The eighth season of the American Western television series Bonanza premiered on NBC on September 11, 1966, with the final episode airing May 14, 1967.[1] The series was developed and produced by David Dortort. Season eight starred Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon. The season consisted of 34 episodes of a series total 431 hour-long episodes, the entirety of which was produced in color.[2] Season eight was aired on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. It was the third straight season the show held the #1 position in the Nielsen ratings.[3]
| Bonanza | |
|---|---|
| Season 8 | |
 Cast of Bonanza in 1959 | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 34 |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | September 11, 1966 – May 14, 1967 |
| Season chronology | |
Synopsis
editBonanza is set around the Ponderosa Ranch near Virginia City, Nevada and chronicles the weekly adventures of the Cartwright family, consisting of Ben Cartwright and his three sons (each by a different wife), Adam, Eric ("Hoss"), and Joseph ("Little Joe"). A regular character is their ranch cook, Hop Sing.
Cast and characters
editMain cast
edit- Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
- Dan Blocker as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright
- Michael Landon as Joseph "Little Joe" Cartwright
Recurring
edit- Victor Sen Yung as Hop Sing
- Ray Teal as Sheriff Roy Coffee
- Bing Russell as Deputy Clem Foster
Guest cast
edit- Lola Albright
- John Archer
- Diane Baker
- William Bakewell
- Vincent Beck
- Ed Begley
- Shirley Bonne
- Randy Boone
- Beau Bridges
- Paul Brinegar
- Geraldine Brooks
- Harry Carey Jr.
- Phil Chambers
- Chick Chandler
- George Chandler
- Royal Dano
- Henry Darrow
- Roger Davis
- Richard Devon
- Ann Doran
- Richard Eastham
- Jack Elam
- John Ericson
- Richard Evans
- Jason Evers
- Brioni Farrell
- Eric Fleming
- Nina Foch
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
- Dean Harens
- Ron Hayes
- John Ireland
- Chubby Johnson
- Douglas Kennedy
- Jack Kruschen
- Louise Latham
- Joanne Linville
- Lynn Loring
- Ken Lynch
- Nancy Malone
- John McIntire
- Judi Meredith
- Dina Merrill
- Robert Middleton
- Vera Miles
- Mort Mills
- Lois Nettleton
- Wayne Newton
- Leslie Nielsen
- Frank Overton
- Ed Prentiss
- Teddy Quinn
- Paul Richards
- Elizabeth Rogers
- Charles Ruggles
- John Saxon
- Mark Slade
- Warren Stevens
- Clay Tanner
- Dub Taylor
- Vaughn Taylor
- Lurene Tuttle
- Gregory Walcott
- Martin West
Production
editFilming
editOn location filming for season eight took place at the following:
- Golden Oak Ranch - "Something Hurt, Something Wild",[4] "Horse of a Different Hue",[5] "To Bloom for Thee",[6] "Dark Enough to See the Stars",[7] "Maestro Hoss"[8]
- Lone Pine's Anchor Ranch - "The Pursued"[6]
- Vasquez Rocks - "The Oath"[9]
Episodes
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 236 | 1 | "Something Hurt, Something Wild" | Lewis Allen | Jerry Alderman and William Driskill | September 11, 1966 | ||||||
|
Laurie Ferguson (Lynn Loring) accuses Joe of assaulting her, setting off a feud between her family and the Cartwrights. | |||||||||||
| 237 | 2 | "Horse of a Different Hue" | William Witney | William R. Cox | September 18, 1966 | ||||||
|
Ben has no idea that the outcome of a horse race he arranged has been fixed by an old friend of his, Colonel Robert Fairchild (Charles Ruggles). | |||||||||||
| 238 | 3 | "A Time to Step Down" | Paul Henreid | Frank Chase | September 25, 1966 | ||||||
|
Aging wrangler Dan Tolliver (Ed Begley) turns against the Cartwrights after his longtime friend Ben suggests that he should retire. | |||||||||||
| 239 | 4 | "The Pursued" | William Witney | Story by : Thomas Thompson and Marc Michaels Teleplay by : Thomas Thompson | October 2, 1966 | ||||||
| 240 | 5 | October 9, 1966 | |||||||||
|
The Cartwrights try to help a Mormon rancher (Eric Fleming) overcome persecution against his beliefs. Eric Fleming, Dina Merrill, Lois Nettleton and Vincent Beck guest star. | |||||||||||
| 241 | 6 | "To Bloom for Thee" | Sutton Roley | June Randolph | October 16, 1966 | ||||||
|
Hoss proposes marriage to Carol Attley (Geraldine Brooks), a woman with a hidden past which includes having killed her abusive first husband and fleeing from the associated murder charge. | |||||||||||
| 242 | 7 | "Credit for a Kill" | William F. Claxton | Frederick Louis Fox | October 23, 1966 | ||||||
|
Joe lets his friend Morgan Tanner (Dean Harens) take credit for killing a horse thief, but when the outlaw's brothers come after him to get their revenge he has to make a difficult decision to save his friend's life. | |||||||||||
| 243 | 8 | "Four Sisters from Boston" | Alan Crosland Jr. | John M. Chester | October 30, 1966 | ||||||
|
Ben tries to stop a con artist from stealing an inheritance from four Boston sisters that are trying to prevent the auctioning of a property left to them by their uncle. Vera Miles guest stars. | |||||||||||
| 244 | 9 | "Old Charlie" | William F. Claxton | Bob and Wanda Duncan | November 6, 1966 | ||||||
|
Teller of tales Old Charlie Conners (John McIntire) brags about killing an outlaw, so the dead man's brothers seek their revenge. | |||||||||||
| 245 | 10 | "Ballad of the Ponderosa" | William F. Claxton | Story by : Hendrik Vollaerts Teleplay by : Rik Vollaerts and Michael Landon | November 13, 1966 | ||||||
|
A balladeer blames Ben for his father's hanging. Randy Boone, Ann Doran, Roger Davis and John Archer guest star. | |||||||||||
| 246 | 11 | "The Oath" | Gerd Oswald | Martha Wilkerson | November 20, 1966 | ||||||
|
Before his execution for murder, convicted man Big Charlie Monahan (Douglas Kennedy) has his son take an oath to kill the Cartwrights for revenge. | |||||||||||
| 247 | 12 | "A Real Nice, Friendly Little Town" | Herman Hoffman | Herman Hoffman | November 27, 1966 | ||||||
|
Hoss confronts a woman and her gun-toting sons after Joe is hit by a ricocheting bullet, but the mother seems to be more interested in protecting her kids than seeing justice done. Louise Latham, Mark Slade and Vaughn Taylor guest star. | |||||||||||
| 248 | 13 | "The Bridegroom" | William F. Claxton | Walter Black | December 4, 1966 | ||||||
|
Joe romances Maggie Dowling (Joanne Linville) so widower Jared Wilson (Ron Hayes) will be jealous enough to ask for her hand in marriage. | |||||||||||
| 249 | 14 | "Tommy" | William Witney | Story by : Mary Terri Taylor and Thomas Thompson Teleplay by : Mort Thaw and Mary Terri Taylor | December 18, 1966 | ||||||
|
The Cartwrights protect deaf-mute Tommy Miller (Teddy Quinn) and his mother from his stepfather, a vicious outlaw determined to take back his wife. | |||||||||||
| 250 | 15 | "A Christmas Story" | Gerd Oswald | Thomas Thompson | December 25, 1966 | ||||||
|
Singer Andy Walker (Wayne Newton) returns to Virginia City for Christmas with his scheming uncle, who plans to make a profit on the orphans' benefit. | |||||||||||
| 251 | 16 | "Ponderosa Explosion" | William F. Claxton | Alex Sharp | January 1, 1967 | ||||||
|
Joe and Hoss literally get more than they bargained for when a pair of con men lead them to invest in a pair of rabbits that subsequently multiply. Dub Taylor, Chubby Johnson, Chick Chandler and Phil Chambers guest star. | |||||||||||
| 252 | 17 | "Justice" | Lewis Allen | Richard Wendley | January 8, 1967 | ||||||
|
Joe seeks revenge on the bank clerk who killed his fiancée. Beau Bridges, Lurene Tuttle and Shirley Bonne guest star. | |||||||||||
| 253 | 18 | "A Bride for Buford" | William F. Claxton | Robert V. Barron | January 15, 1967 | ||||||
|
Hoss is certain that a saloon girl is only interested in a miner for his wealth. Lola Albright, Jack Elam, Paul Brinegar and Richard Devon guest star. | |||||||||||
| 254 | 19 | "Black Friday" | William F. Claxton | Herbert Kastle and John Hawkins | January 22, 1967 | ||||||
|
Joe tries to save his friend Steven Friday (John Saxon) from dying in a gunfight to avenge one of his victims and planned for Friday the 13th. | |||||||||||
| 255 | 20 | "The Unseen Wound" | Gerd Oswald | Frank Chase | January 29, 1967 | ||||||
|
Ben tries to help his friend Sheriff Paul Rowan (Leslie Nielsen) after his wife Katherine (Nancy Malone) shows concerns about his health: the Sheriff has been driven to the breaking point by years of violence. | |||||||||||
| 256 | 21 | "Journey to Terror" | Lewis Allen | Joel Murcott | February 5, 1967 | ||||||
|
After being suspected of being a member of Wade Hollister's (John Ericson) gang, outlaws imprison Little Joe, Tom (Jason Evers) and Ellie Blackwell (Elizabeth Rogers) at the Blackwell farm. | |||||||||||
| 257 | 22 | "Amigo" | William F. Claxton | Story by : Jack Turley Teleplay by : John Hawkins and Jack Turley | February 12, 1967 | ||||||
|
Ben helps a wounded comanchero who is being pursued by a lynch mob, a band of terrorists and an angry Little Joe who has just lost a friend. Henry Darrow and Gregory Walcott guest star. | |||||||||||
| 258 | 23 | "A Woman in the House" | Gerd Oswald | Joel Murcott | February 19, 1967 | ||||||
|
Ben protects a girl from her alcoholic husband, but she's unable to tell gratitude from love. Diane Baker and Paul Richards guest star. | |||||||||||
| 259 | 24 | "Judgement at Red Creek" | William F. Claxton | Robert Sabaroff | February 26, 1967 | ||||||
|
Joe comes to suspect that a pair of murder suspects is lying because the leader of a posse does not intend to bring them alive. John Ireland, Martin West and Harry Carey Jr. guest star. | |||||||||||
| 260 | 25 | "Joe Cartwright, Detective" | William F. Claxton | Story by : Oliver Crawford Teleplay by : Michael Landon | March 5, 1967 | ||||||
|
Joe gets hooked on detective novels and tries to use Scotland Yard techniques to prevent a bank robbery. Mort Mills, Ken Lynch and Ed Prentiss guest star. | |||||||||||
| 261 | 26 | "Dark Enough to See the Stars" | Donald R. Daves | Kelly Colvin | March 12, 1967 | ||||||
|
A young ranch hand who is running from the law falls in love with a girl. Richard Evans and Richard Eastham guest star. | |||||||||||
| 262 | 27 | "The Deed and the Dilemma" | William F. Claxton | William F. Leicester | March 26, 1967 | ||||||
|
Ben tries to help the family of immigrant winemaker Giorgio Rossi (first introduced in episode 29 of season 7), but a racist neighbor complicates things. Jack Kruschen (as giorgio) and Brioni Farrell guest star. | |||||||||||
| 263 | 28 | "The Prince" | William F. Claxton | Story by : Melvin Levy Teleplay by : John Hawkins | April 2, 1967 | ||||||
|
The Cartwrights welcome Count Alexis (Warren Stevens) and Countess Elena (Claire Griswold), who are being targeted by thieves. | |||||||||||
| 264 | 29 | "A Man Without Land" | Donald R. Daves | Steve McNeil | April 9, 1967 | ||||||
|
To get Matt Jeffers (Royal Dano)'s land, a foreman murders his son and frames Little Joe. | |||||||||||
| 265 | 30 | "Napoleon's Children" | Christian Nyby | Judith and Robert Guy Barrows | April 16, 1967 | ||||||
|
Ted Arseneaux (Robert Biheller) believes that he is Napoleon and leads an army of young men in terrorizing Virginia City. | |||||||||||
| 266 | 31 | "The Wormwood Cup" | William F. Claxton | Story by : Joy Dexter Teleplay by : Joy Dexter and Michael Landon | April 23, 1967 | ||||||
|
A woman blames Joe for killing her brother and offers a thousand dollars to the man who will kill him in a fair fight. Little Joe tries to convince her that she's wrong, but it might be too late. Frank Overton, Judi Meredith and Clay Tanner guest star. | |||||||||||
| 267 | 32 | "Clarissa" | Lewis Allen | Chester Krumholz | April 30, 1967 | ||||||
|
The Cartwrights' Eastern cousin Clarissa Cartwright (Nina Foch) brings trouble when she visits to the Ponderosa. | |||||||||||
| 268 | 33 | "Maestro Hoss" | William F. Claxton | U.S. Anderson | May 7, 1967 | ||||||
|
Phony fortune-teller Madame Marova (Zsa Zsa Gabor) causes earaches when she convinces Hoss he's a master violinist. | |||||||||||
| 269 | 34 | "The Greedy Ones" | Donald R. Daves | James Amesbury | May 14, 1967 | ||||||
|
Greedy gold hunters threaten to destroy the Ponderosa after a prospector claims to have found a sample there. Robert Middleton, George Chandler and William Bakewell guest star. | |||||||||||
Release
editSeason eight aired on Sundays from 9:00 pm–10:00 pm on NBC.[10]
Reception
editThe show held the #1 position in the Nielsen ratings for three straight seasons, with season eight being the final season to do so.[3]
Awards and nominations
edit| Award | Year[a] | Category | Nominee(s) / Work | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | 1967 | Individual Achievements in Cinematography—Cinematography | Haskell Boggs and William F. Whitley | Nominated | [11] |
- ^ Indicates the year of ceremony.
References
editFootnotes
edit- ^ Shapiro 1997, pp. 107, 111.
- ^ Shapiro 1997, pp. 5, 65–157.
- ^ a b
- "TV Ratings: 1964–1965". ClassicTVGuide.com. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- "TV Ratings: 1965–1966". ClassicTVGuide.com. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- "TV Ratings: 1966–1967". ClassicTVGuide.com. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- ^ Leiby & Leiby 2015, p. 113.
- ^ Leiby & Leiby 2015, p. 114.
- ^ a b Leiby & Leiby 2015, p. 115.
- ^ Leiby & Leiby 2015, p. 122.
- ^ Leiby & Leiby 2015, p. 125.
- ^ Leiby & Leiby 2015, p. 117.
- ^ Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 164.
- ^ "Television Academy Emmy Awards & Nominations—Bonanza". emmys.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
Bibliography
edit- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
- Greenland, David R. (2010). Bonanza: A Viewer's Guide to the TV Legend. BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1-62933-722-7.
- Greenland, David R. (2015). Michael Landon: The Career and Artistry of a Television Genius. BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1-59393-785-0.
- Leiby, Bruce R.; Leiby, Linda F. (2015). A Reference Guide to Television's Bonanza: Episodes, Personnel, and Broadcast History. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 9781476600758.
- McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- Shapiro, Melany (1997). Bonanza: The Definitive Ponderosa Companion. Cyclone Books. ISBN 978-1-890723-18-7.