Cheryl Ann Pontrelli: Interesting Details on Michael Landon’s Step-Daughter

Cheryl Ann Pontrelli (aka Cheryl Landon) is the step-daughter of the late American actor Michael Landon. He is best known for Bonzana, Highway to Heaven, and Little House on the Prairie. Further, Cherryl’s father Michael is considered one of the greatest TV celebrities.

Despite coming from a celebrity family, Cheryl prefers to maintain a low-key life. However, back in 1992, she made headlines after releasing a book entitled I Promised My Dad: An Intimate Portrait of Michael Landon. Moreover, she was once involved in a car accident.

We are here today to talk about Cheryl Ann Pontrelli. Find out all the details from her early life to her marital status and her career.

Key Takeaways 

• Cheryl Ann Pontrelli is a motivational speaker, former lecturer, and author of two books.
• She was born to Michael Angelo Pontrelli, a US former Navy, and Marjorie Lynn Noe, an actress.
• She has a total of 11 siblings from her parent’s different marriages. Some of her half-siblings are well-known faces in the movie industry.
• Pontrelli is married to her husband Jim Wilson and shares a son with him. Further, she is also a grandmother of three.
• For the last 32 years, Cheryl is on a mission to protect her late father’s legacy. She now resides in Coronado.

Where Is Cheryl Ann Pontrelli Now?

Pontrelli has been residing in Coronado for six years now. In her 70s, she is fully dedicated to fulfilling the promise she had made to her late father Michael Landon.

She had promised her dad to protect his legacy and mission, and that’s what she is doing for the last 32 years to the present which we mentioned earlier.

Cheryl is on The Mission To Protect Her Late Father’s Legacy

While her dad Michael was on his deathbed, Cheryl had promised him that she will protect his legacy. So, for the last three decades years, she has been actively involved in this mission.

The star kid has been in various talk and radio shows speaking about how her dad changed her and other’s life. Further, she was a monthly contributor to the Women’s Federation for World Peace International newsletter. Dedicating to her dad, she also has published two books and has written many articles.

In addition, she has also been a lecturer for many years and also serves the position of chairman of an outreach program.

Cheryl Ann Pontrelli is Married with Kids

The 70-year-old actor’s daughter Cheryl is married to her husband Jim Wilson who was originally from Ontario, Canada. The couple first met in February 1981 at a nightclub in Los Angeles. Subsequently, they walked down the aisle in the same year in December 1981.

Together with her husband, she welcomed a son named James Michael. Her only child came into this world on September 22nd, 1984.

She suffered from Post-Partum Depression

Upon her son’s arrival, she went through a phase that a lot of women go through. As soon as he was born, she was diagnosed with postpartum depression.

Currently, her only son is now married and is a father of three. Together with his family, James resides in Texas.

Who is her husband?

Jim is originally from Canada, however, he moved to the United States to make it big. Cheryl explained him as a hardworking and massive individual with a huge height of 6ft 2 inches.

He was only a high school graduate and didn’t attend college.  In her book, she mentioned that Jim worked in sales and used to work at a solar-energy firm. Apart from this, Jim also worked in the leather industry.

Ultimately, he started a salvage company, Damielle Metal, with one of his old acquaintances.

Cheryl Ann Pontrelli Is The Adopted Daughter Of Michael Landon

Cheryl (aka Cheryl Landon) was born on November 16th, 1953 in Los Angeles, which makes her 69 years old as of 2023.

Further, talking about her early life, Pontrelli was raised in a broken family. She was young when her mother Marjorie Lynn Noe and her biological father separated.

At the age of 9, following her mom’s marriage to the famous actor Michael Landon, she was raised under the care of her step-father alongside her half-siblings.

Besides, the celebrity child belongs to a white ethnic background and holds American nationality.

Who Is Cheryl Ann Pontrelli’s Biological Father?

Up to now, we are well aware of the fact that Cheryl is Michael Landon’s stepdaughter. Her biological father was Michael Angelo Pontrelli, a Los Angeles native who was born on 10 December 1929.

Digging up more on Cheryl’s dad, he was a former Navy who served in the United States Navy Air Corps from 1948 to 1953. A John Marshall High Scholl graduate, he later earned a B.A. degree and J.D. degree from Southwestern University and practiced Family law in association with several clubs and institutions.

Apart from his law career, Michael Angelo also made his contributions in music establishing the Pete Pontrelli Endowed Memorial Music Scholarship at the University of Southern California. He died at the age of 86 on 31 March 2016 in his native town.

Cheryl Ann Pontrelli Has A Bunch Of Siblings

As far as the media is informed, Cheryl Ann is the only child born to her parents. But, from her parent’s other marriages, she has many half-siblings.

Leslie Ann Landon, Michael Landon Jr, Shawna Leigh Landon, and Christopher Beau Landon are Cherly’s half-siblings from her mother Marjorie’s marriage with Michael Landon. Among these four, Leslie, Michael Jr., and Christopher have worked in the movie industry.

Likewise, she has a brother Adam Pontrelli and a sister Beth Pontrell from her biological father’s side. Also, she has four step-siblings, Mark Fraser Landon and Josh Fraser Landon, from her dad Michael’s marriage with Dodie Levy-Fraser, Jennifer Rachel Landon, and Sean Matthew Landon from Michael’s marriage with third spouse Cindy Clerico.

Cheryl Ann Pontrelli Had A Car Accident During Her University Years

While Cheryl was a college student, she got into a serious car accident. In the year 1973, the car she was riding alongside other three people collided with another car outside Tucson, Arizona. It was a serious accident in which Pontrelli was the sole survivor, while the other three died on the spot.

The only survivor Cheryl also suffered serious injuries. Following the accident, she was instantly hospitalized and went into a coma for three days. She underwent several surgeries following her accident.

The doctor had said she will end up in a wheelchair and suffer from chronic pain her whole life. The doctors even said that she could never bear a child, but fortunately, fate was on her side and Pontrelli recovered and lived a normal life.

Her College

Cheryl went to the University of Arizona and also studied at Emerson College in Sussex, England. At Emerson, she earned her Master’s degree in Curative Education.

Cheryl Ann Pontrelli Is an Author; What Kind Of Books She Has Written?

Michael’s daughter has authored two books titled, I Promised My Dad, and Michael Landon’s Legacy: 7 Keys to Supercharging Your Life.

Her book I Promised My Dad is the biography of her beloved step-dad Michael Landon. In the book, the audiences get to know about the private and professional life of the Bonzana actor. Further, Cheryl also narrated Michael’s perspective on life and death in the book.

Further, her other book Michael Landon’s Legacy explores the seven principles that helped Cheryl to overcome the difficulties in her life.

Cheryl Also Made A Couple Of Appearances In Television Shows

Apart from being an author, Cheryl also has appeared in a couple of TV series. In 1993, she appeared in the talk show, John and Leeza from Hollywood.

Likewise, the star kid also was presented as herself in the TV series, Unsolved Mysteries in 1997.

Cheryl Ann Pontrelli’s Net Worth

As per several sources, she has a net worth of $100,000. She most definitely earned a lot of money from her books. On the other hand, her famous stepfather Michael Landon was super rich at the time of his death. He was worth a whopping $40 million in today’s time.