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Bonanza: A Viewer's Guide to the TV Legend Paperback – May 21, 2010

by David R Greenland (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 99 ratings
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Between 1959 and 1973 the Cartwrights of the Ponderosa rode into the lives of nearly 400 million viewers around the world. Perhaps you saw many of the 428 episodes and waited eagerly for the famous blazing map to reveal the Cartwrights riding into your living room. You can relive those days and get the inside story on the TV series that became a legend. Renew old acquaintances with Ben Cartwright and his sons, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    170 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    BearManor Media
  4. Publication date
    May 21, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    8.5 x 0.36 x 11 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1593935412
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1593935412
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ BearManor Media (May 21, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 170 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1593935412
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1593935412
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.36 x 11 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 99 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
99 global ratings
Big crease on back cover
1 Star
Big crease on back cover
Arrived damaged but shipping box was fine. Very disappointed. Thinking about returning as it is a gift.
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Top reviews from the United States

Chuck Jennings
5.0 out of 5 stars Great episode guide for lovers of the series
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024
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A good book full of anything to know about the show and episodes.
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Lee Kirby
4.0 out of 5 stars A valuable resource for "Bonanza" fans
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2016
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The Cartwrights have been a cable television fixture for years. Currently, they appear on no less than five cable channels, and their adventures have appeared previously on four others. Not bad for a series that's been off network airwaves for almost 44 years.

In "Bonanza: A Viewer's Guide to the TV Legend," David Greenland takes readers back to the days when Ben, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe not only ruled the NBC prime-time schedule, but were also a cultural phenomenon.

The series inspired merchandise including novels for both adults and young readers, comic books, collector plates, View-Master reels, and soundtrack albums featuring the cast. (It even provided Ben Cartwright himself, Lorne Greene, a six-album recording career.) By 1966, the show was so popular that it was even being used to sell issues of "Rod and Custom" magazine. (The sight of Dan Blocker tooling around a Western backlot on a minibike must be seen to be believed.)

Greenland argues that what inspired the big bonanzas of merchandising and viewer loyalty was not that the Cartwrights' adventures were the first network series to air in color, but that they had a humanity that other Westerns of the lone-gunfighter-wandering-the-West variety lacked. Indeed, series creator/producer David Dortort writes in a foreword that the difficulties of producing such a series ("The Restless Gun"), which was reliant on one star, inspired him to create a series in which an ensemble would "carry the freight."

And "carry the freight" they did. Greenland shows how the series and its ensemble were able to handle both comedy and drama, and how, under the guise of an "oater," they examined contemporary issues such as racism, domestic violence, mental illness, political corruption, and the generation gap. The show's ability to reflect modern society, he believes, gives "Bonanza" a timeless quality other Westerns lack.

He goes on to provide biographies of all the regular cast members and details of the series' production. Then he examines the series itself by dividing it into three eras: the "early classics," which includes the entirety of the Pernell Roberts era and the first two seasons of the "lost episodes"; the "ranging wide" era, in which the series took on more of the aspects of traditional Westerns; and the "back at the ranch" era, which includes Mitch Vogel's run as Jamie Hunter, a fresh outlet for Ben's paternal advice, and the death of Dan Blocker, which created a void the show struggled to fill as its ratings floundered in a new Tuesday-evening timeslot outside its longtime Sunday-night berth.

Greenland also provides fresh perspective on Roberts' departure in 1965, noting that the actor wanted Adam to marry a Native American woman-and that he wanted an African-American actress to portray said bride. When his request was refused, because Dortort thought it "an empty gesture toward civil rights," Roberts decided to coast, delivering lines without conviction and fading into the background as much as possible in episodes not featuring Adam as the central character, before finally leaving.

This book's only weakness, for which I deducted a star, is a perfunctory episode guide which provides little information about individual episodes beyond a one- or two-sentence plot description. I know the book would have been much thicker, and hence more expensive, but I'm the sort who enjoys as much detail as possible about individual episodes' production, as well as credit for individual writers and directors.

Still, this is a valuable resource for "Bonanza" fans, and is highly recommended.
7 people found this helpful
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Brie Merlot
5.0 out of 5 stars Covers every episode!
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2024
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It's fun to read about the actors and characters
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Friscochase
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun fact book
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2023
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I have a total of three of this authors books, including Gunsmoke and Rawhide. The Bonanza viewers guide is fun to read, lots of details regarding each season and a listing of the many wonderful guest stars, especially the character actors. My only comment would be that each season is divided numerically but to find a specific episode, you have to flip through many pages to find the right Season chapter, I wish he had put the Season number along with each episode number instead of just the number of the episode in the entire series, for example episode 225 would be better listed as Season 7, episode 225-quicker and easier to find.
2 people found this helpful
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BReview
5.0 out of 5 stars Resource for accurate Bonanza info
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2014
Verified Purchase
I was not too sure when I ordered this book, but it is promoted by David
Dortort and he didn't disappoint. Great way to see if you want to watch a particular show and locations are noted in the back of the book with short descriptions of each episode. Fine details in the beginning of the book about the show, the directors and the actors. Well worth the cost which is negligible since the content is so precise. Greenland did a fine job.
5 people found this helpful
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Kyrila Scully
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Pleased
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2010
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As a lifelong, die-hard Bonanza fan (I was five years old when the show began and it was my parents' favorite show!) I was very excited to see that this book had been re-released after being out of print for so long. All my fellow Bonanza fan friends highly recommended the book to me, and I'm very pleased that I bought it, and very pleased to have it in my collection, but their raves about it led me to believe there was more information in the book than what actually appeared. In spite of that minor disappointment, I am thrilled with the format, the photos, and that I have in my hands the brief rundown of each show without searching through many webpages for the episode description. I wish though that the episode descriptions had been more in depth, and that the guest stars and their roles had been listed with each episode. Also the writers, directors, etc. So once again, I have to turn to the web to get the more complete information. Other than that, I do recommend the book to avid Bonanza fans. You won't regret the purchase.
17 people found this helpful
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Clam0132
5.0 out of 5 stars Bonanza a look back
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2021
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As many I grew up with Sunday night Bonanza I loved a look back at my favorite show growing up this book gives a look behind the scenes and a recap of all 14 seasons for me it was interesting and fun
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delores barnosky
3.0 out of 5 stars I am a little disappointed. This book does not offer much more information ...
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2015
Verified Purchase
So far, I am a little disappointed. This book does not offer much more information than I have already read about, but I should read it completely, maybe I will find something new.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Mrs. M.A. Harrison
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed reading it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2018
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Arrived safely. Enjoyed reading it. Happy to shop with you again.
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Pamela Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars Good insight into the four stars of Bonanza plus a ...
Reviewed in Canada on September 28, 2014
Verified Purchase
Good insight into the four stars of Bonanza plus a comprehensive list of all the show's various episodes with details that I found extremely useful. A good buy.
One person found this helpful
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laurence.
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic western series, nothing comes close.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2018
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Always liked Bonanza, liked this book even more.
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Kathy B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on November 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
So excited to read the behind the scenes info. on the main characters!!! A must read for Bonanza fans!!
One person found this helpful
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Showdown
4.0 out of 5 stars Informativ
Reviewed in Germany on February 1, 2016
Verified Purchase
Die Herausgeber mussten wohl an die Kosten denken - außer dem Cover sind alle Fotos leider nur schwarz/weiß. Aber das tut der Dokumentation keinen wirklichen Abbruch. Der Produzent der Serie hat das Vorwort geschrieben, was dem Buch in meinen Augen eine gewisse Seriosität verleiht. Die Recherchen des Autors scheinen fundiert und aus erster Hand. Es sind nicht nur Berichterstattungen aus der damaligen Zeit zusammengetragen, sondern einer der wirklich dabei war (Produzent David Dortort) ist für ein Interview zur Verfügung gestanden.
2 people found this helpful
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