The seventh season of the American Western television series Bonanza premiered on NBC on September 12, 1965, with the final episode airing May 15, 1966. The series was developed and produced by David Dortort. Season seven starred Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon. It was the first season without Pernell Roberts. The season consisted of 33 episodes of a series total 431 hour-long episodes, the entirety of which was produced in color. Season seven was aired on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. It ranked #1 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1965-1966 season, the second of three straight seasons in the top spot.
Synopsis
Bonanza 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
Main cast Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright Dan Blocker as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright Michael Landon as Joseph "Little Joe" Cartwright
Recurring Victor Sen Yung as Hop Sing Ray Teal as Sheriff Roy Coffee
Guest cast
Production
Casting After trying for years to exit his six-year contract early, Pernell Roberts left the show at the end of season six. Season seven was the first to air without Roberts in the main cast.
Writing With the departure of Pernell Roberts, the original plan was to kill off the character. However, the decision was made to have the character travel away from the Ponderosa. Should Roberts have changed his mind, he could have been written back into the series.
Filming Filming locations for season seven included:
Incline Village - "The Debt", "The Dublin Lad", "The Code", "Big Shadow on the Land", "The Fighters" Toiyabe National Forest and Incline Village - "The Other Son", "The Lonely Runner", "All Ye His Saints" Iverson's Movie Ranch - "The Strange One" Golden Oak Ranch - "Her Brother's Keeper" Vasquez Rocks - "The Last Mission"
Episodes
Release Season seven aired on Sundays from 9:00pm10:00pm on NBC.
The two-part episode "Ride the Wind" was combined into a full-length theatrical release and released internationally in 1967.
Reception Season seven held the #1 position in the Nielsen ratings. It was the second season of three straight seasons to hold that position.
Awards and nominations Award Year Category Nominee(s) / Work Result Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards 1966 Outstanding Dramatic Series David Dortort (producer) Individual Achievements in Music—Composition David Rose Individual Achievements in Cinematography—Cinematography Haskell Boggs and William F. Whitley Individual Achievements in Cinematography—Special Edward Ancona (color coordinator) Individual Achievements in Film Editing Marvin Coil, Everett Douglas and Ellsworth Hoagland
References Footnotes
Bibliography
External links
Bonanza season 7 at TV Guide