Michael Landon Had Some Strange Jobs Before He Got Famous on ‘Bonanza’ & ‘Little House’
Michael Landon, who starred as Charles Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie and Little Joe Cartwright on Bonanza, is surely one of the most instantly recognizable actors in TV history. However, despite his later success, it wasn’t easy for him to get started in Hollywood. And like many stars, he had his fair share of odd jobs just to pay the bills before he finally got his big break.
Way back in 1967, Landon was interviewed by The Register and opened up about his pay increase from $11,000 to $12,000 per episode on Bonanza. He admitted, according to MeTV, “It sure beats my last job, selling blankets door to door.”
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“I’d pick used Christmas cards out of trash cans, erase the names or paste labels over them, and sell them for two cents, a nickel, or a chocolate bar,” he continued. “Who could turn down a little kid? I’d get old lamps at the dump, fix them, and sell tin foil and newspapers to junk dealers. I’d have been a great junk man.”
Landon also said that he worked in a ribbon factory and a soup cannery, and washed cars for money.
During one of these gigs, while he was trying to break into TV, he was asked to do an acting test at Warner Bros. It led to his role in Bonanza. A few years later, he began starring on Little House on the Prairie, which he also directed. Unfortunately, he died far too young at the age of 54 in 1991.
Did you know that Landon had such odd jobs while he was trying to become an actor? What is the strangest job you’ve ever had? Let us know in the comments!
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