1 / 10
It's time for some Bonanza trivia! The show is mainly about the "Cartwright" family and their weekly shenanigans at their ranch near Lake Tahoe, Nevada. It stars "Ben Cartwright," who has been widowed three times, and his three sons "Adam," "Hoss," and "Little Joe," along with a supporting cast of a few other characters.
2 / 10
Bonanza was aired from 1959 until 1973 with a grand total of 14 seasons containing 431 episodes altogether. This famous TV show was the second longest-running Western on TV, right after the famous show Gunsmoke.
3 / 10
Lorne Green played "Ben Cartwright," the head of the family. Unfortunately, the actor passed away in 1987 at the age of 72 from heart failure.
4 / 10
Michael Landon's first major role was on Bonanza, playing "Little Joe Cartwright". Afterward, Landon starred in popular shows such as Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven. He passed away from cancer at the age of just 54 back in 1991.
5 / 10
Dan Blocker was actually a teacher before he began his acting career. He played the role of the hilarious "Hoss Cartwright" and was one of the fan favourites on the show.
6 / 10
Blocker sadly passed away at the age of 43 in 1972 from a lung embolism. It was a huge loss for the show at the time and Bonanza was indeed canceled a year later.
7 / 10
Pernell Roberts played the role of "Adam Cartwright" from 1959 until 1965. He left the show after the end of the sixth season. Roberts sadly passed away in 2010 after suffering from pancreatic cancer.
8 / 10
Bonanza's theme song is still popular even today! The song was written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston and it's a pop culture staple, known even by those unfamiliar with the TV show.
9 / 10
The word "bonanza" is actually Spanish and means "great prosperity".
10 / 10
The "Ponderosa Ranch" was a theme park in Nevada, which was open from 1967 until 2004. What's more, there is actually a room of a museum dedicated to Dan Blocker in his tiny hometown of O'Donnell, Texas. It's filled with dozens of pieces of memorabilia, including some of the actor's clothes from his childhood.
It's time for some Bonanza trivia facts! The show is mainly about the "Cartwright" family and their weekly shenanigans at their ranch in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
"Ben Cartwright," who has been widowed three times, and his three sons, "Adam," "Hoss," and "Joe," as well as a few other characters, made up the cast of the show.
Enjoy the gallery!
