Bonanza history and major filming locations, cast biographies, photos, episode guide, message forum, monthly tv schedule, many links, and anything else about bonanza and the cartwrights. Season 12 marked the beginning of the series being shot at warner brothers, the first 11 seasons being filmed at paramount studios. Several movies had been filmed in virginia city in the 1940s and 1950s, which helped fuel the initial transformation of the town into an arts community. Lorne greene home brings bonanza to life in arizona. Virginia city declined, but never completely disappeared. As the first network western filmed in color, however, it got a huge boost when viewers started buying color tvs and turning away from old shows in black and white. The park, however, was closed since 2004, outliving the bonanza series by only a couple of years. A series of destructive fires has virginia city residents on edge and anxious to catch the arsonist. And the youngest was the hotheaded and impetuous joseph or little joe.
Much of the city is authentic to when the comstock lode was discovered. Bonanza is a great western series, containing family values wish we had more like it though there are a few funny things and a couple of goofs in there. Actor lorne greene starred as ben cartwright in the television program bonanza from 1959 to 1973, so its pretty safe to say that he felt very at. In a couple of early episodes samuel clemensmark twain visits virginia city. Since its premiere in 1959, as the first hourlong series filmed in color, bonanza has grown in popularity. The ponderosa ranch at lake tahoe, where the tv show bonanza was filmed. The historic virginia city was the center of the famed 1859 silver strike. The historic virginia city was the center of the famed 1859 silver strike known as the comstock lode. As editor of the virginia city enterprise, clemens is determined to prove that a government assayer is guilty of fraud and murder.
Virginia city s new doctor, mark sloan, is dealt a doubleblow when his wife leaves him, blaming him for their baby being stillborn. Virginia city was on the back lot at paramount studios. Welcome to this site that is dedicated to the classic tv show. It was also the first hour long television western to be filmed in color, often on location near lake tahoe in nevada. Jun 23, 2011 in 431 episodes spanning from 1959 to 1973, the cartwrights of the nevada territorys ponderosa became a fixture of american life. After several years of complaining about being held back from a movie career, pernell roberts was finally sent on his. In the heat of the moment, sloan kidnaps the baby of another woman. The big western series which tells of the adventures of the cartwright family during the mining, ranching and timbering days of the 1870s near virginia city, nevada, is filmed in part near lake tahoe, nevada. Because the movies showcased the next generation of cartwrights, they began circa 1905. Contentsshow summary a series of destructive fires has virginia city residents on edge and anxious to catch the arsonist. A blue sky sprawls between ridges frosted in deep evergreen, framing alder gulch much as when native american.
It will very much be a road trip, meaning lots of sightseeing done from the car and from stops and viewpoints along the road. Gunsmokes exterior set for dodge city was on the back lot at cbs studio city, the former home of republic pictures, makers of all those b westerns in the 1930s and 1940s. Both the virginia city and ponderosa sets were very different from their familiar paramount versions. Virginia city tourism commission 86 south c street p. But deputy clems new love interest seems to know a lot more about the fires than what shes letting on. Bonanza s emphasis on family themes distinguished it from other westerns. At the same time, they continually interact with the surrounding community, particularly the residents of the nearby boomtown, virginia city. In fact, some of the episodes of the show were shot at the theme park. The fictional ranch was roughly a twohour horse ride from virginia city, nevada. Virginia city, nevada earns a spot in history because of what happened here in june 1859. Although it is no longer open to the public, bonanza fans and history buffs alike can still get their bonanz on at the bonanza round up 2. This change resulted in the burning of the old virginia city and the introduction of the new virginia city in this episode, since the series was being shot in a different studio.
Lets visit virginia city nevada bonanza and all that. Although bonanza was never filmed in virginia city, the mining town was. There was a ponderosa ranch attraction but you are a year too late. With lorne greene, dan blocker, michael landon, angel tompkins.
Bonanza was the story of the cartwright family, headed by thricewidowed ben cartwright lorne greene. The mackay mansion was spared from the devastation of the 1875 virginia city fire, which burned a large part of the city and left ten thousand people homeless. Thats when the comstock lode first opened its shiny veins to miners hoping to hit it big. Bonanza tv series 19591973 movies, tv, celebs, and more. Bonanza the night virginia city died tv episode 1970 imdb. Ponderosa was 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. Since then, people could go there to see sets from the bonanza series, the famous ranch building, and even virginia city. Virginia city western street backlot, paramount studios 5555 melrose avenue, hollywood. Portions of the show were filmed there, and it continued to attract fans. Also seen on the map is a stage coach moving towards carson city, a miner mining for gold by the truckee river, and a bunch of ponderosa pines which is.
The series gives nevada its strongest tie with westerns since it has been watched by millions for more than five decades in its original telecasts and in syndication. An arsonist threatens to destroy virginia city as clem and his fiance make wedding plans. See more ideas about virginia city, ranch and bonanza tv show. Early on, perry mason routinely trounced it in that time slot. The virginia city depicted on bonanza was located at rko forty acres in hollywood. Most of the television shows town scenes were filmed on the. It was the locale of the 1940 film virginia city, set during the civil war, and starring errol flynn. The series began in 1959 and continued for 14 seasons covering 430 episodes. This episode was the first to be filmed at warner bros. The oldest of his three sons was adam pernell roberts, an architect who built the house they lived in on their ranch, the ponderosa, near virginia city, nev. For fans of the television program, the following describes what one could see when the ranch was open to the public. It promptly became the very image of the old west boom town, with fortunes won and lost. Some pictures and video clips of the ranch mixed in with some bonanza clips put to some pretty cool western music. Changes inevitably took place among cast members during bonanza s long run.
Yes, a notable one starred humphrey bogart in 1940. Nbc filmed it in color, not coincidentally because its. Next was the gentle giant eric, better known as hoss dan blocker. May 24, 2009 bonanza was the story of the cartwright family, headed by thricewidowed ben cartwright lorne greene. Find out about bonanza, the hit western tv series that ran.
Dan blocker, michael landon, lorne greene and pernell roberts 1959 bonanza is an nbc television western series that ran from september 12, 1959, to january 16, 1973. The film, battle of greed 1937, shows the corruption and lawlessness in the early days of the comstock lode. It promptly became the very image of the old west boom town, with fortunes won. The rest was done in california you can look it up. To explain the new appearance of virginia city, season 12 began with the night virginia city died where a huge fire destroyed the old town.
Very few of the original bonanza episodes were shot at the theme parks virginia city site, although the town was prominently featured in three bonanza. Bonanza is an american western television series that ran on nbc from september 12, 1959, to january 16, 1973. I am putting together a trip for me and my elderly parents. In 431 episodes spanning from 1959 to 1973, the cartwrights of the nevada territorys ponderosa became a fixture of american life. Plot as season 12 opens, a series of deadly fires, all set at night, are destroying virginia city. There are slight variations as to the origin of the ponderosa ranch, from the original bonanza series, lorne greenes 1964 song saga of the ponderosa, the 198895 tv movies, and the 2001 pax prequel series ponderosa. The rifleman filming locations welcome to the mccain ranch. Bonanza, a 1960s tv show ahead of the times american. See what makes us real and hear real life stories from the people that call this modern day bonanza home. Changes inevitably took place among cast members during bonanzas long run.
The ponderosa ranch at lake tahoe, where the tv show bonanza. Road trip through lake tahoe, virginia city, death valley. Sheriff coffee and deputy clem face an angry public that demands. Some exteriors were filmed at the bonanza set located in trukee, ca, near the californianevada state line close to lake tahoe. Bonanza, a 1960s tv show ahead of the times american profile.
Virginia city nevada is a real town where the fictional bonanza tv show was based. Bonanzas emphasis on family themes distinguished it from other westerns. Bonanza was considered an atypical western for its time, as the core of the storylines dealt. According to dortorts new york times obituary, bonanza debuted on saturday, sept. There was a huge attraction there for years, but the real owners, i cant remember their names now, sold the property so its no longer there. Lets take a look at some facts that you might not know about bonanza. Corriganville, ray corrigan ranch, simi valley, california, usa. Nearby virginia city helped populate the episodes with guest starring characters from all over america. The ranch is really close to the highway from reno to virginia and almost touches carson city and the carson river. Lake tahoe was among the outdoor locations used to film the weekly episodes.
Jan 19, 2014 virginia city nevada is a real town where the fictional bonanza tv show was based. Although bonanza was never filmed in virginia city, the mining town was featured in the show. Bonanza filmed in lone pine bonanza series nbc 19591973 original cast. Lake tahoe contractor bill anderson worked with the film crews on location, cutting.
However, it was in 1959 that the popular tv show bonanza, which was set in the tahoevirginia city area, debuted. Then, the television show bonanza came on the scene in 1959, when it premiered in virginia citys pipers opera house, the playhouse which still stands. The house, both interior, and exterior, was located on a hollywood sound stage. Bonanza history and major filming locations, cast biographies, photos, episode guide. Taken from the trail above the house, this is a view of the replica of virginia city built at the ranch. Bonanza star loved bonanza so much he built a replica of the. On september 27, 2004, the ponderosa ranchs gates had closed for good, after the land was sold to incline village developer david duffield. Women in the cartwright family tended not to fare too well. With lorne greene, dan blocker, michael landon, richard mulligan. Bonanza, the longrunning nbc television series, features lake tahoe and virginia city settings. Most of the ranch scenes were taken in malibu creek state park, calabasas, iverson ranch in chatsworth and even corriganville movie ranch. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, it ranks as the secondlongestrunning. Building exteriors that contained filmed interiors were the wells fargo office, overland stage lines, telegraph office, doctors office, barber shop, feed and grain, general mercantile, livery stable and barn, virginia city bank there were two filmable exteriors with interiors used, one of which later became doc martins office, a little cafe, and a small restaurant and saloon.
The tv show bonanza brought virginia citys history to a new generation. Now, we invite you to go below the surface and experience virginia city, nevada, through our characters, flavors and our craftsmen. Filmed by the national broadcasting company at paramount studios. The comstock mining boom was effectively over by 1880. The 26th grave was the first bonanza episode to be filmed.
The ponderosa set where some of the show was filmed still stands today between carson and lake tahoe. Bonanza did great justice to the rich history surrounding carson city. My june 1999 visit to virginia city, nevada and the ponderosa ranch. Bonanza king john mackay lost his home in the fire and subsequently moved into the mansion, hence the. The newly rebuilt ponderosa and virginia city interior sets were located on stage 19, along with other interior sets that would be filmed and edited in with the exteriors on stage 25. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, bonanza is nbcs longestrunning western, and ranks overall as the secondlongestrunning western series on u. Bonanza filmed in lone pine museum of western film history.
Very few of the original bonanza episodes were shot at the theme parks virginia city site, although the town was prominently featured in three bonanza television movies. May 14, 2008 my june 1999 visit to virginia city, nevada and the ponderosa ranch. The famous opening scene of bonanza was filmed on location at north lake tahoe near incline village. Today part of a national historic district, virginia city welcomes visitors craving an authentic old west experience. Bonanza king john mackay lost his home in the fire and subsequently moved into the mansion, hence the name mackay mansion which is still used today. Bonanza was one of the first series to be filmed and broadcast in color. The virginia city that bonanza refered to was the virginia city nevada, but they did their filming mostly on the pondarosa which really was in incline village. Paranormal site of investigation by the travel chanels. Some of the exterior facades on the street housed filmable interiors for limited filmed cuts for the scripts. When bonanza premiered in 1959, the airwaves were saturated with sitcoms. Bonanza the night virginia city died tv episode 1970.
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