Every woman that Cartwright fell in love with either ended up dead or left town. It became a joke among the show’s actors and fans and there was obviously a “Cartwright Curse.” We would have settled for just one marriage that lasted but this dad was obviously cursed to raise his kids as a strong father figure with no mom in sight.
Many of the actors on the show wore toupees, including Blocker, Roberts, and Green. Landon’s hair, however, was all real.
The four men of the Bonanza household share the same screen time. The production wanted that no one of the four overshadowed the other three. Every script was closely scrutinized to make sure there were four stars during every episode. It paid off and led to a very well-balanced show that offered the chance for every star to shine.
The name Bonanza was a slang term used by miners to describe a large mineral deposit or ore. The term is also synonymous with the word “jackpot.” A real-life bonanza was discovered right by the Cartwright’s ranch in the famous Comstock Lode.
When the show entered its final five seasons, Landon became hard to work with on a daily basis. It was rumored he made sure that no new major characters were introduced to the show. He also regularly delayed production shoots as he attempted to create his own vision for the series.
Blocker died unexpectedly. Because of that, it was announced that Hoss would be killed in an accident in an episode of the show. It was the very first time in television history that a show had dealt with, or even mentioned, the death of one of its characters.
On the first season of Bonanza, the production was not yet sure if the viewers would love the show because the main characters were not as well-known as the other actors in the industry. In response, many famous stars were brought in for guest appearances. The show’s producers paid those actors more than the show’s actual stars. By the second season, the show’s ratings were increasing and the show’s actors had become bonafide stars.
When it comes to The Little Rascals, Leonard Maltin — along with Richard W. Bann —…
Disney announced a fifth Indiana Jones movie due out in July 2022. Harrison Ford is…
By the time the original One Day at a Time premiered on December 16, 1975,…
If you were try and figure out what the first TV ancestor of Law &…
Richard A. Lertzman, co-author of the new book Deconstructing the Rat Pack delves into the…
Melissa Sue Anderson played Mary Ingalls on the series Little House on the Prairie. The…