Bonanza (1959)

Watchseries; Forty-four years later, I still recall the first line of the first episode of Bonanza. The 14-season debut opened with Ben Cartwright and Adam--just the two of them--riding up to a ridge overlooking the vast expansive glory of the Ponderosa. Horses stopped, Ben turns to his eldest son, stretches forth his hand, and issues "Pa's" first command ... "Look at it, Adam!"

Adam looked. For about 14 seconds.

And so did this young viewer.

It would require, however, another 14 years of "looking" before a 14-year-old boy would come to fully comprehend the treasure Adam beheld in the single moment he, and we, first laid eyes on that majestic, resplendent land of the Cartwright Bonanza.

Forty-four years later, I still recall the first line of the first episode of Bonanza. The 14-season debut opened with Ben Cartwright and Adam--just the two of them--riding up to a ridge overlooking the vast expansive glory of the Ponderosa. Horses stopped, Ben turns to his eldest son, stretches forth his hand, and issues "Pa's" first command ... "Look at it, Adam!"

Adam looked. For about 14 seconds.

And so did this young viewer.

It would require, however, another 14 years of "looking" before a 14-year-old boy would come to fully comprehend the treasure Adam beheld in the single moment he, and we, first laid eyes on that majestic, resplendent land of the Cartwright Bonanza.

Bonanza watchseries. As a child growing up,I can recall seeing every episode at least a dozen number of times and can fondly recognize all the characters on the show. "Bonanza" was that show. For the 14 years that it ran on NBC,it has become television's second longest running western series,and the only TV show that was presented in "living color" throughout its run. The show was the equilavent of My Three Sons,with the exception that it was in the rolling hills of Nevada during the turn of the 1800's. Only during its run that Lorne Greene and Michael Landon were the original two cast members that stayed on the series in which Landon produced and directed several of the episodes. Only two other members left the show at the peak of their fame when it was in the top ten for the duration of the show(which was #1 in the Nielsen ratings during much of the 1960's). Pernell Roberts,who played big brother Adam left in 1965(final appearance on April 4,1965),and Dan Blocker who played the mighty Hoss Cartwright died unexpectedly near the end of the show's 13th season leaving actors Lorne Greene and Michael Landon to remained hroughout the show's 14th and final season for the 1972-1973 season. By the start of the 1967-1968 season ranch hand Candy played by David Canary was hired and became part of the family. Three years later Canary left the series and later returned in the final season. Other members including Dusty Rhoades(Lou Frizzel) and later Jamie Hunter(Mitch Vogel) were added to the cast.

Bonanza premiered on NBC on September 12,1959 and it was the first ever prime time series to be filmed and produced in color. A total of 431 episodes were produced with the first two seasons were on Saturday nights frtom September 12,1959 until June 3,1961. Seasons 3 thru 13 were on Sunday nights from September 24,1961 until April 2,1972. Between seasons 6 thru 8 the show had a solid lock in the ratings from 1964-1967 and remained in the top ten of the Nielsens from Seasons 9 thru 12 from 1967 until 1971. The 14th and final season saw the show moved to Tuesday nights from September 12,1972 until the final episode of the series on January 16,1973. Seasons 1 thru 12 were filmed at Paramount Studios. Seasons 13 thru 14 were filmed at Burbank Studios of Warner Brothers Pictures.

Orginally written on January 19,2001 but was revised on September 12,2019 in commemorate of the show's 60th anniversary

I grew up on this classic western series, and as a child always considered it a treat being allowed to stay up late on Sunday evenings to watch it. Bonanza is still infinitely re watchable in re runs.

The series chronicles the adventures of the Cartwright family, who live on a ranch near Virginia City, Nevada around the Civil War era. Their ranch (called the Ponderosa) is run and defended by the widowed father, Ben, and his unmarried three sons, Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe. These three brothers have different mothers, all of whom have passed away years earlier.

The Cartwrights are a hard working, prosperous, and honourable family, highly respected in those parts. The Ponderosa is large so reaching its extremities requires a lot of horseback riding. Also, trips away are often necessary in order to buy or sell cattle and so forth. Needless to say, few of these excursions pass uneventfully. Although hospitable, much of the Cartwrights' energy must be spent defending their ranch from interlopers, or protecting themselves from townsfolk jealous of their prosperity and stellar reputation. The Cartwrights do a fair bit of firing their guns up in the air and such, but only shoot to kill when deemed absolutely necessary. They are involved in various town affairs, even the political life of the Nevada territory.

One of the main assets of the series is the underlying warmth that is always present (despite occasional disagreements) between Ben and his three sons, and (despite frequent disagreements) between the three brothers. Now, one brother might beat up another every now and then, but generally has a good reason for it at the time and his anger never lasts long! The characters are all very well drawn. Ben is portrayed as a successful and noble man of great integrity. The oldest son, Adam, the most rational and suave of the brothers, left midway through the series. The middle brother, Hoss, is a gentle giant of a teddy bear, who has an insatiable appetite for food and is a little shy around the ladies. The youngest, Little Joe, is a hot headed, handsome charmer who, by contrast, has quite a way with women. This trio of brothers enjoy various romances but their love interests are typically killed off by the end of the episode or else marriage proves impossible, for whatever reason.

The actors are all stellar in their roles, including Pernell Roberts (Adam), Dan Blocker (Hoss), Michael Landon (Little Joe), and of course Lorne Greene as the principled family patriarch, Ben. I also love the ranch cook, Hop Sing, played by Victor Sen Yung.

This is a wonderful action packed western with great values. The Cartwrights are always the noble heroes and most of the bad guys quite villainous. If only there were more programs like this vintage western on TV these days!

Bonanza explores the adventures of the Cartwright family consisting of three-time widower Ben Cartwright and his three sons Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe. Ben is a self-made man who has carved out a piece of Nevada - a large piece - as a prosperous ranch. Each of Ben's sons has a different mother and a very different background. Adam's mother is from New England, Hoss' mother had Scandinavian roots and met Ben out on the Great plains when Ben and Adam were on the way west after Ben's first wife died. Little Joe's mother was a southerner from New Orleans. This difference in roots is explored even in the first season when Little Joe almost joins the Confederate army after having someone come into town and stir up his feelings for his southern roots. However, the full story doesn't come out until later. There is one episode each in seasons two, three, and four that are dedicated to telling the story of each of Ben's wives.

This first season follows the successful road map that all of the seasons did. Many have a guest star that is recognized even today. For example, Yvonne De Carlo is the guest star in the very first episode. Alan Hale Jr. (The Skipper of Gilligan's Island) also makes the first of several guest appearances he will make over the years during the first season.

Most episodes involve heavy-hitting drama often involving some injustice which the Cartwrights, with their prominent place in the community, are in a place to right. The show often used the fact that it was set in the old west to explore some of the social issues of the 1960's without stirring present-day controversy. However, there are a few almost completely comedic episodes here and there. The odd thing is, nobody did comedy as well as Bonanza did when Bonanza decided to do comedy, and usually Hoss is at the center of it all.

The show never really produces a long story arc. Each episode pretty much stands alone. The show really had only two disruptions. The first, which didn't prove fatal to the show, was when Pernell Roberts left in the late 1960's. His "place" was taken by Candy. Candy was not another son - he was a hired hand, but he was also a trusted friend of the Cartwrights.

The second disruption probably was fatal by most accounts. Dan Blocker, who played Hoss, died suddenly of a heart attack in 1972. The show only lasted one more season before it was canceled. Blocker's character of Hoss wasn't the most handsome of the Cartwrights in the conventional sense, but he was the heart and very much the sense of humor of the show. His loss was irreplaceable.

1. The series produced an astounding 431 episodes-all filmed in full color. "Bonanza" became the second longest-running western in television history right next to "Gunsmoke" which lasted more than 20 years on the air.

2. Ran for 14 years on NBC-TV from September 12,1959 until the final episode on January 16,1973. Executive Producer and Creator of this series was David Dortort. Episode 1:"A Rose For Lotta"(Airdate:9-12-59). Episode 431:"The Hunter"(Airdate:1-16-1973,the final episode of the series).

3. It was schedule during seasons 1-2 on Saturday nights from September 12,1959 until June 3,1961.

The show moved to Sunday nights during seasons 3-13 from September 24,1961 until April 2,.1972. It was here between 1961-1967,that the show had a solid lock in the ratings becoming the Number One show on television. It remained in the top ten of the Nielsens from Seasons 9 thru 12 between 1967 to 1971.

The fourteenth and final season saw the series moved again from Sunday nights to Tuesday nights in an earlier time slot from September 12,1972 until the final episode of the series on January 16,1973

4. Only actors Lorne Greene,Michael Landon,Ray Teal and Victor Sen-Yung remained throughout the show's astounding 14-year run. Pernell Roberts remained with the show during seasons 1-6 with Roberts' last episode of the series "Patchwork Man"(Episode No. 202)which aired April 4,1965. Dan Blocker who played Hoss died unexpectedly toward the end of the show's 13th season in 1972

*David Canary played "Candy"(Seasons 8-12 and 14)(1967-1970 and 1972)

*Mitch Vogel played Jamie Hunter Cartwright(Seasons 12-14 from 1970-1973)

*Tim Matheson played hired hand Griff King(the show's 14th and final season)

*Lou Frizzell played hired hand Dusty Rhodes (Seasons 12-13,1970-1972)

The original episodes:Seasons 1-6 from 1959-1965. The lost episodes Seasons 7-14 from 1965-1973.

Although this show has been off the air since 1973, after viewing a DVD set I borrowed at our library, I felt compelled to say a bit about it.

I can remember when it was the only color show on television in the 1960s, and sometimes there would be a little "Sunday Night Party" with friends to watch this on NBC on one of the few color televisions.

I really enjoy history not so much for the names and dates but how it influences us today and how so much can be so profound based on the most inconsequential actions of the time. Case in point: Virginia City, Nevada, which became one of the richest cities in the world because of the silver, got its name from a character named "Old Virginny", who, in the town's early days, stumbled out of a saloon, fell and broke his whiskey bottle.

Old Virginny didn't want to waste the occasion so as the precious liquid was seeping into the dirt he decided to christen the town "Virginia Town". The area became known as the Comstock Lode because another character, Henry Comstock, had the reputation of trying to jump everyone's claim and the area became known as the Comstock Lode.

I just watched an early episode that dealt with these 2 subjects. Other episodes dealt with Mark Twain's literary rise while a reporter for the Territorial Enterprise...

It was wholesome (and frequently educational) family entertainment. As someone else remarked, each episode would really be considered a movie in its own right - rich scripts and characters.

One thing it twisted the truth on was the proximity to Virginia City and the Ponderosa. In truth, to ride from the Ponderosa (all of Northern Lake Tahoe), one would have to ride his horse about 3,000 feet (1,000 meters) down the Spooner Summit to the high desert (3,000-4,000 feet) of the Carson Valley then another 30-40 miles to Virginia city.

Needless to say the Cartwrights would have some sore rear ends doing this on a regular basis. But every writer should have some leeway with the truth.

How I miss that show, even today.