Lynn Noe was an American actress, former model, and the second wife of television star Michael Landon. Born Marjorie Lynn Noe, she was married to the actor from 1963 until their divorce in 1982. Their nearly two-decade relationship coincided with Landon’s rise as one of American television’s most recognizable performers. Beyond their marriage, Noe had entertainment credits, raised five children, and later became involved in efforts to support women rebuilding their lives after divorce.
Lynn Noe (June 6, 1933–November 26, 2015) was an American actress, model, and Michael Landon’s second wife. They married in 1963 and divorced in 1982. Noe had a daughter, Cheryl, from an earlier relationship and four children with Landon: Leslie, Michael Jr., Shawna, and Christopher. She died at age 82.
Lynn Noe Quick Bio
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Marjorie Lynn Noe |
| Known As | Lynn Noe, Lynn Landon |
| Date of Birth | June 6, 1933 |
| Birthplace | Louisville, Kentucky, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actress, Model, Boutique Owner |
| Famous Ex-Husband | Michael Landon |
| Marriage | January 12, 1963–1982 |
| Other Former Spouses | Michael Angelo Pontrelli and Mannie Baier (IMDb records) |
| Children | Cheryl, Leslie, Michael Jr., Shawna, and Christopher |
| Date of Death | November 26, 2015 |
| Age at Death | 82 Years |
| Place of Death | Palos Verdes Estates, California, USA |
Who Was Lynn Noe?
Marjorie Lynn Noe was born on June 6, 1933, in Louisville, Kentucky. She became involved in modeling and entertainment before her marriage to Michael Landon made her more widely recognizable. Her professional background included modeling, commercial acting, and small appearances in motion pictures and television.
According to her IMDb biographical profile, Noe appeared in several productions during the 1950s and 1960s. Unlike Landon, who developed a major television career, she primarily worked in smaller roles and commercial appearances. Her public identity later became closely associated with her marriage and family.
Noe’s entertainment experience is important because she had already entered the industry before becoming Landon’s wife. Although relatively little has been published about her schooling or childhood, her documented professional credits provide an outline of her early adult life.
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How Did Lynn Noe Meet Michael Landon?
Lynn Noe met Michael Landon while working as an extra on Bonanza, the NBC Western that began airing in 1959. Landon played Joseph “Little Joe” Cartwright, a role that established him as a television star. Noe was working as a model and actress when their professional paths crossed.
Their relationship developed while Landon’s first marriage to Dodie Levy-Fraser was ending. The couple became romantically involved in the early 1960s, and Landon divorced Levy-Fraser in 1962.
According to INSP’s account of Michael Landon’s life, Landon and Noe married in Mexico in January 1963. IMDb lists January 12, 1963, as their wedding date.
Cheryl Landon later described her mother’s relationship with the actor in her 1992 memoir, I Promised My Dad: An Intimate Portrait of Michael Landon by His Eldest Daughter. She recalled that her parents had spoken about feeling an immediate attraction when they first met. Her account provides a family perspective on a relationship that began long before Landon’s later work on Little House on the Prairie.
Lynn Noe and Michael Landon’s Marriage
Their marriage lasted approximately 19 years, covering some of the most productive decades of Landon’s career. After establishing himself on Bonanza, he became a leading figure behind Little House on the Prairie, which premiered in 1974. His responsibilities expanded beyond acting to include writing, directing, and producing.
The couple’s family life occasionally became part of Landon’s public image. During the 1970s, Noe, Landon, and their children appeared together in Kodak commercials. These advertisements presented them as a family at a time when Landon was particularly associated with family-oriented television.
In a 1974 interview with PEOPLE, Landon discussed his preference for television work partly because it allowed him to spend more time at home. He also spoke about wanting his wife to accompany him when he traveled.
Their marriage was frequently viewed through the public image of the characters Landon portrayed. However, later interviews revealed that their private relationship had developed difficulties despite its long history.
Lynn Noe’s Children and Family Life
Lynn Noe was the mother of five children. Her eldest daughter, Cheryl Ann Pontrelli, was born during an earlier relationship with Michael Angelo Pontrelli. When Noe married Landon, Cheryl became part of his household and regarded him as a father.
Cheryl Ann Pontrelli and Michael Landon
Cheryl’s relationship with Landon has sometimes been described as a formal adoption, but accounts differ on that detail. A 1992 Kirkus Reviews discussion of Cheryl’s memoir says her biological father had prevented Landon from legally adopting her. Later entertainment profiles have nevertheless referred to her as his adopted daughter.
The consistent fact is that Landon helped raise Cheryl and maintained a father-daughter relationship with her. In 1973, she survived a serious automobile accident that killed three other people. Landon subsequently described the experience as deeply significant to his outlook on life and work.
Four Children With Michael Landon
Noe and Landon had four children together: Leslie Landon, Michael Landon Jr., Shawna Landon, and Christopher Landon. Several eventually pursued entertainment careers, while others moved into different professional fields.
Leslie appeared on Little House on the Prairie, including a recurring role as teacher Etta Plum. She later pursued psychology and family therapy. Michael Landon Jr. became an actor, director, writer, and producer whose projects have included family dramas and television productions.
Christopher established a filmmaking career, particularly in horror and suspense, with projects such as Happy Death Day and Freaky. Shawna also appeared on Little House on the Prairie before moving into real estate.
A US Weekly profile of Michael Landon’s nine children documents their individual careers and family connections.
Why Did Lynn Noe and Michael Landon Divorce?
By the early 1980s, Noe and Landon’s marriage had deteriorated. Their separation occurred as Landon developed a relationship with Cindy Clerico, who worked as a makeup artist and stand-in on Little House on the Prairie.
Their divorce was finalized in 1982, ending a marriage that had lasted nearly two decades. Landon subsequently married Clerico in February 1983, and they had two children, Jennifer and Sean.
In a 1985 PEOPLE interview, Noe reflected on how much of her identity had become centered on her husband’s needs. She acknowledged that she had gradually lost her sense of independence during their marriage.
Landon also discussed the separation publicly. He maintained that their problems were more complicated than his subsequent relationship with Clerico and described the emotional difficulties surrounding the divorce.
As summarized in PEOPLE’s July 2026 feature on Landon’s three marriages, both former spouses later acknowledged that serious problems had developed in their relationship. Their statements offer more useful context than reducing their separation to a single event.
Lynn Noe’s Acting Career and Movies
Before her marriage to Landon, Noe worked in minor film and television roles. IMDb identifies uncredited appearances in Because You’re Mine (1952), The First Traveling Saleslady (1956), and Around the World in 80 Days (1956).
She also has a credited connection to a 1960 episode of Bonanza, where she is listed as an uncredited saloon girl. This is particularly relevant because the production was associated with the beginning of her relationship with Landon.
Her television appearances extended beyond fictional acting roles. She appeared as herself on The Mike Douglas Show during the period from 1968 to 1975 and participated in entertainment-related television specials.
The available credits show that she had genuine screen experience, although she did not build a major career as a leading actress. Her later public activities were more closely associated with business and advocacy.
Life After Her Divorce From Michael Landon
Following the divorce, Noe pursued activities outside her former husband’s career. She opened a Los Angeles boutique named Trio’s, establishing a business identity separate from her years as a television star’s wife.
She also became involved with a support organization called LADIES, short for Life After Divorce Is Eventually Sane. The group brought together women who had experienced divorce, including former wives of well-known entertainers.
A contemporary Los Angeles Times article published on January 22, 1986 identified Noe as a member of LADIES. The organization encouraged women to seek support, education, employment opportunities, and greater personal independence after their marriages ended.
The group’s activities were not limited to celebrity experiences. Its members sought to connect women dealing with similar challenges and draw attention to practical resources available in their communities.
In 1987, Noe also discussed divorce and the organization in an interview with Copley News Service. These activities represent a documented chapter of her life that extended beyond her famous marriage.
Lynn Noe’s Previous Marriages
Before marrying Michael Landon, Noe had already experienced other relationships and marriages. IMDb identifies Michael Angelo Pontrelli and Mannie Baier among her former husbands.
Pontrelli was the father of her daughter Cheryl. The name Mannie Baier is sometimes rendered differently in online searches, but that is the spelling used in IMDb’s biographical listing.
These earlier marriages help explain Noe’s family background when she entered her relationship with Landon. However, detailed public accounts of those relationships are limited, and dates appearing in secondary listings should not be treated as independently verified marriage records.
Lynn Noe’s Death and Cause of Death
Lynn Noe died on November 26, 2015, in Palos Verdes Estates, California, at the age of 82. Her birth and death information appears in IMDb’s biographical record and genealogical cemetery indexes.
Although searches for a Lynn Noe obituary and her cause of death remain common, the accessible biographical records do not establish a specific medical cause. IMDb describes the cause as undisclosed.
Her death should not be confused with Michael Landon’s. The actor died from pancreatic cancer on July 1, 1991, more than two decades before Noe’s death. There is no reliable basis for attributing his illness or its cause to her.
Conclusion
Lynn Noe was more than Michael Landon’s former wife. She had a background in modeling and acting, raised five children, participated in a prominent Hollywood family, and later operated a boutique while supporting women adjusting to divorce.
Her marriage to Landon remains the most widely documented part of her biography, but her later activities offer a fuller understanding of her life. She died in 2015 at age 82, leaving a family whose connections to American film and television remain well documented.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When did Lynn Noe marry Michael Landon?
Lynn Noe married Michael Landon on January 12, 1963, according to IMDb’s biographical listing. The couple met while working around the television production Bonanza. Their marriage lasted approximately 19 years before ending in divorce in 1982.
2. What was Lynn Noe’s cause of death?
Lynn Noe died on November 26, 2015, at age 82. IMDb lists her place of death as Palos Verdes Estates, California, but does not disclose a specific cause. Claims naming a particular illness require stronger documentation.
3. How many children did Lynn Noe have?
Lynn Noe had five children: Cheryl Ann Pontrelli, Leslie Landon, Michael Landon Jr., Shawna Landon, and Christopher Landon. Cheryl was from an earlier relationship, while the other four children were born during Noe’s relationship with Michael Landon.
4. Was Lynn Noe an actress?
Yes. Lynn Noe worked as an actress and model. IMDb lists minor appearances in Because You’re Mine, The First Traveling Saleslady, Around the World in 80 Days, and Bonanza. She also appeared as herself on The Mike Douglas Show.
5. Who was Lynn Noe married to before Michael Landon?
IMDb lists Michael Angelo Pontrelli and Mannie Baier as former spouses of Lynn Noe. Pontrelli was the biological father of her eldest daughter, Cheryl. Her best-known marriage was to Michael Landon, whom she married in 1963 and divorced in 1982.
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