Michael Landon & His Third Wife Cindy Clerico's Sizable Age Gap Caught Attention

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Although Michael Landon became a star on the long-running western "Bonanza," for many people, his role as Charles Ingalls on "Little House on the Prairie" is his most iconic performance. From 1974-1983, Landon also directed, wrote, and served as one of the show's producers. The series became a family affair, since some of Landon's kids acted on the show, too. It also led to Landon's marriage to his third wife, Cindy Clerico.

Landon and Clerico's romance was complicated in multiple ways. Landon was married to Marjorie Lynn Noe when sparks  first flew between he and Clerico. There was also a 20-year age gap between the two. Since Clerico was an extra, it's not clear when she started working on "Little House on the Prairie," or exactly when she and Landon started dating.

Between the infidelity and the age gap,Karen Grassle, one of the the leading ladies of "Little House on The Prairie", found the relationship particularly hard to take. Landon had already annoyed Grassle during their intimate scenes with humor she found offensive. As Landon and Clerico fell in love, he made things awkward by oversharing. "I didn't want to think about his penis," Grassle explained in her 2021 memoir "Bright Lights, Prairie Dust" (via New York Post). "Mike began to arrive jubilant at the makeup table, crowing about the benefits of bee pollen for the aging male." Clerico eventually took a job in the show's makeup department, hopefully she wasn't working there when Landon was dishing these private details.

Even though Michael Landon's castmates on "Little House on the Prairie," may have been confounded about his relationship with Cindy Clerico, he and his ex-wife, Marjorie Lynn Noe, felt their marriage had insurmountable difficulties. In contrast, Landon and Clerico's commitment never wavered. Their marriage lasted from 1983 until Landon's death in 1991.The couple had two children. Their son, Sean Landon, went into real estate, while their daughter, Jennifer Landon, became an actor. Jennifer got her start on her dad's show "Highway to Heaven." Decades later, Jennifer starred on "Yellowstone,"  and then took a role on "Grey's Anatomy."

Clerico stayed in the entertainment industry as a producer, including working on a personally significant project: a reboot of "Highway to Heaven." Besides being her husband's last major show, "Highway to Heaven" captured the tight relationship between Landon and Victor French, his co-star and dear friend. Landon was motivated to create the show long before his marriage to Clerico, after his daughter Cheryl Landon was injured in a car accident. "Michael poured his heart and soul into these stories, and I know this new chapter would mean so much to him," Clerico explained on Instagram in May 2026.

Months later, Clerico shared a poignant post reflecting on her lasting bond with Landon. "I lost the love of my life, but I have never once lost him," she shared on Instagram. "He was my partner, my inspiration, the steadiest light I have ever known, and he remains that light still."