Bonanza is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, Bonanza is NBC's longest-running western, and ranks overall as the second-longest-running western series on U.S. network television, and within the top 10 longest-running, live-action American series. The show continues to air in syndication. The show is set in the 1860s and it centers on the wealthy Cartwright family who live in the vicinity of Virginia City, Nevada, bordering Lake Tahoe. The series initially starred Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon and later featured Guy Williams, David Canary, Mitch Vogel and Tim Matheson. The show is known for presenting pressing moral dilemmas.
| Genre | Western |
| Created by | David Dortort |
| Starring | Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, Michael Landon, Victor Sen Yung, David Canary, Mitch Vogel, Ray Teal, Bing Russell, Tim Matheson, Lou Frizzell, Guy Williams |
| Theme music composer | Ray Evans, Jay Livingston |
| Opening theme | "Bonanza" |
| Ending theme | "Bonanza" |
| Composer(s) | David Rose, Walter Scharf, Harry Sukman, Fred Steiner, William Lava |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 14 |
| No. of episodes | 431 |
| Executive producer(s) | David Dortort, Mark Roberts |
| Producer(s) | Fred Hamilton, Robert Blees, Richard Collins |
| Running time | 49 minutes |
| Production company(s) | NBC |
| Distributor | NBC |
| Original network | NBC |
| Picture format | NTSC |
| Audio format | Mono |
| First shown in | United States |
| Followed by | Ponderosa |
About Bonanza
An all male ranching family in Nevada lives on a thousand acre spread during and after the Civil War. The show ran for 14 seasons and aired a total of 431 episodes.
Achievement of Bonanza
The series won five Emmy Awards during its run. The show spawned three made-for-TV movies, Bonanza: The Next Generation, Bonanza: The Return, and Bonanza: Under Attack.
Top Facts You Did Not Know About Bonanza
1959 in television - The year 1959 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events during that year.. Television shows set in Nevada.. Nielsen ratings winners.. Television series set in the 1860s.
