.jpg "Pernell Roberts (May 18, 1928 – January 24, 2010)")
Pernell Roberts (May 18, 1928 – January 24, 2010)
The last surviving cast member of the beloved western series Bonanza, Pernell Roberts has died of cancer at the age of 81.
Roberts, known to millions as Adam Cartwright on the show, also portrayed the title role of chief surgeon, Dr. John MacIntyre in the popular “M*A*S*H” spin-off “Trapper John, MD.”
Beginning today, January 26, TVLand.com invites fans of the classic series to vote for their favorite “Bonanza” episodes. Viewer-selected episodes will be showcased on the website for a limited run beginning February 8.
Vote here: http://www.tvland.com/fullepisodes/bonanza/
TV Land celebrated Bonanza’s 50th Anniversary in September.
Set in Virginia City Nevada, Bonanza premiered on September 12, 1959 and was the first western to be televised in color. This popular series featured a family of ranchers called the Cartwrights, with widower Ben (Lorne Greene) and his three sons, Little Joe (Michael Landon), Hoss (Dan Blocker) and Adam (Pernell Roberts). As a non-traditional western, the series explored family life, hard work and the adventures of these four men. Other characters frequented the Ponderosa Ranch such as Hop Sing, (Vicor Sen Yung) the Ponderosa Cook, Candy (David Canary) and Griff King, (Tim Matheson) the ranch hands the Cartwrights hired, Dusty Rhoades, (Lou Frizzel) a friend of Ben’s, Jamie Hunter, (Mitch Vogel) an orphaned teenager the Cartwright’s took in and ended up adopting, Sheriff Roy Coffee, (Ray Teal) and Deputy Clem (Bing Russell).
