Bonanza – Season 1

Season 1 (Episode 32)

Air Date: 30 April 1960

Writer: Laurence Mascott

Director: Charles F. Haas

Synopsis
After a local shop owner is murdered, the Cartwrights and the Sheriff endeavour to make sure the murderer is tried and hanged. However, their efforts are hampered by Sam Bryant (the man the murderer works for) and his men, who are determined to keep their strangle-hold on the people of Virginia City.

Guest Stars
Robert Middleton (Sam Bryant), Gregory Walcott (Farmer Perkins), Morgan Woodward (Sheriff Biggs), Nancy Deale (Beth Cameron), Paul Carr (McNeil), Wendell Holmes (Judge Scribner), Hugh Sanders (Dr. Brahm), Peter Leeds (Norton), Ric Marlow (Scoffing Townsman), Anthony Jochim (Hangman), Bill Edwards (Mr. Cameron)

Notable Guest Stars

Nancy Deale

Wendell Holmes

Gregory Walcott

Morgan Woodward

Production Notes

• Nancy Deale, who played Beth Cameron, married Lorne Greene in December 1961. Nancy was 28 and Lorne was 46. They remained married until his death in September 1987.

Season 1 (Episode 31)

Air Date: 23 April 1960

Writer: Anthony Lawrence

Director: Lewis Allen

Synopsis
Little Joe falls in love with a gypsy girl who has been ostracised by her own people because they believe that she is a witch.

Guest Stars
Susan Harrison (Tirza), Hugo Haas (Zirko), Arthur Batanides (Spiro), Lili Valenty (Bruja), Argentina Brunetti (Bruja’s helper), Grandon Rhodes (Doctor)

Notable Guest Stars

Susan Harrison

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwright: Joe

Season 1 (Episode 30)

Air Date: 16 April 1960

Writer: John Furia Jr

Director: Arthur Lubin

Synopsis
The Cartwrights look after young Billy Allen, whose mother has just died. Hoss befriends Billy but Billy’s father Vance, a convicted criminal and his fellow inmate Pike escape from prison and come looking for Billy, putting Hoss in a difficult situation.

Recurring Actors/Characters
Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing)

Guest Stars
David Ladd (Billy Allen), Logan Field (Vance Allen), Robert Tetrick (Pike), Tom Greenway (Sheriff Fred), Guy Prescott (Charlie), Philip Grayson (Orville Sherman), John Eldredge (Mr. Sherman), Riza Royce (Sarah)

Notable Guest Stars

David Ladd

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwright: Hoss
• The violent death of Hoss’ mother is referenced in this episode
• Business: Butterfield Stage Lines

Season 1 (Episode 29)

Air Date: 9 April 1960

Writer: Harold Jack Bloom

Director: George Blair

Synopsis
A neighbour of the Cartwrights, Todd McCarren is intent on causing trouble. He has become bitter and now hates the Cartwrights. Todd is in love with Virginia Keith, whose father, is using Todd to get what he wants. Things come to a head when Len Keith manipulates the truth, causing McCarren to take matters into his own hands against the Cartwrights.

Guest Stars
Don Dubbins (Todd McCarren), Merry Anders (Virginia Keith), Robert Simon (Len Keith), Rhys Williams (Andy McCarren), Ken Becker (Tucker), Frank Watkins (Roy Wilkins), Clarke Alexander (Jamison), Forrest Taylor (Rancher)

Episode Notes

• Book: The Care and Training of Dogs by Fenton Coe

Season 1 (Episode 28)

Air Date: 2 April 1960

Writer: Thomas Thompson

Director: Arthur Lubin

Synopsis
After a long cattle drive, Ben, Hoss, Little Joe and two Ponderosa ranch-hands arrive in San Francisco intent on having a holiday. When the two ranch-hands disappear, the Cartwrights go looking for them with some help from Hop Sing and his cousins. The search takes an unexpected turn, when Ben goes missing. Hoss and Joe begin a frantic search for their father and the ranch-hands. They soon realise that time is running out for all three men.

Recurring Actors/Characters
Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing)

Guest Stars
Kathleen Crowley (Kathleen/Quick-Buck Katie), David White (Alexander Pendleton/Shanghai Pete), Murvyn Vye (Cut-Rate Joe), Richard Deacon (Captain Shark), Robert Nichols (Johnny), O.Z. Whitehead (Hamp), Stephen Roberts (Police Sergeant), James Hong (Number 3 Cousin/Hop Sing’s cousin), Herb Vigran (Bartender), Michael Ross (Big Henchman), Tor Johnson (Busthead Brannigan), Don Rhodes (Little Henchman)

Notable Guest Stars

Kathleen Crowley

Richard Deacon

James Hong

David White

Production Notes

• This episode is also known as San Francisco Holiday
• Pernell Roberts does not appear in this episode

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwrights: Ben, Hoss and Joe
• The year stated in this episode is 1861
• Saloon: Pig Eye Pete’s
• Business: J.B. Saffron Co. Inc ~ Cattle Buyers ~ San Francisco Offices

Season 1 (Episode 27)

Air Date: 26 March 1960

Writer: Bill S. Ballinger

Director: Lewis Allen

Synopsis
A friend of Ben’s – Lord Dunsford and his wife Beatrice come on a visit to the Ponderosa. Adam arranges a hunting party for Lord Dunsford and Lady Dunsford decides to come along. Lady Dunsford is not that impressed with her husband’s apparent cowardice and finds Adam to be a more appealing object for her affections. However, the hunting party find they have more to contend with when they are taken captive by Belcher and his renegade Indian band.

Guest Stars
Hazel Court (Lady Beatrice Dunsford), Edward Ashley (Lord Marion Dunsford), Bert Freed (Simon Belcher), Ken Mayer (Whitey), Naomi Stevens (Touma), Don Hix (Kavanaugh), Jimmy Carter (Kavanaugh’s Grandson)

Notable Guest Stars

Hazel Court

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwright: Adam

Season 1 (Episode 26)

Air Date: 19 March 1960

Writer: Clair Huffaker

Director: Christian Nyby

Synopsis
Ben and Adam have been accused and found guilty of murder and await their hanging. Joe and Hoss try to gather support to get a stay of execution. A mysterious stranger arrives in town but he could either be a help or a hindrance to the Cartwrights.

Guest Stars
Vic Morrow (Lassiter), Jean Allison (Sally Byrnes), Richard Devon (Cy Hawkins), James Anderson (Fred), Harry Swoger (Bert), Ian Wolfe (Ed Baxter), Nestor Paiva (Barney Thornton), Robert Griffin (Sheriff Hansen), Eugene Martin (Jimmy), Bill Catching (Hoag), Robert Brubaker (Layabout)

Notable Guest Stars

Vic Morrow

Episode Notes

• Vic Morrow’s character’s real name was not mentioned during the episode. He is called Lassiter by the people he meets because he says he comes from Lassiter, Kansas.
• The date for the hanging is Wednesday 25th April
• Business: Byrnes Cafe

Season 1 (Episode 25)

Air Date: 5 March 1960

Teleplay: Robert E. Thompson

Story: Bill Barrett and Malcolm Stuart Boylan

Director: Charles F. Haas

Synopsis
Three men, who have escaped from an army prison, are determined to keep out jail because of the jail’s commanding officer. The commanding officer arrives at the Ponderosa determined to get them. Ben takes an instant dislike to the officer but becomes involved in the search for the three men. The Cartwrights soon find themselves in a difficult situation.

Guest Stars
Joe Maross (Jimmy Sutton), Gloria Talbott (Nedda), Grant Williams (Lt. Paul Tyler), Chris Alcaide (Capt. James Bolton), Dayton Lummis (Col. Metcalfe), James Parnell (Pvt. Mertz), Sherwood Price (Corporal)

Season 1 (Episode 24)

Air Date: 27 February 1960

Teleplay: Leonard Heideman

Story: Oliver Crawford

Director: Christian Nyby

Synopsis
Inspector Charles Leduque arrives in Virginia City looking for Ben Cartwright. Leduque has the intention of arresting Ben for a murder that occurred in New Orleans over 20 years ago. Joe, not liking the fact that not only his father but his mother are implicated, decides to take matters into his own hands.

Recurring Actors/Characters
Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing)

Guest Stars
Lloyd Nolan (Inspector Charles Leduque), Hal Baylor (Tom Cole), Arthur Shields (Dennis), Robert Foulk (Sheriff Brady), Donald Foster (Albert Gibbons), Joan Staley (Dixie), Elizabeth York (Alice), Jomarie Pettit (Louise Gibbons), Charles Tannen (Clerk), Hank Worden (Station Attendant)

Notable Guest Stars

Lloyd Nolan

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwrights: Ben and Joe
• Some of what Marie Cartwright (Joe’s mother) did before she met Ben is hinted at. Ben states that he didn’t care what Marie did before she met him because he loved her and that was all that mattered.
• Newspaper: Territorial Enterprise
• Location: Virginia City Jail

Season 1 (Episode 23)

Air Date: 20 February 1960

Writer: Donald S. Sanford

Director: Lewis Allen

Synopsis
Dave Walker, a ranch hand at the Ponderosa is arrested by a U.S. Marshal Dowd, who shows signs of hatred towards the man. Determined to take Walker to Los Angeles, so that he can stand trial for murder, the Marshal commandeers a stage coach. To make sure that Walker makes it alive to Los Angeles, Adam and Hoss decide to accompany them.

Guest Stars
Claude Akins (Marshal Emmett Dowd), Fintan Meyler (Andrea Strasser), Wesley Lau (Dave Walker), John Wengraf (Dr. Anton Strasser), Will Wright (Micah Bailey), Ron Hayes (Hurd Cutler), Bud Osborne (Charlie), Tom Greenway (Deputy Dan)

Notable Guest Stars

Claude Akins

Fintan Meyler

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwright: Adam

Season 1 (Episode 22)

Air Date: 13 February 1960

Writer: Robert E. Thompson

Director: Felix Feist

Synopsis
A sheepherder, on his way to California, makes up his mind to travel across the Ponderosa, with his large flock of sheep. Ben is determined to use force to get the sheepherder off his land, but Adam is convinced that there is a much more peaceful solution to the problem.

Guest Stars
Everett Sloane (Jeb Drummond), Ray Daley (Billy Drummond), Ken Lynch (Collier), Jerry Oddo (Wheeler), Glenn Holtzman (Sam), Tom Reese (Burton Drummond)

Notable Guest Stars

Everett Sloane

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwrights: Ben and Adam
• This episode mentions that the Ponderosa consists of 55,000 acres

Season 1 (Episode 21)

Air Date: 6 February 1960

Teleplay: David Dortort and Leonard Heideman

Story: Morris Lee Green

Director: Christian Nyby

Synopsis
A Spanish heiress arrives to claim land that belongs to her family under The Spanish Land Grant, which includes a small part of the Ponderosa. The Cartwrights decide to fight the claim in court.

Recurring Actors/Characters
Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing)

Guest Stars
Patricia Medina (Isabella Marie De La Cuesta/Rosita Morales), Sebastian Cabot (Don Antonio Luga), Paul Picerni (Sanchez), Celia Lovsky (Donna Theresa Esperanza), Ned Wever (Judge Blaton), Michael Ragan (High Card Smith), Salvador Baguez (Proprietor), John Merrick (Andy Logan), Claudia Bryar (Mary Logan), Stuart Randall (Sheriff Roy Coffee), Genaro Gomez (Spanish Dancer)

Notable Guest Stars

Sebastian Cabot

Celia Lovsky

Patricia Medina

Michael Ragan

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwright: Adam