In the 1950s, Hollywood capitalized on the market of teenage movie goers with a bevy of Grade B horror films that were nothing more than ScreamFests! One of the more popular ones was the 1957 cult-classic "I Was A Teenage Werewolf."

The plot was simple: Troubled teen, school hassles, girl friend, turns into a monster, wreaks havoc but has no clue..... You get the picture.

The film marked the debut of none other than Michael Landon. Landon was 21 at the time, just getting his feet wet in the entertainment business before his stardom.

After a string of small roles in television and film, Landon landed his first starring role in the 1959 TV series "Bonanza". He played youngest son "Little" Joe Cartwright. Landon received more fan mail than any other character. By 1965, the show was No. 1, and Landon negotiated a deal to write and direct some episodes.

After Bonanza was canceled in 1973, Landon landed on his feet with, perhaps, his most famous role. He played Charles Ingalls, the father of the future author Laura Ingalls Wilder, in the TV series Little House On The Prairie. Landon served as executive producer, writer, and director of Little House.

Landon also executive produced another successful series, Father Murphy, before returning to the acting while starring in Highway To Heaven. HTH was another family-oriented successful series on NBC.

Landon was with NBC for 30 years. He diagnosed with pancreatic cancer April 5, 1991. He died July 1, 1991 in Malibu, CA. He was 54.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org