why do middle-aged people get all choked up at mentions of michael landon?

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

something, as a gen x-er, i've wondered about for years

sure, he died too young, obviously--

---but what is it about the guy that nearly everyone my parents' age reveres? to me, he was a mullet-haired, b actor in sappy tv, but it never fails to amaze me how even the most intelligent baby boomers idolize him for seemingly no apparent reason.

it seems like this obsession also runs generation-wide, too-and moreso than other fallen tv icons.

[salin]

1. guessing that they are tapping into their own

sentimentality - remembering watching bonanza and the young brother... and the choking up is in relation to aging in general. Granted this is a big guess as I only saw the show in reruns.

[Swede]

2. Don't go dissing little Joe!

:cry:

[AuntieM1957]

13. Maybe it's just the middleagers that you know

at 48, think I qualify for middle age.

and nary a tear here at the mention of, yes, I agree with you - the mullet head Michael Landon.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

16. maybe it's a wv thing

but i remember people around here going into morning when he died. as teens, we couldn't understand what our parents (especially our mothers) saw in the guy

[Saphire]

3. I'd rather not talk about it right now...

[caty]

12. Welcome to DU!!

:hi:

[Lannes]

4. Landon wouldnt let his kids watch any other show but little house

While it was on.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. I thought he wouldn't let his kids watch any TV

I read an interview at the height of the Little House mania. He claimed they watched no TV at all.

Perhaps he eventually allowed them to see his show?

[Lannes]

8. I saw an interview with him and on ET many years ago

and thats what he said.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. I couldn't stand the guy

He was an arrogant pompous fool.

[caty]

6. We grew up with him.

From--"The Legend of Tom Dooley"--to "I was a Teenage Werewolf"-- to "Bonanza" --to "Little House on the Prairie"--to "Highway to Heaven"--and many other movies and TV appearances--he just seemed to be there as we grew up.

:applause:

[Kathy in Cambridge]

9. I really only remember him from "Little House on the Prairie"

we used to make fun of his hair.

[KG]

10. to keep from laffing out loud?

he always seemed like a really bad joke to this middle-ager

[evlbstrd]

11. Since I never get choked up about him,

does that mean I'm not middle aged? I did see Bonanza when it was new, not in reruns. But I never watched any of his other stuff.

edit: forgot a word.

[AuntieM1957]

15. Never thought I'd feel sorry for Pat Robertson

but your photo is bringing up emotions I didn't think were there.

Listen, if he doesn't pass that kidney stone soon, would you take him to hospital, please?

[evlbstrd]

18. Hell, no!

Let him pass it on his own.
Welcome to DU!

edit to add: some DUers have more compassion than others!.

[montana_hazeleyes]

23. All this time ,

I was thinking he was in terrible need of a laxative!:hurts:

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. Then there MUST BE something wrong with you

LOL and me too. I could never stand Little Joe. Hoss was my favorite. And Adam was lots cuter.

[Kat45]

14. I don't. I've always pretty much ignored him.

When I was little, I didn't watch "Bonanza" because I hated westerns. And I never watched 'Little House' or 'Highway" because they were too sappy. I've accidentally caught pieces of the latter, but I don't think I ever watched a second of "Little House' -- and proud of it! :-)

[micrometer_50]

17. I remember him being a guest on Johnny Carson's show

He was talking about a coffee enema.

It still chokes me up.

:cry:

[devilgrrl]

19. I hate to rain on everyone's parade but...

Michael Landon was a major league asshole and treated people less than himself - meaning pretty much everybody - like absolute crap. Say what you want about his TV/Film roles, he was a jerk in life.

[tjdee]

20. He was hot and had a nice butt. I'm just sayin'.

Thanks to Deadwood, I gave Bonanza another look, and I kinda dig it. Michael Landon had a great smile and that character is too adorable!

I also dig Highway to Heaven. Sappy, yes. But leaps and bounds above Touched by an Angel--I think what made it work was Landon.

There's something almost *too* earnest about him (in TV, anyway). I could see how that would be annoying as hell...but it's also endearing.

I'm not quite 30. Then again, I'm not really choked up, either.

[6000eliot]

27. I thought Adam was hotter.

[Starlight]

21. I'm middle aged and I never could stand him.

stop generalizing! :spank:

[Individualist]

22. I'm 62

and was disgusted with Landon even before he became such a "big star" to so many people. Soon after Bonanza began showing on TV, Landon was invited to appear on an area March of Dimes telethon. While talking about crippled children, he began shedding crocodile tears - an obvious act. To see someone using crippled children as an excuse to display his pathetic talent for acting thoroughly disgusted me. I never would watch any show he was on after that.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

25. I always thought he was just a tad too Polly Pure Bred

for my taste, although I had nothing against him as a person. I just never quite trust the clean-cut set.

[6000eliot]

26. I thought he was creepy back then

And I haven't changed my opinion in the intervening years.

[2Design]

28. used to have pictures of him tape to my walls

that was poster size pictures
loved 'little joe'
and highway to heaven
never watched the praire show