Bonanza

TV Series
1959–1973
TV-PG
49m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

11K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

835

Play clip1:39

Watch Bonanza: The Official First Season

2 Videos

99+ Photos

Western

The Wild West adventures of Ben Cartwright and his sons as they run and defend their Nevada ranch while helping the surrounding community.The Wild West adventures of Ben Cartwright and his sons as they run and defend their Nevada ranch while helping the surrounding community.The Wild West adventures of Ben Cartwright and his sons as they run and defend their Nevada ranch while helping the surrounding community.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

11K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

835

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 3 Primetime Emmys
- 9 wins & 16 nominations total

Episodes430

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TopTop-rated14 seasons15 years

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Michael Landon wore four-inch lifts in the series.

Goofs
During the first season opening credits, the Cartwrights can be seen galloping on horses on a dirt road that contains an unmistakable set of tire tracks from the truck carrying the camera in front of them.

Quotes
Ben Cartwright: You and your education.
Adam Cartwright: Education is progress! Now what have you got against it?
Ben Cartwright: I don't have anything against education - as long as it doesn't interfere with your thinking!

Crazy credits
The opening and closing credits show a picture on the screen that corresponds with whatever credit is being given ("Music by" is accompanied by a man playing a violin, "Written by" has a Mark Twain-inspired writer type holding a book with "Bonanza" written on its cover, etc.)

Alternate versions
Many television broadcasts and DVDs of public domain episodes currently in circulation replace the famous title theme music with generic music. Only official videos and DVDs from Artisan/Republic are uncut and contain the music as intended.

Connections
Featured in Zenith Presents: A Salute to Television's 25th Anniversary (1972)

User reviews59

Review

Featured review

Look at it, Adam!

Forty-four years later, I still recall the first line of the first episode of Bonanza. The 14-season debut opened with Ben Cartwright and Adam--just the two of them--riding up to a ridge overlooking the vast expansive glory of the Ponderosa. Horses stopped, Ben turns to his eldest son, stretches forth his hand, and issues "Pa's" first command ... "Look at it, Adam!"

Adam looked. For about 14 seconds.

And so did this young viewer.

It would require, however, another 14 years of "looking" before a 14-year-old boy would come to fully comprehend the treasure Adam beheld in the single moment he, and we, first laid eyes on that majestic, resplendent land of the Cartwright Bonanza.