The television classic Bonanza was a spectacular success because of the actors who fit into their character’s role as if born to the part. We were introduced to Pa, a three time widower, and to his three sons by western images that had the look and feel of great strength as well as great wealth. The opening to Bonanza has all of the drama and television screen appeal of any great show. Just the music alone will let fans of Bonanza know that Bonanza is on. There was something about the characters (more…)

There was something about Adam Cartwright that always appealed to me. He was the oldest Cartwright son and the most interesting of the three men. The youngest son Little Joe, played by Michael Landon, was probably the most handsome of the male leads but Pernell Roberts as Adam was the most enigmatic.

Adam Cartwright seemed a little more urbane than his rough-and-tumble little brothers. He was college educated, an engineer of some sort. He never got caught up in the various get rich quick schemes that foiled his brothers and he didn’t participate in their frequent barroom brawls. (more…)

Michael Landon became a fixture of American television playing the character “Little Joe” on the hit series Bonanza. Landon, often found in the teen magazines of the day, received fan mail by the bag full from girls and young women alike from across the country. Born on October 31, 1936 in New York, Michael Landon’s birth-name was Eugene Orowitz. Knowing “Eugene Orowitz” was hardly a marquee signature; he looked through a telephone book and chose his new name, Michael Landon.

Landon was only 21 when he joined the cast of the hit series and quickly became a major (more…)

We grew up watching Bonanza. Most of us were mesmerized by the opening to the program, a map set afire and the characters following in on horseback. Dan Blocker played the character of Hoss Cartwright. Hoss Cartwright was big and sensitive. He was adored by fans of Bonanza because he always defended his family and helped them in whatever problem they were dealing with. The compassionate face of the friendly giant, Dan Blocker, fit in nicely with the character of Hoss Cartwright.
He was a character that many people whether they were as big as Dan Blocker (more…)