Joe Lando became famous starring in the TV drama, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman—and did his hair. The actor played Byron Sully for all six seasons of the show, from 1993 to 1998. Now 60, Lando is still approached by fans about the role. And, more specifically, he's asked about the long hair he rocked on the series and why he no longer has it.
"I’ll do a public appearance and they’ll show up and they look at the pictures and they look at me and they’re like, 'What happened to your hair?’ And I’m like… 10,000 what happened to your hair questions later, I cut it," he told Chicago Parent in 2010.
But while Lando is looking a lot different from his most popular character these days, he still has the same career and is still acting on popular shows. Read on to learn more about the Dr. Quinn star's life now, including his recent reunions with his co-stars.
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He's also a soap opera fixture.
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty ImagesBefore joining Dr. Quinn, Lando had appeared on One Life to Live and Guiding Light, and he returned to soap operas recently. In 2018, he had a recurring role on The Bold and the Beautiful.
"It sounded like fun and it proved to be a good decision," he told the Toronto Sun of the role. "I’ve never turned my nose up regarding soaps because it’s tremendously hard work. Soap stars are like marathon runners."
Lando has also played roles in the Melrose Place revival, The Secret Circle, and Hit the Floor. In 2020, he was in the movie Friendsgiving and in the Lifetime movie A Very Charming Christmas Town.
He keeps his private life private.
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty ImagesLando has been married to his wife, Kirsten Barlow, since 1997, and they have four children together. And that's pretty much all that the public knows, because Lando doesn't often share the details of his private life in interviews. Back in 2010, the actor did talk about his kids with Chicago Parent and shared that he wasn't dealing with as many intrusive fans as he did during Dr. Quinn's heyday.
"It’s happened before with the kids when they were much younger," he said. "It’s a little unsettling when you start to think about it. I’m sure they’re nice, harmless people but they’re strangers showing up at my doorstep. I don’t do that to people. I wouldn’t show up at your house unless I was calling. It’s just different. I like my quiet life. I like it this way. I like to work a lot and I like to keep it quiet, and so far, I’ve been fortunate in my career to have both."
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He's in touch with the cast.
Michael Tullberg/Getty ImagesMembers of the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman cast reunited twice recently. In 2020, the cast reunited virtually to share their memories of filming the show. Then, in December 2021, Lando, Jane Seymour, William Shockley, and Jason Leland Adams all hung out to celebrate Lando's 60th birthday.
Seymour posted a couple of photos of the group on Instagram, including one of her male co-stars picking her up. "Even after all these years they still carry me!" she wrote. "My heart is full after spending time with these incredible humans. @williamshockley, Jason Adams, and I got together to get an early start on celebrating Joe’s big birthday! 60’s just around the corner!"
In addition to their reunions with other cast members, Seymour and Lando are particularly close. Speaking to Us Weekly in 2019, Seymour called him her "closest friend on the planet."
He's interested in bringing the show back.
Michael Tullberg/Getty ImagesIn the interview with the Toronto Sun, Lando was asked what he thought of the idea of a Dr. Quinn revival series.
"I think it would work," he said. "They could totally make it relevant to today’s issues and grittier, not so Hallmark-y as it was originally. Women were very powerful during the Gold Rush era and that would resonate today. I would do it in a heartbeat and I know so would Jane [Seymour]."
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