Bonanza1959-1973

BonanzaAir Date: 1959-1973

Producer: NBC & Paramount Studies

Runtime: 60 min (430 episodes)

Location: Ponderosa Ranch & Virginia City, Nevada

Period: 1880’s

•First Major Television Show In Color

•Originally aired on Sunday nights

•Syndicated in 12 languages

BonanzaLyrics To Theme

We chased lady luck, 'til we finally struck Bonanza.

With a gun and a rope and a hat full of hope, planted a family tree.  We got hold of a pot of gold, Bonanza.

With a horse and a saddle, and a range full of cattle, how rich can a fellow be?

On this land we put our brand, Cartwright is the name, fortune smiled, the day we filed the Ponderosa claim.

Here in the West, we're livin' the best, Bonanza, if anyone fights any one of us, he's go a fight with me, Bonanza.

Hoss and Joe and Adam know every rock and pine, no one works, fights, or eats, like those boys of mine.  Here we stand in the middle of a grand Bonanza.

With a gun and a rope and a hatful of hope, we planted our family tree, we got hold of a potful of gold, Bonanza.

With a houseful of friends where the rainbow ends, how rich can a fellow be?

On this land we put our brand, Cartwright is the name, fortune smiled, the day we filed the Ponderosa claim.  Here in the west we're livin' the best Bonanza.

With the friendliest, fightingist, loving band, that ever set foot in the promised land, and we're happier than them all.

That's why we call it Bonanza...Bonanza...Bonanza...

Lyrics written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans.

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Bonanza is a story about the Cartwright family and their thousand-square-mile Ponderosa Ranch is located near Virginia City, Nevada, site of the Comstock Silver Lode, during and after the Civil War.

Each of the sons (Adam, Hoss and Lil’ Joe was born to a different wife of Ben Cartwright.

Adventures are typical western ones, with lots of personal relationships/problems thrown in as well.

•Although it got off to a rough start, by 1961 it was the #1 show on TV.

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BonanzaBonanza

The Cartwright’sThe Cartwright’s The Ponderosa RanchThe Ponderosa Ranch

BenBen Candy, Ranch HandCandy, Ranch Hand Hop Sing’, ButlerHop Sing’, Butler

Virginia CItyVirginia CIty

Roy Coffee, SheriffRoy Coffee, Sheriff

AdamAdam HossHoss JoeJoe

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The character 'Ben Cartwright' was ranked #2 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" (20 June 2004 issue).

The first of Lorne Greene’s American television roles was as family patriarch Ben Cartwright.

This role made Greene a household name.

Greene’s character was a major in the United States Army who soon settled on the plot of land called the Ponderosa. He was an influential figure of a fictional westward movement.

Only weeks before Greene’s death, he had been signed to appear in a revival of Bonanza.

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When Parnell Roberts left the show, his character Adam was written off by having him move to Australia.

Ben Cartwright's oldest son, Adam, in the "Bonanza" (1959) was played by Pernell Roberts.

At the peak of his and the TV show's popularity, Pernell, displeased with the writing and direction of the show, elected not to renew his contract and left at the end of the 1964-1965 season to the utter dismay of his fans.

BonanzaEric 'Hoss' Cartwright was played by Dan Blocker.

He was the likeable big fellow who was kind, caring and sensitive…while all the while being the burly tough western cowboy.

Blocker died suddenly following routine gall bladder surgery in Los Angeles in 1972. The cast and crew of Bonanza were shaken by his death.It is speculated that the loss of one of the show's most popular characters hastened its end.

Bonanza lasted one season without Hoss. It is the least-requested in reruns.

BonanzaMichael Landon played Little Joe Cartwright, the youngest of the three Cartwright brothers.

His character was a cocky and somewhat rebellious youth nevertheless had a way with the ladies.

For 14 years Landon became the heart and soul of the show, endearing himself to both younger and older viewers.

He became a household name during the 1960s and 1970s…which resulted in several long time running television shows in his career.

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Victor Sen Yung Hop Sing

Ray Teal Sheriff Roy Coffee

David Canary 'Candy' Canaday

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•Adam's mother was from Boston, Hoss's from Sweden and Little Joe's was from New Orleans.

•During the first season of the show, the guest stars were paid far more than the stars of the show because the producers didn't think that the stars were well-known enough to pull in viewers.

•Bonanza was the first regularly broadcast television program to be filmed in color.

•In 1972, after the sudden death of Dan Blocker, the show was moved to Tuesday nights. Both moves signaled the end of the program, and it went off the air quietly early the next year. •From 1964 until 1967,

the show was #1 in the yearly Nielsen ratings. In terms of longevity, the show was the second-most popular western in the history of television, behind Gunsmoke.

BonanzaNumber of Emmy Nominations: 10Number of Emmy Awards: 3

1962~ Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography1963~ Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction and Scenic Design1965~ Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment1966~ Individual Achievements in Cinematography1966~ Individual Achievements in Film Editing1966~ Individual Achievements in Music1966~ Outstanding Dramatic Series1967~ Individual Achievement in Cinematography1971~ Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography1971~ Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition

Bonanza