If you are too young to remember this show perhaps you'd
be best skipping this post.
My television the past few months has been strictly limited
to old reruns ... Sanford and Son, Gunsmoke, Roseanne, The
Nanny, Bonanza......
Noticing things. More than once I actually toured the Bonanza
house at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, so it's interesting to watch the
show now since touring the house. Certain things are very
noticeable, certain things come to mind often:
*The gas fireplace. The show was set in the year, what,
the 1860's I believe? They didn't have gas fireplaces then.
*The electric light by the door. I don't think we are
supposed to notice this.
*As much power and as much wealth as the Cartwright's have,
they still cannot find a woman to marry. Judging from
Ben who was married and widowed 3 times over, and the
various girlfriends of the Cartwright boys who came to
a sudden and tragic death, I surmise it is bad luck to
fall in love with a Cartwright. Even in real life only
one 'Cartwright' is still alive...Pernell Roberts. Even
Hop Sing (the actor who portrayed him) met a tragic and
sad death.
*From touring the actual Cartwright house, I know there is
really no upstairs, or second floor to the home. All of
the bedroom scenes in the show were filmed in California.
So I can't help thinking this every time I see someone
come down those stairs.
*My grandfather, a horseman, used to watch the show and
tell you every time the Cartwright's changed from a
quarter horse to another kind of horse with the exact
same markings. One scene would show Little Joe galloping
away on his Quarter Horse..in the next scene he'd be
arriving at his destination on his Standardbred (or whatever).
Yep, the Cartwright's are an interesting bunch. Just
don't fall for them, or you'll die a tragic death! ;-)
