“Bonanza” star Dan Blocker took his “Bonanza” fame to the next level. He used his notoriety from the show to open “Bonanza” inspired buffet restaurant chains, such as the Ponderosa Steakhouse and Bonanza Steakhouse.
He opened the very first Bonanza Steakhouse in 1965. It was located in Kokomo, Indiana. In 1971, the restaurant chain grew and even made it to Canada! At first, Bonanza Steakhouse and Ponderosa Steakhouse were actually different companies, so there could be both in any region. The companies later merged together, and now they are both owned and operated by the Metromedia Restaurant Group.
Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
Pernell Roberts Jr. was another actor and singer who had a role on “Bonanza”. He was the character Adam Cartwright, who was also the eldest son of the family. He left the cast of “Bonanza” after 6 years to pursue other opportunities. After leaving the show, he appeared on tons of other shows. Bonanza was not his only claim to fame. Pernell also had roles in over 60 TV shows! And, he also dabbled in theater.
In 1990, Pernell retired. Sadly, he died at the age of 81, in 2010, from cancer, but left behind a long and impressive career.
Pernell Roberts Wasn't A Fan Of The Show
We had mentioned earlier that Pernell Roberts left “Bonanza” after only six years. This definitely was a surprise to fans, since when he left the show in 1965, Bonanza was one of the top-rated shows. Everyone wondered why he would have left such a seemingly great experience.
Only the producers and crew knew the truth. Pernell had political differences with the show and his disrespect for the writing in the show caused him to leave. In fact, people were surprised he did not leave earlier, as his views we're known from the beginning. He had stated he left the show because he had to take care of his emotional well-being, and that the set was an unpleasant place to be.
Victor Sen Yung as Hop Sing
In most cases, actors on TV are portraying a character that is different from who they are in real life, that is why they call it acting! However, the actor Victor Sen Yung, who played the chef to the Cartwright Family, was actually a chef.
In fact, he was quite an accomplished chef. So much so, that once the show was over, he did not need acting to support himself. He supported himself completely as a chef. He even appeared on various cooking shows on television. In 1974, he also wrote a book entitled “The Great Wok Cookbook”.
An American King Arthur
Dortort initially had a wild idea when it came to “Bonanza”. He was picturing the show to be the story of King Arthur, but presented as an old western tale. He was picturing the star, Ben Cartwright as King Arthur. He envisioned that all of Cartwright's sons were his knights.
Just by watching the show you may not be able to tell that was its initial vision, but think about it. Cartwright really did lead his sons as if they were King Arthur's knights. Dortort’s vision may have come to fruition after all.