The SCENE That Took Bonanza off the Air for Good

The show ran from 1959 to 1973 for 14 seasons and 431 episodes. Over this long period of time, audiences fell in love with the Cartwright Family and their adventures.

But the show’s creators had to fight hard to keep the show on air. Bonanza faced a lot of competition. There had already been popular Western films, TV shows, and radio series. Much of America was tuned into shows such as Gunsmoke and Wagon Train. What made Bonanza different is that it focused on the importance of family and not just the action associated with Westerns. The show also had a brilliant cast who became household names through the show. Michael Landon became a heartthrob by playing Little Joe Cartwright and went on to have a successful film and TV career. For Dan Blocker, his role as Hoss Cartwright is the role he’s most remembered by.

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