The second longest-running show in the television history, Bonanza is NBC’s longest-running western series. With 14 seasons, 431 episodes, this show needs to have some hidden secrets and we are here to reveal them all.
If this show was featured as one of the 60 greatest dramas of all time, we need to know the hidden parts of this series.
They Never Changed Clothes
The most observant fans might have noticed that the characters of the show never changed their clothes. This was done so that the production crew could use the footage kept in stock to save their production cost.
Despite, the lower costs, this show was one of the most expensive shows of its day.
Bundle Of Talent
The best part about the cast was that they were not just actors. Most of them could sing and four members of the Cartwrights were also part of the Christmas themed album Christmas at the Ponderosa, 1964. Lorne Greene had his own single, Ringo and that turned out to be a massive hit in the United States and Canada.
That is one benefit of having multitalented actors on-board.
Pernell Roberts Hated The Show
After six years, Robert decided to leave the show and the audience was shocked by this sudden decision. However, behind the scenes, people knew that Robert hated the show due to his lack of intelligence to understand the script. This hatred was not new, his detest was a constant part since the show started off.
He said, “I feel I am an aristocrat in my field of endeavor. My being part of Bonanza was like Isaac Stern sitting in with Lawrence Welk.”
He never regretted leaving the show as his mental peace was not stable while he was working on the show.
Restaurant Inspired By The Show
Ponderosa Steakhouse and Bonanza Steakhouse are two restaurants inspired by the famous show. The mind behind this idea is Dan Blocker, a cast member of Bonanza. The first restaurant was started in Kokoma, Indianan, in 1965. Currently, the restaurants are owned by the Metromedia Restaurant Group.
So, are you headed to the restaurant or watching the series all over again?
Western Version Of King Arthur
When the show makers gave a thought on how they want the show to look like, they were in a bit of dilemma. However, over time they realized that the Old Western touch would make the show what they want it to be. The presentation of legend King Arthur by Ben Cartwright made the show incredible. Also, his sons were his knight and that thought brought the whole show together.
A Huge Baby
Dan Blocker was born on December 10, 1928, and he was a massive baby at the time of birth. He was the largest baby ever born in Bowie Country, Texas with a weight of 14 pounds. The time he reached the first grade, his weight was already 105 pounds, which was a lot. Also, he was a tall guy with a height of 6 feet 4 inches.
This built also enabled him to get into the U.S Army.
From Struggling To Gravitating
The show started off in 1959 and the starting phase was nothing but a struggle. The show aired every Saturday and the show was about to be canceled. The show was filmed and broadcasted in color and NBC insisted on keeping the show due to its colored production. Eventually, its showtime was shifted to Sunday evenings and that is when the ratings inclined.
By 1964, Bonanza reached No. 1 and the rest is history.
Ponderosa Ranch
As the show reached heights, people were obsessed with the show and many fans started visiting Incline Village, Nevada. It was the location for the fictional Ponderosa. Most of these travelers were disappointed as there was nothing much to see. That is when two people came up with a unique idea.
Land developers Bill and Joyce Anderson came together with the producers of the show and decided to make a humungous theme park in Incline Village. They even recreated the ranch house for more visits.
This theme park was then used for shooting quite a few scenes but back in 2004, they shut it down.
Stock Footage
We did mention about the same clothes, didn’t we? Well, there was another benefit that came along with the same clothes. The stock footage saved effort and it even saved thousands of dollars per episode.
This trick helped them save a lot of money and it inflated the show's budget in the long run.
One Of The Most Expensive Shows
Yes, even though the show saved thousands of bucks due to the stock footage, the show was one of the most expensive shows of its time. The network was spending a hell lot of money on a per-episode basis. The budget for each episode was between $100,000 to $150,000. Also, it was one of the best performing shows on television.
Hence, this amount was justified.
Adam Cartwright Was Zorro Initially
Show makers had initially offered the role of Adam Cartwright to Guy William. However, William didn’t like the character and decided to be Zorro instead. He never took the role of Cartwright but he did appear in the show for five episodes as Will Cartwright.
His character was simply a replacement for Pernell Roberts if in case Robert decides to walk off. The show makers had a gut feeling that something was up with him.
Hoss Had A First Name
We are all aware of the name Hoss Cartwright; however, there were not many instances where his full name was given. Eric Haas Cartwright was the full name but he was called on the basis of his middle name.
His family members and other characters used to call him ‘Hoss’ which was wordplay with his middle name.
The Cartwright Curse
Cartwright was one guy who dated a woman and she either died in the show or left the town. After a while, it was a joke among the actors and it was called the “Cartwright Curse”. Cartwright was basically us, always single!
We would have been happy if there was one marriage at the end but the character was meant to raise his kids on his own.
Fake Hair
And we thought only women had the right to fake but no, men had to interfere and take that right as well. Most men in this series are wearing fake hair throughout the show. However, Landon’s hair is the only natural hair on the set, in the case of men.
We wonder what made them take the fake hair road.
Equal Screen Time
The best part about this show was that there was equal screen time for the four men on the show. The production had thought that they don’t want anyone's character to take the limelight and overshadow the other one. Each script was closely scrutinized to make sure that the characters were given equal screen time.
This Show Increased Sales Of Colored Television Sets
Bonanza was one of the very first shows that were produced in colored film. Its ratings were suffering initially and there was no hope for this series to reach anywhere. That is when NBC and the parent company of the show, RCA insisted on keeping the show live.
That was because when the show was shifted to Sundays, people started buying colored television sets and it was a win-win situation for the television companies and the producers.
Obsession Of The Show
Michael Landon was not just an actor in the show. He was dedicated to make each frame perfect and he appeared in 416 episodes of the entire show. This was the series where Landon started his career as a writer and a director.
He even wrote some of the series most loved episodes. So, the show gave him a lot of career options for this man.
Landon Was Very Hard To Work With
In the ending seasons, Landon was involved in the show completely. He started working on a daily basis and he made sure that there was no new introduction in the show. He then started to delay the production shoots as he wanted to make the show according to his vision for the series.
This made it difficult to work with this obsessive actor.
Dan Blocker Made History
Dan Blocker met his end suddenly in 1972. It happened just a few weeks before the filming of the final series started. There was an episode “Forever” which was created so that they could show Hoss falling in love and getting married.
However, due to the sudden demise of the actor, Landon rewrote the episode and showed the love story of Little Joe.
And even after the change in the story, the entire episode was dedicated to Dan and this was happening for the first time that a character’s death was being acknowledged.
Guest Stars Were Paid More Than The Show’s Stars
Only in the first season. Producers of the show didn’t know if the show would do well because the actors of the show were not as known as the other actors in the industry. Hence, the show makers decided to bring in the known actors for a guest appearance.
Those actors were paid more than the show’s actual stars.
By the second season, the ratings were souring and the main actors of the show were now bonafide stars. So, the guest appearances decreased and they were not even paid more than the regular cast.
