I Knew' / 'A Father's Son' ???????

It's a son's recount - who was clearly taken for granted and at times, forgotten by his self-indulgent, hormone-crazed father - of this man who was his parent. & for someone who wasn't there to disregard what he experienced growing up being Michael Landon Jnr - is very selfish, arrogant and mean spirited.

**************A stale piece of hogwash, 16 May 2004. This film vilifies Michael Landon, a man of extraordinary talent, guts, compassion,intelligence, and empathy for the downtrodden. I am a big Michael Landon fan...and I watched and taped the movie when it was aired years ago. It was completely biased. For example, it made Lynn Landon look like a poor betrayed wife...well, that is partially true, but nowhere did Michael, Jr. mention that Lynn was married to two men before Michael!!! Mr. Pontrelli...and then Mr. Manny Baier...She was older than Michael and more experienced...in many ways. She was said to be more concerned with her Beverly Hills status than with enjoying life with Michael. She wouldn't cook, and she apparently couldn't even be bothered to learn how to make a cup of coffee. Michael,Jr. also neglected to mention that he was heavily into drugs as an older teen, and that he was asked to leave the college he attended. Cindy was made out to be a teenybopper type; I have met Cindy, and she was warm and sensible..and she truly loved Michael. Such a superficial treatment by Landon, Jr., with bad acting, poor casting, hackneyed direction, and poor-me writing...makes this "daddydearest" a real loser. Avoid it; spend the time watching repeats of "Bonanza"..."Little House" and "Highway to Heaven".... Betsy

A homage from a son to a deceased father. It is always regretable to knock a tribute movie but due to a bad script the acting is flat and on occasions well over the top. (No children welcome their father in such a manner unless he has been away for a couple of hundred years.) Incidents like Landon Sr. bending a cheeky guy's finger for swearing in front of his children appear contrived and incidental to the story. As a whole the movie sprawls over too long a time period. I feel Landon Jr. should have focussed more tightly on key incidents and looked deeper into his own emotions, maybe then, the viewer could have more sympathy with his (Landon Jr's), predicament. The editing lacks sharpness and slows a boring movie down to a snail's pace. Even for daytime TV this movie has very little to engage the interest.