Gransnet forums

TV, radio, film, Arts

Bonanza

(65 Posts)
notnecessarilywiser Thu 02-Dec-21 06:55:45

Only yesterday I was musing about the demise of the Western in TV fare, and remembering how I loved watching Bonanza as a youngster. This morning, an email from IMDb revealed that Series 1 is now available on Amazon Prime - I'm so looking forward to watching Ben, Joe, Adam and Hoss in action again!

Chestnut Thu 02-Dec-21 15:59:26

We didn't have a TV so I saw my westerns at the cinema. If you fancy an old western there are loads of them on the free channels like Paramount Network, Talking Pictures and Film 4. Who could forget Audie Murphy, he was in most of them! Did anyone know he was the most decorated American soldier in World War Two? A real life hero.

Amberone Thu 02-Dec-21 19:26:52

Anniebach

I was in love with James Drury - The Virginian

Me too ?

I remember watching Bonanza dubbed in German when I was about 10. I don't think any of us had an inkling what was going on but they were cowboys with horses, chaps and guns and there were Indians and I guess the stories are simple enough for anyone to work out what is happening. We'd never seen it in English so probably thought they were German cowboys ?

Gajahgran Thu 02-Dec-21 19:51:41

I was in love with Little Joe (Micheal Landon) too. About 40 years later and travelling in America we came across a sign to Bonanza ranch near Lake Tahoe. Had to visit and there it was, not a film set but an actual ranch, there was even a copy of the map on the wall. We had Hos burgers for lunch. Well worth the detour.

Gajahgran Thu 02-Dec-21 20:02:56

youtu.be/r9jSLUtW16U I found a utube videos of the ranch. Apparently it sold for 38 million dollars. Hope the link works.

fairfraise Thu 02-Dec-21 21:15:45

I liked them all, me specially The Virginian, was that the one with Trampas. I thought too, that James Drury was great. And The High Chapparal too.

LucyLocket55 Thu 02-Dec-21 21:20:00

Amberone

Anniebach

I was in love with James Drury - The Virginian

Me too ?

I remember watching Bonanza dubbed in German when I was about 10. I don't think any of us had an inkling what was going on but they were cowboys with horses, chaps and guns and there were Indians and I guess the stories are simple enough for anyone to work out what is happening. We'd never seen it in English so probably thought they were German cowboys ?

James Drury - sigh. The focus of this teenage girls dreams ❤️

Jane43 Fri 03-Dec-21 04:12:42

Maverick was my favourite as a teenager, I loved James Garner and also the actor who played Bart Maverick. I will certainly watch some episodes of Bonanza for sentimental reasons as during our first visit to California many years ago we stayed at Lake Tahoe for a few days. One day we went for a drive to Incline Village and spotted a sign for Ponderosa ranch so we took a look. There was a mock up of the house and even mock graves of some of the characters in the garden. I just googled it and it recently sold for $38 million. I wonder what will happen to it?

Jane43 Fri 03-Dec-21 04:12:43

Maverick was my favourite as a teenager, I loved James Garner and also the actor who played Bart Maverick. I will certainly watch some episodes of Bonanza for sentimental reasons as during our first visit to California many years ago we stayed at Lake Tahoe for a few days. One day we went for a drive to Incline Village and spotted a sign for Ponderosa ranch so we took a look. There was a mock up of the house and even mock graves of some of the characters in the garden. I just googled it and it recently sold for $38 million. I wonder what will happen to it?

Calendargirl Fri 03-Dec-21 07:03:27

Children’s Hour, on around teatime, used to have a Western every afternoon.

The Lone Ranger, The Range Rider, Champion The Wonder Horse, Roy Rogers (King of Cowboys) and Dale Evans (Queen of the West), real life husband and wife, Lassie, Boots and Saddles, …..

Oh, happy, innocent days!

?

shysal Fri 03-Dec-21 07:59:56

I loved Little Joe, and later followed him to Little House on the Prairie. Don't have Amazon Prime unfortunately and too mean to pay for it!

Rozlee Fri 03-Dec-21 11:47:00

I also loved The High Chaparral

Tish Fri 03-Dec-21 11:58:55

Obviously “Alexa” was listening!

HannahLoisLuke Fri 03-Dec-21 12:02:58

notnecessarilywiser

Westerns were great then, weren't they (with the exception of the depiction of indigenous people as mostly savages)? The saloon scenes, with the stranger from out of town bursting through the swingy doors, the piano player suddenly silent and many a local reaching for his six shooter ...

I know I shouldn’t but I used to love the old films featuring the wagon trains being attacked by the local indigenous people. Can definitely see it from their point of view now!!
They have swapped from being the baddies to the goodies in my mind.

SJV07 Fri 03-Dec-21 12:10:54

The Lone Ranger, 'Hi oh Silver, Away'!!!

Jane43 Fri 03-Dec-21 12:23:33

The Range Rider was rather gorgeous, I think the actor’s name was Jock Mahoney.

theworriedwell Fri 03-Dec-21 12:25:37

I used to watch it but I don't think I will watch it again. I suspect it might spoil the memories I have.

theworriedwell Fri 03-Dec-21 12:29:47

Jane43

Maverick was my favourite as a teenager, I loved James Garner and also the actor who played Bart Maverick. I will certainly watch some episodes of Bonanza for sentimental reasons as during our first visit to California many years ago we stayed at Lake Tahoe for a few days. One day we went for a drive to Incline Village and spotted a sign for Ponderosa ranch so we took a look. There was a mock up of the house and even mock graves of some of the characters in the garden. I just googled it and it recently sold for $38 million. I wonder what will happen to it?

I really liked James Garner. He seemed such a nice man. My kids were amazed when I showed them some of his films when they loved him in The Notebook. They didn't picture him as the handsome young man he once was.

I still thought he was lovely in The Notebook.

Bunty Fri 03-Dec-21 12:44:44

I adored the High Chapparal and was thrilled to find all the series on one of the CBS channels and few years ago. Most of the cast are now sadly dead (well, it is over 50 years old!!), but there are apparently still legions of fans around the world. They still have reunions in Tuscon too!

Lulubelle500 Fri 03-Dec-21 12:49:53

I was a huge Westerns fan when I was a child, and still am if they come up on television on a wet afternoon. I used to watch them on our little black and white set with my Dad, the rest of the family weren't interested - Wagon Train, Rawhide, Bonanza et al. And if a film was showing at the local Odeon my mother would check it out and if she okayed it he would take me. I still think it's my idea of heaven - sitting next to my Dad, a darkened cinema, a choc ice, and The Searchers ( my all time favourite). My sister was in love with Rock Hudson (she'd have been let down there if her dreams had come true!) But for me it was always Rowdy Yates.

bobbydog24 Fri 03-Dec-21 13:02:04

My dad loved westerns, especially those with John Wayne in them. My mum hated the cinema so he used to take me. I’ve seen all the old films, not just westerns. He liked Bing Crosby and Mario Lanza too so I saw all their films. I too loved sitting with my lovely dad watching all those films, it was our special time together.

Alioop Fri 03-Dec-21 13:18:57

I used to buy my mum all the box sets of her favourite programmes before she died. I've Bonanza, The High Chaparral, Tenko, etc and she watched them over and over again. The Little House on the Prairie was my favourite, now I'd watch that again.

Janetashbolt Fri 03-Dec-21 13:54:01

I'm off an age when nearly every other show on TV/at the cinema was a Western and I read western books. Still have the hots for James Drury, The Virginian.

Azalea99 Fri 03-Dec-21 14:36:54

Happy days. I think Rawhide was definitely my favourite, but I also fondly remember Lassie, on Wednesday afternoons. The men always had freshly ironed shirts, and they probably never shed a drop of sweat, either! Un-gritty un-realism at its best.

Greciangirl Fri 03-Dec-21 14:53:49

My father was a cinema operator, so I always went to Saturday morning pictures.

Yes, i loved cowboys and Indians. The Lone Ranger I especially liked.
Clint Eastwood made some good ones too.

Supergranuation Fri 03-Dec-21 15:34:20

Can't believe no-one has mentioned The Big Valley Da da da da da dada da da da da da dada dahhhhh can't stop humming it now ?