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Bonanza and Gun Smoke were my favorites as well as a few others, but you just have to LOVE westerns there's just something about the characters, dialogue and good old-fashioned justice and heroism!
I love the episodes that tell stories and a moral lesson. I love it when the good guys win and Bonanza is the show that brings me relief living in this now divided country.
I do too, but America has been divided since it was Whigs vs Tories, abolitionists vs slave holders, North vs South and isolationists/doves vs hawks. So tune in to Yellowstone and pass the popcorn.
What most of the public never know was that Pernell Roberts was a Creek Indian from Waycross, GA. So am I. That is was part of the reason that he was concerned about portrayal of minorities. Throughout his life, he contributed generously to many Native American causes and personally funded the college educations of dozens of Native American young people. He was also on an advisory board of the Muscogee-Creek Nation. The Roberts attended the same Methodist church as our family. Occasionally, our families would go out to dinner together after church. For awhile, Pernell even taught my mother's young adult Sunday School class. That was when, he was planning to become a Methodist Minister. His father dropped me head first on a concrete floor, when I was six months. His father delivered soft drinks to my stepfather's short order restaurant in Waycross. There is a reason that Adam Cartwright played an architect on Bonanza. Growing up, Pernell dreamed of being an architect, but he flunked out of Georgia Tech's architecture school, his freshman year. Most websites on Pernell just rehash what other websites say. Thought that you would enjoy learning trivia from someone who knew the family.
I remember driving about twenty miles every Sunday to friends of my mom's to watch Bonanza "in color" because they were the only people we knew who could afford a color tv! Bonanza was the first show I ever saw in color - what a thrill it was!
I loved both shows, Bonanza and Wagon Train but was partial to Wagon Train partly mostly because of Robert Fuller. So good-looking and great actor. Also loved Denny Miller on Wagon Train
I grew up in King’s Beach at Lake Tahoe, and when Bonanza first started they filmed some scenes in Incline, Nevada. I remember seeing them film and getting autographs after their work day at the North Shore Club. Even as a you g child I was impressed by how hard they worked.
Did you get autographs from Pernell Roberts or Michael Landon? What kind of attitude did they have? One of my siblings met Lorne Green and Dan Blocker, and said both of them were friendly.
Bonanza started when I was living in SoCal. I was nine years old, and it ended when my husband just came back from Vietnam. How can the baby boomers forget this great TV show...we loved it.
@Ffejay Warrior. Indeed Dan Blocker portrayed the strong, gentle, gullible and soft-headed Hoss convincingly. But to be fair, all four actors contributed greatly to the show. They portrayed their individual characters well. One of Bonanza’s success hinged on the dynamics and differences among the four characters. The studio and producer were emphatic that all four were treated equally. They ensured that each main cast member was given equal screen time each season. This meant some episodes would revolve around a main Cartwright while other episodes would feature partial or even no appearances by the cast. The opening credits were also rotated so that no one actor was given top billing.
Meeting Michael Landon in tucson in the early 1990, he was a man of his own and he invited other celebrities at that time to come to Arizona. I found him quite quiet but he was pleasant to meet even though I really didn't know what to expect from him. Regardless it was a memorable experience and I cried when he passed.
I never watched it unless I was at my great grandparent's apartment but I did enjoy the insight into the actors and the way the series evolved. A good video.
I always liked the character of Adam even though he stuck out as being overly aristocratic despite his cowboy outfit. I do give him credit for going to bat for minority actors to play appropriate roles. Leaving the show certainly put his career on the skids until he finally landed the Trapper John role in the 80's. As a kid, I sadly remember the death of Hoss and Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies in the early 1970's. As to Michael Landon, no one had a more epic TV career. Continuously employed for three decades until his death.
Actually, Roberts did what he wanted to do. He had a long career of theater and guest shots on television shows. This guy here is not right when he says Roberts didn't try to improve the show; he was always making suggestions. The producer later relented that he should have given Roberts some leeway in doing other acting jobs and taken some of his suggestions. But...hindsight.
What I loved about the show was that there were plenty of emotional and serious episodes. There were also many straight up funny episodes. My favorites were the one with the old miner and the dog every time they show the dog he is always sleeping in some weird position.
The one thing that I could never figure out was why anyone would start a fight with Hoss. Every guy who came into town and wanted to take a poke at him ended up regretting it quickly, usually when they ended up having to carry their butts home in a wheelbarrow after Hoss handed it to them.
Micheal Landon was the driving force on Bonanza, this has been said many times and his track records speaks to that with, Little House and Highway to Heaven
Hoss was by far my favorite, as a character and as a person. His death was a shock. As to the westerns, I used to watch so many as kid. I learned a lot from them, especially Annie Oakley. I learned to be a fast draw and to tweddle my 6 shooters. I could beat any boy. (No I wasn't into dolls.) I used to dress like her all the time except for school, they required girl to look like girls. As to the 6 shooter, they would have gotten us killed or arrested if it had been around now. Mine looked as real as it gets (dad was in the millitary he gave them to me for Christmas).
Love all Westerns, but 'Bonanza' holds a special place. It brings back memories of Sunday night at my parents' home. We sat down to watch 'Bonanza' and the Ed Sullivan show every week - I just don't remember in what order they aired. In any case, I am presently watching all the 'Bonanza' reruns and am happy to play them any night of the week!
I prefer BONANZA, because of both it being the first TV western series filmed entirely in color and it had people of various ethnic groups playing the roles of people of their own ethnicities.
I entered the Navy in 1964 and didn't know anyone with a color tv. On ship we didn't receive tv signals except in port so tv wasn't watched much. Only a black and white set on the messdecks was available. We went on liberty instead of watch tv. In 1968 i was out and home again. My father-in-law had a big color set and he always watched Bonanza so i finally saw it in color. Boy it was a treat!
That's not entirely true, Marlo Thomas made a controversial guest appearance as a Chinese woman in one the most disgusting episodes of racial stereotypes in TV history, called "A Pink Cloud Comes From Old Cathay"
Unfortunately, not always. Marlo Thomas, before she gained fame as "That Girl", once played a Chinese bride. The episode was titled "A Pink Cloud Comes from Old Cathay". A humorous, enjoyable episode, she gave it the old college try. Seeing a Caucasian playing such an ethnic part today, in these more "enlightened" times, is a little cringe-inducing but this was common back in that era. Still a good episode, though, regardless.
I have written personal short stories for both Bonanza and Wagon Train and love the characters of each show very much. But for me no one can take the place of "Pa", Ben Cartwright, and I was deeply saddened when he passed away. And even though you say they didn't all get along Michael Landon and Lorne Greene were very close. While Michael Landon was starring in "Little House on the Prairie" Lorne Greene was a guest on a talk show and remarked that the last he heard about his "son" was that he was living in the prairie raising a family of girls.
Talk about diversity in westerns, I think of The High Chaparral. That western was often about the relationship between the Cannon family on the US side of the border and the Montoya family on the Mexican side of the border. It might have been the first western to really feature "Mexican" cowboys and ranchers. The High Chaparral was created by David Dortort, who was a producer of Bonanza. He left Bonanza to work on The High Chaparral. The High Chaparral didn't last nearly as long as Bonanza and it's not nearly as well known, but during its first year it came on right after Bonanza on Sunday night on NBC, and I really loved it. Still do.
I've always liked Bonanza. I didn't have a favorite Cartwright, I liked them all. I really like the episode "The Crucible" with guest star Lee Marvin who holds Adam against his will and treats him like a slave. The ending is amazing!
Bonanza was a really good show - relevant, had real minorities so it seemed authentic, and arguably had one of the top 5 musical introductory themes of all the TV shows I ever watched. It beat the heck out of Wagon Train and Gunsmoke. To me the only show that challenged it was Have Gun Will Travel which was sort of the forerunner of Star Trek as Gene Roddenberry was one of the writers and gun battles tended to leave bad guys wounded but still alive, sort of like Star Trek's later "Phasers on stun." Bonanza was a must see for me. We often would rush home from our cottage to catch the show when it came on on Sundays.
Gunsmoke was longer........1955 to 1975. so when Bonanza finished in 1973 after 14 seasons......Gunsmoke already had 18 seasons in the can. But I enjoyed them both!!
Nice one! For future reference, the house the Cartrights lived in is always referred to as THE Ponderosa, rather than just "Ponderosa". I liked when you referenced Pernell Roberts objection to non-minorities playing minorities on the show. I never heard that reason for his leaving before.
@Leonard Caplan. Primarily Pernell Roberts left because his Adam character was not developing. Adam in his mid 30s was still subject to his father’s whims and fancies. He felt his character was stagnant and predictable after 6 years. He battled producers and writers over the banal writing, inconsistent storylines, and recycled plots. Such issues were because David Dortort, the producer bought scripts from different independent writers. There were no regular writers nor head writer to ensure quality. Roberts was also a champion for the “overlooked” and pushed for more minorities in cast and crew, and objected to the way women were portrayed on the show. He felt Bonanza could be greater if the producers cared enough. But the producers were interested in quantity, not quality. His frustrations grew and he refused to renew his contract. He stood by his convictions and walked away from the millions he would hv made.
@@armathanya8000exactly, he wasn't concerned about making millions he just wanted to see more equality and actual creativity. I have all 6 seasons of Bonanza but I 've only purchased those series due to Pernell being my most very favorite Cartwright ( although I will forever love the show but I am most definitely a huge dedicated and devoted Pernell Roberts fan) and on one of the videos where David Dortort is making a commentary, he spoke of Pernell very highly and said that they should have listened to him and his suggestions pertaining to the show ( yeah uh huh, too little too late) but that he wished him well, so you see , there you have it from David Dortort himself. Oh well such is life
"Bonanza" (1959) was the first TV Western filmed in color ("The Cisco Kid" was the first non-network show filmed in color in 1950. It also was the first syndicated hit TV series. "The Marriage", in 1954, was the first network series to be filmed totally in color).
Of course as a little girl I had quite a crush on Purnell. It hurt when he disappeared. It was romantic, though, imagining him on his ship adventures. If they were smart, that could have made an amazing a series in itself.
Bonanza was doing reruns 5 days a week the final year of of show and called them The Ponderosa. Once all new shows complete airing they changed reruns back to name Bonanza.
First I have to say Gunsmoke was undoubtedly the longest running western of all time. And was my favorite western of all time followed by the high chaparral and the big Valley. I liked bonanza, especially when Purnell Roberts was on it, and once horse passed away the show had nothing for me anymore. But thanks for doing this, I’ve always been a big fan of westerns and always will be.
"The High Chaparral" had the late great Miss Linda Cristal as "Victoria Cannon." For a glimpse of her non Western acting she appeared in a scuba diving suit for an episode of "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea."😘🏊♀️📺B.W.
I remember hearing about Green Acres when I was little and how the networks all of a sudden decided rural markets just weren't worth the money and the urban markets were more profitable. There was a recent video on this era from some UA-cam researcher. What they never considered was a show about the farming community wasn't necessarily watched exclusively by the farming community, and when Green Acres was cancelled the network lost viewers.
Especially since "Green Acres" was WAY ahead of its time as a Sitcom in customarily "breaking the fourth wall" right down to gimmicked Intro credits. Heck this show even managed a note perfect impersonation of "The Beverly Hillbillies" complete with Eddie Albert as "Jethro." And the big deal about that? The same guy Paul Henning was Executive Producer for both Shows. Both were "A Filmways Presentation, Dahlink!"😂📺B.W.
I still to this day watch Bonanza. I loved all of the original cast and when “Adam” left the show, there was a void missing. The writers were able to keep the show interesting after he left but when “Candy” showed up, to me he fit right in. One thing I liked is the Cartwright’s were not a judgmental family. And the show did touch on some sensitive issues. I have seen every episode more than once and have several favorites. One episode in mind was “Enter Thomas Bowers”. He was a black man that sang opera and the ladies waiting on the stage to arrive are disgusted when they see who he is. They don’t want to give him a room at the Hotel and when he goes to eat, they don’t want to serve him but Hoss is in there and doesn’t like what he is seeing or hearing and in Hoss fashion, he cleans house and welcomes Mr. Bowers to the Ponderosa and so do the other Cartwrights. Then there is a wire that an escaped slave fitting his description comes out and he is locked up until they find out the slave have been caught but the Family was on his side and stood up for him the whole time.
As a 7 year old, back in 1967, I remember my dad watching "Rawhide", and I remember that famous theme music. 🎶 🙂 R.I.P. DAD, love you. I miss those days of the 20th Century. 😪 Anyone got a time machine, so I can escape back in time? Tony, an old school guy 61-year-old BLACK US AIR FORCE VET ✈️🇱🇷 AND GOD-FEARING PATRIOT🇱🇷👀
I loved love loved Bonanza hands down!! So did my dad and my brother. We were faithful and still watch these great people act and nothing compares to this cowboy accept Gunsmoke?
Loved the show still watch it sometimes was there the living room its not there no more or the who place took down was cool to walk in side. no up stairs
Bonanza was never "the longest running western" as asserted in this video. Longest running on NBC, yes. But CBS's Gunsmoke (1955-1975) started before, and ended after, Bonanza.
I remember when we went looking for our first color TV. The salesman told us more and more shows were going to be color in the future but that for now you could watch Bonanza, Disneys Wonderful World of Color, and the Tonight Show. All of course were widely popular TV shows, even in black and white.
I remember we had a big ole` color tv in the basement it was 1959, had to turn it on at least 30 minutes before the show, Sunday night the neighbors would show up bringing like cover dishes over to watch 3 color tv series in a row. Probably a dozen people or so. The shows were "River Boat" "Disney" and "Bonanza" I was in first grade and color tv was unbelievable. Disney started out black and white and Tinkerbelle would wave her wand and the color would spill down the screen....Now when I look back I think I liked the black & white shows better especially the westerns
If the pastor didn’t hold us over and my mom didn’t gab to long after the service we could barely make it home to watch bonanza. But first I had to strap on my 6 shooters and cowboy hat and when the bonanza theme music came on I would jump across the arm of the couch and ride in with the Cartwright’s . Memories
I wasnt really much of a western fan but I loved Bonanza. It was more about relationships and everyday life that was just set in the western time period. Loved Dan Blocker. He did all the comedic and more lightheated roles. I didnt really care for Pernell Roberts. He was too serious but I missed him when he left. He would balance Dan Blockers role. Michael Landon was okay. I also liked the character of Sheriff Roy Coffee.
I do too, and seeing how they looked when some of them were young; such as Jeanne Cooper from The Young & the Restless, “Mrs. Chancellor;” and Mike Connors, “Mannix.” There are so many others.
@James Otis JR. Many classically trained actors do move onto tv when the scripts are not banal, plots are compelling, stories are well-developed and characters grow. Sadly in a tv series, actors only have the series overview and producers/writers promise of all these. They very quickly discover otherwise after they sign the contract and start shooting the first few episodes. This happened also with several classically trained actors on Little House on the Prairie.
I think the thing about him that bothered me the most was his bad-mouthing the show and other cast/crew members. Frankly, he had that attitude about him that he carried forward in other works. He came across always as being better than anyone else.
@@GlennaVan I agree that Roberts could hv bn more diplomatic with his grievances. His brutal honesty rubbed many the wrong way. But he did not hide under a false surface of amiability and friendliness, and turn on a “publicity charm”. And then behind closed doors spoke ill of or laughed at the show, colleagues and fans, something many “friendly” actors do. What you see is what you get.
I actually, on vacation went to Carson, City Nevada. There was a map of the Ponderosa at the Virginia & Truckee railroad station. Me and my friend rode it. I got to ride in the cab with the RR Engineer + his dog in 1998.
Out of all the westerns of yesteryear Wagon Train is the one I still love to watch. I also still enjoy The Rifleman and Tales Of Wells Fargo. Never cared for Bonanza.
@@GlennaVan Absolutely. It was about ordinary people, the pioneers traveling west and all their struggles and hardships, enduring many things and yes sometimes they never made it. It was all in an effort to try and make a better life for themselves and their families.
@@WendyKS93 Also, while neither were true to history, Wagon Train was also much more true to what actually went on than a story about a huge ranch and its owner(s). Let's face it, four or five people did NOT run a ranch of that size! Even the logging operation would have taken many people as well as taking care of the cattle.
if you can find it there's a bonanza with child / actor dean Stockwell he would've been good Adam replacement .in the whole episode they show little Joe just once which was nice to me .
I met Pernell Roberts when he was shooting a movie in Baton Rouge. He was extremely unfriendly. John Forsyth was also shooting the movie, and he was a sweetheart! I never cared for Pernell Roberts after this.
@Carol Bostick. Your experience was most unfortunate. A good friend met him in London and had quite the opposite experience. She was bowled over by him. He was extremely charming and friendly. At first, he was reticent as he is an extremely private person. He was tired of the same questions about his leaving Bonanza and would not talk about it. But on non-personal issues he was friendly and chatty. They talked about philosophy and Thoreau. She did say that he could be dismissive and sometimes hostile towards those who invaded his privacy.
@@armathanya8000 I was just waiting for his autograph. I didn’t ask him any questions at all. He might have been tired from filming the movie that day.
@@armathanya8000 I like the way you talk about Pernell. He is my favorite actor, and I shared a long friendship with his best friend, who alas died few months ago, he was born too in 1928 (we talked by skype, because I am in France). Pernell was a very sensitive and clever man, what he wanted was doing his job, he disliked all the stuff like interviews, promotions etc...he was an actor above all, and he was a very private man . Money didn't lead his career, only the pleasure to act. I like him first for his activism, his ideas before his career.
@@corinnecm776 My condolences on the loss of your friend and Pernell’s best friend. I came across articles about Pernell Roberts when I was researching on fandom for a client. I was intrigued by the man, his ideals and motivations. He is not your typical Hollywood product. His passion and dedication to his work is inspirational. Thank you for confirming my findings. As I did not know him personally I could only surmise from analysing features, first hand interviews and comments by him and people who knew him. Sadly many misunderstand him and label him unkindly. Thank you for sharing your personal knowledge of Pernell Roberts. So much is happening in Europe now. Stay safe.
Excellent Video Thanks. I always wondered if when Guy Williams was introduced into a few episodes if David Dortort was trying to keep him in as a permanent cast member before David Canary. To answer the question Bonanza Or Wagon Train ? Bonanza
@Nick C. Guy Williams was supposed to be the direct replacement after Pernell Roberts left. Williams left after only 5 episodes as Michael Landon objected to any new popular, goodlooking actor being included in the main cast. Williams was very popular then after just finishing his “Zorro” series. So he was written out of the show. The exit plan for Roberts in marrying Laura Dayton was instead given to Williams. And Roberts was threatened with “acting oblivion” if he did not stay for the 6th season. The same happened with Barry Coe who was introduced as Little Joe’s half brother, Clay, in season 4. Barry Coe was considered as a regular after Roberts departure to appeal to a younger demographic. Landon objected and Coe was written out. It was a shame that the studio gave in to ego as the two new characters would hv bn interesting as conflicted Cartwrights.
@@armathanya8000 Wow . This is one of the most informative replies I ever received Thank You So Much For The Information I Enjoyed your reply VERY much
@@nickc7372 You are most welcome. I am happy to share any information I came across in my research on psycho-social aspects of fandom. I hv also responded to some of the other posts on this site. Stay safe.
Bonanza was the standard that TV westerns of the time were judged by, and one that they compared themselves to. The first commercial for the then-new High Chaparral series called it..."bigger than The Big Valley; better than Bonanza." And of course, few measured up to Bonanza in its prime. The Ponderosa Ranch and the Cartwrights of the sixties were Yellowstone and the Duttons of the current westerns, in some ways. They're both about families who pretty much have no limits to how far they'll go to protect what blood, sweat and tears created.
Chuck Greene, Lorne's son, has tried to get Lorne put into the CDN Hall of Fame (acting) but the committee that makes that decision has claimed, 'because Lorne was busy with USA TV, he did not do enough CDN content.' B was the #1 show for a many yrs, but in Canada 'it just doesn't matter' ("Meatballs" movie quote) thanks for an entertaining upload // P made a mistake leaving the show
i love westerns still, liked wagon train and bonanza equally and was sorry when they were axed plus i wish they would start making and broadcasting them again instead of some of the crap on current tv.i think the best western ever made is once upon a time in the west followed by clint eastwoods spaghetti ones.
@@MsBackstager yes that's around the time they added Jamie the redheaded kid most of those episodes stunk .the last season with out Hoss was called the lost episodes I saw some of them they should stay lost it was like little House on the prairie. Everyone had brain tumors or went blind or was paralyzed and Michael Landon walked around with tears in his eyes for the whole episode .
@@gmc1284 Just some extra info. Pernell Roberts, who guest starred on Big Valley twice became very close lifelong friends with Peter Breck who played Nick Barkley. They shared common interests like helping new and struggling young actors. Breck founded an acting school while Roberts ran workshops at universities. Breck’s wife touchingly related how she struggled to inform Breck of Roberts’ death. Breck was fighting dementia then. Sadly Breck died 2 years later.
Pernell Roberts was also a lifelong friend of Lorne Greene who played his father on Bonanza. They were both reunited on an episode of the TV show, vega$ starting starring Bob urich.
I liked Bonanza, in the show all the characters appear to be so kind, loving like a family should be. Wagon Train is good, be Bonanza is tops with me🥰💘
Pernell Roberts was greatly maligned because he did not play the Hollywood game. He did not pander to the media and they hated his reticence and resorted to sensationalising morsels of information. He was a fiercely private person which annoyed those hungry for gossip. He was outspoken which threatened those who wanted to preserve their gravy train. He was self-assured, confident and intellectual which irked those who did not appreciate these traits. Guest stars shared that Roberts was a “very serious, intelligent man” with a “quick mind” and who was “serious and analytical about his acting.” Bonanza was entertaining and had some very good episodes. But It teetered between drama and farce and “horse operas”. Discerning viewers recognise the banal writing, recycled plots and inconsistent storylines. What more for an actor serious about his work, and not just motivated by fame and money. Roberts was frustrated by it. He was also at times dissatisfied with his own performance but was ordered by producers and studio to “just walk the script” like the others. They were only interested in churning out quantity not quality. And so, yes, he felt out of place in Bonanza.
Armath Anya. Pernell once said that he never said half the things people claimed he said. You are right. He did not play the Hollywood game and wasn’t motivated by money but his body of work. He said he was never satisfied with his work. In the end David Dortort regretted not listening more to Pernell.
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I preferred Candy to Adam
Bonanza was and always be the best of the Westerns. The fact that it is doing so well in the re runs speaks for itself. personally I love it.
Bonanza and Gun Smoke were my favorites as well as a few others, but you just have to LOVE westerns there's just something about the characters, dialogue and good old-fashioned justice and heroism!
' Gunsmoke " not " Gun Smoke ". Is everybody fuckin' illiterate?
@@hermanator74301 🤣🤣🤣
Gunsmoke started before and ended after Bonanza
I loved Bonanza the most and enjoy the reruns over and over again.I loved all the characters and especially with it being a family show.
We're glad to know that you love the show. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. If we may ask, which episode did you like the best?
I love the episodes that tell stories and a moral lesson. I love it when the good guys win and Bonanza is the show that brings me relief living in this now divided country.
I do too, but America has been divided since it was Whigs vs Tories, abolitionists vs slave holders, North vs South and isolationists/doves vs hawks. So tune in to Yellowstone and pass the popcorn.
@@jerrydiver1 Paper vs. Rock vs. Scissors!😂B.W.
What most of the public never know was that Pernell Roberts was a Creek Indian from Waycross, GA. So am I. That is was part of the reason that he was concerned about portrayal of minorities. Throughout his life, he contributed generously to many Native American causes and personally funded the college educations of dozens of Native American young people. He was also on an advisory board of the Muscogee-Creek Nation.
The Roberts attended the same Methodist church as our family. Occasionally, our families would go out to dinner together after church. For awhile, Pernell even taught my mother's young adult Sunday School class. That was when, he was planning to become a Methodist Minister. His father dropped me head first on a concrete floor, when I was six months. His father delivered soft drinks to my stepfather's short order restaurant in Waycross. There is a reason that Adam Cartwright played an architect on Bonanza. Growing up, Pernell dreamed of being an architect, but he flunked out of Georgia Tech's architecture school, his freshman year.
Most websites on Pernell just rehash what other websites say. Thought that you would enjoy learning trivia from someone who knew the family.
That is so cool
Very cool information. Thank you very much for sharing.
Dan Blocker didnt sound like a baby to me setting his own collar bone and finishing his work .
I think that was a joke referring to the fact that Blocker held the record as being the biggest baby born in his county or something (14 lbs.!)
@@ERASEREPLACEPLACE that's the only way he could be called a big baby .I also heard he bare knuckle boxed.
Makes one wonder where these youtubers get their information.
@@ozziewarrens8804 is something incorrect?
8 pounds is a huge baby and DAN was "14" that’s not big, that’s "Incredible Hulk" size!
I remember driving about twenty miles every Sunday to friends of my mom's to watch Bonanza "in color" because they were the only people we knew who could afford a color tv! Bonanza was the first show I ever saw in color - what a thrill it was!
The first show I saw in color was Hogans heros .
Are you still with us today?
@@cornbreadhead7197 yeah who do you think wrote the comment..
That’s a lovely memory ❣️
The fate of the Cartwright women characters sounds a lot like every unfamiliar face in a Star Trek landing party.
Thanks for watching, Mr. 1000!
lol,,red shirt blues
Facts lmfao they should have all worn red 👗
Except for Scotty it was always the red shirts that got wacked.
I loved Hoss he was such a gentle giant
Hoss was my favorite character. I remember the episode where he played the Easter Bunny for the orphans. 😄🥰 Tha
Meeee tooo
I like both 👍 shows but I loved bonanza to this day I still watch the re-runs
Thanks for watching, Barbara!
I loved both shows, Bonanza and Wagon Train but was partial to Wagon Train partly mostly because of Robert Fuller. So good-looking and great actor. Also loved Denny Miller on Wagon Train
I grew up in King’s Beach at Lake Tahoe, and when Bonanza first started they filmed some scenes in Incline, Nevada. I remember seeing them film and getting autographs after their work day at the North Shore Club.
Even as a you g child I was impressed by how hard they worked.
Did you get autographs from Pernell Roberts or Michael Landon? What kind of attitude did they have? One of my siblings met Lorne Green and Dan Blocker, and said both of them were friendly.
Bonanza started when I was living in SoCal. I was nine years old, and it ended when my husband just came back from Vietnam. How can the baby boomers forget this great TV show...we loved it.
Loved Dan Blocker. In my opinion, he made the show.
@Ffejay Warrior. Indeed Dan Blocker portrayed the strong, gentle, gullible and soft-headed Hoss convincingly. But to be fair, all four actors contributed greatly to the show. They portrayed their individual characters well. One of Bonanza’s success hinged on the dynamics and differences among the four characters. The studio and producer were emphatic that all four were treated equally. They ensured that each main cast member was given equal screen time each season. This meant some episodes would revolve around a main Cartwright while other episodes would feature partial or even no appearances by the cast. The opening credits were also rotated so that no one actor was given top billing.
When Dan blocker died, Bonanza was cancelled.
No Hoss, no Bonanza. Those pictures of Dan Blocker were wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
One of my favorite episodes was the one with the midgets who Hoss thinks are Leprechauns!
Thanks for watching!
Meeting Michael Landon in tucson in the early 1990, he was a man of his own and he invited other celebrities at that time to come to Arizona. I found him quite quiet but he was pleasant to meet even though I really didn't know what to expect from him. Regardless it was a memorable experience and I cried when he passed.
Loved the series, may the lost rest in peace, 🙏 great video thanks 🖤
Thanks for watching, Janet!
I never watched it unless I was at my great grandparent's apartment but I did enjoy the insight into the actors and the way the series evolved. A good video.
I always liked the character of Adam even though he stuck out as being overly aristocratic despite his cowboy outfit. I do give him credit for going to bat for minority actors to play appropriate roles. Leaving the show certainly put his career on the skids until he finally landed the Trapper John role in the 80's. As a kid, I sadly remember the death of Hoss and Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies in the early 1970's. As to Michael Landon, no one had a more epic TV career. Continuously employed for three decades until his death.
Actually, Roberts did what he wanted to do. He had a long career of theater and guest shots on television shows. This guy here is not right when he says Roberts didn't try to improve the show; he was always making suggestions. The producer later relented that he should have given Roberts some leeway in doing other acting jobs and taken some of his suggestions. But...hindsight.
@@marysheeran519exactly 👍💯
@@marysheeran519agree!!
@@marysheeran519exactly
I love Bonanza, but my all time favourite was the James Garner episodes of Maverick.
I loved bonanza and still do ! Loved that time period , good tv !! 😁🖒🖒
Bonanza, gunsmoke, the Big valley and wagon train were the top westerns of the sixties.
What I loved about the show was that there were plenty of emotional and serious episodes. There were also many straight up funny episodes. My favorites were the one with the old miner and the dog every time they show the dog he is always sleeping in some weird position.
Thanks for watching!
Yeah that was one of my favorites too! The dogs name was Walter!
The one thing that I could never figure out was why anyone would start a fight with Hoss. Every guy who came into town and wanted to take a poke at him ended up regretting it quickly, usually when they ended up having to carry their butts home in a wheelbarrow after Hoss handed it to them.
One of the best Westerns back in the day.
Bonanza will always be my absolute favorite ❤️
Do you have a favorite Cartwright?
@@harperstacey9604 That’s a tricky question but I have to say Ben!
Every time Hoss got in the saddle, I swear I could hear the horse groan.
If you listen closely you could probably hear the horse cursing lol. Hoss was a huge man lol
@@stevebanks1640 I learned the horse was called Chub.
My grandmother used to watched this show. I sometime did watch it with her.
Micheal Landon was the driving force on Bonanza, this has been said many times and his track records speaks to that with, Little House and Highway to Heaven
Bonanza for me! Liked Pernell Roberts a lot.
Thanks for watching, Steven!
Pernell's character, Adam Cartwright was my favorite on Bonanza.
Pernell was my favorite. I just watched the episodes with him.
He was also Trapper John M.D.
Oddly, he was my least favorite of the four main characters though we loved them all!
Bonanza was not the longest running western, although it was my own favorite. But Gunsmoke ran six years longer than Bonanza.
Thanks for watching, Rick!
And Gunsmoke started out as a radio program!
@@bonnieharris8112 I don't think I knew that. Was James Arness in it?
He wasn't in the radio version. William Conrad was Matt Dillion on radio. You know, ' Cannon ',..' Jake And The Fatman '.
@@hermanator74301 I remember William Conrad. He had a great voice, and would have been a fantastic Matt Dillon on radio.
Hoss was by far my favorite, as a character and as a person. His death was a shock. As to the westerns, I used to watch so many as kid. I learned a lot from them, especially Annie Oakley. I learned to be a fast draw and to tweddle my 6 shooters. I could beat any boy. (No I wasn't into dolls.) I used to dress like her all the time except for school, they required girl to look like girls. As to the 6 shooter, they would have gotten us killed or arrested if it had been around now. Mine looked as real as it gets (dad was in the millitary he gave them to me for Christmas).
Thanks for watching, Carmen!
Bonanza episodes are akin to Agatha Christie thrillers - I read/watch them over and over again. They are so comforting.
Thanks for watching!
Love all Westerns, but 'Bonanza' holds a special place. It brings back memories of Sunday night at my parents' home. We sat down to watch 'Bonanza' and the Ed Sullivan show every week - I just don't remember in what order they aired. In any case, I am presently watching all the 'Bonanza' reruns and am happy to play them any night of the week!
My mom loved Bonanza it would come on and even dad groaned and rolled his eyes, my brother and I would giggle
I prefer BONANZA, because of both it being the first TV western series filmed entirely in color and it had people of various ethnic groups playing the roles of people of their own ethnicities.
Thanks for watching, Wallace!
Agreed
I entered the Navy in 1964 and didn't know anyone with a color tv. On ship we didn't receive tv signals except in port so tv wasn't watched much. Only a black and white set on the messdecks was available. We went on liberty instead of watch tv. In 1968 i was out and home again. My father-in-law had a big color set and he always watched Bonanza so i finally saw it in color. Boy it was a treat!
That's not entirely true, Marlo Thomas made a controversial guest appearance as a Chinese woman in one the most disgusting episodes of racial stereotypes in TV history, called "A Pink Cloud Comes From Old Cathay"
Unfortunately, not always. Marlo Thomas, before she gained fame as "That Girl", once played a Chinese bride. The episode was titled "A Pink Cloud Comes from Old Cathay". A humorous, enjoyable episode, she gave it the old college try. Seeing a Caucasian playing such an ethnic part today, in these more "enlightened" times, is a little cringe-inducing but this was common back in that era. Still a good episode, though, regardless.
I have written personal short stories for both Bonanza and Wagon Train and love the characters of each show very much. But for me no one can take the place of "Pa", Ben Cartwright, and I was deeply saddened when he passed away. And even though you say they didn't all get along Michael Landon and Lorne Greene were very close. While Michael Landon was starring in "Little House on the Prairie" Lorne Greene was a guest on a talk show and remarked that the last he heard about his "son" was that he was living in the prairie raising a family of girls.
Thanks for watching, Vicki!
Talk about diversity in westerns, I think of The High Chaparral. That western was often about the relationship between the Cannon family on the US side of the border and the Montoya family on the Mexican side of the border. It might have been the first western to really feature "Mexican" cowboys and ranchers. The High Chaparral was created by David Dortort, who was a producer of Bonanza. He left Bonanza to work on The High Chaparral. The High Chaparral didn't last nearly as long as Bonanza and it's not nearly as well known, but during its first year it came on right after Bonanza on Sunday night on NBC, and I really loved it. Still do.
I've always liked Bonanza. I didn't have a favorite Cartwright, I liked them all. I really like the episode "The Crucible" with guest star Lee Marvin who holds Adam against his will and treats him like a slave. The ending is amazing!
I loved that one, too. Dragging a dead man when he could hardly walk himself. I liked Adam.
“The Crucible” episode was my favorite! Both actors were superb.
@@caroljohnson5879 Yes, they were.
Pernell should have won an Emmy for that episode, he was absolutely mesmerizing as was Lee Marvin ❤️👍💯👏
That was a tough one for me to watch being Adam my favorite Cartwright. They gave it 💯 in that episode.
Bonanza was a really good show - relevant, had real minorities so it seemed authentic, and arguably had one of the top 5 musical introductory themes of all the TV shows I ever watched. It beat the heck out of Wagon Train and Gunsmoke.
To me the only show that challenged it was Have Gun Will Travel which was sort of the forerunner of Star Trek as Gene Roddenberry was one of the writers and gun battles tended to leave bad guys wounded but still alive, sort of like Star Trek's later "Phasers on stun."
Bonanza was a must see for me. We often would rush home from our cottage to catch the show when it came on on Sundays.
Gunsmoke was longer........1955 to 1975. so when Bonanza finished in 1973 after 14 seasons......Gunsmoke already had 18 seasons in the can. But I enjoyed them both!!
Perhaps it was referring to longest on the network?
@@GlennaVan Yes Glenna......that might be it!!!
Gunsmoke was on way too long.
Nice one! For future reference, the house the Cartrights lived in is always referred to as THE Ponderosa, rather than just "Ponderosa". I liked when you referenced Pernell Roberts objection to non-minorities playing minorities on the show. I never heard that reason for his leaving before.
@Leonard Caplan. Primarily Pernell Roberts left because his Adam character was not developing. Adam in his mid 30s was still subject to his father’s whims and fancies. He felt his character was stagnant and predictable after 6 years. He battled producers and writers over the banal writing, inconsistent storylines, and recycled plots. Such issues were because David Dortort, the producer bought scripts from different independent writers. There were no regular writers nor head writer to ensure quality.
Roberts was also a champion for the “overlooked” and pushed for more minorities in cast and crew, and objected to the way women were portrayed on the show. He felt Bonanza could be greater if the producers cared enough. But the producers were interested in quantity, not quality. His frustrations grew and he refused to renew his contract. He stood by his convictions and walked away from the millions he would hv made.
L
@@armathanya8000exactly, he wasn't concerned about making millions he just wanted to see more equality and actual creativity. I have all 6 seasons of Bonanza but I 've only purchased those series due to Pernell being my most very favorite Cartwright ( although I will forever love the show but I am most definitely a huge dedicated and devoted Pernell Roberts fan) and on one of the videos where David Dortort is making a commentary, he spoke of Pernell very highly and said that they should have listened to him and his suggestions pertaining to the show ( yeah uh huh, too little too late) but that he wished him well, so you see , there you have it from David Dortort himself. Oh well such is life
Adam was my favorite.
Thanks for watching, Marielle!
"Bonanza" (1959) was the first TV Western filmed in color ("The Cisco Kid" was the first non-network show filmed in color in 1950. It also was the first syndicated hit TV series. "The Marriage", in 1954, was the first network series to be filmed totally in color).
I discovered the show when i was helping my old client on some home stuff and thank God.
Of course as a little girl I had quite a crush on Purnell.
It hurt when he disappeared.
It was romantic, though, imagining him on his ship adventures.
If they were smart, that could have made an amazing a series in itself.
Thanks for watching!
A man is called a widower. And “Gunsmoke” kept running on CBS after “Bonanza” was canceled.
Gunsmoke was on the air for 20 years.
Bonanza was doing reruns 5 days a week the final year of of show and called them The Ponderosa. Once all new shows complete airing they changed reruns back to name Bonanza.
@@harperstacey9604 remember gunsmoke was a radio show first
@@fred5399 But it aired on TV for 20 years. Until The Simpsons, it was the longest running night time show on TV.
@@fred5399 William conrad who played on the TV show, Cannon portrayed marshall Dillon on the radio.
First I have to say Gunsmoke was undoubtedly the longest running western of all time. And was my favorite western of all time followed by the high chaparral and the big Valley. I liked bonanza, especially when Purnell Roberts was on it, and once horse passed away the show had nothing for me anymore. But thanks for doing this, I’ve always been a big fan of westerns and always will be.
Thanks for watching, Steve!
"The High Chaparral" had the late great Miss Linda Cristal as "Victoria Cannon." For a glimpse of her non Western acting she appeared in a scuba diving suit for an episode of "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea."😘🏊♀️📺B.W.
Bonanza will always be my favorite.
Who was your favorite Cartwright?
I remember hearing about Green Acres when I was little and how the networks all of a sudden decided rural markets just weren't worth the money and the urban markets were more profitable. There was a recent video on this era from some UA-cam researcher.
What they never considered was a show about the farming community wasn't necessarily watched exclusively by the farming community, and when Green Acres was cancelled the network lost viewers.
I loved Green Acres. Yeah, it was a little silly at times, but sometimes you need a good dose of silly.
Especially since "Green Acres" was WAY ahead of its time as a Sitcom in customarily "breaking the fourth wall" right down to gimmicked Intro credits. Heck this show even managed a note perfect impersonation of "The Beverly Hillbillies" complete with Eddie Albert as "Jethro." And the big deal about that? The same guy Paul Henning was Executive Producer for both Shows. Both were "A Filmways Presentation, Dahlink!"😂📺B.W.
I’m 37 so I didn’t grow up watching them premier, but I grew up with my grandfather watching Bonanza reruns. Gunsmoke being my favorite though
Bonanza was a great show.
Thanks for watching!
I still to this day watch Bonanza. I loved all of the original cast and when “Adam” left the show, there was a void missing. The writers were able to keep the show interesting after he left but when “Candy” showed up, to me he fit right in. One thing I liked is the Cartwright’s were not a judgmental family. And the show did touch on some sensitive issues. I have seen every episode more than once and have several favorites. One episode in mind was “Enter Thomas Bowers”. He was a black man that sang opera and the ladies waiting on the stage to arrive are disgusted when they see who he is. They don’t want to give him a room at the Hotel and when he goes to eat, they don’t want to serve him but Hoss is in there and doesn’t like what he is seeing or hearing and in Hoss fashion, he cleans house and welcomes Mr. Bowers to the Ponderosa and so do the other Cartwrights. Then there is a wire that an escaped slave fitting his description comes out and he is locked up until they find out the slave have been caught but the Family was on his side and stood up for him the whole time.
Thanks for watching!
I watched that episode a couple of months ago. I think he sung Italian opera.
I liked 'The Virginian' as well. And was that a fleeting glimpse of a young David Cassidy in part of your Bonanza mix?
Yes it was. David Cassidy appeared on many TV shows before ha played Keith partridge on the Partridge family.
The Virginian started out as a 90 minute show.
As a 7 year old, back in 1967, I remember my dad watching "Rawhide", and I remember that famous theme music. 🎶 🙂
R.I.P. DAD, love you.
I miss those days of the 20th Century. 😪
Anyone got a time machine, so I can escape back in time?
Tony, an old school guy
61-year-old BLACK US AIR FORCE VET ✈️🇱🇷 AND GOD-FEARING PATRIOT🇱🇷👀
Thanks for watching!
@@FactsVerse
"Thanks for watching"?
That's it?? No further comments?? 🤔
Bonanza will always be #1❤
So true! What is your most memorable episode of the show?
The goal is to dig up dirt on folks. Nicely done. You must be proud.
There's three things you never see (almost never see) in TV westerns: outhouses, tooth brushes, and snow.
I've seen all three on Little House on the Prairie , though technically I'm not sure if that counts as a western.
Filming in Southern California makes it tough for snow
What do tooth brushes have to do with westerns? Why not mention soap or deodorant s?
I loved love loved Bonanza hands down!! So did my dad and my brother. We were faithful and still watch these great people act and nothing compares to this cowboy accept Gunsmoke?
Thanks for watching, Denice!
Loved the show still watch it sometimes was there the living room its not there no more or the who place took down was cool to walk in side. no up stairs
Little Joe was my first TV crush.
Michael Landon was very handsome when he was young.
Bonanza was never "the longest running western" as asserted in this video. Longest running on NBC, yes. But CBS's Gunsmoke (1955-1975) started before, and ended after, Bonanza.
Yes but you can’t compare the quality of bonanza I’ll take quality over quantity, bonanza to me was the much better show
"Pa Cartwright was already three times a widow"... Er, ah, that's WIDOWER.
I remember when we went looking for our first color TV. The salesman told us more and more shows were going to be color in the future but that for now you could watch Bonanza, Disneys Wonderful World of Color, and the Tonight Show. All of course were widely popular TV shows, even in black and white.
I loved this show
There's no comparison between Bonanza and Wagon Train. Bonanza was much better, and the characters more likeable, relatable.
Thanks for watching, John!
Bonanza was a better show. I can't even remember the characters on wagon train.
I remember we had a big ole` color tv in the basement it was 1959, had to turn it on at least 30 minutes before the show, Sunday night the neighbors would show up bringing like cover dishes over to watch 3 color tv series in a row. Probably a dozen people or so. The shows were "River Boat" "Disney" and "Bonanza" I was in first grade and color tv was unbelievable. Disney started out black and white and Tinkerbelle would wave her wand and the color would spill down the screen....Now when I look back I think I liked the black & white shows better especially the westerns
If the pastor didn’t hold us over and my mom didn’t gab to long after the service we could barely make it home to watch bonanza. But first I had to strap on my 6 shooters and cowboy hat and when the bonanza theme music came on I would jump across the arm of the couch and ride in with the Cartwright’s . Memories
Thanks for watching, Rod!
Quite a kid!
Bonanza, Wagon Train? Gunsmoke Hands Down!!!!!!!!
Bonanza was by far the best western series ever made
Thanks for watching, Jeff!
I enjoyed the storylines and the guest stars on Bonanza. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
I wasnt really much of a western fan but I loved Bonanza. It was more about relationships and everyday life that was just set in the western time period. Loved Dan Blocker. He did all the comedic and more lightheated roles. I didnt really care for Pernell Roberts. He was too serious but I missed him when he left. He would balance Dan Blockers role. Michael Landon was okay. I also liked the character of Sheriff Roy Coffee.
Thanks for watching, Peter!
The one thing I enjoyed about those long running TV series was the Guest Stars, you don't see that today?
I do too, and seeing how they looked when some of them were young; such as Jeanne Cooper from The Young & the Restless, “Mrs. Chancellor;” and Mike Connors, “Mannix.” There are so many others.
classically trained actor who thought television was beneath them - that seems to be the definition of classically trained actor
@James Otis JR. Many classically trained actors do move onto tv when the scripts are not banal, plots are compelling, stories are well-developed and characters grow. Sadly in a tv series, actors only have the series overview and producers/writers promise of all these. They very quickly discover otherwise after they sign the contract and start shooting the first few episodes. This happened also with several classically trained actors on Little House on the Prairie.
Pernell Roberts had a great singing voice.
I think the thing about him that bothered me the most was his bad-mouthing the show and other cast/crew members. Frankly, he had that attitude about him that he carried forward in other works. He came across always as being better than anyone else.
@@GlennaVan I agree that Roberts could hv bn more diplomatic with his grievances. His brutal honesty rubbed many the wrong way. But he did not hide under a false surface of amiability and friendliness, and turn on a “publicity charm”. And then behind closed doors spoke ill of or laughed at the show, colleagues and fans, something many “friendly” actors do. What you see is what you get.
He forgot the rule of never biting the hand that feeds you!
Blocker I believe earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart
@David Erickson thank you for the information ,he was still a great soldier and patriot
I actually, on vacation went to Carson, City Nevada. There was a map of the Ponderosa at the Virginia & Truckee railroad station. Me and my friend rode it. I got to ride in the cab with the RR Engineer + his dog in 1998.
You all make the best utubes. God love and blessings
Longest running western series was actually Gunsmoke with 20 seasons.
Thanks for watching!
Out of all the westerns of yesteryear Wagon Train is the one I still love to watch. I also still enjoy The Rifleman and Tales Of Wells Fargo. Never cared for Bonanza.
Wagon Train has always been my favorite. It was more in the line of everyday people and addressed a huge variety of "human issues."
@@GlennaVan Absolutely. It was about ordinary people, the pioneers traveling west and all their struggles and hardships, enduring many things and yes sometimes they never made it. It was all in an effort to try and make a better life for themselves and their families.
@@WendyKS93 Also, while neither were true to history, Wagon Train was also much more true to what actually went on than a story about a huge ranch and its owner(s).
Let's face it, four or five people did NOT run a ranch of that size! Even the logging operation would have taken many people as well as taking care of the cattle.
@@GlennaVan Well said. I completely agree.
I've always preferred The Big Valley over Bonanza
They should have kept Guy Williams as Will Cartwright longer than just a few episodes on the show. He was a good replacement for Pernell Roberts.
Thanks for watching!
Absolutely , he could have been developed into a great character.
The producers of Bonanza used Guy Williams as a bargaining chip against Pernell Roberts.
if you can find it there's a bonanza with child / actor dean Stockwell he would've been good Adam replacement .in the whole episode they show little Joe just once which was nice to me .
If nothing else, it might have spared Guy Williams that fate of being tied to "Lost In Space".
Oh the pain, the pain, the pain.
It. Was. Great. , Good. Clean. Show. !
How true...great days.!...Ireland.
I met Pernell Roberts when he was shooting a movie in Baton Rouge. He was extremely unfriendly. John Forsyth was also shooting the movie, and he was a sweetheart! I never cared for Pernell Roberts after this.
@Carol Bostick. Your experience was most unfortunate. A good friend met him in London and had quite the opposite experience. She was bowled over by him. He was extremely charming and friendly. At first, he was reticent as he is an extremely private person. He was tired of the same questions about his leaving Bonanza and would not talk about it. But on non-personal issues he was friendly and chatty. They talked about philosophy and Thoreau. She did say that he could be dismissive and sometimes hostile towards those who invaded his privacy.
@@armathanya8000 I was just waiting for his autograph. I didn’t ask him any questions at all. He might have been tired from filming the movie that day.
@@armathanya8000 I like the way you talk about Pernell. He is my favorite actor, and I shared a long friendship with his best friend, who alas died few months ago, he was born too in 1928 (we talked by skype, because I am in France). Pernell was a very sensitive and clever man, what he wanted was doing his job, he disliked all the stuff like interviews, promotions etc...he was an actor above all, and he was a very private man . Money didn't lead his career, only the pleasure to act. I like him first for his activism, his ideas before his career.
@@corinnecm776 My condolences on the loss of your friend and Pernell’s best friend.
I came across articles about Pernell Roberts when I was researching on fandom for a client.
I was intrigued by the man, his ideals and motivations. He is not your typical Hollywood product. His passion and dedication to his work is inspirational.
Thank you for confirming my findings. As I did not know him personally I could only surmise from analysing features, first hand interviews and comments by him and people who knew him.
Sadly many misunderstand him and label him unkindly.
Thank you for sharing your personal knowledge of Pernell Roberts.
So much is happening in Europe now. Stay safe.
@@armathanya8000 Thank you very much Armath :) I am always glad to talk with real Pernell's admirers.
I ALWAY LOVE ❤️ BONANZA , VIRGINIAN AND SUNSMOKE
What is sunsmoke?
Excellent Video Thanks. I always wondered if when Guy Williams was introduced into a few episodes if David Dortort was trying to keep him in as a permanent cast member before David Canary. To answer the question Bonanza Or Wagon Train ? Bonanza
@Nick C. Guy Williams was supposed to be the direct replacement after Pernell Roberts left. Williams left after only 5 episodes as Michael Landon objected to any new popular, goodlooking actor being included in the main cast. Williams was very popular then after just finishing his “Zorro” series. So he was written out of the show. The exit plan for Roberts in marrying Laura Dayton was instead given to Williams. And Roberts was threatened with “acting oblivion” if he did not stay for the 6th season. The same happened with Barry Coe who was introduced as Little Joe’s half brother, Clay, in season 4. Barry Coe was considered as a regular after Roberts departure to appeal to a younger demographic. Landon objected and Coe was written out. It was a shame that the studio gave in to ego as the two new characters would hv bn interesting as conflicted Cartwrights.
@@armathanya8000 Wow . This is one of the most informative replies I ever received Thank You So Much For The Information I Enjoyed your reply VERY much
@@nickc7372 You are most welcome. I am happy to share any information I came across in my research on psycho-social aspects of fandom. I hv also responded to some of the other posts on this site. Stay safe.
@@armathanya8000 you know this because you were there.
Bonanza was the standard that TV westerns of the time were judged by, and one that they compared themselves to. The first commercial for the then-new High Chaparral series called it..."bigger than The Big Valley; better than Bonanza." And of course, few measured up to Bonanza in its prime. The Ponderosa Ranch and the Cartwrights of the sixties were Yellowstone and the Duttons of the current westerns, in some ways. They're both about families who pretty much have no limits to how far they'll go to protect what blood, sweat and tears created.
Chuck Greene, Lorne's son, has tried to get Lorne put into the CDN Hall of Fame (acting) but the committee that makes that decision has claimed, 'because Lorne was busy with USA TV, he did not do enough CDN content.'
B was the #1 show for a many yrs, but in Canada 'it just doesn't matter' ("Meatballs" movie quote)
thanks for an entertaining upload // P made a mistake leaving the show
Bonanza is the best western ever.
I enjoyed the whole cast.
Bonanza was my favorite of the two but Gunsmoke was my absolute favorite.
Thanks for watching, Tony!
I liked the dialogue between doc and festus. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
i love westerns still, liked wagon train and bonanza equally and was sorry when they were axed plus i wish they would start making and broadcasting them again instead of some of the crap on current tv.i think the best western ever made is once upon a time in the west followed by clint eastwoods spaghetti ones.
Thanks for watching, Josephine!
Bonanza, only as long Adam was part of it. Then I skipped it. Pernell Roberts gave a depth to this character and this loss couldn't be filled.
Thanks for watching, Vanessa!
When Pernell Roberts left the show, I was very upset. Adam was my favorite Cartwright.
I always loved the music that played when a scene featured Hoss……
Thanks for watching!
Bonanza my favorite show.
My actor dad said Pernell Roberts had "a case of clean underwear."
Thanks for watching!
I think Gunsmoke lasted 20 years .they said Bonanza lasted14
I believe you are correct G.
@@simpleman5688 You are right, "Gunsmoke" was the longest-running western. "Bonanza" was second.
@@simpleman5688 Bonanza went down in ratings after Dan B. died and because of it's many time changes.
@@MsBackstager yes that's around the time they added Jamie the redheaded kid most of those episodes stunk .the last season with out Hoss was called the lost episodes I saw some of them they should stay lost it was like little House on the prairie. Everyone had brain tumors or went blind or was paralyzed and Michael Landon walked around with tears in his eyes for the whole episode .
@@gmc1284 Recently, I saw a lost episode and I just missed Hoss the whole show.
I watched the Billy Burgess episode sometime ago. Who remembers that one?
DAVID CASSIDY..
.
@@marlon5970 Thank you
@@danielcruz8347 That’s right! :) Thank you
I watching at the moment Season 3.
Back then, i was too young to watch
Cartwright curse? They must have had that on The Big Valley also!
I liked Nick he would fight at the drop of a hat .
Thanks for watching, Bonnie!
@@gmc1284 Just some extra info. Pernell Roberts, who guest starred on Big Valley twice became very close lifelong friends with Peter Breck who played Nick Barkley. They shared common interests like helping new and struggling young actors. Breck founded an acting school while Roberts ran workshops at universities. Breck’s wife touchingly related how she struggled to inform Breck of Roberts’ death. Breck was fighting dementia then. Sadly Breck died 2 years later.
@@armathanya8000 I enjoyed these two actors in anything they did .it was sad to hear that about Peter but he was fortunate to have such a loving wife.
Pernell Roberts was also a lifelong friend of Lorne Greene who played his father on Bonanza. They were both reunited on an episode of the TV show, vega$ starting starring Bob urich.
💖🌷💖🌷💖 Love the channel !
Have a good day and stay safe and healthy.
@@harperstacey9604 💖Thank you, you too, god bless you !🙏🤗
I liked Bonanza, in the show all the characters appear to be so kind, loving like a family should be. Wagon Train is good, be Bonanza is tops with me🥰💘
Pernell Roberts was greatly maligned because he did not play the Hollywood game. He did not pander to the media and they hated his reticence and resorted to sensationalising morsels of information. He was a fiercely private person which annoyed those hungry for gossip. He was outspoken which threatened those who wanted to preserve their gravy train. He was self-assured, confident and intellectual which irked those who did not appreciate these traits.
Guest stars shared that Roberts was a “very serious, intelligent man” with a “quick mind” and who was “serious and analytical about his acting.”
Bonanza was entertaining and had some very good episodes. But It teetered between drama and farce and “horse operas”. Discerning viewers recognise the banal writing, recycled plots and inconsistent storylines. What more for an actor serious about his work, and not just motivated by fame and money. Roberts was frustrated by it. He was also at times dissatisfied with his own performance but was ordered by producers and studio to “just walk the script” like the others. They were only interested in churning out quantity not quality. And so, yes, he felt out of place in Bonanza.
You're sitting at home, hating Pernell Roberts, and he doesn't know; he's out dancing, having a good time.
Armath Anya. Pernell once said that he never said half the things people claimed he said. You are right. He did not play the Hollywood game and wasn’t motivated by money but his body of work. He said he was never satisfied with his work. In the end David Dortort regretted not listening more to Pernell.
I enjoyed watching bonanza
We're happy to know that you love the show. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. If we may ask, which episode did you like the best?
Bonanza. I’ve never seen Wagon Train and I loved Bonanza.
We're a big fan of Bonanza too. Which episode is your favorite?
I liked all the westerns they were far better than the junk that television is filled with today.....
Westerns went out of style by the late sixties.