Bonanza: The Story Behind The Cartwrights

Dan Blocker was Hoss Cartwright, the middle son. 

Hoss was gullible and not terribly bright, but he was sweet and gentle, as he was huge.  He was constantly involved in hilarious situations, usually innocently, and was the butt of many jokes played on him by his youngest brother, Little Joe.

Blocker, however, had little in common with Hoss.  He was a friendly man, but hardly dull.  He held a Master’s degree, and worked as a teacher before he got involved in acting.  He had worked in Westerns before Bonanza and was well cast as Hoss.  Sadly, Dan Blocker died suddenly at the age of 43, from a lung clot, in May of 1972.  Bonanza could not go on without “The Gentle Giant”.  Dan’s favorite episodes were “Feet Of Clay”, “Any Friend Of Walter’s”, “Walter and the Outlaws”, “Hoss and the Leprechauns”, and “The Wish”.  He loved working on the two shows with Walter the dog and thought Arthur Hunnicutt was fantastic.

Click “Next” to read about Michael Landon.