What happened to Hoss on 'Bonanza'? How did he die? Know all details (2024)

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What happened to Hoss on 'Bonanza'? How did he die? Know all details? ›

He ultimately passed away after a postoperative pulmonary embolism. Subsequently, the writers also had to make the tough decision to write him off the show as they didn't wish to recast his character with anybody else. The show decided to give Hoss a heroic death with him drowning in an attempt to save a woman.

The Power of Life and Death.

Dan Blocker is one of the true television immortals, having played Hoss Cartwright -- the heart and soul of Bonanza (1959) -- for 13 seasons, before his untimely death in 1972 at the age of 43.

A: Pernell Roberts, who played Adam Cartwright, left "Bonanza" in 1965. He had been outspoken about criticizing the show's writing and direction. The producers didn't want to kill him off, so it was explained that Adam went to sea. There he stayed until the show went off the air in 1973 — he never came back.

Throughout the series, Joe was shot 18 times, Ben was shot 14 times, Hoss was shot 11 times, and Adam was shot 6 times. Every time one of the Cartwrights became seriously involved with a woman, she died from disease, was killed, or left with someone else.

Pernell Roberts died on January 24, 2010. He was the longest living Bonanza (1959) cast member, followed by Lorne Greene, who played his TV father in the series. Attended Michael Landon's funeral in 1991.

Alone at the Ponderosa while everyone else is away on a cattle drive, Joe suffers a compound fracture in his left arm when he is kicked by a horse spooked by a severe thunderstorm.

Dan Blocker ('Hoss' on "Bonanza") with his family- sons Dirk and David, twin daughters Danna and Debra Lynne and wife Dolphia. #danblocker…

Cochise – Michael Landon – Little Joe

One night an intruder broke into Fat Jones Stable, wielding a knife and injured several of the horses. Unfortunately, the veterinarian could not save Cochise.

Who wore toupees on Bonanza? ›

Did you know that on while acting on Bonanza, Dan Blocker, Lorne Greene and Pernell Roberts all wore toupees? Michael Landon, however, did not.

Michael Landon was the only original cast member who never wore a hairpiece during filming. Pernell Roberts and Lorne Greene began the series with hairpieces. Greene wore his modest frontal piece in private life, too, whereas Roberts preferred not to wear his, even to rehearsals.

* Did any of the Cartwrights marry during the course of the series? Yes. Little Joe got married in an episode called "Forever," which aired Sept. 12, 1972.

The Life of Dan Blocker

On the TV show "Bonanza," Dan Blocker played the large, affable Eric "Hoss" Cartwright. At 6 foot 4 and, at certain points, well over 300 pounds, Blocker fit the part perfectly and by all accounts was "the most likable cast member" on the show.

At the beginning of the 14th season, Joe (Michael Landon) married Alice Harper (guest star Bonnie Bedelia); at the end of the first of two episodes, she told Joe she was pregnant. But in the second episode, she was murdered.

If you're a fan of the 60's television show "Bonanza," you'll want to take a trip out to the actual Ponderosa Ranch (Yes, it really exists). This 600 acre ranch is located 35 miles southwest of Reno via Highway 28.

Michael Landon Jr.

Actor Michael Landon died on July 1, 1991 of pancreatic cancer. He left $8 million to $10 million to each of his nine children, according to People magazine. His namesake, Michael Landon Jr., went on to become a successful producer and director.

They wear the same outfits for a reason.

From the fourth season onwards, the Cartwrights wear the same outfits like cartoon characters. The standardization was made to make it easier to reuse stock footage for action sequences and to make it easier to duplicate the wardrobe for the stunt doubles.

Mitch Vogel – Ben Cartwright's Fourth Son.

As the imposing powerhouse Hoss Cartwright, actor Dan Blocker was matched with a 15.3 hand Quarter Horse / Thoroughbred-cross gelding, named Chub, who weighed a sturdy 1.250 pounds. Over its 14-year run, many horses (and actors) came and went, but Chub remained with the series from start to finish.

Why did Pernell Roberts not like Bonanza? ›

"My problems with Bonanza were problems of communication," the actor added. "What we discussed [never happened]. I thought it would be a sophisticated show." Being a big star was never Roberts' goal.

Lorne Greene wears a patch on one eye for protection due to corneal abrasion when sand got into his eye and scratched the cornea. The writers wrote the injury into the script.

He is buried in Woodman Cemetery beside his father, Shack, and sister, Virginia. His grave is covered with a sprinkling of clover.

The back story behind Ben's three wives is up to Inger, Ben's second wife (and mother of Hoss). The story relates the first meeting between Ben and Inger, as Ben and a young Adam were travel...

In life, Dan was an ordinary guy, a family man who doted on his children, loved his wife, and was loyal to his friends. He worked hard, and stood up for his beliefs. He was dedicated to the craft of acting, but, a realist, he also knew he needed to provide for Dolphia and their children.

In 1972, Blocker sadly passed away from a post-operative pulmonary embolism following gall bladder surgery. His death marked a huge moment in television history because it was the first time that writers decided to kill off a major character instead of writing them off.

Inga Swenson played Inger Cartwright, the mother of Hoss on Bonanza.

ADAM> Adam Cartwright was born in the year 1830 in New England to Ben and Elizabeth (Stoddard) Cartwright. He is good with a gun, mature and responsible. In Ben's absence, Adam is generally looked upon for important decision making by his two younger brothers, Hoss and Little Joe.

Michael Landon, who played Little Joe in the long-running western Bonanza, had more than a dozen horses playing his mount over the course of the show.

Candy and Jamie are with Joe when Joe sees his house is on fire. He yells for his wife. Sadly, Alice and her brother are both murdered.

Did Ben Cartwright and Matt Dillon ride the same horse? ›

The horse Matt Dillon rode “Buck” on Gunsmoke was in fact the very same “Buck” as was ridden by Ben Cartwright in 'Bonanza. Lorne Greene actually bought Buck (whose real name was Dunny Waggoner) when the 'Gunsmoke series ended. He then donated Buck to a therapeutic riding center.

Much of the action took place in Cartwright's expansive ranch house, in a front room marked by towering ceilings, a massive fireplace and a wide staircase leading to second-floor bedrooms. But in truth, there was no such house. The exterior was a mock-up, the interior just a series of stage sets.

Roberts suggested that he'd rather play Adam au naturel, without his toupee. Dortort refused, claiming the star looked "15 years older without it." He was 31 years old at the time. For perspective, Greene, his fictional pa, was 44. So, Adam Cartwright kept his hair.

Patricia Crowley is a young single mother who is the guest star of this Bonanza episode. The ever hospitable Cartwrights naturally give her and her son food and shelter. She has big dreams about success in the entertainment field. But her ambitions might just far outweigh her talent.

That's right, Ben Cartwright, the dad, along with oldest sons Adam and Hoss wore hairpieces. Pernell Roberts, who played Adam, the oldest, didn't want to wear his fake hair on the show.

This is Michael Landon's stunt double.

Burton was the principal stunt double for Michael Landon on Bonanza, which means he had to take some of the big tumbles in the desert seen later on.

Thus, only 15 episodes of Bonanza were shot there. A majority of ranch-specific scenes were shot on a sound stage at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. Outdoor scenes were filmed on location at nearby Big Bear Lake, Red Rock Canyon, Mojave, or eastern Kern County, California.

Each of Ben Cartwright's three sons had a different mother and in the course of the series, the story of each of the three marriages was told. In the episode about Hoss' mother, Inger, a Scandinavian woman who was killed by Indians, his real name was revealed. It was Eric. Hoss is Norwegian for “good luck.”

Pernell Roberts, a versatile actor best remembered for his portrayal of the eldest Cartwright son on the television western Bonanza and later as the lead character in the medical drama Trapper John, M.D., died at his Malibu home Sunday. He was 81.

By horseback, it was supposed to be a two-hour ride to Virginia City, Nevada. The Cartwright family: patriarch Ben and sons Adam, Hoss and Little Joe, lived in a sprawling home on the ranch and raised cattle there. The opening credits of the show were shot on Lake Tahoe's north shore, near Incline Village, Nevada.

How much did Hoss weight on Bonanza? ›

The character of Hoss was conceived as a stereotype: The Gentle Giant. The 6'4", 300 lbs. Blocker filled Hoss's cowboy boots and ten-gallon hat admirably but brought something extra to the role, a warmth and empathy that helped ground the show.

Type of Villain

Angus Borden was a villain in the Bonanza episode Alias Joe Cartwright. Borden was portrayed by the late Michael Landon, who played series regular Joseph "Joe" Cartwright.

Once "Bonanza" was ensconced as America's favorite Western, Blocker and his three co-stars, Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts and Michael Landon were paid an extremely handsome salary that eventually rose to approximately $10,000 per episode each by the time Roberts quit after the sixth season, its first at #1.

Inger left her life as a shopkeeper to go west with her new husband, and died in an Indian attack just weeks after Hoss was born.

Little Joe had a son named Benjamin 'Benj' Cartwright who was played by Landon's real-life son and seen in all three Bonanza TV movies.

Little Joe received his nickname because compared to his brother, Hoss, he was little. Even as he grew up, the nickname stuck, and Hoss remained taller and larger than Joe.

Dan Blocker is one of the true television immortals, having played Hoss Cartwright -- the heart and soul of Bonanza (1959) -- for 13 seasons, before his untimely death in 1972 at the age of 43.

The Former 'Bonanza' House Still Exists — Kind of

Actor Loren Greene who played Ben Cartwright had it built in the early 1960s. You'll need to do a little traveling from the sprawling beach of Lake Tahoe. Ponderosa II resides in Mesa, Arizona. Officials had it included in the National Register of History Places.

The Ponderosa map at the opening of Bonanza was drawn with incorrect bearings. Instead of redrawing, they simply altered the compass! Donna Herman and 11,302 others like this. Sunday night staple before bedtime !

The 14th (and final) season opener, "Forever," was one of the most emotional of the entire series, given that it was the first new episode aired since the death of Dan Blocker, who portrayed the beloved middle son Hoss Cartwright.

Why does Bonanza have lost episodes? ›

Because these popular episodes were not included in various syndication package deals during the show's original run, they became known as “The Lost Episodes.” Rarely aired, this unique perspective on the Cartwright clan was often in demand, and now you can see them only on INSP!

At the beginning of the 14th season, Joe (Michael Landon) married Alice Harper (guest star Bonnie Bedelia); at the end of the first of two episodes, she told Joe she was pregnant. But in the second episode, she was murdered. The story was originally meant to have Hoss (Dan Blocker) marry.

According to writers, Will Cartwright was introduced specifically to give Roberts an opportunity to leave the show, which he seemed very intent to do. The plan was to let him leave amicably, without missing a beat by reducing the number of Bonanza's four leads.

Michael Landon Jr.

Actor Michael Landon died on July 1, 1991 of pancreatic cancer. He left $8 million to $10 million to each of his nine children, according to People magazine. His namesake, Michael Landon Jr., went on to become a successful producer and director.

Bonanza fans didn't know it, but everyone got their final look at Dan Blocker, who played Hoss Cartwright, in early April 1972. The episode was called One Ace Too Many. It ran on April 2 to close out the 13th season for Bonanza.

Little Joe Cartwright has passed away and now The Ponderosa Ranch, where so many memories were made, is left to the next generation: Little Joe's son, Benj, and daughter, Sarah; Hoss' son, Josh; and Adam's son, Adam Jr. They all convene in Nevada, traveling from all over the country, and Adam Jr.

At the 4:20 point in the song, Greene confirms of his third bride, "So she gave my boys a brother, and we called him Little Joe." According to this song, the youngest Cartwright boy was named "Little" Joe in honor of the man who had not only saved Ben Cartwright's life but had been a dear friend and husband.

The Cartwrights rode horses across television sets against a backdrop of pine trees and picturesque mountains on the Ponderosa Ranch from 1959 to 1973. And while "Bonanza" was fictional, the ranch was not. The real Ponderosa Ranch, a sprawling 24-acre property in Nevada, looks a little different today.

They wear the same outfits for a reason.

The standardization was made to make it easier to reuse stock footage for action sequences and to make it easier to duplicate the wardrobe for the stunt doubles.

Did Adam regret leaving Bonanza? ›

Although he left after his contract ended, Roberts wished he had left the show sooner. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune in 1979, the actor revealed that he didn't regret his decision to depart from the production.