| Bg Colour: |
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| Image Alt: | Cast of Bonanza in 1959 |
| Starring: | |
| Num Episodes: | 34 |
| Network: | NBC |
| Episode List: | List of Bonanza episodes |
The fifth season of the American Western television series Bonanza premiered on NBC on September 22, 1963, with the final episode airing May 24, 1964. The series was developed and produced by David Dortort, and season five starred Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon. The season consisted of 34 episodes of a series total 431 hour-long episodes, the entirety of which was produced in color. Season five was aired on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. It ranked #2 in the Nielsen ratings, the highest rated Western for the 1963-1964 season.[1]
Bonanza is set around the Ponderosa Ranch near Virginia City, Nevada and chronicles the weekly adventures of the Cartwright family, consisting of Ben Cartwright and his three sons (each by a different wife), Adam, Eric ("Hoss"), and Joseph ("Little Joe"). A regular character is their ranch cook, Hop Sing.
See also: List of Bonanza characters.
Pernell Roberts had been unhappy with the show from the beginning and had threatened to leave the show multiple times. To plan for a possible early departure of Roberts, Guy Williams was cast as a potential substitute character, cousin Will Cartwright. Roberts ultimately completed the term of his six season contract and Williams was only used for the single season.
Filming locations for season five included Golden Oak Ranch ("The Waiting Game", "The Lila Conrad Story", and "Triangle"), Vasquez Rocks ("Alias Joe Cartwright"), Golden Oaks Ranch ("Bullet for a Bride"), and
Iverson Movie Ranch ("Walter and the Outlaws").
See also: List of Bonanza episodes.
Season five aired on Sundays from 9:00pm10:00pm on NBC.
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee(s) / Work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globe Awards | 1964 | Best Series—Drama | Bonanza | [2] | |
| Best TV Star—Male | Lorne Greene |