What Made These ‘Bonanza’ Stars Stand Out on the Ponderosa Ranch
For three years in the 1960s, this rambunctious Western about the ranching Cartwright family of Nevada’s sprawling Ponderosa was TV’s No. 1 show. The first Western shown “in living color,” Bonanza became a hit in large part because of the charisma of widower Ben Cartwright’s (Lorne Greene) three sons, each born of a different mother.
Adam (Pernell Roberts) sought greener pastures after six seasons, but gentle giant Hoss (Dan Blocker, who died before the truncated final season) and matinee idol Little Joe (Michael Landon) stayed high in the saddle for the duration. But what really made these rugged men stand tall on the Ponderosa Ranch? Read on to find out!
Little Joe Cartwright (Michael Landon)
Bonanza (1959-73)
Everett Collection
Why He Stands Tall: It’s all in the attitude. Michael Landon had the swagger necessary for a tough guy on the ranch. Standing just 5’9”, he wore lifts in his boots and looked like a kid when he began Bonanza at 22. Landon had already racked up many credits playing rugged cowboys, a stretch for this Jewish kid from Queens. As Little Joe, he was forever ready for a fight and for the ladies who noticed the handsome youngest Cartwright. By the series’ sixth season, Bonanza was No. 1 in the ratings and stayed there for three years. It was then that Landon also began working behind the camera, writing and directing episodes.
Western Wisdom: “There’s a big difference between a handout and a helping hand. One’s charity, the other’s friendship.”
Hoss Cartwright (Dan Blocker)
Bonanza (1959-72)
Why He Stands Tall: Have you seen him? Dan Blocker was 6’4” and about 300 pounds. As the middle son, Hoss was cast into the usual peacemaker role. Still, Blocker exuded warmth and humility, the essence of the lovable lug. He didn’t need to fight anyone, but when he did, watch out. Those years playing football in Texas, where Blocker grew up, are evident. Blocker died at 43 of a pulmonary embolism following gallbladder surgery, and the series only lasted a season without the big guy. In Blocker’s personal life, he hated guns and never owned one, and wouldn’t even let his sons use them or go out on hunting trips. He said, “I told them they could go out and shoot at animals as soon as we figure out how to train the animals to handle high-powered rifles with a telescopic sight on it — then maybe it could be called sport.”
Western Wisdom: “Folks around here judge a man by what he is, not by what he was.”
Ben “Pa” Cartwright (Lorne Greene)
Bonanza (1959-73)
Why He Stands Tall: Patriarch Ben Cartwright was a fierce defender of his prized Ponderosa Ranch and fought anyone who dared try to seize a tree. He raised his three sons to do the same. His character became a symbol of strength and decency, and his familiar presence on Sunday nights made him feel like a member of the family for many viewers. A widower three times over, Pa was wise, loving, and unflappable. There was gravitas behind that stare; Lorne Greene served in World War II as a flying officer for the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Western Wisdom: “Maybe I’ve never been to heaven. Maybe I’ll never get the chance, but heaven is going to have to go some to beat the thousand square miles of the Ponderosa.”
Adam Cartwright (Pernell Roberts)
Bonanza (1959-65)
Win Muldrow / TV Guide / Courtesy Everett Collection
Why He Stands Tall: As the oldest Cartwright son, Adam was imperious and comfortable bossing around anyone, especially his younger brothers. While Hoss was too good-natured to get riled, Little Joe wasn’t. Little Joe called Adam a “thin-nosed, blue-blooded, Boston Yankee.” That last part was the slur. The son of Pa’s first wife, Adam was different from the others because he was from New England and had been an architect. Pernell Roberts quit the series after six seasons. Roberts came from the world of theater; before Bonanza, he had already won acclaim for his performance in Macbeth and had ambitions that stretched far beyond TV Westerns.
“I was in the series for six years. I fought with the powers about the scripts, character development, and other things. It got so I was upset the minute I arrived for work. That’s no way to live,” MeTV quoted him saying. “I don’t have the psychological stamina to last under artistic compromises over a prolonged period of time. I get hostile and vindictive. It wears me down.” He ultimately left the series so he could expand as an actor.
Western Wisdom: “The way I look at it, if a man expects to get ahead in this world, he’s got to use his brains instead of his back.”
Remind 
Top Cowboys
February 2026
Who were the best Top Cowboys of the past? Saddle up for our fond look back.
Buy This Issue