Bonanza
Bonanza is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, Bonanza is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on U.S. network television (behind CBS's Gunsmoke), and one of the longest-running, live-action American series. The show continues to air in syndication. The show is set in the 1860s and centers on the wealthy Cartwright family, who live in the vicinity of Virginia City, Nevada, bordering Lake Tahoe. The series initially starred Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon and later featured (at various times) Guy Williams, David Canary, Mitch Vogel and Tim Matheson. The show is known for presenting pressing moral dilemmas.[1]
This article is about the television program. For other uses, see Bonanza (disambiguation).Bonanza
Ponderosa
"Bonanza"
"Bonanza"
United States
English
14
431 (list of episodes)
- David Dortort
- Mark Roberts
- Fred Hamilton
- Robert Blees
- Richard Collins
49-50 minutes
September 12, 1959 –
January 16, 1973
The title "Bonanza" is a term used by miners in regard to a large vein or deposit of silver ore,[2] from Spanish bonanza (prosperity) and commonly refers to the 1859 revelation of the Comstock Lode of rich silver ore mines under the town of Virginia City, not far from the fictional Ponderosa Ranch that the Cartwright family operated. The show's theme song, also titled "Bonanza", became a hit song. Only instrumental renditions, without Ray Evans's lyrics, were used during the series's long run.[3]
In 2002, Bonanza was ranked No. 43 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time,[4] and in 2013 TV Guide included it in its list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time.[5] The time period for the television series is roughly between 1861 (Season 1) and 1867 (Season 13) during and shortly after the American Civil War, coinciding with the period Nevada Territory became a U.S. state.
During the summer of 1972, NBC aired reruns of episodes from the 1967–1970 period in prime time on Tuesday evening under the title Ponderosa.[6]
Legacy[edit]
In the TV series Maverick episode "Three Queens Full" Bart (Jack Kelly) is blackmailed by Joe Wheelwright (Jim Backus), owner of the Subrosa ranch, into escorting mail order brides for Wheelwright's three sons Aaron, Moose and Small Paul.[64]