Does ANYONE remember a series of episodes that open with the Ponderosa Map being cut up the middle, by a large pair of scissors? This was an alternative opening to the map being burned by fire. (I REALLY don't think I dreamed this, but I cannot find it documented anywhere!!) PLEASE HELP!!
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Ponderosa Map being cut up the middle, by a large pair of scissors?
No, it was definitely NOT in a comedy show or parody. It was Bonanza, and it appeared for more than one or two weeks in a row; maybe for a month running. Then, the opening went back to the traditional map burning with fire, and never again did it open with the scissors cutting the map. Bizarre. I have got to find someone who saw these episodes!!
shareI don't remember ever seeing it, but do you remember if the opening was when Pernell Roberts was still on the show or after he left?
"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."
Gosh, I honestly can't say. I really don't remember there be anything other changes to the show, i.e., changes in cast, etc. As I said, the entrance change to the map was only for a brief time, like they were trying something new. They only kept it for a month or more, and then went back to the standard fire-burning map. There could have been other changes, and it may have been a later period, after Pernell Roberts had gone.. Just can't say for sure.
A wild guess would be that this could have happened during the early sixties. For some reason. My older brother and I often watched Bonanza together. He would have been off to college in the 60's and probably stopped watching during this time period. He does NOT remember any scissors. It is an on-going family joke/tease between us to solve this. I say yes there WERE scissors, I did NOT make this up. He says no, NEVER! I am determined in my plight to find someone out there who saw these episodes!!
That never happened. Unless it was some of those really lost episodes.
shareWell maybe they were some lost episodes, only shown once, maybe during summer months perhaps. I'm banking on somebody out there having seen them. I am NOT convinced it never happened yet!
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My mother said one time she saw scissors cutting the map! You're not crazy! The rest of us weren't paying attention. I've never seen it since.
shareI've watched this show since its first run on Sunday nights "in COLOR!" back in the '60s and don't remember ever seeing that opening. Although as one person said earlier, there are some "lost episodes ". Also note if you look closely at the compass rose at the top left of the map shows that arrow that designates north is actually pointing west. The map is mounted on the wall sideways! North is always pointing up on a map. Cool map otherwise.
shareThank you for your response. Interesting note re: the compass. I would love to know how I could further research these "lost episodes".
Great catch again, observing the map on the wall and compass. You've got a good eye for detail!
On the map orientation, I've created this comparison of the Ponderosa Map overlayed on a modern map.You can compare the difference.
http://seventh.atspace.com/ponderosa/ponderosa.html
In the "Trivia" page associated with Bonanza it says:
"The opening burning map of the Ponderosa Ranch was illustrated with incorrect bearings. David Dortort, choosing not to redo the map, altered the compass points"
So the Producer apparently preferred the look with the incorrect bearings over the look of a correct map.
Also, while I do remember watching the entire run of the prequel series "Ponderosa" from 12 years ago, I do not remember the opening so I cannot say if there were any scissors involved.
But there are a couple of other possibilities. I have not seen these at all so I cannot say what the opening was but they were three movies from the 80s and 90s.
Bonanza: The Next Generation
Bonanza: The Return
Bonanza: Under Attack
Good Luck! I too have remembered odd things from shows that aired in my youth and when mentioned, people said I was dreaming. But I later found proof that I was sane. If only the internet would have been so accessible a few years sooner!
Michael M.
The "up" portion of the Ponderosa map is ENE (east-northeast). North is not always pointing up on a map, it is just conventional to do so. Occasionally a cartographer will put a different direction at the top of the page, if it makes more sense to do so, such as the layout/shape of the land in question. Since the Ponderosa is supposed to be a horizontally oblong piece of land, it made more sense to show the map not oriented north, so it would fit better on a TV screen.
I do know what you mean though. It always bugged me a little that the map was sideways, especially since I am from NorCal and only a couple of hours from the area on the map. But I am just a nerd like that, lol.
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"I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way"
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Well NO, the compass rose IS pointing North.
Virginia City and Caron City are east of Lake Tahoe, while they're above it on the map in the credits so the map would be pointing to the left side of the map to be pointing North.
Robert
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I have a Tivo and know how to use it!
The compass was changed after they noticed it pointing the wrong way.
However, there may be a more obvious reason the the map was not oriented in the traditional manor. Once you view it rotated to north, you'll see that the outline of the Ponderosa Ranch would be 'hard' to get it past the censors.
There were no scissors cutting up the Bonanza map. How boring.
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It would seem that someone would remember that opening if it happened. As a kid, I distinctly remember the opening of Bewitched where the animated Samantha rode a Chevy bowtie instead of a broom. I haven't seen but read about alternate intros for the Flintstones as well. Common for sponsorship deals, but I don't know how a sponsor would figure in the scissors opening for Bonanza.
Just once, I'd like someone to call me sir without adding 'you're making a scene' ~H Simpson
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This, yet is a mystery to me. I am beginning to think perhaps I dreamed it. The only reason I am not quite ready to let this go, is that I remember the "scissors opening" on several episodes, not just one or two. (I can still see the over-sized scissors in my mind.) So odd. Oh well, perhaps I'll never solve this.
shareI wonder if it may have been from "Ponderosa", the prequel to "Bonanza".
"I'm in such bad shape, I'm wearing prescription underwear." Phyllis Diller 1917-2012
Thank you for your suggestion. It's the only helpful one I have gotten on this site. I did not even know there was a prequel. I will google it, and see if I can find some info on it. Again, I appreciate the thought. Most all other comments have been negative, or indicative that I am "off my rocker". Best regards!! Enjoy your weekend.
shareI only watched a few of the Ponderosa episodes but have seen pretty much all the Bonanza, and still watch them. You may have solved the mystery! There were only 20 episodes of them made and it's doubtful many people remember them.
I once read that at the beginning of the pilot episode, all of the Cartwrights sang lyrics to the Bonanza theme, but was later changed the now familiar music. Now that would be quite a find!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpUd9KecPa4
"I'm in such bad shape, I'm wearing prescription underwear." Phyllis Diller 1917-2012
No, never happened. I have the entire series on DVD and each one of them have the fire opening. The later years has a different opening theme, but not the map scene.
Sorry, you can go back to sleep now!
I remember watching Bonanza from the beginning with my parents. My dad loved westerns, and I did, too, since there were a lot on tv when I was young. (I was born in 1952). Anyway, we watched Bonanza every week until it ended, and I've since watched most episodes again on reruns, and I've never seen a beginning such as the one you described. My guess is you dreamed it. I know I've had dreams that I could swear were real, but later realized they were dreams.
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