Category:Bonanza – Season 1

Season 1 (Episode 11)

Air Date: 21 November 1959

Writer: Herman Groves

Director: Christian Nyby

Synopsis
Little Joe falls for Amy, the daughter of Luther Bishop. The Bishops and the Cartwrights have been involved in a feud over a piece of land called the Truckee Strip. Even though a court has ruled that the Cartwrights legally own the land, a silver baron, and the foreman of the Bishop ranch plan to start the feud up again in order to get the timber off the land. As the feud escalates, Joe and Amy become closer but unforeseen circumstances will result in a tragedy that will affect both families.

Guest Stars
Adrienne Hayes (Amy Bishop), Carl Benton Reid (Luther Bishop), James Coburn (Pete Jessup), Charles Horvath (Willard Trump), S. John Launer (Jason Carter), John Merrick (Man), Jim Hayward (Man), Peter Chong (Lo Chow)

Notable Guest Stars

Peter Chong

James Coburn

Adrienne Hayes

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwright: Joe

Season 1 (Episode 10)

Air Date: 14 November 1959

Writer: Donald S. Sanford

Director: Christian Nyby

Synopsis
The arrival of the famous actress Adah Isaacs Menken in Virginia City causes various reactions. Adam, Hoss, and Joe believe that their father intends to marry the actress and set about trying to stop it. Ben wants to protect Adah from her ex-boyfriend, John C. Regan. Regan is not pleased with the attention she is receiving from the Cartwrights and Adah finds herself in a situation that has only one possible outcome.

Recurring Actors/Characters
Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing)

Guest Stars
Ruth Roman (Adah Isaacs Menken), Don Megowan (John C. Regan), Hal Smith (Watkyns), Bill Mims (Sledge), Fay Roope (Castellan), Nancy Root (Actress portraying Olinska)

Notable Guest Stars

Ruth Roman

Production Notes

• Original Episode Title: The Naked Lady

Episode Notes

• Play: Mazeppa
• Location: Piper Opera House

Season 1 (Episode 9)

Air Date: 7 November 1959

Writer: David Dortort

Director: John Brahm

Synopsis
The Cartwrights run into an old miner who has supposedly brought the Ponderosa. After inspecting the land deed, they realise that the miner has been conned by Henry T.P. Comstock. The Cartwrights then proceed to tell the old miner the story of Comstock and Virginia City.

Recurring Actors/Characters
Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing)

Guest Stars
Jack Carson (Henry T. P. Comstock), Richard Cutting (Old Virginny), Jack Mather (Heck Turner), Bruce Gordon (Chief Winnemucca), Terrence de Marney (Pat O’Riley), John Dierkes (Pat McLaughlin), Charles Wagenheim (Pike), Joanna Sages (Princess Sarah), Abel Fernandez (Lean Knife)

Notable Guest Stars

Jack Carson

Production Notes

• This episode is also known as Mr. Henry T. P. Comstock
• The dances were staged by Miriam Nelson

Season 1 (Episode 8)

Air Date: 31 October 1959

Writer: Thomas Thompson

Director: Joseph Kane

Synopsis
Adam and Hoss team up with Philip Diedesheimer to improve mining conditions. Diedesheimer’s radical new approach to underground mining is rejected by the mine owners. Even when tragedy strikes, the three men still face an uphill battle.

Guest Stars
John Beal (Philip Diedesheimer), Mala Powers (Helene Holloway), R.G. Armstrong (Andrew Holloway), Charles Cooper (Gil Fenton), Paul Birch (Tregallis), Robert Osterloh (Casey), William Forrest (Mine Owner), Alan Reynolds (Mine Owner), Howard Negley (Dr. Wesley), Mae Marsh (Townswoman)

Notable Guest Stars

R.G. Armstrong

John Beal

Mala Powers

Production Notes

• Lorne Greene and Michael Landon do not appear in this episode
• This episode is based on the story of the invention of “square-set” timbering by Diedeshiemer in December 1860

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwrights: Adam and Hoss

Season 1 (Episode 7)

Air Date: 24 October 1959

Writer: Thomas Thompson

Director: Joseph Kane

Synopsis
Annie O’Toole arrives at the Washoe Diggings to claim land that was given to her by Swede Lundberg. With the help of Adam, she establishes a restaurant that becomes very popular with the miners. When her claim to the land is disputed, Annie and Adam must work out a way to prove that the land is hers.

Recurring Actors/Characters
Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing)

Guest Stars
Ida Lupino (Annie O’Toole), Alan Hale Jr. (Swede Lundberg), Henry Lascoe (Gregory Spain), John Patrick (Kevin “Himself” O’Toole), Richard Reeves (Clayton), Ollie O’Toole (Simpson)

Notable Guest Stars

Alan Hale Jr.

Ida Lupino

Production Notes

• Pernell Roberts narrates during this episode
• The house shown at the end is the Bowers Mansion. It was built by the people this episode was based on

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwrights: Adam and Ben
• Gregory Spain is known as “Trap-Door” Gregory on the Barbary Coast

Season 1 (Episode 6)

Air Date: 17 October 1959

Writer: Al C. Ward

Director: Christian Nyby

Synopsis
Joe falls for local saloon owner Julia Bulette much to the dismay of his father Ben. The town’s and his father’s disapproval of Julia angers Joe causing him to leave home. However, Julia has her own problems that could give her and Joe a lot more trouble.

Recurring Actors/Characters
Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing)

Guest Stars
Jane Greer (Julia Bulette), Alexander Scourby (Jean Millain), Roy Engel (Dr. Martin), Robert J. Stevenson (George Romley), Kay Kuter (Mr. Finch), Robert B. Williams (Tom), Mary Munday (Gladys), Kem Dibbs (Sheriff Olins), Rush Williams (Pete)

Notable Guest Stars

Roy Engel

Jane Greer

Production Notes

• Background Music: Aura Lee – Composer: George R. Poulton; Lyricist: W.W. Fosdick (1861)

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwright: Joe
• Julia becomes the first honorary member of the Virginia City Fire Engine Company No. 2
• Saloon: Julia’s Palace

Season 1 (Episode 5)

Air Date: 10 October 1959

Writer: Harold Shumate

Director: Paul Landres

Synopsis
Sam Clemens arrives in Virginia City to take up a job at the Territorial Enterprise. He initially gets on the wrong side of the Cartwrights but soon teams up with them to battle a corrupt judge who is up for re-election.

Recurring Actors/Characters
Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing)

Guest Stars
Howard Duff (Samuel Clemens), Dorothy Green (Minnie Billington), Patrick McVey (Bill Raleigh), Edmund Ryan (Daniel Lash), John Litel (Judge Jeremy Clarence Billington), Lane Bradford (Lash’s Foreman), Ann Whitfield (Rosemary Lawson), Percy Helton (Blurry Jones), Arthur Lovejoy (Dr. Ephraim Lovejoy), Robert Carson (Marshal)

Notable Guest Stars

Howard Duff

Production Notes

• This is the first of three episodes that features Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain

Episode Notes

• Business: Sierra and Nevada Railroad (Owner: Daniel Lash)
• Saloon: The Bucket of Blood
• Newspaper: Territorial Enterprise

Season 1 (Episode 4)

Air Date: 3 October 1959

Writer: Gene L. Coon

Director: Paul Landres

Synopsis
After helping rescue two Indian women, Adam finds that he is in the middle of a potential Indian uprising, when Mike Wilson tells everybody that the Paiutes attacked him. The potential war escalates when Adam is captured by the Paiutes and Ben finds that he must uncover the truth before it’s too late.

Guest Stars
Jack Warden (Mike Wilson), Anthony Caruso (Chief Winnemucca), Michael Forest (Young Wolf), Walter Coy (Captain Kelly), Douglas Kennedy (William Stuart), Howard Petrie (Major Hornsby), Peter Coe (Major Hungerford), George Keymas (Ring Nose), Michael Ragan (Vern Wilson), I. Stanford Jolley (Turner), Gregg Martell (Nuntah)

Notable Guest Stars

Anthony Caruso

Michael Ragan

Jack Warden

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwrights: Ben and Adam
• The Bannocks are an off-shoot of the Shoshoni
• Young Wolf is the son of Winnemucca
• Location: Wilson’s Station

Season 1 (Episode 3)

Air Date: 26 September 1959

Writer: Thomas Thompson

Director: Christian Nyby

Synopsis
Hoss is given the job of escorting unwanted visitors off the Ponderosa. What he doesn’t know is that one of the visitors has other plans and has no intention of leaving.

Guest Stars
Inger Stevens (Emily Pennington), John Larch (Blake McCall), Robert Knapp (John Pennington), Charles Maxwell (Krug), George J. Lewis (Jose Moreno), Byron Foulger (Justin Flannery), Duane Grey (Wyoming), Jon Lormer (Doc Riley), Martin Mason (First Miner), Troy Melton (Merrill)

Notable Guest Stars

Inger Stevens

Episode Notes

• Featured Cartwright: Hoss

Season 1 (Episode 2)

Air Date: 19 September 1959

Writers: Gene L. Coon and David Dortort

Director: Paul Landres

Synopsis
The Cartwrights meet Mark Burdette, who is out to make his “bonanza” by selling antelope meat to miners at inflated prices. Ben decides to sell beef to the miners at much cheaper prices. This action drives Burdette and his partner Thorne to start a war between the Paiutes and the miners – leaving the Cartwrights stuck in the middle.

Guest Stars
Barry Sullivan (Mark Burdette), Karl Swenson (Carl Harris), Leo Gordon (Early Thorne), Bek Nelson (Glory), Harry Bartell (Chief Winnemucca), Ron Soble (Tukwa), Jeanne Bates (Stella Harris), Robin Warga (Michael Harris), Jay Hector (Harold Harris), Zon Murray (Miner)

Notable Guest Stars

Leo Gordon

Barry Sullivan

Karl Swenson

Production Notes

• This episode is also known as The Sun Mountain Herd

Episode Notes

• Saloon: The Bucket of Blood

Season 1 (Episode 1)

Air Date: 12 September 1959

Writer: David Dortort

Director: Edward Ludwig

Synopsis
Ruthless businessmen in Virginia City decide that the time has come to put the Cartwrights and the Ponderosa out of business. They enlist the help of actress Lotta Crabtree, who uses her charm to get Little Joe into town. When the rest of the Cartwrights realise that Joe has gone missing they set out to find him using any means possible.

Recurring Actors/Characters
Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing)

Guest Stars
Yvonne DeCarlo (Lotta Crabtree), George Macready (Alpheus Troy), Barry Kelley (Aaron Cooper), Willis Bouchey (George Garvey), Christopher Dark (Langford Poole), Sammee Tong (Hop Ling), Ned Glass (Stagecoach Driver)

Notable Guest Stars

Christopher Dark

Yvonne DeCarlo

Production Notes

• For the first and only time in the entire run of the Bonanza TV series is the lyrics to its theme song sung

Episode Notes

• Business: International House