Shannen Doherty has had a long career in TV and film, but she's never forgotten where she came from. Doherty credits the late Michael Landon for putting her on the path to success.
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If you only knew her from her Charmed and Beverly Hills, 90210 days, you may be surprised to learn that Doherty starred on Little House On The Prairie. The actor appeared as Jenny Wilder from 1982 to 1983 on the classic TV show. It was her work with Landon during this time that proved to be so motivational.
On the May 27 episode of her podcast, Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, she thanked Landon for all that he did for her. Landon passed away in 1991 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Doherty has been public about her own struggles with cancer and battle to stay alive.
"That show - Little House - shaped me in so many ways and it still is the best experience of my entire career," Doherty said. "I adored him. He was a mentor. He taught me so much."
Shannen Doherty Reflects On Michael Landon
Though Landon may be gone, Doherty said he still has a profound impact on her life and her career. She thanked the late actor for being his mentor. "It's kind of amazing because, when I think about the long span of my career, but also how rough some jobs were — and unenjoyable to be a part of, a little bit toxic — it was really the experience on Little House that spurred that passion on for being an actor," she told her mom. "And it was having a mentor like Michael Landon — and I don't care what anybody else's experience was like, I know the truth about that man, and he was just unbelievable."
