MovieChat Forums > Bonanza (1959) Discussion > Seriously still can't get over that Pern...

Seriously still can't get over that Pernell Roberts left Bonanza haha

posted 9 years ago by ziggystar86
11 replies | jump to latest

I wasn't even born then, my mother was born the same month as they showed the first episode but still. I just watched Dead and Gone again, the last episode that had Adam as the main character, that episode made me kind of sad, he was really good in it, the episodes he could have made if he had stayed, had loved to see more episodes like The Crucible and Dead and Gone, he often gave more depth to the episodes that focused on him, great actor.

I Think too they should have ended the show a lot earlier.

[–] eveningstarz 9 years ago

my understanding was that he wanted out of the series. This was his decision. It would have been nice if he had come back as a guest star from time to time to keep his character in check with the series.

[–] mrbobbyh 9 years ago

I believe that he was the best actor on the series, and I also believe that Adam was the most interesting character of the bunch. The series suffered without him, that's for sure. It is believed that part of his reason for leaving is that he hated playing a 30-something who still lived with his father and still answered "Yes, Pa" to everything his father wanted. It probably felt extra demeaning that the man playing his father was only a few years older than him in real life.

[–] DrakeStraw 9 years ago

... the man playing his father was only a few years older than him in real life.

Thirteen years actually. Do you believe Roberts would have stayed on if they had allowed Adam to marry and have his own place? It looked like that might happen with Laura Dayton. I believe Roberts wanted that relationship to succeed which was taboo in the series. He left about a year after her last appearance.

_______________________
LinkLikeThis
[link=SeeMarkupEnabled]

[–] firstnamejane 8 years ago

The Laura episodes in season 5 were written to write Adam off the show in season 5. They were supposed to marry and leave but Pernell decided to stay one more year so they sent her off with Will, the Cartwright who was supposed to have been added full time when Pernell left.

What I've read is that Pernell thought he was too good for the show, and thought this from the very beginning. He had many complaints. He ended up doing guest appearances on other shows for years after he left Bonanza, until he did the series Trapper John M.D. - not exactly the best show of it's time.

It's too bad Bonanza couldn't have found an actor to play the role of Adam who liked the role and would have stuck around for the entire series. Pernell made demands but the producer had his vision for the show he created, and he wasn't willing to compromise to keep one actor happy.

[–] jackles1 8 years ago

Did you know Pernell did plenty to promote the show. He appeared in the Rose Bowl Parade in costume on horseback with the others several times. He went with Michael Landon to several rodeos in costume and signed autographs( they were free back then). He took his son on one of the trips. He got bored with the show and frustrated with it. His demands were things that would improve the quality of the show. Examples:Extra rehearsal time, using Native Americans to play native Americans, and there was a lack of blacks on the show as well.There are many inaccuracies on that show. Yes he thought it was ridiculous that with their ages they were still living with Pa. A comment my father always said about it--3 grown men still living with their Pa, unrealistic. Mr.Dortort was unwilling to change his"vision" to have the characters grow and get married. later in an interview he said he regrets not listening to Pernell so he would stay. FYI I grew up with this show and you should not believe all the gossip.

[–] firstnamejane 8 years ago

Yeah, I've seen the pictures of Pernell doing what you mention.

I've heard Dortort had regrets, I've heard that Pernell had regrets, it doesn't really mean anything to realize you could have behaved differently years after you can do anything to change things. It's great for their personal growth but it doesn't change what actually happened. And it doesn't make me feel differently about the show to know any of this.

As much as I would have wanted Adam to be on the show for the entire run, I understand why Dortort took a stand with his own show and I can understand why Pernell didn't want to do it anymore unless certain things changed. They both did what they felt they had to do, at the time. I think Bonanza was a pretty big success with Pernell and without him, and Dortort did it his way. I don't bother thinking about what could have been with Bonanza, I appreciate the show for what it is and always will be.

I grew up watching Bonanza in reruns, I liked Adam when he was there and didn't mind when he was gone. I'm sure it's different when you hear about the "drama" behind the scenes as it's happening. If the audience felt that the things Pernell wanted to change should have been changed...they still continued to watch for years without him, and Dortort didn't marry anyone off, etc.

Just thinking about it right now, the two characters that I think were vital to Bonanza's ongoing success were Ben and Hoss. Those two really were the heart of the show.

[–] marmac2768 8 years ago

I grew up watching Bonanza. Around our house, on Sunday evening, we would gather around the TV and watch it as a family. This, of course, was "pre-VCR/DVR/DVD" any way of recording the show. My sister and I weren't allowed to breathe loud while watching it for fear my Dad would miss something. During commercials, it was "katie bar the door" as we ran for the bathroom, the fridge and did what we could do in the 3-4 minutes of commercial time till the next one.

I watch it on TVLand now, in reruns and must admit to an affinity for the "Adam episodes". The quality definitely started declining after he left and, especially, the last 3 or 4 seasons. It was still good, but not nearly as much substance and action. The "end of the road" was when Jamie began to appear in more and Griff came aboard. The last season, with the exception of "Forever" was forgettable.

[–] firstnamejane 8 years ago

I love hearing from people who watched Bonanza when it originally aired, and the way you watched. It sounds like great memories.

I wonder if there is anyone who prefers the post Adam years. Those first 4 years the show was sharper, they were younger, but I think that for me, past season 4 the show started to fade a bit. Season 3 and 4 are my favorites, and I love the first 2 seasons where they were finding their footing. But there are definitely individual shows throughout the entire run that I'd place among my favorites, so I think overall I'm glad that the show continued, or I wouldn't have had those episodes to appreciate.

I agree with you about Jamie, and I don't even remember Griff at all. I'm not ready to look at episodes where Dan Blocker is gone.

[–] modernwarriorsentertainment 8 years ago

If I could go back in time, I'd change two things with Adam.

1. WAY WAY more episodes detailing his engineering and architectural prowess, and take him out of any comedic episode...it was obvious he didn't even try to hide his disdain.

2. Make him the only one married and cut his episodes in half. Outside of Ben, Adam would easily get married out of the brothers, since he was the most mature. I'd probably marry Hoss off last since he was very shy around women.

[–] Jennie_Portrait 8 years ago

Totally agree. As I have written in a different thread under the Bonanza topic, the producers' decision not to have any of the men get married was unrealistic-- especially considering the era.

Adam was always the "smart" one, Hoss was the "good hearted" one and Little Joe the "charming" one. I remember the Big Valley, which was sort of a Bonanza rip-off with a woman as the head of the house instead of a man. The Characters fell into a similar pattern, with Jarrod (Richard Long), being the smart one with a career as a lawyer.

___________________________________
Never say never...

[–] firstnamejane 8 years ago

They all of them pursued women, were engaged, it just never worked out. They were unlucky in love but lucky in other ways. Considering their father married and buried three wives it's not so unrealistic that things never quite worked out for any of them. It wasn't for lack of trying.

Having a woman on the show as a constant companion of one of the men just wasn't what Bonanza was about.