Magazine Cover of the Week

March 14th 1964

Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas and Buddy Ebsen of CBS sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies appeared on the cover of TV Guide.

Bonanza - Season 6 A Man To Admire

We continue the look at Season 6 of Bonanza (1964-65) as it became the #1 show in prime time television for the first time.


Episode 11
A Man To Admire
originally aired December 6th 1964
NBC Television

Guest stars : James Gregory as Whitney Parker 

Knocked unconscious and framed for the murder of scheming rancher, Flint Durfee, Hoss Cartwright refuses his father's expensive lawyer and trusts his defense to new friend Whit Parker, a troubled trial attorney who is drowning his past in alcohol.

Bonanza - Season 6

Continuing the look at Season 6 of Bonanza, 1964-65, the first season Bonanza was the #1 show in prime time television.

Episode 9
Between  Heaven and Earth
originally aired November 15th 1964
guest star Richard Jaeckel as Mitch

When Joe and his friend Mitch go after a puma, Joe climbs a big peak and throws his gun up higher, intending to crawl up after it. But as he looks down, things begin to spin. He realizes he can't go any higher, and he retreats down the hill. Needing to prove himself, Joe spars against Mitch.

Bonanza - Season 6

The 1964-1965 prime television season was the first season that Bonanza was the #1 show for the season.

Square Deal Sam

Episode 8

NBC TV

Originally aired November  8th 1964

The Washburns just arrived in town and are looking for work. When Hoss hears about the difficulties they've been through, he invites them to stay at the Ponderosa. After they sell everyone at the ranch a share in a copper mine, the Cartwrights find out the Washburns are not exactly what they appear to be. But this is just the beginning of the yarns Samuel is willing to spin.

Bonanza Season 6 - The Scapegoat

Our continuing look at Season 6 of Bonanza, 1964-65.  This was the first season it was the #1 show in prime time television.


Episode 6
The Scapegoat
originally aired October 25th 1964
Guest star George Kennedy (Waldo Watson)

Waldo Watson, a born loser who has decided to end it all.  Feeling pity for Waldo, Hoss hires him as a Ponderosa ranch hand.  Waldo is a clumsy and inept worker, but he also puts the Cartwrights lives' in danger with a gang of eastern gamblers who want to collect a long-standing debt from the hapless Waldo.

Bonanza - Season 6

Our continuing look at the 6th season of Bonanza, 1964-65, the first season it was the #1 show in prime time television.

Thanks for Everything Friend
Episode 4
aired October 11th 1964
NBC
While rescuing a calf, Adam falls into a fast flowing river and is saved by a stranger.  Because he is so grateful, Adam overlooks certain incidents but then realizes his rescuer is up to no good.

Guest stars - Rory Calhoun, Linda Foster, Tom Skerrit and John Mitchum.

Bonanza Season 6 - The Wild One

My continuing look at the 1964-65 Season of Bonanza, the first season it was the #1 show in Prime Time TV.

The Wild One
Episode 3
aired October 4th 1964
(guest stars Aldo Ray and Kathryn Hays)

Bonanza - Season 6

From the 1964-65 season of Bonanza, the first season it was the #1 show in Prime Time television


The Hostage 
Episode 2 of Season 6 
Originally Aired  September 27th 1964
(Ben is taken hostage by a gang of outlaws (are their any other kind in the old west?) who are hoping for a $100,000 ransom from the Cartwrights.   As his sons formulate a plan to rescue him, Ben comes up with a plan of his own after sensing dissension between his captors.

This episode was originally aired commercial free as part of a sponsorship deal between the producers and Chevrolet. The deal was to air one episode per season commercial free.

Bonanza - Walter and the Outlaws

From Season 5, the season's final episode

"Walter and The Outlaws".  

Aired on NBC May 24th 1964

Bonanza aired on Sunday nights 9-10pm and was the #2 show for the 1963-64 season.  It was sandwiched in the ratings by CBS' Wednesday 9-10pm power house combo of the Beverly Hillbillies at #1 and the Dick Van Dyke Show at #3.

In this episode the dog Walter is the same dog from the first episode of the 1964-65 season of the Andy Griffith Show

"Barney's Bloodhound". 

 He was named "Blue" in that episode.

This episode is probably the best example of just how fun and funny Bonanza could be and how everyone on the show interacted so good to make it a hilarious episode.