That was a great character study. Joe was very much a boy at the start of the show. Ben says as much to Adam, when they are discussing Joe. I always get the feeling that at the beginning of Bonanza, Joe wasn’t that long out of school and was only just starting to work full time on the ranch. Adam makes references to ‘boy, or not, I expect him to do his share, just as much as Hoss and me’ And Ben obviously, wants Adam to ease up a bit Little Joe forever
In reference to Little Joe being so quick and fast on his feet, season 12 episode “Kingdom of Fear” Hoss is telling his father that he and Adam used to chase Joe when they were young but could never catch him.
Even more astonishing, Michael Landon was a fantastic athlete and stunt man. He did a lot of his own stunts in the show. So much in TV and films is basically fake, but Michael Landon was the real thing!
I loved this episode. Little Joe was my very first cowboy crush. I was nine and totally smitten. Now…many many years later…I incline more towards Adam, but Little Joe will always have a piece of my heart. One observation…on Bullet for a Bride. It was Adam standing right behind Joe at the altar. Best man?
Thanks for a spot on analysis of Little Joe. He was always Ben’s baby boy, and Adam being 12 and Hoss 6 when he was born, to them he would seem tiny. His relationship with Adam could often be fraught, as Adam had to grow up quickly and had too much responsibility early in life, But l believe they did care deeply for each other especially when the chips were down, and it showed in the episode ‘My Brothers Keeper’.
I always thought "Little" Joe was used because three grown men were playing sons to the father who ruled. All three men were a few years older than their supposed ages in the story. Michael Landon was 22 or 23 when "Little" Joe was supposed to be 17 or 18. I think the "Little" label provided the mental picture that Joe was the smallest and youngest, and was still a kid, though he was an accomplished adult actor. Some names, in some languages can be altered to indicate youth or smallness. (Marie) Antoinette was called Antoine within her Austrian family. The French changed it to Antoinette which means little Antoine. (All of Maria Teresa's daughters were named Marie/Maria, in honour of Jesus' mother. In life they went by secondary names.) Off topic fun fact=> Jesus had a "brother" called Joses. Dr. James Tabor pronounces this yo-SAY and says it means "Little Joe", probably the youngest son in his family. (We don't have to get hung up on the meaning of "brother" in this context. Joses, in some beliefs a cousin of Jesus, was probably the youngest in his birth family, thus Little Joe.) As for money, it is not uncommon, even today, for large landowners and ranchers to have their wealth tied up in land and livestock. There might not be a lot of loose cash but there is great wealth and money is not spent frivolously. The Cartwrights always had enough spare change in their pockets for a beer or other drink at the saloons. LOL!
They never expected the show to run longer than a year. I think writers quickly defined the basics because there had not been, and might not be, enough time to develop complex storylines for characters. Michael Landon was about 22 when the show started and Little Joe was supposed to be about 17. Call him "Little" and he was established as the youngest and smallest and still a kid.
I think I made this up, but I reckoned that because Hoss was so big, when told the new baby’s name was Joseph Francis Cartwright, said the baby was too little for such a big name and was going to call him Little Joe. Little Joe forever
@@josecorporaal6470 In the song "Saga of the Ponderosa" Big Joe Collins last request was for Ben to tell his wife that he had died, when Ben saw the tears of Joe's wife he couldn't leave her and he eventually married her, she gave him a son and they named him Little Joe. That's why I said after this comment that it doesn't concur with the "Marie My Love" Episode.
Everything you said about Little Joe was spot on; that's why he's my fav on the show! Michael Landon owned that role and never be forgotten!!
That was a great character study. Joe was very much a boy at the start of the show. Ben says as much to Adam, when they are discussing Joe. I always get the feeling that at the beginning of Bonanza, Joe wasn’t that long out of school and was only just starting to work full time on the ranch. Adam makes references to ‘boy, or not, I expect him to do his share, just as much as Hoss and me’ And Ben obviously, wants Adam to ease up a bit
Little Joe forever
In reference to Little Joe being so quick and fast on his feet, season 12 episode “Kingdom of Fear” Hoss is telling his father that he and Adam used to chase Joe when they were young but could never catch him.
Even more astonishing, Michael Landon was a fantastic athlete and stunt man. He did a lot of his own stunts in the show. So much in TV and films is basically fake, but Michael Landon was the real thing!
Thanks for your comments. Although I am an Adam fan, I found myself cheering for Little Joe when he was in fights. He was dynamic in his own way.
I loved this episode. Little Joe was my very first cowboy crush. I was nine and totally smitten. Now…many many years later…I incline more towards Adam, but Little Joe will always have a piece of my heart. One observation…on Bullet for a Bride. It was Adam standing right behind Joe at the altar. Best man?
Thank you so much Barb !❤
Thanks for a spot on analysis of Little Joe. He was always Ben’s baby boy, and Adam being 12 and Hoss 6 when he was born, to them he would seem tiny. His relationship with Adam could often be fraught, as Adam had to grow up quickly and had too much responsibility early in life, But l believe they did care deeply for each other especially when the chips were down, and it showed in the episode ‘My Brothers Keeper’.
I always thought "Little" Joe was used because three grown men were playing sons to the father who ruled. All three men were a few years older than their supposed ages in the story. Michael Landon was 22 or 23 when "Little" Joe was supposed to be 17 or 18. I think the "Little" label provided the mental picture that Joe was the smallest and youngest, and was still a kid, though he was an accomplished adult actor.
Some names, in some languages can be altered to indicate youth or smallness. (Marie) Antoinette was called Antoine within her Austrian family. The French changed it to Antoinette which means little Antoine. (All of Maria Teresa's daughters were named Marie/Maria, in honour of Jesus' mother. In life they went by secondary names.)
Off topic fun fact=> Jesus had a "brother" called Joses. Dr. James Tabor pronounces this yo-SAY and says it means "Little Joe", probably the youngest son in his family. (We don't have to get hung up on the meaning of "brother" in this context. Joses, in some beliefs a cousin of Jesus, was probably the youngest in his birth family, thus Little Joe.)
As for money, it is not uncommon, even today, for large landowners and ranchers to have their wealth tied up in land and livestock. There might not be a lot of loose cash but there is great wealth and money is not spent frivolously. The Cartwrights always had enough spare change in their pockets for a beer or other drink at the saloons. LOL!
Don't remember the episode but he said "Its not that I am that little, its that Hoss is that big."
I think that was in the Pilot.
@@barbo6078 Exactly. But that's the explanation. Or perhaps just because he was the youngest as he said in Twilight Zone. Ooops - Twilight Town! lol
They never expected the show to run longer than a year. I think writers quickly defined the basics because there had not been, and might not be, enough time to develop complex storylines for characters. Michael Landon was about 22 when the show started and Little Joe was supposed to be about 17. Call him "Little" and he was established as the youngest and smallest and still a kid.
I think I made this up, but I reckoned that because Hoss was so big, when told the new baby’s name was Joseph Francis Cartwright, said the baby was too little for such a big name and was going to call him Little Joe.
Little Joe forever
Fantastic episode (again 😉)
Loved seeing your doggies
coming to see what you’re up to now 🤣
Joe was called Little Joe because Hoss was so big
Episode The Storm it was implied Joe was born in New Orleans. They couldn't get their story straight!
Later on there was a comment that Little Joe had been born in an upstairs bedroom at the Ponderosa. LOL!
In 'First Born' Joe tells Clay that he was born in the upstairs bedroom.
Because big joe bens friend saved ben and died. Because to honour his friend he called him little joe
Excellent. I never knew that. I’ll mention that in an upcoming Bonanza Bits. Thanks Jose.
@@barbo6078 listen to the song Lorne sings the saga of the Ponderosa. Bens friend big Joe Collins
Big Joe Collins was Ben's friend but also Marie's 1st husband if I remember correctly!
@@pernellgirly8064 no jean de marignee was maries first husband. He was a ranch hand. Ben promissed him to tell his wife Marie how he died.
@@josecorporaal6470 In the song "Saga of the Ponderosa" Big Joe Collins last request was for Ben to tell his wife that he had died, when Ben saw the tears of Joe's wife he couldn't leave her and he eventually married her, she gave him a son and they named him Little Joe. That's why I said after this comment that it doesn't concur with the "Marie My Love" Episode.