"Bonanza" (1959) TV series 1959-1973

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Creators:

David Dortort
Fred Hamilton

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Release Date:

12 September 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Drama | Romance | War | Western

Plot:

The adventures of Ben Cartwright and his sons as they run and defend their ranch while helping the surrounding community.

Plot Keywords:

Ranch | Nevada | Lost Love | Responsibility | Loss Of Brother

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 12 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Nov. 9	3:00 PM	TVLAND	A Pink Cloud Comes From Old Cathay	#5.28
Mon. Nov. 9	4:00 PM	TVLAND	The Companeros	#5.29

Cast

Lorne Greene	...	Ben Cartwright / ... (430 episodes, 1959-1973)
Michael Landon	...	Joseph 'Little Joe' Cartwright / ... (429 episodes, 1959-1973)
Dan Blocker	...	Eric 'Hoss' Cartwright / ... (415 episodes, 1959-1972)
Pernell Roberts	...	Adam Cartwright (202 episodes, 1959-1965)

Also Known As:

Ponderosa (USA) (rerun title)

Runtime:

50 min (430 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-11 (DVD) (2006) | Australia:PG (some episodes) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Trivia:

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

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the first season opening credits, the Cartwrights can be seen galloping on horses on a dirt road that contains an unmistakable set of tire tracks from the truck carrying the camera in front of them.

Quotes:

Ben Cartwright: You and your education.
Adam Cartwright: Education is progress! Now what have you got against it?
Ben Cartwright: I don't have anything against education - as long as it doesn't interfere with your thinking!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Blythe Danner/Rickie Lee Jones (#7.15)" (1982)

Soundtrack:

Bonanza

Good Show, but typical of fan catering

Bonanza ran for so many years that it's impossible for someone like myself to say anything negative about the show and have credibility, but I'm going to. So many shows start off with an "ensemble" cast and then, because of fan mail to one or two certain actors on the show (usually the younger ones), turn the show around to showcase only those actors.

This happened with Bonanza. Pernell Roberts was the best actor on the series, and Adam Cartwright lent a sense of rationality and calm to the frenetics of Ben, Hoss, and Little Joe. He was so subtle, yet stole each and every scene he was in. He was like cool water to a fever. However, and as always happens with fan mail because only a small demographic segment write it in the first place (primarily young, single women), the character of "Adam" appeared less and less as the series wore on. Bonanza became "The Little Joe Show," and that's when I stopped watching it. At that point, the only "breath of fresh air" on the show was Hop Sing.

Anyway, Bonanza is a classic and is worth watching when Pernell Roberts was still in the show, or if only to see the myriad of great guest stars in each episode.