Jennifer Landon plays the fiery, foul-mouthed Teeter with pink hair on the hit series Yellowstone, which will end its fifth season this month. Her heavy west Texas accent is so strong that it can be comically difficult to understand at times, much to the amusement of Cole Hauser’s tough character, Rip Wheeler.
However, in real life, Jennifer is far removed from the wild, rugged character she plays. The 41-year-old actress hails from Malibu, comes from a Hollywood family, and grew up around TV sets, even appearing as a child on a well-known show since she is the daughter of Michael Landon, the “Little House on the Prairie” and “Bonanza” star.
Unlike a Star Daughter
Michael Landon passed away in 1991 at the age of 54. He played Charles Ingalls on “Little House on the Prairie” from 1974 to 1983. After those shows, Michael starred in another successful show, “Highway to Heaven”, which aired from 1984 to 1989.
Jennifer made appearances as a young child on that series alongside her father.
Jennifer’s mother, Cindy Landon, also had a role on “Little House on the Prairie,” working as a makeup artist on set.
Michael and Cindy were married from 1983 until his death in 1991.
Michael divorced his second wife, Lynn Noe, and married Cindy in Malibu in February 1983, while Cindy was pregnant with Jennifer. The couple later had a son, Sean, in 1986. Before marrying Cindy, Michael had two earlier marriages.
His first marriage was to Dodie Levy-Fraser, and together they had a son, whom Michael adopted, and later had a biological son. His second marriage was to Lynn, with whom he had five children.
“It is devastating beyond comprehension to lose a parent, especially at an early age,” she told the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
“When dad was fighting the disease, Sean was too young to understand. I understood more; I knew if he was doing well or not well on any given day.”
She added, “When he passed away, I suddenly saw things differently and questioned everything.
“Even today I question rules and structure. I can’t say how much his death has affected me, but I know it’s a significant part of the fabric of who I am.”
Following in the Footsteps of Her Father
Jennifer has had a long and successful acting career. She is also well-known for her portrayal of Gwen Norbeck Munson on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns.
Landon had a dual role on “As the World Turns”—her main character, Gwen Norbeck Munson, and her lookalike, Cleo Babbitt. She left the show in 2008.
For her performance, Jennifer won three Daytime Emmy Awards.
She has also appeared on “House” in 2011, “Chicago Med” in 2017, “The Resident” in 2018, and “The Orville” in 2019. From 2021 to 2022, Landon played Sarah Allen on “FBI: Most Wanted.”