Michael Landon, Jr. (born on June 20, 1964 in Encino, California) is an American actor, director, writer and producer.

Biography[link]

Born as Michael Graham Landon, Landon is the son of the late actor Michael Landon and his second wife, Marjorie Lynn Noe. Michael is the brother of Christopher B. Landon, Leslie Landon, Shawna Landon and half-brother of Jennifer Landon and Sean Landon (from his father's 3rd marriage), and Cheryl Ann Pontrelli (his mother's daughter from her first marriage).

Landon Jr. married actress Sharee Gregory in December 1987. They have three children: daughters Ashley and Brittany and son Austin. Sharee Gregory is the older sister of former child actress Natalie Gregory.

Michael Jr. decided to embrace his Christianity at 18.^[1]

Career Credits[link]

Filmography as Actor[link]

• Bonanza: Under Attack (1995) (TV) .... Benjamin 'Benj' Cartwright
• Bonanza: The Return (1993) (TV) .... Benjamin 'Benj' Cartwright
• Back to Bonanza (1993) (TV) .... Host
• "Superboy" .... Stretch (1 episode, 1988)
• Bonanza: The Next Generation (1988) (TV) .... Benjamin 'Benj' Cartwright
• "Little House on the Prairie" .... Jim (1 episode, 1977)

Filmography as Director[link]

• The Shunning (2011) (TV)
• When Calls the Heart (2010) (TV)
• Deep in the Heart (2008)
• The Velveteen Rabbit (2007)
• Saving Sarah Cain (2007)
• The Last Sin Eater (2007)
• Love's Abiding Joy (2006)
• Love's Long Journey (2005) (TV)
• Love's Enduring Promise (2004) (TV)
• Love Comes Softly (2003) (TV)
• Michael Landon, the Father I Knew (1999) (TV)
• Michael Landon: Memories with Laughter and Love (1991) (V)

Filmography as Writer[link]

• When Calls the Heart (2010) (TV)
• Love's Unfolding Dream (2007) (Teleplay)
• The Last Sin Eater (2007) (screenplay)
• Love's Abiding Joy (2006) (teleplay) (television story)
• Love's Long Journey (2005) (TV) (teleplay)
• Love's Enduring Promise (2004) (TV) (teleplay)
• Love Comes Softly (2003) (TV) (teleplay)
• Michael Landon, the Father I Knew (1999) (TV) (story)
• Bonanza: The Return (1993) (TV) (story)

Filmography as Producer[link]

• When Calls the Heart (2010) (TV)
• Deep in the Heart (2008)
• Saving Sarah Cain (2007) (film) (producer)
• The Last Sin Eater (2007) (producer)
• Love's Enduring Promise (2004) (TV) (co-executive producer)
• Love Comes Softly (2003) (TV) (co-executive producer)

References[link]

1. ^ Christianity Today

External links[link]

• Michael Landon Jr. at the Internet Movie Database
• Personal interview with Michael Landon, Jr.

This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (May 2011)

Michael Landon
Born	Eugene Maurice Orowitz (1936-10-31)October 31, 1936 Queens, New York, U.S.
Died	July 1, 1991(1991-07-01) (aged 54) Malibu, California
Resting place	Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
Occupation	Actor, director, producer, writer
Years active	1956–1991
Spouse	Dodie Frasier (1956–62; divorced; 1 step-son, 1 adopted son) Lynn Noe (1963–82; divorced; 1 step-daughter, 4 children) Cindy Landon (1983–91; widowed; 2 children)

Michael Landon (October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is widely known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza (1959–1973), Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983), and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven (1984–1989). Landon appeared on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, second only to Lucille Ball (TV Guide, July 6, 1991).

Landon produced, wrote, and directed many of his series' episodes, including his shortest-lived production, Father Murphy, which starred his friend and "Little House" co-star Merlin Olsen. In 1981, Landon won recognition for his screenwriting with a Spur Award from the Western Writers of America. Although his youngest daughter Jennifer Landon and Bonanza co-star David Canary, have both won multiple Emmys, Michael Landon was never given the honor. In 1976, Landon wrote and directed an auto-biographical movie, The Loneliest Runner, which was nominated for two Emmys.

Early life[link]

Michael Landon was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz in Forest Hills, a neighborhood of Queens, New York.^[1][2] Landon's father, Eli Maurice Orowitz, was an actor and movie theater manager, and his mother, Peggy (O'Neill), was a dancer and comedienne. Eugene was the Orowitz' second child; his sister, Evelyn, was born three years earlier. His father was a Jewish American actor and his mother was from an Irish Catholic family. In 1941, when Landon was four years old, he and his family moved to the Philadelphia suburb of Collingswood, New Jersey. He attended and celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at Temple Beth Shalom,^[3][4] a Conservative synagogue, in Haddon Heights, an area that did not allow Jews until after World War II.^[5] His family recalls that Landon "went through a lot of hassle studying for the big event, which included bicycling to a nearby town every day to learn how to read Hebrew and do the chanting."^[6] He later attended Collingswood High School.^[1]

During his childhood, Landon was constantly worried about his mother's suicide attempts. Once the family went on a vacation on a beach, and his mother tried to jump off a cliff and drown herself, but a lifeguard was present and she was rescued. Soon after the attempt his mother acted as if nothing had happened. After a few minutes, Michael threw up. It was the worst experience of his life.^[7]

Landon also battled the childhood problem of bedwetting, an issue that was documented in his biography, Michael Landon: His Triumph and Tragedy. His mother would put his wet sheets on display outside his window for all to see. He would run home every day and try to remove them before his classmates could see.

In high school, Landon was an excellent javelin thrower, his 193’ 4” toss in 1954 being the longest throw by a high schooler in the United States that year.^[8] This earned him an athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California, but he subsequently tore his shoulder ligaments, ending his javelin throwing career and his participation on the USC track team.

Career[link]

Early work[link]

Landon decided on his surname by choosing it from a phone book.^[1] His first starring appearance was on the television series, Telephone Time in the episode, "The Mystery of Casper Hauser" as the title character. Other parts came - movie roles in I Was a Teenage Werewolf, High School Confidential, and the notorious God's Little Acre, as well as many roles on television, such as Crossroads (three episodes), The Restless Gun (pilot episode aired on Schlitz Playhouse of Stars), Sheriff of Cochise (in "Human Bomb"), Crusader, The Rifleman, The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Johnny Staccato, Wire Service, General Electric Theater, The Court of Last Resort, State Trooper (two episodes), Tales of Wells Fargo, Tombstone Territory (in the episode "Rose of the Rio Bravo", with Kathleen Nolan), among many others.

45 rpm record singles[link]

In 1957, Candlelight Records released a Michael Landon single, "Gimme a Little Kiss (Will "Ya" Huh)"/ "Be Patient With Me" during the height of his notoriety for role in the film, I Was a Teenage Werewolf. Some copies show the artist credited as the "Teenage Werewolf" rather than as Michael Landon.^{[citation needed]} In 1962, both the A- and B-side of the record were re-released on the Fono-Graf label that included a picture sleeve of Landon's then-current work on Bonanza as Little Joe Cartwright. In 1964, RCA Victor Records released another Landon single, "Linda Is Lonesome"/"Without You". All of Landon's singles have since been issued on compact disc by Bear Family Records as part of a Bonanza various artists compilation.^[9]

[edit] Bonanza

in Bonanza (1960)

In 1959, at the age of 22, Landon had his first starring TV role as Little Joe Cartwright on Bonanza, one of the first TV series to be broadcast in color. Also starring on the show were Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, and Dan Blocker. Landon's character was the youngest, sometimes quick tempered Cartwright brother. Landon later evolved into a "ladies' man", frequently appearing shirtless on the show. During Bonanza's sixth season (1964–1965), the show topped the Nielsen ratings and remained number one for three years. Landon, a left-hander, often performed his own stunts.

Receiving more fan mail than any other cast member,^[10] the young actor coaxed the powers-that-be^[who?] to allow him to write and direct some episodes. In 1962, he wrote his first script. In 1968, he directed his first episode. In 1993, TV Guide listed Little Joe's September 1972 wedding episode ("Forever"), as one of TV's most memorable specials. Landon's script fondly recalled brother Hoss, who was initially the story's groom, before Dan Blocker's untimely death. During its final season, Bonanza declined in the ratings and NBC cancelled it in November 1972. Its last episode aired on January 16, 1973.

Along with Lorne Greene and Victor Sen Yung, Landon appeared in all 14 seasons of the western. Landon was loyal to many of his Bonanza associates including producer Kent McCray, director William F. Claxton, and composer David Rose, who remained with him throughout Bonanza as well as Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven.

[edit] Little House on the Prairie

as Pa Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie, 1974.

The year after Bonanza was canceled, Landon went on to star as Charles Ingalls in the pilot of what would become another successful television series, Little House on the Prairie, again for NBC. The show was taken from a 1935 book written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, whose character in the show was played by nine-year-old actress Melissa Gilbert. In addition to Gilbert, two other unknown actresses also starred on the show: Melissa Sue Anderson, who appeared as Mary Ingalls, the oldest daughter in the Ingalls family, and Karen Grassle as Charles's wife, Caroline. Landon served as executive producer, writer, and director of Little House. The show, a success in its first season, emphasized family values and relationships. Little House became Landon's second-longest running series.

As Little House on the Prairie executive producer, Landon hired five sets of real-life siblings to appear on the show: Melissa and Jonathan Gilbert (Laura Ingalls and Willie Oleson), Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush (Carrie Ingalls), Matthew and Patrick Labyorteaux (Albert Quinn Ingalls and Andy Garvey), Brenda and Wendi Turnbaugh (Grace Ingalls), and Jennifer and Michele Steffin (Rose Wilder).

Landon's real-life son, Michael, appeared as Jim in the episode "The Election". His real-life daughter Leslie also played in this episode, as well as a plague victim in "The Plague", an episode from the show's premiere season. Leslie would later appear as Marge, a pregnant woman in the fourth episode of the sixth season, "The Third Miracle". She was a dishwasher who befriends Laura in the episode "A Wiser Heart", and was cast as school teacher Etta Plum during the show's final season.

The show was nominated for several Emmy and Golden Globe awards. After eight seasons, Little House was retooled by NBC in 1982 as Little House: A New Beginning, which focused on the Wilder family and the Walnut Grove community. Though Landon remained the show's executive producer, director and writer, A New Beginning did not feature Charles and Caroline Ingalls. A New Beginning was actually the final chapter of Little House, as the series ended in 1983. The following year, three made-for-television movies followed.

Melissa Gilbert said of her on- and off-screen chemistry with Landon, “He was very much like a ‘second father’ to me. My own father passed away when I was 11, so, without really officially announcing it, Michael really stepped in.” Melissa also said about Michael’s smoking ritual, “He would be smoking. It was real cold there and he had these big leather gloves on, and he would put out a cigarette in his glove. And then, just (you know) flick the butt away, and I just thought that I’d never seen anything like it. That was the coolest, he was the toughest.” When not working on the Little House set, Gilbert spent most of the weekends visiting Landon's real-life family in 1976, she once said, “The house was huge. We ran like banshees through that house, and Mike would hide behind doorways and jump out and scare us.” Melissa said about Landon who took the script in a new direction, “He put frogs in his mouth, we had a script supervisor. He had this chair with these pouches on the sides and he would carry from the set to where we were shooting, from spot to spot to spot to wrap around the course of the day. And there was one day where he was sneaking up and putting rocks in his pocket of the pouches, and the chair got heavier, to move the chair over, and completely clueless, but of course, everybody else knew.”

When Gilbert realized that Little House was going to be rerun heavily in syndication and on DVDs for new viewers, she said, “I defy anyone to watch Little House on the Prairie and not end up getting teary-eyed at some point, they were all so moving, and that all came from him. That all came from who he was and what he believed in and how strongly he wanted to live that.” Finally, when asked about the cancellation of the show, “Everybody said goodbye and wandered back up to their trailers, to get changed, and Mike and I were left alone and we’re both weeping, uncontrollably, sitting on a log. And he said to me, ‘You know what, this is just the beginning for you. It’s only the beginning, and it’s going to be O.K.’” said Gilbert.

When Gilbert was 17, she briefly dated Michael Landon Jr., and took him to her prom^{[citation needed]}, but this was weeks after Peggy’s (Michael’s real-life mother) death in 1981, at the time where the relationship drew Landon and Gilbert closer, as she was one of the few people to find out about his mother’s passing, before her relationship with Landon fell apart. After the series ended, Gilbert did not stay connected with Landon until 1990, when she telephoned him and had a reunion together^{[citation needed]}.

Seven years later, on May 9, 1991, when she saw a gaunt-looking Landon on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson discussing his pancreatic cancer, she was compelled to finally telephone him.^{[citation needed]} She visited Landon at his Malibu home where he was, by then, bed-ridden. They spent the afternoon together. It was her opportunity to say goodbye. After Landon's death, she named her own son, Michael Garrett Boxleitner (b. 1995), after him^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Highway to Heaven

After producing both the Father Murphy TV series, Landon starred in another successful television series. In Highway to Heaven, he played a probationary angel (who named himself Jonathan Smith) whose job was to help people in order to earn his wings. His co-star on the show was Victor French (who had previously co-starred on Landon's Little House on the Prairie) as ex-cop Mark Gordon. On Highway, Landon served as executive producer, writer, and director. Highway to Heaven was the only show throughout his long career in television that he owned outright.

By 1985, prior to hiring his son, Michael Landon, Jr., as a member of his camera crew, he also brought real-life cancer patients and disabled people to the set. His decision to work with disabled people led him to hire a couple of adults with disabilities to write episodes for Highway to Heaven. By season four, Highway took a nose dive in the ratings, and in June 1988, NBC announced that the series would return for an abbreviated fifth season, which would be its last. The final episodes were filmed in the fall of 1988, and aired from May to August 1989. Co-star French would not live to see Highway's series finale make it to air; he died of advanced lung cancer on June 15, 1989, the disease of which was only diagnosed two months before. Landon invited his youngest daughter, Jennifer Landon, to take part in the final episode.

Other projects[link]

Landon at the 42nd Emmy Awards Governor's Ball, September 1990

In 1983, Landon co-produced an NBC "true story" television movie, Love Is Forever,^[11] starring him and Laura Gemser (who was credited as Moira Chen), about Australian photojournalist John Everingham's successful attempt to scuba dive under the Mekong to rescue his lover from communist-ruled Laos in 1977. The real Everingham was cast as an extra in the film.

Sam's Son was a 1984 coming-of-age feature film written and directed by Landon and loosely based on his early life. The film stars Timothy Patrick Murphy, Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Hallie Todd, and James Karen. Karen previously worked for Landon in the made-for-television film Little House: The Last Farewell. Sam's Son was rated PG by the MPAA.

After the cancellation of Highway to Heaven and before his move to CBS, Landon wrote and directed the teleplay Where Pigeons Go to Die. Based on a novel of the same name, the film starred Art Carney and was nominated for two Emmy awards.

Up through the run of Highway to Heaven, all of Landon's television programs were broadcast on NBC. After the cancellation of Highway, he moved to CBS and in 1991 starred in a two-hour pilot called Us. Us was meant to be another series for Landon but, with his diagnosis on April 5 of pancreatic cancer, the show never aired beyond the pilot.

Personal life[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2009)

Landon was married three times, and is the father of nine children.

• Dodie Levy-Fraser (married March 1956/Landon filed for divorce in March 1962 - divorce finalized in December 1962)
  • Mark Fraser Landon, born October 1, 1948 (adopted, Dodie's biological son), died May 11, 2009^[12] - he did some small acting, including role in television movie of his father's Us,
  • Josh Fraser Landon, born February 11, 1960 (adopted as infant).

• Lynn Noe (married January 12, 1963/divorced 1982) - she had several small uncredited roles, including one in Bonanza
  • Cheryl Lynn Landon / Cheryl Ann Pontrelli, born November 16, 1953, was Lynn's daughter from her first marriage and was nine when her mother and Landon married. Though Landon was unable to legally adopt her, he referred to her as his daughter. Cheryl Landon has a Master's degree in Education and a teaching credential. She has one son.
  • Leslie Ann Landon, born October 11, 1962. She is the biological child of Lynn Noe and Michael Landon while both were married to other people. Michael was married to Dodi Fraser and Lynn Noe was married to Mannie Baier. She was legally adopted by Landon.^[13] With a Ph.D. in psychology, Leslie Landon is a therapist, specializing in children who have experienced loss. She is married and has four children.^[14]
  • Michael Landon Jr., born June 20, 1964
  • Shawna Leigh Landon, born December 4, 1971 - she appeared on Little House Years television movie and one episode of Little House on the Prairie,
  • Christopher Beau Landon, born February 27, 1975 - a producer, writer and director,

• Cindy Clerico (married on February 14, 1983) - a makeup artist on Little House on the Prairie, currently also a producer,
  • Jennifer Rachel Landon, born August 29, 1983. Jennifer Landon is a Daytime Emmy-winning actress (played Gwen Norbeck Munson on As the World Turns).
  • Sean Matthew Landon, born August 5, 1986

In February 1959, Landon's father succumbed to a heart attack. In 1973, while a student at the University of Arizona, his eldest daughter Cheryl was involved in a serious car collision just outside of Tucson, Arizona. The sole survivor out of four involved in the collision, Cheryl Landon was hospitalized with serious injuries and remained in a coma for days. In March 1981, Landon's mother, Peggy O'Neill, died.

Illness and death[link]

On April 5, 1991, Landon was diagnosed as having pancreatic cancer, which had also metastasized into his liver and lymph nodes. The cancer was inoperable and the doctors' prognosis was terminal. On May 9, 1991, he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to speak about his cancer and to publicly condemn the tabloid press for their sensational headlines and inaccurate stories, including the claim that he and his wife were trying to have another child. During Landon's appearance, he pledged to fight the cancer and asked fans to pray for him. On May 21, 1991, Landon underwent successful surgery for a near-fatal blood clot in his left leg.^[15] In June 1991, Landon made the cover of Life Magazine, after granting the periodical an exclusive private interview about his life, his family, and his struggle to live. On July 1, 1991, Landon died in Malibu, California.^[1][2]

Legacy[link]

Landon's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A community building at Malibu's Bluffs Park was named "The Michael Landon Center" following the actor's death.

Landon's son, Michael Jr., produced a memorial special, Michael Landon: Memories with Laughter and Love, featuring the actor's friends and co-stars. Bonanza co-star David Canary said that one word that described Landon was "fearless" in his dealings with network brass. Melissa Gilbert, who played his daughter on Little House said that the actor made her feel "incredibly safe" and that he was "paternal".^{[citation needed]} Often cited was his bizarre sense of humor, which included having toads leap from his mouth and dressing as a superhero to visit a pizza parlor. In his final 1991 Tonight Show appearance, Johnny Carson related how the actor took him back to a restaurant the two had dined at previously. Carson had been led to believe he accidentally ran over the owner's cat in the parking lot during their first visit. When sitting down to eat the second time, Carson discovered that Landon had helped create a fake menu of dinner items featuring dead cat.

A made-for-TV movie, Michael Landon, the Father I Knew, co-written and directed by his son Michael, Jr., aired on CBS in May 1999. John Schneider starred in the title role as Michael Landon, with Cheryl Ladd as Lynn Noe, and Joel Berti as Michael Landon, Jr. The biopic detailed, from Landon, Jr's point of view, the personal emotional trauma he endured during his parents divorce, and his father's premature death. The movie spanned a timeline from the 1960s through the early 1990s.

A plaque and small playground referred to as the "Little Treehouse on the Prairie" was erected in Knights Park, a central park in Landon's hometown of Collingswood. In 2011, the plaque was removed from the park by the borough and was later given to a local newspaper by an unnamed person. The circumstances of the removal remain unclear.^[16]

Honors and awards[link]

• 1969: Bambi Award won for Bonanza (shared with Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts)
• 1970: Western Heritage Awards won Bronze Wrangler Fictional Television Drama for Bonanza episode, "The Wish"
• 1979: Golden Globe Award nomination for Best TV Actor, Little House on the Prairie
• 1980: Western Writers of America won Best TV Script for Little House on the Prairie episode, "May We Make Them Proud"^[17]
• 1984: Golden Boot Award
• 2004: TV Land Awards nomination for "Most Memorable Mane," Little House on the Prairie

Michael Landon has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 N. Vine Street and, in 1998, and was inducted posthumously into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Michael Landon

• Michael Landon at Find a Grave
• Michael Landon at the Internet Movie Database

• Michael Landon Remembrance Project Site

Beverly Lewis is a Christian fiction novelist and children's author of over 70 books.

She was born Beverly Marie Jones, and is a former schoolteacher and musician. She started playing the piano at age 5, and began writing short stories and poetry when she was 9 years old.

Much of her writing focuses on the Anabaptist heritage and the Old Order Amish. Her maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, was born into an Old Order Mennonite Church, which interested Mrs. Lewis in her own "plain heritage." Her father was a pastor in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch community), where she was born and grew up. She was raised and continues to be part of the Assemblies of God community.

She went to Evangel University, and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003. She is also a member of the National League of American Pen Women.

Beverly is married to David Lewis, and has 3 grown children and 3 grandchildren. They live in Colorado.

Awards[link]

Beverly Lewis is an award winning author and a New York Times bestselling novelist. She's also been on the best sellers list for USA Today and the CBA. These are some of the recent awards she has won:

• The Brethren: won the Christy Award in 2007 for Contemporary Series.
• The Crossing: won the ECPA Gold Book Awards in 2007.^[1]
• The Postcard: won the ECPA Gold Book Awards in 2006.
• The Covenant: won the ECPA Gold Book Awards in 2006.
• The Preacher's Daughter: won the Library Journal's Best Genre Fiction in 2005.^[2]
• The Confession: won the ECPA Gold Book Awards in 2005.
• The Reckoning: won the ECPA Gold Book Awards in 2005.
• The Prodigal: Crossings Book of the Year in 2004.
• The Betrayal: Inspirational Readers Choice - first place for Long Historical in 2004.^[3]

List of works by Beverly Lewis[link]

The full collection of listed books have been published by Bethany House publishers.

The Heritage of Lancaster County series[link]

Series reprinted in 2002.

1. The Shunning, 1997
2. The Confession, 1997
3. The Reckoning, 1998

The Amish Country Crossroads Series[link]

Series reprinted in 2007.

1. The Postcard, 1999
2. The Crossroad, 1999
3. Sanctuary, June 2001( with David Lewis)

Abram's Daughters series[link]

1. The Covenant, September 2002
2. The Betrayal, September 2003
3. The Sacrifice, May 2004
4. The Prodigal, October 2004
5. The Revelation, June 2005

Annie's People series[link]

1. The Preacher's daughter, November 2005
2. The Englisher, May 2006
3. The Brethren, October 2006

The Courtship of Nellie Fisher series[link]

1. The Parting, 2007
2. The Forbidden, May 2008
3. The Longing, October 2008

Seasons of Grace series[link]

1. The Secret, April 2009
2. The Missing, September 2009
3. The Telling, April 6, 2010

The Rose Trilogy[link]

1. The Thorn, September 2010
2. The Judgment, April 2011
3. The Mercy, September 2011

Other works[link]

• The Sunroom, May 1998
• The Redemption of Sarah Cain, July 2000

• October Song, October 2001
• The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook, 2004

Youth Fiction[link]

The Cul-de-Sac Kids series[link]

1. The Double Dabble Surprise, March 1995
2. The Chicken Pox Panic, March 1995
3. The Crazy Christmas Angel Mystery, March 1995
4. No Grown-ups Allowed, August 1995
5. Frog Power, August 1995
6. The Mystery of Case D. Luc, August 1995
7. The Stinky Sneakers Mystery, May 1996
8. Pickle Pizza,May 1996
9. Mailbox Mania, May 1996
10. The Mudhole Mystery, March 1997
11. Fiddlesticks, March 1997
12. The Crabby Cat Caper, March 1997
13. Tarantula Toes, August 1997
14. Green Gravy, August 1997
15. Backyard Bandit Mystery, August 1997
16. Tree House Trouble, February 1998
17. The Creepy Sleep-Over, February 1998
18. The Great TV Turn-Off, February 1998
19. Piggy Party, February 1999
20. The Granny Game, February 1999
21. Mystery Mutt, February 2000
22. Big Bad Beans, February 2000
23. The Upside-Down Day, January 2001
24. The Midnight Mystery, January 2001

Girls Only (GO!) series[link]

These books were republished by Bethany House into 2 volumes (books 1-4, books 5-8) in 2008.

1. Dreams on Ice, August 1998
2. Only the Best, September 1998
3. A Perfect Match, May 1999
4. Reach for the Stars, September 1999
5. Follow the Dream, July 2000
6. Better Than Best, October 2000
7. Photo Perfect, May 2001
8. Star Status, May 2002

Holly's Heart series[link]

These books are going to be republished by Bethany House into 3 volumes (books 1-5, books 6-10, books 11-14) in September 2008.

1. Best Friend, Worst Enemy, November 2001
2. Secret Summer Dreams, November 2001
3. Sealed With a Kiss, January 2002
4. The Trouble With Weddings, January 2002
5. California Crazy, July 2002
6. Second-Best Friend, July 2002
7. Good-Bye, Dressel Hills, November 2002
8. Straight-A Teacher, November 2002
9. No Guys Pact, January 2003
10. Little White Lies, January 2003
11. Freshman Frenzy, May 2003
12. Mystery Letters, May 2003
13. Eight is Enough, November 2003
14. It's a Girl Thing, November 2003

Summerhill Secrets series[link]

These books were republished by Bethany House into 2 volumes (books 1-5, books 6-10) in 2007.

1. Whispers Down the Lane, May 1995
2. Secret in the Willows, May 1995
3. Catch a Falling Star, November 1995
4. Night of the Fireflies, November 1995
5. A Cry in the Dark, June 1996
6. House of Secrets, November 1996
7. Echoes in the Wind, June 1997
8. Hide Behind the Moon, April 1998
9. Windows on the Hill, March 1999
10. Shadows Beyond the Gate, April 2000

Other Picture Books[link]

• Cows in the House, October 1998
• Just Like Mama, October 2002
• Annika's Secret Wish with CD, October 2004
• What is Heaven Like?, October 2006
• In Jesse's Shoes, Fall 2007
• What is God Like?, September 2008

Movies based on books by Beverly Lewis[link]

• Saving Sarah Cain is based on the 2000 standalone novel, The Redemption of Sarah Cain. The movie was first shown on Lifetime in 2007. The DVD was released on January 15, 2008.
• The Shunning, based on the first novel in Lewis' Heritage of Lancaster County series, was announced as a movie in 2011. It premiered on the Hallmark channel on April 16, 2011 in the U.S. ^{[4] [5]}

External links[link]

• beverlylewis.com, personal site
• Bethany House: Beverly Lewis
• FaithfulReader.com: interview
• Fantastic Fiction: Beverly Lewis

References[link]

Danielle Panabaker
Panabaker at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
Born	Danielle Nicole Panabaker (1987-09-19) September 19, 1987 (age 24) Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2002–present
Relatives	Kay Panabaker (sister)
Website
www.daniellepanabaker.com

Danielle Nicole Panabaker (born September 19, 1987) is an American actress. She was a cast member in the CBS drama Shark, and appeared in the films Mr. Brooks, Sky High, The Crazies and Friday the 13th, among other projects. She is best known to younger audiences for her roles in the Disney Channel films Stuck in the Suburbs and Read It and Weep along with her younger sister Kay Panabaker.

Early life[link]

Panabaker was born in Augusta, Georgia,^[1] to Donna and Harold Panabaker. Her younger sister, Kay Panabaker, is also an actress. Danielle moved for a short time to Orange, TX, around her kindergarten year. Panabaker took a theater class at a summer camp and discovered her enjoyment in acting, so she started acting in community theaters at the age of 12, later auditioning for commercials. After moving to Naperville, Illinois, Panabaker went to Crone Middle School and later Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville and participated in the speech team. She graduated from high school as valedictorian when she was only 14 years old.^[2] Later, feeling it was the only way to land acting roles regularly, Panabaker relocated to Los Angeles, California in order to pursue an acting career. In 2005, she earned her associate's degree and appeared on the National Dean's List. In the fall of 2006 she began her senior year at the University of California, Los Angeles, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in June 2007.

Career[link]

Panabaker followed her initial appearances in commercials with roles in television, including a part in the series, The Guardian (for which she won a Young Artist Award), as well as other television series including Malcolm in the Middle, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Medium, Summerland, and the Disney Channel Original Movie Stuck in the Suburbs. She has also appeared in the Lifetime Television productions Sex and the Single Mom and Mom at Sixteen, as well as the well-reviewed miniseries Empire Falls. In addition, Panabaker also appeared in stage productions with roles in musical theater, including West Side Story, Pippin, Once Upon A Time, and Beauty Lou and the Country Beast. In 2005, Panabaker co-starred in two widely released theatrical films, Sky High and Yours, Mine and Ours. Her next role was in the film Home of the Giants (2008), opposite Ryan Merriman and Haley Joel Osment. She also had a supporting role in the film Mr. Brooks opposite Kevin Costner. In the Disney Channel original movie Read It and Weep, she plays "Is", an alternate version of Jamie, who is played by her sister Kay. Panabaker was added to the cast of the CBS television drama pilot Shark, as "Julie Stark", the main character's daughter. She had a regular role in the series, which ran for two years. Although she sometimes only appeared in a scene or two an episode, and was absent from three episodes in the series run, she was second billed only to James Woods.^[3] Panabaker recently played Jenna, a main character of the much anticipated Friday the 13th reboot along with Jared Padalecki.^[4] Danielle attended Glendale Community College to study acting. Panabaker next starred in the Jennifer Tilly film Renaissance Girl, as well as the films The Crazies and The Ward.^[5]

Awards and recognition[link]

• Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Television Series, Guest Starring Actress (The Guardian, 2004)
• Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Television Movie, Miniseries or Special (Searching for David's Heart, 2005)
• Maxim Hot 100 2010- #83

Filmography[link]

Panabaker in 2007

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Danielle Panabaker

• Official website
• Danielle Panabaker at CBS.com
• Danielle Panabaker at the Internet Movie Database