Michael Landon tricked guest star into eating birdseed

Michael Landon is a television icon, a star who appeared in three of the most popular shows of the 60s, 70s and 80s – Windfall, Little house in the meadow, and Highway to paradise. Landon has made headlines many times throughout his life for his firm belief in family-friendly programming, as well as his sometimes controversial personal life. These days, much of the controversy has died down, and fans remember him for his pioneering work in television – and for his habit of playing a lot of practical jokes behind the scenes on his shows, including understood Little house in the meadow.

Michael Landon was the driving force behind ‘Little House on the Prairie’

Born in 1936 under the name Eugène Maurice Orowitz, Michael Landon had a few difficult years as a child. Still, Landon found salvation in sports and in high school he became an expert javelin thrower. He got a track and field scholarship due to his expertise with the javelin, but after an injury where he tore his shoulder ligaments, his career as a varsity athlete was sidelined, according to Biography.

After being noticed by a Hollywood agent, Landon turned to an acting career. During the mid-fifties, Landon starred in a variety of television shows and films, including, notably, I was a teenage werewolf. In 1959 Landon was cast in Western television Windfall, opposing actors like Lorne Greene and Dan Blocker. Landon became a star due to her work on the series and appeared on the series until she passed away in 1973.

Michael Landon loved playing practical jokes

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Michael Landon wasted no time after Windfall stopped broadcasting and immediately began work on a new series, based on the popular series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Little house in the meadow made its television debut in 1974 and has grown into one of television’s most iconic shows. Landon has been heavily involved in the creation of the series, from writing episodes to portraying Charles Ingalls, the patriarch of the Ingalls family.

By this time, Landon was a superstar, regularly gracing the covers of magazines. Landon had made a bit of a reputation as a prankster, especially among his friends and co-stars. According to History 101, Landon enjoyed playing practical jokes on everyone on the set of Little house in the meadow, regularly surprising co-stars with insects, spiders and frogs. He was best known for his somewhat rude habit of putting a live frog in his mouth, which would jump and terrify whoever he was filming with.

Alison Arngrim revealed Michael Landon’s most hilarious prank

Alison Arngrim, who played the mischievous and spoiled Nellie Oleson on Little house in the meadow, opened up to Megyn Kelly in a 2018 interview on Today’s show, speaking of the usual Michael Landon prank. In the interview, Arngrim praised Landon (who died of pancreatic cancer in 1991) for his warm sense of humor and recounted how Landon once greeted a guest star on the set of Little house in the meadow. Arngrim did not reveal the name of the guest star, but did say that she is someone who appreciates health and fitness very much, and complements Landon on her youthful appearance.

Landon, with a straight face, told the woman he maintained his youthful appearance by eating a cup of birdseed each morning before breakfast. Not only did the woman believe her story, according to Arngrim, but she actually bought birdseed in bulk, in an attempt to copy Landon. Clearly, Landon’s good humor and outgoing nature made an impression on his co-stars that will never be forgotten.