7.3/10
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52 user 18 critic

Bonanza 

TV-PG | | Western | TV Series (1959–1973)
Episode Guide
430 episodes
Bonanza Poster
Clip
1:39 | Clip
The Wild West adventures of Ben Cartwright and his sons as they run and defend their Nevada ranch while helping the surrounding community.

Creator:

David Dortort

Stars:

Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker | See full cast & crew »
Reviews
Popularity
639

Episodes

Seasons

Years


14   13   12   11   10   9   8   7   6   … See all »
1973   1972   1971   1970   1969   1968   … See all »
Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 9 wins & 14 nominations. See more awards »

Videos

See all 2 videos  »

Photos

See all 1622 photos »
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Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Lorne Greene ...  Ben Cartwright / ... 430 episodes, 1959-1973
Michael Landon ...  Joseph 'Little Joe' Cartwright / ... 430 episodes, 1959-1973
Dan Blocker ...  Eric 'Hoss' Cartwright / ... 415 episodes, 1959-1972
Pernell Roberts ...  Adam Cartwright 202 episodes, 1959-1965
See full cast »
Learn more

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Storyline

The Cartwright's one-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 was born to a different wife of Ben's; none of the mothers are still alive. Adventures are typical western ones, with lots of personal relationships/problems thrown in as well. Written by Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

apache territory | apache | apache indian | arizona territory | horse | See All (78) »

Genres:

Western

Certificate:

TV-PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Most viewers have only heard the famous theme song played as an instrumental. The song had lyrics, and footage exists of the lead actors singing them. Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon sang a lyrical version of this theme for the pilot, but it never aired.Johnny Cash recorded his own version of the theme song. See more »

Goofs

Floor model wheel slot machine in saloon was not built until 1896. See more »

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!
See more »

Crazy Credits

The opening and closing credits show a picture on the screen that corresponds with whatever credit is being given ("Music by" is accompanied by a man playing a violin, "Written by" has a Mark Twain-inspired writer type holding a book with "Bonanza" written on its cover, etc.) See more »

Alternate Versions

Many television broadcasts and DVDs of public domain episodes currently in circulation replace the famous title theme music with generic music. Only official videos and DVDs from Artisan/Republic are uncut and contain the music as intended. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Voxday Darkstream: Trumpslide 2020 and the Ballad of Creepy Joe (2019) See more »

Soundtracks

Bonanza
Written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
See more »

User Reviews

The Great Western
22 May 2005 | by sonny_1963 – See all my reviews

"Bonanza" aired on NBC in September of 1959. Filmed in color, it was put in the 7:30 PM slot on Saturday nights so that people in the appliance stores could see it on the television sets and be convinced to buy an RCA color television. The ploy worked.

In 1961 it was moved to Sunday nights after NBC realized they had a hit on their hands. It lasted another 13 or so years before being canceled. But it is a landmark in television history.

One suggestion - if you ever find a DVD of "Bonanza" and an episode titled "To Die in Darkness" is listed, don't hesitate to buy the DVD. The episode guest-starred James Whitmore and was filmed in about the mid-1960s. All I will say is that the episode was probably the best of the series.
18 of 21 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
Review this title | See all 52 user reviews »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Did Bonanza have a proper series finale to end the show?
Q: is there a reason the non Pernell Robert episodes in syndication are usually referred to as the lost episodes?
Q: What were the reasons for Pernell Roberts abrupt departure from the series?
See more »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 September 1959 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Ponderosa See more »

Filming Locations:

Virginia City Western Street backlot, Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA See more »
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Box Office

Budget:

$105,000 (estimated)
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

National Broadcasting Company (NBC) See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

(430 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3
See full technical specs »
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