Editing Bonanza

{{Short description|American western television series (1959–1973)}}
{{About|the television program}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Bonanza title screen.jpg
| alt_name             = Ponderosa
| genre                = [[Western (genre)|Western]]
| creator              = [[David Dortort]]
| starring             = {{Plain list | 
* [[Lorne Greene]]
* [[Pernell Roberts]]
* [[Dan Blocker]]
* [[Michael Landon]]
* [[Guy Williams (actor)|Guy Williams]]
* [[Victor Sen Yung]]
* [[David Canary]]
* [[Mitch Vogel]]
* [[Ray Teal]]
* [[Bing Russell]]
* [[Tim Matheson]]
* [[Lou Frizzell]]
}}
| theme_music_composer = {{Plainlist|
* [[Ray Evans]]
* [[Jay Livingston]]
}}
| open_theme           = "Bonanza"
| end_theme            = "Bonanza"
| composer             = {{Plain list|
* [[David Rose (songwriter)|David Rose]]
* [[Walter Scharf]]
* [[Harry Sukman]]
* [[Fred Steiner]]
* [[William Lava]]
}}
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| num_seasons          = 14
| num_episodes         = 431
| list_episodes        = List of Bonanza episodes
| executive_producer   = {{Plain list|
* David Dortort
* Mark Roberts
}}
| producer             = {{Plain list|
* Fred Hamilton
* [[Robert Blees]]
* [[Richard J. Collins|Richard Collins]]
}}
| runtime              = 49-50 minutes (excluding commercials)
| company              = [[NBC Productions]]
| channel              = [[NBC]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1959|9|12}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|1973|1|16}}
}}

'''''Bonanza''''' is an American [[Westerns on television|Western television series]] that ran on [[NBC]] from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on [[United States|American]] network television (behind CBS's ''[[Gunsmoke]]''), and one of the longest-running, live-action American series. The show continues to air in [[Broadcast syndication|syndication]]. The show is set in the 1860s and centers on the wealthy Cartwright family, who live in the vicinity of [[Virginia City, Nevada]], bordering [[Lake Tahoe]]. The series initially starred [[Lorne Greene]], [[Pernell Roberts]], [[Dan Blocker]] and [[Michael Landon]] and later featured (at various times) [[Guy Williams (actor)|Guy Williams]], [[David Canary]], [[Mitch Vogel]] and [[Tim Matheson]]. The show is known for presenting pressing moral dilemmas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlinenevada.org/articles/bonanza-television-show|title=Bonanza Television Show – ONE|website=www.onlinenevada.org|access-date=November 21, 2016|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308104217/https://www.onlinenevada.org/articles/bonanza-television-show|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The title "Bonanza" is a term used by miners in regard to a large vein or deposit of silver ore,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonanza |title=Bonanza – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary |publisher=Merriam-webster.com |access-date=March 7, 2012}}</ref> from Spanish ''bonanza'' (rich ore body) and commonly refers to the 1859 revelation of the [[Comstock Lode]] of rich silver ore mines under the town of Virginia City, not far from the fictional [[Ponderosa Ranch]] that the Cartwright family operated. The show's theme song, also titled "[[Bonanza (song)|Bonanza]]", became a hit song. Only instrumental renditions, without [[Ray Evans]]'s lyrics, were used during the series's long run.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ponderosascenery.homestead.com/lyrics.html|title=Bonanza Lyrics and Theme|website=ponderosascenery.homestead.com}}</ref>

In 2002, ''Bonanza'' was ranked No. 43 on [[TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time|''TV Guide''{{'}}s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tv-guide-names-top-50-shows/ |title=TV Guide Names Top 50 Shows |date=April 26, 2002 |publisher=Cbsnews.com |access-date=March 7, 2012}}</ref> and in 2013 ''[[TV Guide]]'' included it in its list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time.<ref>Roush, Matt (February 25, 2013). "Showstoppers: The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time". ''[[TV Guide]]''. pp. 16–17.</ref> The time period for the television series is roughly between 1861 (Season 1) and 1867 (Season 13) during and shortly after the [[American Civil War]], coinciding with the period [[Nevada Territory]] became a U.S. state.

During the summer of 1972, NBC aired reruns of episodes from the 1967–1970 period in prime time on Tuesday evening under the title '''''Ponderosa'''''.<ref name="brooks">Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, ''[[The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present]] (Sixth Edition)'', New York: Ballantine Books, 1995, {{ISBN|0-345-39736-3}}, p. 123.</ref>

== Premise ==
[[File:Map of Ponderosa Ranch.PNG|thumb|left|upright=0.8|Approximate location of the fictional Ponderosa Ranch, the home of Cartwright family. The map is oriented with North at the top (instead of East at the top, as in the map shown on the program).]]
The show chronicles the weekly adventures of the Cartwright family, headed by the thrice-widowed patriarch Ben Cartwright ([[Lorne Greene]]). He had three sons, each by a different wife: the eldest was the urbane architect Adam Cartwright ([[Pernell Roberts]]), who built the ranch house; the second was the warm and lovable giant Eric "Hoss" Cartwright ([[Dan Blocker]]); and the youngest was the hotheaded and impetuous Joseph, or "Little Joe" ([[Michael Landon]]). Through exposition<ref name=":0">{{Cite episode |title=A Rose for Lotta |episode-link=Bonanza (season 1)#ep1 |series=Bonanza |series-link=Bonanza |network=[[NBC]] |date=September 12, 1959 |season=1 |number=1}}</ref> and flashback episodes, the viewer learns that each wife was accorded a different ancestry: English,<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Elizabeth, My Love |episode-link=Bonanza (season 2)#65 |series=Bonanza |series-link=Bonanza |network=[[NBC]] |date=May 27, 1961 |season=2 |number=33}}</ref> Swedish,<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Inger, My Love |episode-link=Bonanza (season 3)#95 |series=Bonanza |series-link=Bonanza |network=[[NBC]] |date=April 15, 1962 |season=3 |number=29}}</ref> and French Creole,<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Marie, My Love |episode-link=Bonanza (season 4)#120 |series=Bonanza |series-link=Bonanza |network=[[NBC]] |date=February 10, 1963 |season=4 |number=20}}</ref> respectively. The family's cook was Chinese immigrant Hop Sing ([[Victor Sen Yung]]).

The family lived on a thousand-square-mile (2,600&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) ranch called the [[Ponderosa Ranch|Ponderosa]] on the eastern shore of [[Lake Tahoe]] in [[Nevada]] opposite [[California]] on the edge of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] range.<ref name=":0"/> The vast size of the Cartwrights' land was quietly revised to "half a million acres" (2,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) in Lorne Greene's 1964 song, "Saga of the Ponderosa". The ranch name refers to the ''[[Pinus ponderosa]]'' (ponderosa pine), common in the West. The nearest town to the Ponderosa was [[Virginia City, Nevada|Virginia City]], where the Cartwrights would go to converse with [[Sheriff]] Roy Coffee (played by veteran actor [[Ray Teal]]), or his deputy Clem Foster ([[Bing Russell]]).

''Bonanza'' was considered an atypical Western for its time, as the core of the storylines dealt less about the range but more with Ben and his three dissimilar sons, how they cared for one another, their neighbors and just causes.

<blockquote>"You always saw stories about family on comedies or on an anthology, but ''Bonanza'' was the first series that was week-to-week about a family and the troubles it went through. ''Bonanza'' was a period drama that attempted to confront contemporary social issues. That was very difficult to do on television. Most shows that tried to do it failed because the sponsors didn't like it, and the networks were nervous about getting letters," explains Stephen Battaglio, a senior editor for ''[[TV Guide]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://americanprofile.com/articles/bonanza-1960s-tv-show/ | title=''Bonanza'', a 1960s TV Show Ahead of the Times | first=Paulette | last=Cohn | magazine=American Profile | date=May 24, 2009 | access-date=May 20, 2016}}</ref></blockquote>

== Cast ==
{{further|List of Bonanza characters}}
Though not familiar stars in 1959, the cast quickly became favorites of the first television generation. The order of billing at the beginning of the broadcast appeared to be shuffled randomly each week, with no relation whatsoever to the current episode featured that week.
{{:List of Bonanza characters}}
== Episodes ==
{{further|List of Bonanza episodes}}
{{:List of Bonanza episodes}}
{{notelist}}

== Background and production ==
=== Set and filming ===
[[File:Bonanza-Ponderosa Ranch-postcard-03 (5619566355).jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.35|Ponderosa tour postcard – visitors tour the replica ranchhouse and its big living room with stone fireplace overlooking the east shore of [[Lake Tahoe]], in [[Incline Village, Nevada]] where several rebuilt ranch buildings were used as a set for outside filming.]]

The opening scene for the first season was shot at [[Lake Hemet]], a reservoir in the San Jacinto Mountains, Riverside County, California, and later moved to Lake Tahoe. After moving to Lake Tahoe, the opening sequence with theme music was filmed on the east side of Lake Tahoe in Bourne's meadow near Round Hill, Nevada. During the first season extra horses were rented from the Idyllwild Stables in Idyllwild, also in the San Jacinto Mountains. The first Virginia City set was used on the show until 1970 and was located on a backlot at Paramount and featured in episodes of ''[[Have Gun – Will Travel]]'', ''[[Mannix]]'' and ''[[The Brady Bunch]]''. In the 1970 premiere episode of the 12th season titled "The Night Virginia City Died", Deputy Clem Foster's pyromaniac fiancée levels the town in a series of fires (reflecting a real 1875 fire that destroyed three-quarters of Virginia City). This allowed for a switch to the less expensive Warner studios from September 1970 through January 1973. The script was initially written for the departing David Canary's Candy, but was rewritten for actors Ray Teal (Sheriff Roy Coffee) and Bing Russell (Deputy Clem Foster), who rarely appeared together on the show.

The program's Nevada set, the [[Ponderosa Ranch]] house, was recreated in [[Incline Village, Nevada]], in 1967, and remained a tourist attraction until its sale thirty-seven years later in September 2004.

The series was also partially filmed in [[Wildwood Regional Park]] in [[Thousand Oaks, California]].<ref>Schad, Jerry (2009). ''Los Angeles County: A Comprehensive Hiking Guide''. Wilderness Press. Pages 35–36. {{ISBN|9780899976396}}.</ref><ref>Stone, Robert (2011). ''Day Hikes Around Ventura County''. Day Hike Books. Page 216. {{ISBN|9781573420624}}.</ref><ref>Maxwell, Thomas J. (2000). ''Hiking In Wildwood Regional Park: Natural History, Folklore, and Trail Guide''. California Lutheran University. Page 2.</ref>

=== Costumes ===
[[File:Bonanza main cast 1961.JPG|thumb|right|Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, Lorne Greene and Michael Landon (1961)]]
From the third season on, the Cartwrights and nearly every other recurring character on the show wore the same clothing in almost every episode. The reason for this is twofold: it made duplication of wardrobe easier for stunt doubles (Hal Burton, Bob Miles, Bill Clark, Lyle Heisler, Ray Mazy) and it cut the cost of refilming action shots (such as riding clips in-between scenes), as previously shot stock footage could be reused. Below is a survey of costumes employed:

* Ben Cartwright: Sandy shirt, tawny leather vest, gray pants, cream-colored hat, occasional green scarf.
* Adam Cartwright: Black shirt, black or midnight blue pants, black hat. Elegant city wear. Cream-colored trail coat.
* Hoss Cartwright: White shirt, brown suede vest, brown pants, large beige flat-brimmed, ten-gallon hat.
* Little Joe Cartwright: Beige, light gray shirt, kelly-green jacket, tan pants, beige hat. Black leather gloves from 10th season on. In season 14, he and Greene occasionally wore different shirts and slacks, as the footage of them and the late Dan Blocker together could no longer be reused.
* Candy Canaday: Crimson shirt, black pants, black leather vest, black hat, grey/ pale purple scarf.

It was not unusual for Little Joe Cartwright and Candy Canaday to appear shirtless in various scenes involving manual labor.

The horse saddles used by the Bonanza cast were made by the [[Bona Allen Company]] of Buford, Georgia.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/flashback-photos-buford-was-once-home-the-country-most-prolific-tannery/k88cgTUiYACiPDwnYlyXBK/|title=Flashback photos: Buford was once home to the country's most prolific tannery|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |last=Estep |first=Tyler }}</ref>

=== Hair styles ===
In 1968, Blocker began wearing a toupee on the series, as he was approaching age 40 and his hair loss was becoming more evident. He joined the ranks of his fellow co-stars Roberts and Greene, both of whom had begun the series with hairpieces. (Greene wore his modest frontal piece in private life too, whereas Roberts preferred not wearing his, even to rehearsals/[[Blocking (stage)|blocking]].) Landon was the only original cast member who was wig-free throughout the series, as even Sen Yung wore an attached rattail- [[Queue (hairstyle)|queue]].<ref>Michael Landon, "The Tonight Show", NBC-TV, March 10, 1983</ref>

=== Music ===
''Bonanza'' features a memorable [[theme music|theme song]] by [[Jay Livingston]] and [[Ray Evans]] that was orchestrated by [[David Rose (songwriter)|David Rose]] and arranged by [[Billy May]] for the television series. Members of the [[Western Writers of America]] chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.<ref name="Top100">{{Cite web |title=The Top 100 Western Songs |author=Western Writers of America |year=2010 |author-link=Western Writers of America |publisher=American Cowboy |url=http://www.americancowboy.com/culture/top-100-western-songs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019002745/http://americancowboy.com/culture/top-100-western-songs |archive-date=October 19, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }}</ref>

The ''Bonanza'' theme song opens with a blazing Ponderosa map and saddlebound Cartwrights. The melodic intro, emulating galloping horses, is one of the most recognized television scores. Variations of the theme were used for 12 seasons on the series. Although there were two official sets of lyrics (some country-western singers, avoiding royalties, substituted the copyright renditions with their own words), the series simply used an instrumental theme. Three of the cast members bellowed out the original lyrics, unaccompanied, at the close of the pilot (Pernell Roberts, the sole professional singer of the quartet, abstained and untethered the horse reins). Before the pilot aired (on September 12, 1959), the song sequence, deemed too campy, was edited out of the scene and instead the Cartwrights headed back to the ranch whooping and howling. In a 1964 song, the Livingston-Evans lyrics were revised by Lorne Greene with a more familial emphasis, "on this land we put our brand, Cartwright is the name, fortune smiled the day we filed the Ponderosa claim" ("Bonanza", [[Bear Family Records|Bear Family]] Boxed set, Disc #2). In 1968, a slightly revamped horn and percussion-heavy arrangement of the original score introduced the series, which was used until 1970. A new theme song, called "The Big Bonanza" was written in 1970 by episode scorer David Rose, and was used from 1970 to 1972. Action-shot pictorials of the cast replaced the galloping trio with the order of the actors rotating from episode to episode, resulting in Blocker or Landon often getting top billing over Greene. Finally, a faster rendition of the original music returned for the 14th and final season, along with action shots of the cast (sans Dan Blocker, who had died by this point).

=== Cancellation ===
[[File:Bonanza full cast 1962.JPG|thumb|right|Front to back: Pernell Roberts, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Lorne Greene]]
In the fall of 1972, NBC moved ''Bonanza'' to Tuesday nights—where reruns from the 1967–1970 period had been broadcast the previous summer under the title ''The Ponderosa''<ref name="brooks"/>—opposite the ''[[All in the Family]]'' spinoff show, ''[[Maude (TV series)|Maude]]'', which was a virtual death sentence for the program. The scheduling change, as well as Dan Blocker's death in May 1972, resulted in plunging ratings for the show. David Canary returned to his former role of Candy (to offset Hoss' absence), and a new character named Griff King (played by [[Tim Matheson]]) was added in an attempt to lure younger viewers. Griff, in prison for nearly killing his abusive stepfather, was paroled into Ben's custody and given a job as a ranch hand. Several episodes were built around his character, one that Matheson never had a chance to fully develop before the show was abruptly cancelled in November 1972 (with the final episode airing January 16, 1973). Many fans, as well as both Landon and Greene, felt that the character of Hoss was essential, as he was a nurturing, empathetic soul who rounded out the all-male cast.

For 14 years, ''Bonanza'' was the premier Western on American television. Reruns of the series have aired on several cable networks such as [[TV Land]], INSP, Family Channel, the [[Hallmark Channel]] and [[Great American Faith & Living]].

== Themes ==
[[File:Philip Ahn.gif|thumb|[[Philip Ahn]] in "The Fear Merchants"]]
[[File:Bonanza - (02-07) Day of Reckoning.ogv|thumb|The season two episode "Day of Reckoning" shows the native population with nuance, as individuals have distinct motives and discuss ethical issues involved in working with or resisting white colonialism, at a time when racial subtleties like this were not common on broadcast television. The protagonist is Mexican actor [[Ricardo Montalbán]].]]
Episodes ranged from high drama<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{Cite episode |title=Bushwhacked |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=October 3, 1971|season=13|number=3}}|{{Cite episode |title=Shanklin |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=February 13, 1972|season=13 |number=20}}}}</ref> to broad comedy<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{Cite episode |title=Hoss and the Leprechauns|series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=December 22, 1963|season=5|number=12}}|{{Cite episode |title=Mrs. Wharton and the Lesser Breeds|series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=January 19, 1969|season=10|number=17}}|{{Cite episode |title=Caution, Easter Bunny Crossing|series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=March 29, 1970|season=11 |number=25}}}}</ref> and addressed issues such as the environment,<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Different Pines, Same Wind |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=September 15, 1968|season=10|number=1}}</ref> [[substance abuse]],<ref>{{Cite episode |title=The Hidden Enemy |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=November 28, 1972|season=14|number=10}}</ref> [[domestic violence]],<ref>{{Cite episode |title=First Love |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=December 26, 1972|season=14|number=13}}</ref> anti-war sentiment,<ref>{{Cite episode |title=The Weary Willies |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=September 27, 1970 |season=12|number=3}}</ref> and [[illegitimate birth]]s.<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{Cite episode |title=Love Child |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=November 8, 1970 |season=12|number=9}}|{{Cite episode |title=Rock-A-Bye Hoss |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=October 10, 1971|season=13|number=4}}}}</ref> The series sought to illustrate the cruelty of bigotry against Asians,<ref name=e20/><ref name=e404/> [[African Americans]],<ref name=e164/><ref name=e326/><ref>{{Cite episode |title=Child |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=September 22, 1968|season=10|number=2}}</ref> [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]],<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{Cite episode |title=The Underdog |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=December 13, 1964|season=6|number=12}}|{{Cite episode |title=Terror at 2:00 |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=March 7, 1971|season=12|number=23}}}}</ref> [[Jews]],<ref name=e92>{{Cite episode |title=Look to the Stars |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=March 18, 1962|season=3|number=26}}</ref> [[Mormons]],<ref>{{Cite episode |title=The Pursued |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=October 2–9, 1966|season=8|number=4–5}}</ref> the [[disabled]],<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Tommy |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=December 18, 1966|season=8|number=14}}</ref> and [[dwarfism|little people]].<ref>{{Cite episode |title=It's a Small World |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=January 1, 1970|season=11|number=14}}</ref>

''Bonanza'' is uniquely known for having addressed [[racism]], not typically covered on [[American television]] during the time period, from a [[compassionate]], [[humanitarian]] point-of-view.

[[Bigotry]], including [[antisemitism]], was the subject of the episode "Look to the Stars". A bigoted school teacher Mr. Norton (oblivious to his prejudice) routinely expels minority students. When he expels the brilliant Jewish student [[Albert A. Michelson|Albert Michelson]], a [[Genius|scientific genius]] whose experiments on the streets of Virginia City often cause commotion, Ben Cartwright steps in and confronts Norton on his bigotry. Ashamed, the schoolteacher vows to reform. A coda to the episode reveals that Michelson went on to win the [[Nobel Prize for Physics]].<ref name=e92/>

In the episode "Enter Thomas Bowers", the Cartwright family helps the opera singer [[Thomas Bowers (singer)|Thomas Bowers]], an [[African-American]] [[freedman]], after he encounters prejudice while in Virginia City to perform. Bowers winds up arrested as a fugitive slave. At the beginning of the episode, Adam is shown to be outraged at the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]]'s ''[[Dred Scott v. Sandford]]'' decision (placing the time as 1857), which he discusses with his father.<ref name=e164>{{Cite episode |title=Enter Tom Bowers |series=Bonanza |series-link=Bonanza |network=[[NBC]] |date=April 26, 1964 |season=5 |number=30}}</ref> According to David Dortort, sponsor [[General Motors]] was anxious about the episode. As producer, Dortort ensured that the episode re-aired during the summer rerun seasons, though two TV stations in the South refused to air it.

In the episode "The Wish", directed by [[Michael Landon]], Hoss protects an African-American former slave's family when confronted with racism after the [[American Civil War]].<ref name=e326>{{Cite episode |title=The Wish |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=March 9, 1969|season=10|number=23}}</ref> In "The Fear Merchants", discrimination against [[Chinese immigrant]]s who attempt to assimilate in American society is addressed.<ref name=e20>{{Cite episode |title=The Fear Merchants |series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=January 30, 1960|season=1|number=20}}</ref> "The Lonely Man" presents the controversial [[interracial marriage]] between the Cartwrights' longtime Chinese chef (Hop Sing) and a white woman (Missy).<ref name=e404>{{Cite episode |title=The Lonely Man|series= Bonanza |network= [[NBC]] |date=January 2, 1972|season=13|number=15}}</ref>

== Release ==
=== Broadcast history and ratings ===
[[File:Lorne Greene Ben Cartwright Bonanza.JPG|thumb|right|Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright]]
Initially, ''Bonanza'' aired on Saturdays at 7:30&nbsp;p.m. Eastern, opposite ''Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show'' and ''[[John Gunther's High Road]]'' on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], and ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' on [[CBS]]. ''Bonanza''{{'}}s initial ratings were respectable, often coming in behind Mason but ahead of the ABC lineup. Ironically, executives considered canceling the show before its premiere because of its high cost. NBC kept it because ''Bonanza'' was one of the first series to be filmed and broadcast in [[Color television|color]], including scenes of picturesque [[Lake Tahoe, Nevada]]. NBC's corporate parent, [[Radio Corporation of America]] (RCA), used the show to spur sales of RCA-manufactured color television sets (RCA was also the primary sponsor of the series during its first two seasons).

For Season 3, NBC moved ''Bonanza'' to Sundays at 9:00&nbsp;pm Eastern with new sponsor [[Chevrolet]] (replacing ''[[The Dinah Shore Chevy Show]]''). The new time slot caused ''Bonanza'' to soar in the ratings, and it eventually reached number one by 1964, an honor it would keep until 1967. By 1970, ''Bonanza'' was the first series to appear in the Top Five list for nine consecutive seasons (a record that would stand for many years) and thus established itself as the most consistent strong-performing hit television series of the 1960s. ''Bonanza'' remained high on the [[Nielsen ratings]] until 1971, when it finally fell out of the Top Ten.

During the summer of 1972, NBC broadcast reruns of episodes of the show from the 1967–1970 era on Tuesdays at 7:30&nbsp;p.m. under the title ''Ponderosa'' while also rerunning more recent episodes on Sunday evenings in the show{{'}}s normal time slot as ''Bonanza''.<ref name="brooks"/> In the fall of 1972, off-network episodes were released in [[broadcast syndication]] to local stations by NBC under the ''Ponderosa'' name. After the series was canceled in 1973, the syndicated reruns reverted to the ''Bonanza'' name.

=== Home media ===
{{Anchor|Home video and DVD releases|DVD|Video}}
A handful of early episodes have fallen into the public domain. These episodes have been released by several companies in different configurations, with substandard picture and sound quality, edited, and by legal necessity with the copyright-protected Evans–Livingston theme song replaced with generic western music.

In 1973, NBC sold its NBC Films syndication division, and with it the rights to the series, along with the rest of its pre-1973 library, to [[National Telefilm Associates]],<ref>{{Cite news|date=1973-02-12|title=Sale of NBC Films completes exodus of networks from syndication|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/73-OCR/1973-02-12-BC-OCR-Page-0013.pdf|access-date=2021-08-25}}</ref> which changed its name to Republic Pictures in 1984. Republic would become part of the [[Spelling Television|Spelling Entertainment]] organization in 1994 through [[Worldvision Enterprises]]. Select episodes ("The Best of Bonanza") were officially released in North America in 2003 on DVD through then-Republic video licensee [[Artisan Entertainment]] (which was later purchased by [[Lions Gate Entertainment|Lionsgate Home Entertainment]]). Republic (through [[CBS Media Ventures]], which holds the television side of Republic's holdings) still retains the syndication distribution rights to the series. [[CBS Home Entertainment]] (under [[Paramount Home Media Distribution]]) is the official home video rights distributor at present.

Starting in September 2009, [[CBS Home Entertainment]] (distributed by [[Paramount Home Entertainment|Paramount]]) has to date released the first eleven seasons on DVD in Region 1. All episodes have been digitally remastered from original 35 mm film elements to yield the best picture and sound quality possible with current technology. CBSHE has released each season in two-volume sets (available together and separately). On May 23, 2023, the remaining seasons 12, 13 and 14 were released on DVD, as well as a box set of the complete series containing all 431 episodes on 112 DVDs.

In Region 2, ''AL!VE AG'' released the first seven seasons on DVD in Germany between 2008 and 2010. These releases are now out of print as AL!VE has lost the rights. In 2011, [[StudioCanal]] acquired the rights to the series and have begun re-releasing it on DVD, and all seasons have now been released but have not been remastered.

Episodes of the series have also been officially released as part-works on DVD in France and the United Kingdom.

''Bonanza'' "the official first season" was released in [[Scandinavia]] during 2010. The first season is released in 4 volumes. The first two volumes were released on October 20, 2010, and the second two volumes on April 27, 2011.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Region 1 DVD releases of ''Bonanza''
|-
! DVD name
! Ep #
! Release date
|-
| The Official 1st Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| September 15, 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Bonanza-Season-1-Box-Art/12194 |title=Bonanza DVD news: Box Art for Bonanza – The Official 1st Season, Volume 1 and Bonanza – The Official 1st Season, Volume 2 |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD.com |access-date=2012-07-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517150903/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Bonanza-Season-1-Box-Art/12194 |archive-date=May 17, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
| The Official 1st Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| September 15, 2009
|-
| The Official 2nd Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| December 7, 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Bonanza-Season-2-Volume-1/14462 |title=Bonanza DVD news: Announcement for Bonanza – The Official 2nd Season, Vol. 1 |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD.com |access-date=March 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120123060134/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Bonanza-Season-2-Volume-1/14462 |archive-date=January 23, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
| The Official 2nd Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| October 11, 2011<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Bonanza-Season-2-Volume-2/15674 |title=Bonanza DVD news: Announcement for Bonanza – The Official 2nd Season, Vol. 2 |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD.com |access-date=March 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429105052/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Bonanza-Season-2-Volume-2/15674 |archive-date=April 29, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
| The Official 3rd Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| July 17, 2012
|-
| The Official 3rd Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| July 17, 2012
|-
| The Official 4th Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| October 2, 2012
|-
| The Official 4th Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| October 2, 2012
|-
| The Official 5th Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| February 12, 2013
|-
| The Official 5th Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| February 12, 2013
|-
| The Official 6th Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| July 9, 2013
|-
| The Official 6th Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| July 9, 2013
|-
| The Official 7th Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|15
| September 2, 2014
|-
| The Official 7th Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| September 2, 2014
|-
| The Official 8th Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| June 2, 2015
|-
| The Official 8th Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| June 2, 2015
|-
| The Official 9th Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| May 7, 2019
|-
| The Official 9th Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|18
| May 7, 2019
|-
| The Official 10th Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|15
| December 17, 2019
|-
| The Official 10th Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|15
| December 17, 2019
|-
| The Official 11th Season, Vol. 1
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| October 27, 2020
|-
| The Official 11th Season, Vol. 2
| style="text-align:center;"|12
| October 27, 2020
|-
| The Official 12th Season
| style="text-align:center;"|28
| May 23, 2023
|-
| The Official 13th Season
| style="text-align:center;"|26
| May 23, 2023
|-
| The Official 14th Season
| style="text-align:center;"|16
| May 23, 2023
|-
| The Official Complete Series
| style="text-align:center;"|431
| May 23, 2023
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Region 2 DVD releases of ''Bonanza''
|-
! rowspan="2"|Season
! colspan="2"|Release dates
|-
! Germany
! Scandinavia
|-
| Season 1
| December 8, 2011
| December 20, 2010<br/>April 27, 2011
|-
| Season 2
| February 16, 2012
| No release of seasons 2–14
|-
| Season 3
| April 19, 2012
| 
|-
| Season 4
| June 21, 2012
| 
|-
| Season 5
| August 23, 2012
| 
|-
| Season 6
| October 18, 2012
| 
|-
| Season 7
| November 1, 2012
| 
|-
| Seasons 1–7
| December 6, 2012
| 
|-
| Season 8
| January 24, 2013<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-01-30 |title=Bonanza – Die komplette 8. Staffel [9 DVDs&#93;: Amazon.de: Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker, Ray Evans: Filme & TV |url=https://www.amazon.de/Bonanza-Season-8-Lorne-Greene/dp/B009TKJD0K |access-date=2013-02-16 |publisher=Amazon.de}}</ref>
| 
|-
| Season 9
| February 21, 2013<ref>{{cite web |date=2012-12-13 |title=Bonanza – Die komplette 9. Staffel [9 DVDs&#93;: Amazon.de: Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker, Ray Evans: Filme & TV |url=https://www.amazon.de/Bonanza-Season-9-DVDs/dp/B00AAPW9MC |access-date=2013-02-16 |publisher=Amazon.de}}</ref>
|
|-
| Season 10
| April 18, 2013<ref>{{cite web |title=Bonanza – Die komplette 10. Staffel [8 DVDs&#93;: Amazon.de: Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker, Victor Sen Yung: Filme & TV |url=https://www.amazon.de/Bonanza-Die-komplette-Staffel-DVDs/dp/B00B1NJD8A |access-date=2013-02-16 |publisher=Amazon.de}}</ref>
|
|-
| Season 11
| June 6, 2013
| 
|-
| Season 12
| August 1, 2013
| 
|-
| Season 13
| October 2, 2013
| 
|-
| Season 14
| November 21, 2013
| 
|-
| Seasons 8–14
| December 5, 2013
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Region 4 DVD releases of ''Bonanza''
|-
! DVD name
! Ep #
! Release date
|-
| Season 1
| style="text-align:center;"|32
| November 2, 2011
|-
| Season 2
| style="text-align:center;"|34
| February 8, 2012
|-
| Season 3
| style="text-align:center;"|34
| May 9, 2012
|-
| Season 4
| style="text-align:center;"|34
| October 3, 2012
|-
| Season 5
| style="text-align:center;"|34
| January 15, 2014
|-
| Season 6
| style="text-align:center;"|34
| February 10, 2016
|-
| Season 7
| style="text-align:center;"|33
| May 4, 2016
|-
|Season 8
|34
|February 6, 2019<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bonanza - Season 8|url=https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/bonanza-season-8-1965-dvd|access-date=2020-12-02|website=JB Hi-Fi|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|Season 9
|34
|August 7, 2019<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bonanza - Season 9|url=https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/bonanza-season-9-1965-dvd|access-date=2020-12-02|website=JB Hi-Fi|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|Season 10
|30
|March 18, 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bonanza - The Official Tenth Season|url=https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/bonanza-the-official-tenth-season-1965-dvd|access-date=2020-12-02|website=JB Hi-Fi|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|Season 1-4
|134
|November 18, 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bonanza - Season 1-4|url=https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/bonanza-season-1-4-1959-dvd|access-date=2020-12-02|website=JB Hi-Fi|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|Season 11
|28
|February 17, 2021<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bonanza : The Official Eleventh Season - DVD|url=https://www.madman.com.au/catalogue/view/55846/bonanza-the-official-eleventh-season|access-date=2020-12-02|website=Madman Entertainment|language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|Season 12
|28
|August 23, 2023<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bonanza: The Official Twelfth Season {{!}} Via Vision Entertainment |url=https://viavision.com.au/shop/bonanza-the-official-twelfth-season/ |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=viavision.com.au}}</ref>
|}

== Other media information ==
=== Television movies ===
{{main|Bonanza: The Next Generation|Bonanza: The Return|Bonanza: Under Attack}}
''Bonanza'' was revived for a series of three made-for-television movies featuring the Cartwrights' children: ''[[Bonanza: The Next Generation]]'' (1988), ''Bonanza: The Return'' (1993) and ''Bonanza: Under Attack'' (1995). [[Michael Landon Jr.]] played Little Joe's son Benji while Gillian Greene, Lorne Greene's daughter, played a love interest. In the second movie, airing on NBC, a one-hour retrospective was done to introduce the drama. It was hosted by both Michael Landon Jr. and [[Dirk Blocker]], who looks and sounds almost exactly like his father, Dan Blocker, albeit without his father's towering height. According to the magazine ''[[TV Guide]]'', producer David Dortort told Blocker he was too old to play the Hoss scion, but gave him the role of an unrelated newspaper reporter. Clips of the younger Blocker's appearance and voice were heavily used in advertisements promoting the "second generation" theme, perhaps misleading audiences to believe that Blocker was playing Hoss' heir. Hoss' son Josh was born out of wedlock, as it is explained that Hoss drowned without knowing his fiancėe was pregnant. Such a storyline might have been problematic in the original series. (''[[The Big Valley]]'', however, had a major character in Heath, who was presented as illegitimate.) The ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' movies of the early 1990s employed a similar theme when [[Marshal Matt Dillon]] learned he had sired [[Michael Learned]]'s character's daughter in a short-lived romance. The initial story was first introduced in 1973, when depiction of fornication courted protests, so CBS insisted their hero Matt have the encounter when he had amnesia. As was the style of television Westerns, gunfights played a major role in the movies which featured notoriously inaccurate shooting as well as unlimited ammunition.

=== Prequel ===
{{main|Ponderosa (TV series)}}
In 2001, there was an attempt to revive the ''Bonanza'' concept with a prequel, ''Ponderosa''—not to be confused with the 1972 summer reruns under the same title<ref name="brooks"/>—with a pilot directed by [[Simon Wincer]] and filmed in Australia. Covering the time when the Cartwrights first arrived at the Ponderosa, when Adam and Hoss were teenagers and Joe a little boy, the series lasted 20 episodes and featured less gunfire and brawling than the original. ''Bonanza'' creator [[David Dortort]] approved PAX TV (now Ion TV)'s decision to hire [[Beth Sullivan]], formerly of ''[[Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman]]'', which some believe gave the series more depth as well as a softer edge. The Hop Sing character is depicted not only as a cook but also a family counselor and [[Phytotherapy|herbal healer]]. The series takes place in [[Nevada Territory]] in 1849, which is actually an anachronism. The Nevada Territory did not split from the [[Utah Territory]] until 1861, meaning that until at least the 5th season (the episode "Enter Thomas Bowers" establishes that year as 1857), ''Bonanza'' is also set in what in real life would have been Utah Territory.

=== ''Bonanza'' merchandise ===
[[File:Pernell Roberts in "The Hopefuls".jpg|thumb|Pernell Roberts as Adam in "The Hopefuls"]]
''Bonanza'' has had a highly profitable merchandising history. Currently, Bonanza Ventures, Inc. grants merchandising and licensing rights worldwide. The original series has spawned several successful novelty western/folk albums from 1962 to 1965 including "Bonanza, Christmas on the Ponderosa" which charted at #35 on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'''s Christmas Record album chart;<ref>"Christmas Records."  Billboard, vol. 75, no. 51, December 21, 1963, p. 7.  worldradiohistory.com.</ref> three dozen [[Dell Comics|Dell]] and [[Gold Key Comics|Gold Key]] comic books from 1962 through 1970; a short-lived comic book adaptation by Dutch comics artist [[Hans G. Kresse]] between 1965 and 1966,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/k/kresse.htm|title=Hans G. Kresse|website=lambiek.net}}</ref> [[Jim Beam Whiskey]] Ponderosa Ranch decanters 1964–1966; a series of [[Big Little Book series|"Big-Little" books]] from 1966 to 1969; Revel Bonanza model character sets from 1966 to 1968; a chain of [[Bonanza Steakhouse|Bonanza and Ponderosa steakhouses]] from 1963–present; the [[Lake Tahoe]]-based "Ponderosa" theme park from 1967 to 2004; a line of American Character [[action figure]]s in 1966–1967; [[Aladdin Industries|Aladdin]] lunch buckets and thermos bottles in 1966–1968; [[View Master]] slide sets in 1964, 1971; Ponderosa tin cups from 1967 to 2004; a series of Hamilton collector plates in 1989–1990; and most recently, [[Breyer horse|Breyer]] Fiftieth Anniversary Ponderosa Stable sets, with horses and Cartwright figures in 2009–2011.

Fourteen ''Bonanza'' novels have been published: 
* ''Bonanza: A Novel'' by [[Noel Loomis]] (1960);
* ''Bonanza: One Man With Courage'' by Thomas Thompson (1966);
* ''Bonanza: Killer Lion'' by Steve Frazee (1966);
* ''Bonanza: Treachery Trail'' by Harry Whittington (1968);
* ''Winter Grass'' by Dean Owen (1968);
* ''Ponderosa Kill'' by Dean Owen (1968);
* ''The Pioneer Spirit'' by Stephen Calder (1988);
* ''The Ponderosa Empire'' by Stephen Calder (1991);
* ''Bonanza: The High Steel Hazard'' by Stephen Calder (1993);
* ''Journey of the Horse'' by Stephen Calder (1993);
* ''The Money Hole'' by Stephen Calder (1993);
* ''The Trail to Timberline'' by Stephen Calder (1994);
* ''Bonanza: Felling of the Sons'' by Monette L. Bebow-Reinhard (2005),
* ''Bonanza: Mystic Fire'' by Monette L. Bebow-Reinhard (2009).

There is also a collection of Bonanza stories: ''The Best of Bonanza World: A Book of Favorite Stories,'' published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (2012), and in the late 1960s and early 1970s, [[Whitman Books]] published several hardcover novels aimed at young readers, such as ''Killer Lion'' by Steve Frazer (1966). ''Bonanza Gold'' (2003–2009), a quarterly magazine, featured detailed information about the show, including interviews with guest actors and other production personnel, articles about historical events and people depicted in the series, fan club information and [[fan fiction]]. All 14 seasons of the show (as of 5/2023) are available on DVD, as well as 31 non-successive public-domain episodes (without original theme music). The public domain episodes consist of the last 14 episodes of season one, and the first 17 episodes of season two. Additionally, the prequel series, ''The Ponderosa'', as well as the three sequel movies (see below), are all available on DVD.

== Legacy ==
In the TV series ''[[Maverick (TV series)|Maverick]]'' episode "Three Queens Full", Bart ([[Jack Kelly (actor)|Jack Kelly]]) is blackmailed by Joe Wheelwright ([[Jim Backus]]), owner of the Subrosa ranch, into escorting mail order brides for Wheelwright's three sons Aaron, Moose and Small Paul.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows|last=Brooks, Tim|first=and Marsh, Earle|publisher=Ballantine Books|year=2003|isbn=0-345-39736-3|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/completedirector0006broo/page/755 755]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/completedirector0006broo/page/755}}</ref>

== Accolades ==
=== Awards and nominations ===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:18%;" | Award
! scope="col" style="width:5%;" | Year{{efn|Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.}}
! scope="col" style="width:31%;" | Category
! scope="col" style="width:34%;" | Nominee(s) / Work
! scope="col" style="width:8%;" | Result
! scope="col" style="width:4%;" class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref(s)|References}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" | [[American Cinema Editors|American Cinema Editors (ACE)]] [[American Cinema Editors#Eddie Awards|Eddie Awards]]
| 1964
| Best Edited Television Program
| Marvin Coil <small>(for "Hoss and the Leprechaun")</small>
| {{Nominated}}
| 
|-
| 1970
| Best Edited Television Program
| Danny B. Landres <small>(for "Dead Wrong")</small>
| {{Nominated}}
| 
|-
! scope="row" | [[Bambi Award]]s
| 1969
| TV series International
| [[Lorne Greene]], [[Dan Blocker]], [[Michael Landon]] and [[Pernell Roberts]]
| {{Won}}
| 
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" | [[Golden Globe Awards]]
| rowspan="2" | [[21st Golden Globe Awards|1964]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama|Best Series – Drama]]
| ''Bonanza''
| {{Nominated}}
| 
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy|Best TV Star – Male]]
| Lorne Greene
| {{Nominated}}
| 
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="12" | [[Creative Arts Emmy Award|Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards]]
| [[14th Primetime Emmy Awards|1962]]
| Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Television
| [[Haskell Boggs]] and Walter Castle
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards">{{Cite web|title=Television Academy Emmy Awards & Nominations—Bonanza|url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/bonanza|website=emmys.com|access-date=November 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326182806/https://www.emmys.com/shows/bonanza|archive-date=March 26, 2022}}</ref>
|-
| [[15th Primetime Emmy Awards|1963]]
| Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction and Scenic Design
| [[A. Earl Hedrick|Earl Hedrick]] (scenic designer) and [[Hal Pereira]] (art director)
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[17th Primetime Emmy Awards|1965]]
| Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment – Cinematographer
| Haskell Boggs and William Whitley
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
| Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment – Color Consultant
| Edward Ancona 
| {{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
| rowspan="5" | [[18th Primetime Emmy Awards|1966]]
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series|Outstanding Dramatic Series]]
| [[David Dortort]] (producer)
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
| Individual Achievements in Music – Composition
| [[David Rose (songwriter)|David Rose]] 
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
| Individual Achievements in Cinematography – Cinematography
| Haskell Boggs and William F. Whitley
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
| Individual Achievements in Cinematography – Special
| Edward Ancona (color coordinator)
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
| Individual Achievements in Film Editing
| Marvin Coil, [[Everett Douglas]] and [[Ellsworth Hoagland]]
| {{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
| [[19th Primetime Emmy Awards|1967]]
| Individual Achievements in Cinematography – Cinematography
| Haskell Boggs and William F. Whitley
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[23rd Primetime Emmy Awards|1971]]
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series|Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition – For a Series or a Single Program of a Series (First Year of Music's Use Only)]]
| David Rose <small>(for "The Love Child")</small>
| {{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
| Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Entertainment Programming – For a Series or a Single Program of a Series
| [[Ted Voigtlander]] <small>(for "The Love Child")</small>
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Emmy Awards"/>
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" | [[Troféu Imprensa]] Awards
| 1965
| Best Series (Melhor Série)
| ''Bonanza''
| {{Won}}
| 
|-
| 1966
| Best Series (Melhor Série)
| ''Bonanza''
| {{Nominated}}
| 
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" | [[TV Land]] [[TV Land Award|Icon Awards]]
| 2003
| Best in the West
| ''Bonanza''
| {{Won}}
| 
|-
| 2006
| Favorite Made-for-TV Maid
| [[Victor Sen Yung]]
| {{Nominated}}
| 
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[TV Week]]'' [[Logie Awards]]
| [[Logie Awards of 1964|1964]]
| Best Overseas Show (Australia)
| ''Bonanza''
| {{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{Cite web|title=Australian Television Information Archive Logie Awards|url=http://www.australiantelevision.net/awards/logie1962_65.html|website=australiantelevision.net|access-date=November 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020213906/http://www.australiantelevision.net/awards/logie1962_65.html|archive-date=October 20, 2022}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | [[National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum#Western Heritage Awards|Western Heritage Awards]]
| 1970
| [[Bronze Wrangler]] Award for Fictional Television Drama
| David Dortort, Michael Landon, [[Richard Collins (screenwriter)|Richard Collins]], Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, [[Ossie Davis]], [[Roy Jenson]], [[Harrison Page]], Barbara Parrio, George Spell and Jerry Summers <small>(for "The Wish")</small>
| {{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{Cite web|title=Awards & Halls of Fame // Western Heritage Awards|url=https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/collections/awards/wha/635no-title/|website=nationalcowboymuseum.org|access-date=November 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221102235149/https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/collections/awards/wha/635no-title/|archive-date=November 2, 2022}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | [[Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America (WGA) Awards]]
| [[13th Writers Guild of America Awards|1961]]
| Episodic, Longer than 30 Minutes in Length
| [[Donald S. Sanford]] <small>(for "The Last Hunt")</small>
| {{Nominated}}
| 
|-
|}
{{notelist}}

=== Other honors ===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Organization
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Notes
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}
|-
| 2011
| Online Film & Television Association (OFTA)
| Television Hall of Fame: Productions
| Inductee
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{Cite web|title=Television Hall of Fame Inductees: Productions|url=http://www.oftaawards.com/tv-hall-of-fame/television-hall-of-fame-productions-2/|website=oftaawards.com|access-date=November 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030050642/http://www.oftaawards.com/tv-hall-of-fame/television-hall-of-fame-productions-2/|archive-date=October 30, 2022}}</ref>
|-
|}

== See also ==
* [[1959 in television]]

== Citations ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== General bibliography ==
* ''Bonanza: A Viewers Guide to the TV Legend'' by David Greenland. 167 pages. Publisher: Crosslines Inc (June 1997). {{ISBN|978-0-9640338-2-5}}.
* ''A Reference Guide to Television's Bonanza: Episodes, Personnel, and Broadcast History'' by Bruce R. Leiby and Linda F. Leiby. 384 pages. Publisher: McFarland (March 1, 2005). {{ISBN|978-0-7864-2268-5}}.
* ''Bonanza: The Definitive Ponderosa Companion'' by Melany Shapiro. 176 pages. Publisher: Cyclone Books; illustrated edition (September 1997). {{ISBN|978-1-890723-18-7}}.
* {{cite web | url = http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/39220/bonanza-the-official-first-season-vol-one/ | title = Bonanza: The Official First Season, Volume 1 | date = September 15, 2009 | first = Paul | last = Mavis }}<!-- review citation should be moved out of General bibliography and made into an inline reference -->

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Bonanza (TV series)}}
* {{IMDb title}}
* [https://archive.org/search.php?query=BONANZA%20AND%20collection%3Atelevision ''Bonanza''] episode videos at the [[Internet Archive]]
* [http://ponderosascenery.homestead.com/ Bonanza: Scenery of The Ponderosa]

{{bonanza|state=expanded}}
{{TopUSTVShows}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bonanza| ]]
[[Category:1950s Western (genre) television series]]
[[Category:1959 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1960s Western (genre) television series]]
[[Category:1970s Western (genre) television series]]
[[Category:1973 American television series endings]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:NBC original programming]]
[[Category:Nielsen ratings winners]]
[[Category:Television series by CBS Studios]]
[[Category:Television series by Universal Television]]
[[Category:Television series set in the 1860s]]
[[Category:Television shows adapted into comics]]
[[Category:Television shows adapted into novels]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Nevada]]