Bonanza is an
NBC television
western series that ran from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series (behind
Gunsmoke) and continues to air in
syndication.
The show centered around the Cartwright family, who live in the
Virginia City, Nevada area bordering
Lake Tahoe. The series starred
Lorne Greene,
Pernell Roberts,
Dan Blocker,
Michael Landon, and, in later seasons,
David Canary.
The title "Bonanza" is a term used by miners in regard to a large vein or deposit of ore, and commonly refers to
The Comstock Lode. In 2002,
Bonanza was ranked No. 43 on
TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, and in 2013
TV Guide included it in its list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time. The time period for the television series is roughly between 1861 (Season 1) to 1867 (Season 13) during and shortly after the
American Civil War. The Cartwrights' Ponderosa Ranch would have been located in the
Utah Territory.