BONANZA! was the cry of the Comstock Lode silver miners of the 1850s, and one hundred years later on September 12, 1959, BONANZA made its debut in color on NBC. Truly one of the greatest family western series of all time, BONANZA ran for 14 seasons, reaching the top 5 in ratings, a record 9 years and never was out of the top 20!

BONANZA wasn't a traditional shoot-em up western. It relied more on family values and relationships between the four actors and the people they met along the way than it did on old west gunplay and violence. Set during and just after the Civil War, BONANZA took its strength from the struggles, triumphs and set-backs common to the settlers who tamed the west. Set along the shimmering waters of Lake Tahoe, and among the towering Ponderosa pines which gave their ranch its name, the 1,000 square mile Ponderosa Ranch was home to the Cartwright Clan. Patriarchal, bible-quoting Ben Cartwright (Lorne Greene) and his three sons: serious minded Adam (Pernell Roberts), cheerful and gentle Eric "Hoss" (Dan Blocker) and impulsive Joseph "Little Joe" (Michael Landon). The chemistry and family warmth between Ben and his sons made BONANZA special, and their adventurous life running the largest ranch in Nevada made up the continuing saga of BONANZA, the second longest running western in the history of television!