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  • NBC
  • Sep 12, 1959
  • NBC
  • Sep 12, 1959
Bonanza

Summary White-haired Ben was the proud patriarch of the Cartwrights, the family at the center of one of TV's most beloved and long-running series. Their ranch, the Ponderosa, was 1,000 square-miles (600,000 acres) in size and sprawled from mountainous shores of Lake Tahoe to the desert terrain near Virginia City in the Nevada Territory. Ben ov...

Created By: David Dortort

  • NBC
  • Sep 12, 1959
  • NBC
  • Sep 12, 1959
Bonanza
Season 1
14 Seasons
Season Premiere: Sep 12, 1959
Metascore Critic reviews are not available yet
User Score Generally Favorable Based on 4 User Ratings
7.5
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Where to Watch

Summary White-haired Ben was the proud patriarch of the Cartwrights, the family at the center of one of TV's most beloved and long-running series. Their ranch, the Ponderosa, was 1,000 square-miles (600,000 acres) in size and sprawled from mountainous shores of Lake Tahoe to the desert terrain near Virginia City in the Nevada Territory. Ben ov...

Created By: David Dortort

Where to Watch

Season Episodes

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Episode 1 • Sep 12, 1959 • 1 h
A Rose for Lotta
Lotta Crabtree is hired by mining tycoon Alpheus Troy to lure one of the Cartwrights into town and hold him for ransom in exchange for Ponderosa timber rights.
Episode 2 • Sep 19, 1959 • 1 h
Death on Sun Mountain
The Cartwrights go up against two San Francisco men who plan to get rich by killing off the antelope herds--which the Indians rely on for their food--and selling the meat to Virginia City's swarms of silver miners.
Episode 3 • Sep 26, 1959 • 1 h
The Newcomers
Episode 4 • Oct 3, 1959 • 1 h
The Paiute War
In order to escape punishment for mistreating two Paiute women, a trader blames it on Adam Cartwright. The Paiutes seize Adam and make him a hostage as war erupts between the tribe and a local militia.
Episode 5 • Oct 10, 1959 • 1 h
Enter Mark Twain
The Cartwrights help Virginia City reporter Samuel Langhorne Clemens investigate suspected shady goings-on between a railroad company and a local judge.
Episode 6 • Oct 17, 1959 • 1 h
The Julia Bulette Story
Little Joe falls in love with an older woman, the owner of the town's saloon/brothel, much to the chagrin of his family, moralizing town leaders, and creating a rival for her affection.
Episode 7 • Oct 24, 1959 • 1 h
The Saga of Annie O'Toole
Episode 8 • Oct 31, 1959 • 1 h
The Philip Diedesheimer Story
Philip Diedesheimer, a Pied Piper, is refused payment after he saves Virginia City's silver mines from a cave-in.
Episode 9 • Nov 7, 1959 • 1 h
Mr. Henry Comstock
When threatened by a man fraudulently sold a part of the Ponderosa by a Henry T.P. Comstock, the Cartwrights remember when they first met the silver-tongued claim-jumper and his scheme that laid the foundation of Virginia City.
Episode 10 • Nov 14, 1959 • 1 h
The Magnificent Adah
Episode 11 • Nov 21, 1959 • 1 h
The Truckee Strip
Caught in the middle of a longtime family feud over a disputed piece of land, star-crossed lovers Joe Cartwright and Amy Bishop try to convince their stubborn fathers to resolve their differences as tension escalates into violence.
Episode 12 • Nov 28, 1959 • 1 h
The Hanging Posse
Little Joe and Adam join a posse bent on catching the murderers of Vannie Johnson. The longer they take to catch them, the more whipped into a lynching party they become, much to the liking of the grieving widower.
Episode 13 • Dec 5, 1959 • 1 h
Vendetta
When one of the Morgan brothers is shot and killed by Ben during a bank holdup, they vow revenge. The friends he thought he had in town decide to hide away while a wounded Ben lays up waiting for them to ride into town.
Episode 14 • Dec 12, 1959 • 1 h
The Sisters
A beautiful sister causes trouble around town.
Episode 15 • Dec 29, 1959 • 1 h
The Last Hunt
Joe and Hoss shelter a pregnant Indian from a blizzard -- and Shoshones ordered to find her.
Episode 16 • Jan 2, 1960 • 1 h
El Toro Grande
Episode 17 • Jan 9, 1960 • 1 h
The Outcast
Episode 18 • Jan 16, 1960 • 1 h
A House Divided
Ben tries to uncover the reason gold and silver exporter, Frederick Kyle, has befriended Little Joe before the shadowy businessman's hidden Civil War agenda tears Virginia City, and the Cartwright family, apart.
Episode 19 • Jan 23, 1960 • 49 m
The Gunmen
Hoss and Little Joe are mistaken for bloodthirsty hired killers in a small Texas town dominated by two feuding families.
Episode 20 • Jan 30, 1960 • 49 m
The Fear Merchants
The Cartwrights come to the aid of a Chinese-American stable hand accused of murder. Opposing them is a manipulative mayoral candidate who wants all "foreigners" to leave Virginia City.
Episode 21 • Feb 6, 1960 • 1 h
The Spanish Grant
The Cartwrights try to disprove the validity of a Spanish land grant to stop the De La Cuesta family from seizing part of the Ponderosa and all of the Carson Valley settlers' homestead lands.
Episode 22 • Feb 13, 1960 • 1 h
Blood on the Land
Jeb Drummond is a murderous sheep herder that has Adam taken hostage to try and force Ben to sign over a large section of Ponderosa land to him.
Episode 23 • Feb 20, 1960 • 49 m
Desert Justice
As is often the case on Bonanza, things are not always as they first seem. Hoss and Adam eventually learn who is the good guy and who is not.
Episode 24 • Feb 27, 1960 • 1 h
The Stranger
Episode 25 • Mar 5, 1960 • 49 m
Escape to Ponderosa
Three deserters escaped from an Army stockade to the Ponderosa. When a Captain comes looking for them, Ben realizes what they've had to deal with and promises to let his good friend in charge of that fort know the real truth.
Episode 26 • Mar 19, 1960 • 49 m
The Avenger
Episode 27 • Mar 26, 1960 • 49 m
The Last Trophy
Episode 28 • Apr 2, 1960 • 1 h
San Francisco
While in San Francisco, two of Ben's hired hands get shanghaied and so does Ben in the process of looking for them.
Episode 29 • Apr 9, 1960 • 1 h
Bitter Water
A neighboring rancher, Andy, is good friends with Ben, but his son (Todd) wants to sell their land for mining operations which will spoil the water rights agreement that Andy and Ben made years ago.
Episode 30 • Apr 16, 1960 • 49 m
Feet of Clay
Episode 31 • Apr 23, 1960 • 1 h
Dark Star
While hunting a predator wolf, Little Joe finds a gypsy woman who has been rejected from her people because she is believed to be a witch.
Episode 32 • Apr 30, 1960 • 1 h
Death at Dawn
When a powerful gang plagues Virginia City with a murderous protection racket, the Cartwrights are determined to stop it even as it threatens them.
14 Seasons

Top Cast

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Lorne Greene

Ben Cartwright, Bradley Meredith

Michael Landon

Joseph 'Little Joe' Cartwright, Cpl. Angus Borden, Little Jim Slade

Dan Blocker

Eric 'Hoss' Cartwright, Big Jack Slade, Hoss Cartwright

Pernell Roberts

Adam Cartwright

Bill Clark

Townsman, Barfly, Deputy Sheriff

Victor Sen Yung

Hop Sing

Ray Teal

Sheriff Roy Coffee

Martha Manor

Townswoman, Saloon Girl, Blonde Saloon Girl

David Canary

Candy Canaday

Bob Miles

Townsman, Deputy Sheriff, Barfly

Bing Russell

Deputy Clem Foster, Sheriff Clem Foster, Clem, Deputy Clem, Major Reynolds, Poindexter, Sheriff Clem, Sheriff Walker

Mitch Vogel

Jamie Hunter Cartwright, Jamie Hunter, Tommy

Grandon Rhodes

Dr. J.P. Martin, Doctor, Doc, Dr. Paul Kay, Dr. Rob Keefer, Mr. Simpson

Hal Burton

Townsman, Deputy Sheriff, Ranch Hand, Bandit, Barney Bates, Buggy Driver, Cowboy at Rimville Corral, Cowhand, Deputy Short, Gang Member, Juror, Logger, Man, Paiute Indian, Read, Smokey, Stagecoach Driver

Troy Melton

Gunman, Blacksmith, Brawler, Carson, Charlie, Corporal Jensen, Draves, Graves, Houston, Logger, Logger Tom, Man in Cafe, Merrill, Mr. Gorley, Paiute Indian, Reese, Sam Denton, Skinner, Slim, Townsman, Walt Jordan

Bruno VeSota

Bartender, Bruno, Townsman, Bartender Andy, Madigan, Norm, Sam Tucker

Roy Engel

Dr. Paul Martin, Doctor Martin, Doctor Paul Martin, Burt, Clyde Quinn, Doc Martin, Doc Tolliver, Doctor, Dr. Martin, Dr. Paul Kay, Dr. Thomas, Dr.Paul Martin

Harry Holcombe

Dr. J. P. Martin, Dr. Martin, Dr. Lewis, Doc Martin, Doctor, Doctor Harris, Doctor Wayne, Dr. J.P. Martin, Dr.Martin

Clint Sharp

Stage Driver, Stagecoach Driver, Clint, Colony Member, Jury Member, Posse Member, Stagecoach Driver #2, Townsman, Trail Hand, Wagon Driver, Wagon Train Member

Phil Chambers

Store Owner, Abe, Abner, Anderson, Assay Clerk, Austin, Dick Thompson, Mr. Amos - Store Owner, Mr. Tindle, Sam, Seth Hubbell, Shopkeeper, Webster, Wooley

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Critic Reviews

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There are no critic reviews for this season yet.

User Reviews

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User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 4 User Ratings
7.5
75% Positive
3 Ratings
25% Mixed
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 4 User Ratings
7.5
75% Positive
3 Ratings
25% Mixed
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

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