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The classic NBC series premiered in 1959 and helped define the Western genre over its incredible 14-season run
NEED TO KNOW
- Bonanza premiered on NBC in 1959 and helped define the Western genre
- The Emmy-winning show featured actors Lorne Greene and Michael Landon as father and son, respectively
- Bonanza ran for 14 seasons, concluding in 1973 after 431 hour-long episodes
It's pretty much impossible to think about the Western TV genre without thinking of Bonanza.
The beloved NBC series galloped into fans' lives on Sept. 12, 1959, and ran for 14 seasons. Bonanza followed the Cartwright family and their adventures on their sprawling Ponderosa Ranch in Nevada in the 1860s.
Known for its heartfelt storytelling and colorful characters, Bonanza became a trailblazer as one of the first shows broadcast in color. The Western earned critical acclaim, including earning three Emmy Awards, and has remained a cultural touchstone in classic television.
Though the show wrapped on Jan. 16, 1973, after 431 hour-long episodes, its legacy still looms large.
Find out what became of Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, Michael Landon and their castmates who brought this frontier family to life.
01 of 08
Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
Greene portrayed Ben Cartwright, the patriarch of the Cartwright family, who raised three very different sons on the Ponderosa Ranch.
The actor was deeply admired for his commanding presence and baritone voice. Before Bonanza, he was known as the "Voice of Canada" for his work as a CBC radio broadcaster. After starring on the Western, Greene led the sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica as Commander Adama. He remained active on TV and public service in his later years, and his final role was the 1987 TV movie The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory.
The Ottawa native was first married to Rita Hands, with whom he had twins, from 1938 to 1960. He married his second wife, Nancy Deale, in 1961, and the pair had one child together.
Greene died in September 1987 from pneumonia following surgery, per the Los Angeles Times. He was 72.
02 of 08
Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
Roberts played Adam Cartwright, the eldest and most intellectual of the Cartwright brothers.
He left Bonanza after six seasons and later found success starring on the medical drama Trapper John, M.D. during the 1980s. He also starred in the films Night Rider (1979), Hotel (1983) and Desperado (1987), and had guest spots on The Love Boat and Diagnosis Murder.
Roberts stepped away from acting in his later years. He was married four times and had one son, who sadly died in a motorcycle accident.
According to The Guardian, he died of pancreatic cancer in January 2010 at the age of 81.
03 of 08
Dan Blocker as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright
Blocker won over hearts with his role as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright, the gentle giant middle brother.
Before Bonanza, he was a Korean War veteran and had a few roles on other Westerns, such as NBC's The Restless Gun.
Blocker married Dolphia Parker in 1952, and they had four children, including Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Dirk Blocker.
His sudden death in May 1972 from a pulmonary embolism following gallbladder surgery, per The New York Times, shocked fans and castmates alike. Blocker was only 43 at the time, and his passing was written into the show.
04 of 08
Michael Landon as Joseph "Little Joe" Cartwright
Landon played the charming and impulsive Little Joe, the youngest Cartwright son.
After Bonanza, he became a household name again after starring on eight seasons of Little House on the Prairie and five seasons on Highway to Heaven.
Landon was married three times: first to Dodie Levy-Fraser from 1956 to 1962, then to Marjorie Lynn Noe, whom he met on the set of Bonanza, from 1963 to 1982. He was married to his third wife, Cindy Landon (née Clerico), from 1983 until his death from pancreatic cancer in July 1991, at age 54.
In total, the late actor had nine children, some of whom followed him into show business.
"He was very much a family man," Landon's daughter Jennifer, whom he shared with Cindy, told The Coronado News in May 2023. "I am so proud to have a father who had such an incredible effect on our people because he truly loved us."
05 of 08
David Canary as Candy Canaday
David Canary joined Bonanza on later seasons as Candy Canaday, a loyal ranch hand who became like family to the Cartwrights.
He was also known for his iconic role as Adam Chandler on All My Children, for which he won five Daytime Emmys. He also appeared on The Doctors and Another World.
Canary was married to actress Maureen Maloney. They shared two children, son Christopher and daughter Kathryn.
He continued acting until his retirement in 2010. Canary died from natural causes at 77 in November 2015, per Variety.
06 of 08
Tim Matheson as Griff King
Tim Matheson played Griff King, a former convict who earns a second chance working on Ponderosa during the show's final season.
Though his time on Bonanza was brief, Matheson went on to have a long and active career in Hollywood, spanning over five decades. He's best known for playing Otter in 1978's Animal House and Vice President Hoynes on The West Wing.
Matheson has continued to work in front of and behind the camera as a director on popular series like Psych and Burn Notice. He also starred on Netflix's Virgin River as Dr. Vernon Mullins and had recurring roles on shows like Hart of Dixie, Evil, This Is Us, Quantum Leap and 9-1-1: Nashville.
Matheson was married to the late Yours, Mine and Ours actress Jennifer Leak from 1968 to 1971 and Megan Murphy from 1985 to 2010 before tying the knot with Elizabeth Marighetto in March 2018. He and Murphy share three children: Molly, Emma and Cooper.
07 of 08
Mitch Vogel as Jamie Hunter Cartwright
Mitch Vogel played Jamie Hunter, the teenage orphan who was adopted by Ben Cartwright on Bonanza's final three seasons.
"The Bonanza set was a really special set," Vogel told the Desoto Times-Tribune in June 2024. "And I know that because after Bonanza ended, I went on to do other shows. There was a lot of fun on the set, especially Michael Landon and Dan Blocker."
Before Bonanza, Vogel earned praise as a child actor. He starred in 1968's Yours, Mine and Ours and 1969's The Reivers, earning a Golden Globe nomination for the latter. After, he played three different characters on Gunsmoke and reunited with Landon on Little House on the Prairie, among other TV guest roles.
Vogel stepped away from acting in his 20s, with his last roles coming on Wonder Woman and in the 1978 film Texas Detour. He moved to Pittsburgh and began focusing on music before returning to California, where he is semi-retired and has worked in hospitality in recent years, per the Desoto Times-Tribune. He also told the newspaper that he wouldn't mind returning to acting.
He married Christine Gilles, with whom he shares two daughters, in 1985.
08 of 08
Guy Williams as Will Cartwright
Guy Williams (born Armando Catalano) briefly joined Bonanza as Will Cartwright, a cousin brought in as a potential replacement for Adam. His stint was short-lived, as fans strongly preferred the original Cartwright trio.
Williams is better remembered for his iconic role as the titular character on the 1950s Disney series Zorro and as Professor John Robinson on Lost in Space.
He was married to model Janice Cooper, and they had two children, son Steven and daughter Toni, both of whom pursued acting.
Later in life, Williams largely stepped back from the spotlight. He moved to Argentina, where he lived out his days semi-retired until he died in April 1989, per the Los Angeles Times. He was 65.
Read the original article on People
