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Bonanza Trivia Questions and Answers

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1. How many times was Ben Cartwright married?


Answer: 3

Interesting Information:
Adam, Hoss, and Joe were actually half-brothers. Adam's mother was Elizabeth, Hoss' mother was Inger, and Joe's mother was Marie. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Bonanza
 
Some incorrect choices:
1, 2, 4

2. In the opening scene, Ben Cartwright meets with Samuel Carter Endicott to discuss a political campaign. In what city does this meeting take place?


Answer: San Francisco

Interesting Information:
As the show opens, we see a view of old San Francisco. There is a banner across the screen saying "San Francisco 1861". Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza"- "The Late Ben Cartwright"
 
Some incorrect choices:
Virginia City, Carson City, Reno

3. A photographer and his niece visit the Ponderosa to sell the Cartwirghts some photographs. Give the name of the photographer.


Answer: Enos Blessing

Interesting Information:
Enos Blessing is a newcomer to Virginia City. He has opened a photography studio and also has a portable dark room in a wagon. He visits the Cartwrights one evening to make a sales pitch. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza"- "A Girl Named George"
 
Some incorrect choices:
Enos Milford, Enos Watford, Enos Bolton

4. What are the three sons' real names?


Answer: Adam, Eric, and Joseph

Interesting Information:
Hoss' name was really Eric, but he got the nickname "Hoss." Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza" Bonanza
 
Some incorrect choices:
Adam, Hoss, Joseph, Adam, Hoss, Joe, Adam, Erin, Joseph

5. "Bonanza" held the distinction of being the first what?


Answer: Color television series on the NBC Network

Interesting Information:
"Bonanza" ran for 14 seasons, beginning in September of 1959. A total of 430 episodes were aired. The first episode of "Bonanza" aired on September 12, 1959 and the last episode aired on January 9, 1973. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza" -- The Quiz!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Western television series, Television show sponsored by Chevrolet, Television series featuring a single father

6. "Son, when a man knows deep down in his heart, when he really knows, he doesn't have to argue about it, he doesn't have to prove anything. Just knowing is enough."


Answer: "Twilight Town"

Interesting Information:
Ben said that to Joe in the episode "Twilight Town" after all of the people of Martinville disapear and Joe was trying to explain to his dad and brothers about the deserted town. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Ben Cartright Quotes from "Bonanza"
 
Some incorrect choices:
"The Friendship", "The Tin Badge", "The Savage"

7. Who played Ben Cartwright and was a reporter for the radio before acting on "Bonanza"?


Answer: Lorne Greene

Interesting Information:
Lorne Hyman Greene was born February 12,1915. Before starring on "Bonanza", Greene was a reporter and an announcer for Canadian Broadcasting Company. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: The Men of "Bonanza"
 
Some incorrect choices:
Michael Landon, Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts

8. "I'm more practical. I'm going to bed." Who said this?


Answer: Adam

Interesting Information:
This quote is from "Loves Me Not," when Jean came down to talk to Ben about being in love with him. Joe and Hoss said they were going to the barn, and then Adam said the quote and headed upstairs! (Thanks to Puddleglum for this note.) Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: 'Bonanza' Quotes Quiz
 
Some incorrect choices:
Ben, Hoss, Joe

9. Which Cartwright was left-handed?


Answer: Joe

Interesting Information:
You can see Joe writing with his left hand in some episodes ('The Secret' is one of them), and in 'The Secret' he was accused of murder, based partially on a witness who saw a man wearing a left-handed gun. Also, Joe said in 'Credit For A Kill' when he was getting ready to face up to a gunman: "Look at that hand. Steady as a rock. . . . I just wish I was right-handed." Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: My 'Bonanza' Quiz #1
 
Some incorrect choices:
Ben, Adam, Hoss

10. How many biological sons does Ben Cartwright have?


Answer: 3

Interesting Information:
His sons are called Adam, Eric (Hoss) and Joseph (Little Joe). In season 13, Ben adopts a boy named Jamie Hunter, but he is not Benīs biological son. Will Cartwright was the son of Ben's brother, played by Guy Williams and guest starred in five episode. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: My "Bonanza" Quiz
 
Some incorrect choices:
4, 1, 2

11. In "Knight Errant", who does Hoss go to pickup for Mr. Prescott?


Answer: bride-to-be

Interesting Information:
Mr. Prescott thinks Hoss steals the girl. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: All about Hoss
 
Some incorrect choices:
wife, daughter, niece

12. How many times was Adam Cartwright engaged?


Answer: 2

Interesting Information:
He was first engaged to Ruth in "The Savage". A few seasons later he was engaged to Laura Dayton in "The Pressure Game". Ruth left with a tribe of Indians to save their people. Laura ran off with Adam's cousin Will in the episode "Triangle". Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Easy "Bonanza" Quiz
 
Some incorrect choices:
1, 4, 0

13. Who was the oldest son?


Answer: Adam

Interesting Information:
Adam Cartwright was the oldest son of Ben Cartwright on the popular Western TV show, Bonanza. He was portrayed as an intelligent, level-headed, and bookish character, often serving as a mediator for his younger brothers, Hoss and Little Joe. The role of Adam was played by actor Pernell Roberts, who left the show after six seasons to pursue other opportunities. Despite his departure, Adam remains a beloved character in the hearts of Bonanza fans, and the show continued on for several more seasons with other characters taking up the mantle as Ben's oldest son. Adam's departure also marked a turning point in the series, as the show began to shift towards more lighthearted storylines and away from the more serious and dramatic themes of its earlier seasons. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: Bonanza
 
Some incorrect choices:
Candy, Hoss, Little Joe

14. What is the name of the Cartwrights' ranch?


Answer: Ponderosa

Interesting Information:
Named for the Ponderosa Pine trees. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: 'Bonanza'

15. What is the first name of the boy that Ben adopts in the later seasons?


Answer: Jamie

Interesting Information:
Jamie Hunter was portrayed by Mitch Vogel. He later played Johnny Johnson in "Little House on the Prairie." Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Bonanza
 
Some incorrect choices:
Griff, Candy, Roy

16. Mr. Endicott says he wants to help in the growth of Nevada. How does he plan to do this?


Answer: taking an active part in the state's politics

Interesting Information:
Mr. Endicott has development plans for northern Nevada. He can best do as he pleases by having a political pull with high ranking officials. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza"- "The Late Ben Cartwright"
 
Some incorrect choices:
supporting the incumbent governor, supporting miners widows, supporting law enforcement

17. Niece George helps set up the Cartwright's for their photos. She tells Hoss he's stiffer than what?


Answer: a hard shell deacon

Interesting Information:
The Cartwright's probably have never sat for portraits before. Photographs are a new process. They don't know how to relax and be natural in front of the camera. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza"- "A Girl Named George"
 
Some incorrect choices:
a board, a brick, a shot of whiskey

18. How many times was Ben married?


Answer: Three

Interesting Information:
He was married to Elizabeth, Adam's mother. Then he married Inga, Hoss' mother. Finally he married Marie, Joe's mother. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: "Bonanza" Bonanza
 
Some incorrect choices:
Two, One, Zero

19. What happened at the end of the sixth season of "Bonanza", which most fans still mourn to this day?


Answer: Pernell Roberts left the show

Interesting Information:
Pernell Roberts left the show after the sixth season to pursue a film and stage career. He later starred in the television series, "Trapper John, M.D." Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza" -- The Quiz!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Little Joe got married, Dan Blocker died, All of these

20. "Look at it, Adam, feast thine eyes on a sight that approaches Heaven itself!"


Answer: "A Rose for Lotta"

Interesting Information:
Ben said that to Adam as they were looking at the Ponderosa. Adam replies, "You've been a lot of places and seen a lot of things ,Pa, but you've never seen or been to Heaven." "A Rose for Lotta" was the first "Bonanza" episode.
Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Ben Cartright Quotes from "Bonanza"
 
Some incorrect choices:
"The Savage", "Kindom of Fear", "The Greedy Ones"

21. Who played Adam Cartwright, the son who recited poetry, played the guitar and was usually serious?


Answer: Pernell Roberts

Interesting Information:
Pernell Elvin Roberts was born on May 18, 1928. Pernell Roberts portrayed the oldest Cartwright son. Pernell Roberts went on to play on "Trapper John".
Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: The Men of "Bonanza"
 
Some incorrect choices:
Michael Landon, Dan Blocker, Lorne Green

22. Whom did Adam say this about? "Couldn't keep a dollar if it was tied to him."


Answer: Joe

Interesting Information:
It was from the episode "The Hayburner," in which Joe buys a small horse and bets against Adam's larger horse. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: 'Bonanza' Quotes Quiz
 
Some incorrect choices:
Hoss, Sheriff Coffee, Jock in "The Tax Collector"

23. What is Little Joe afraid of?


Answer: heights

Interesting Information:
The fear of heights is called acrophobia. Hoss is the one who is afraid of darkness (achluophobia). Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: My "Bonanza" Quiz
 
Some incorrect choices:
darkness, snakes, Hoss

24. In "The Pure Truth", what sickness does Hoss have?


Answer: spring fever

Interesting Information:
Looney has a tonic for that fever. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: All about Hoss
 
Some incorrect choices:
typhoid, bullet wound, heat stroke

25. Only one Cartwright brother ever got married. Name the brother and his wife.


Answer: Joe and Alice

Interesting Information:
A few months after the wedding, Alice and their unborn child were killed in a fire set by her brother. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Easy "Bonanza" Quiz
 
Some incorrect choices:
Adam and Ruth, Hoss and Margie, Adam and Laura

26. How many times was Ben married?


Answer: 3

From Quiz: Bonanza
 
Some incorrect choices:
1, 2, 4

27. In which state was Bonanza set?


Answer: Nevada

Interesting Information:
Virginia City was the town they frequently visited. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: 'Bonanza'
 
Some incorrect choices:
Texas, California, Colorado

28. What is the name of Ben's nephew whom we saw in five episodes?


Answer: Will

Interesting Information:
One time, Adam was engaged to Laura, until she fell for cousin Will! Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Bonanza
 
Some incorrect choices:
Griff, John, Michael

29. What office is Mr. Endicott interested in placing a political puppet?


Answer: governor

Interesting Information:
Mr. Endicott is willing to give full support to a candidate he believes will be easily manipulated. He won't ask for anything big at first, but over time he will run Nevada behind the scenes. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza"- "The Late Ben Cartwright"
 
Some incorrect choices:
mayor, prosecutor, sheriff

30. What is the name of the Virginia City studio Enos and George own?


Answer: Portraits in Silver

Interesting Information:
Silver is a vital ingredient in the processing of black and white photographs. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza"- "A Girl Named George"
 
Some incorrect choices:
Portraits in Gold, Portraits of Virginia City, Portraits West

31. What was the name of the elephant that stayed on their ranch for a while?


Answer: Old Sheba

Interesting Information:
Sheba knew tricks, such as how to be ridden and how to let the rider get off. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza" Bonanza
 
Some incorrect choices:
Reba, Ben, Ellie

32. It is undisputed that Ben Cartwright was a widower, but how many times was he widowed?


Answer: 3

Interesting Information:
Ben's first wife, Elizabeth, died following childbirth. His second wife, Inger, was killed by Indians. His third wife, Marie, was killed in a riding accident. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: "Bonanza" -- The Quiz!
 
Some incorrect choices:
2, 1, 4

33. "I can understand you [Hoss] seeing things, and I can imagine you [Joe] seeing things, but I can't believe Adam sees things-not him!"


Answer: "A Knight To Remember"

Interesting Information:
Ben says this to Hoss and Little Joe when he finds out that Adam claimed that he saw a knight in armor. "A Knight To Remember" was a very amusing epiosde about Adam and a man who dressed up in a knight's armor and chased away robbers.
Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Ben Cartright Quotes from "Bonanza"
 
Some incorrect choices:
"Hoss and the Leprechauns", "The Gift", "Old Sheba"

34. Who portrayed Hoss Cartwright, the big, strong, muscular man who always liked to eat?


Answer: Dan Blocker

Interesting Information:
Bobby Dan Davis Blocker was born on December 10, 1928. Dan Blocker was Hoss Cartwright, the middle son. Dan Blocker died suddenly at the age of 43, from a lung clot, in May of 1972. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: The Men of "Bonanza"
 
Some incorrect choices:
Michael Landon, Lorne Green, Pernell Roberts

35. In "The Last Hunt" what was Hoss referring to when he asked, "Joe, did you put this here?"


Answer: knife

Interesting Information:
Hoss had fallen asleep leaning against a tree, and when he woke up, a knife was stabbed into the tree right next to his head. And the first thing Hoss said is "Joe, did you put this here?" Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: 'Bonanza' Quotes Quiz
 
Some incorrect choices:
blanket, arrow, boot

36. What was the name of the blonde whom Adam almost married (and started building a house for)?


Answer: Laura Dayton

Interesting Information:
Laura Dayton was a widow with a little girl. Laura was quite confused and whiny most of the time, so I guess I'm glad Adam didn't marry her. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: My 'Bonanza' Quiz #1
 
Some incorrect choices:
Lucy Dodge, Lydia Drake, Linda Dalton

37. Adam Cartwright was portrayed by Pernell Roberts. Several years later Roberts starred as the main character for another TV series. Which one?


Answer: Trapper John, M.D.

Interesting Information:
This show was a spin-off of the series "M*A*S*H" and lasted for seven seasons (1979 - 1986). "Highway to Heaven" featured Michael Landon (Little Joe) as the angel Jonathan Smith. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: My "Bonanza" Quiz
 
Some incorrect choices:
Mission: Impossible, Highway to Heaven, Remington Steele

38. In "A Stranger Passed This Way", what do the Vandervorrts name Hoss?


Answer: Hendrick

Interesting Information:
Hendrick was their dead son's name. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: All about Hoss
 
Some incorrect choices:
Eric, Mark, Ivan

39. How was Adam's departure from the show explained?


Answer: He went to sea

Interesting Information:
It was said that Adam went to sea. He was mentioned several times throughout the remaining seasons. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Easy "Bonanza" Quiz
 
Some incorrect choices:
Married and moved to California, Died, Never explained

40. What was Adam's grandfather's occupation?


Answer: sea captain

Interesting Information:
Adam's grandfather's occupation as a sea captain sheds light on the show Bonanza's portrayal of the Cartwright family's roots. The Cartwrights were a wealthy and respected family whose wealth came from mining. However, the fact that Adam's grandfather was a sea captain implies that the Cartwright family had a history of trade and commerce as well. This adds another dimension to the show's portrayal of the Cartwright family's past and gives viewers a peek into how the family came to be the successful and influential figures they were.

It also shows how the show highlights the importance of family history and legacy in shaping characters' identities and how they are viewed by others. Overall, Adam's grandfather's profession provides interesting insight into the show's historical context and the family's legacy, making Bonanza a richer and more nuanced portrayal of western life and culture. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Bonanza
 
Some incorrect choices:
banker, store clerk, rancher
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