"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:

Tue. Nov. 10	3:00 PM	TVLAND	Enter Thomas Bowers	#5.30
Tue. Nov. 10	4:00 PM	TVLAND	The Dark Past	#5.31

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)
Bonanza (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Bonanza (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Bonanza (France) (dubbed version) [fr]
Bonanza (Finland) [fi]
Bröderna Cartwright (Sweden) [sv]

Runtime:

50 min (430 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

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:

The opening burning map of the Ponderosa Ranch was illustrated with incorrect bearings. David Dortort, choosing not to redo the map, altered the compass points.

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:

Adam Cartwright: Let's go back to the Ponderosa, Pa. This isn't any of our affair.
Ben Cartwright: We can't ignore the rest of the world. We're the only stabilizing influence in the country.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Last Shot (2004)

Soundtrack:

Bonanza

An Influential Western

This was probably one of the more influential western series of all time. Along with "Gunsmoke" this also was one of the longest running series in the history of television. The thing that made it great though was that it was able to get better over time. For example, in many of the early episodes, Ben and his sons had an almost antagonistic relationship with anyone who came on their property. In fact, the Cartwrights had an almost shoot first, ask questions later attitude to any stranger that might wander onto the Ponderosa. However, when Lorne Greene suggested that the Cartwrights become more hospitable, that's when the show began to take off. Also, the Adam, Hoss and Joe weren't on the best of terms with each other during the show's early days, but as time went on the three of them grew closer and showed their affection towards each other, especially Hoss and Little Joe. But the thing that really made it great was the fact that the cast and crew were able to go from serious drama to some very light hearted episodes and make it more than just a western but a family drama with stories that could easily fit into any era. This is really a show for the ages.