Episode 33. Showdown - First aired on September 10, 1960

In an article in 1961, guest star Jody Warner (Ellie) said: “Mike gives an actress a lot to work with, by just being sincere. You feel that he truly likes you and that he’s making love to you instead of a camera. He’s not plain business-like about it, the way so many actors are these days. You know, he’s got all the qualities that make for a matinee idol.”

In an article from 1961, Michael talked about his horse: "The other animal in my life, of course, is the pinto I ride on Bonanza. His name is Cochise, and he's nuts. He hates all horses. No one can ride either in front of him or behind him. If there's a horse in back of him he kicks, and if there's one in front of him, he bites. That's why you usually see us riding abreast. The trouble with the horse is that he's only bold when I'm mounted. When no one is riding him, he's timid. He's been trained to rear up, and this looks great, even if it does make me look like the Lone Ranger. I just wish he wouldn't rear on my lines. Pinto's are almost always psychos. They're good runners, but they've been inbred so much they're high strung. I'll say one thing for Cochise. He knows where the camera is. He can be standing on the set looking every which way, then someone yells action. As soon as he hears that, he stands still and looks into the camera.” In this episode, Cochise rears up when Joe is following Sam.

Blooper: After Roy Coffee brings a telegraph out to the ranch, Ben crumples it up and goes to throw it into the fire, it hits a log and bounces out. Lorne must have seen it but he continues to look at the fire like the paper is burning up.

In an article from 1962, guest star, Patricia Donahue (Regina Darien), who at one time dated him, talks about Pernell. This is part of the article: Of all the gals in Hollywood , Pat Donahue is one who has been closest to Pernell. However, she limits discussions of him, saying happily, “I’m getting married to Evan Lloyd, the producer, and going to England in December.” Naturally that discounts Patricia from a current romance with Pernell. She says, “Pernell and I are very good friends, and that’s all, but I haven’t seen him in quiet some time. I think Pernell is a very fine actor and he has a lot of strength. I’d say he could be considered as both a romantic and athletic type man. His interests are varied. Out side of acting, he loves the outdoors. The only sport he seems interested in is tennis. He particularly likes driving his car and I think one of his best vacations was that long auto trip he took with his son Chris through New England .”

 Blooper: When Adam and Hoss find the body of the man that Sam shot, Adam has a horseshoe in his belt. Later, Adam and Hoss find a horseshoe that Sam's horse lost and Adam puts it in his belt.

Episode 38. Denver McKee 

In an article in 1961, guest star Myrna Fahey (Dolly) said: “The Exciting thing about a love scene with Mike is that he’s totally unpredictable. We did one intimate scene three times and all the versions were different. During the first one I was feeling a bit nervous, and so Mike was very gentle. He held me tightly and smiled, then kissed me slowly and quietly. How could I stay nervous with a partner like that? The director, though, wasn’t completely satisfied, so we tried the scene again. This time Mike kissed me not so gently, more in the true he-man traditions. It was during this scene that I discovered Mike is not as boyish as he’s often described. It was a very pleasant discovery. By the final scene I had forgotten my nervousness completely and was thoroughly enjoying my work with Mike. He may look like someone’s kid brother, but believe me, his kisses are very grown-up.”

In an article in 1961, guest star Sonja Wilde (Carrie) said: “Mike is really a great screen lover. I think it’s because he has a genuine appreciation of women. Playing a scene with Mike, a girl feels cherished, and that’s a wonderful feeling. His appeal is contradictory, because he combines that of a very masculine he-man with that of a little boy, a sort of quiet confidence and gentleness together. Finally, he’s a good actor. These qualities, in combination, make him an ideal partner for a love scene.” Blooper: In the fight scene at the comanchero camp, Gunnar lifts a man above his head to throw him but he throws a barrel, who then becomes a man again.

In an interview in 1962, guest star, Anna Lisa (Ruth Halversen) said, “I met Pernell when I was new to Hollywood and got my first chance here in the ‘Sugarfoot series,’ Pernell had the villain’s role. He too, was new to Hollywood . He’d just come from New York and I thought he was very, very good in his role. We lost touch for a while; then I was in a very serious automobile accident. I broke my arm and was in a cast from my waist up for about three months. I was surprised and touched to have Pernell Roberts take the time to come and visit me. I hadn’t seen him since ‘Sugarfoot.’ Pernell is a very strong, very virile, very masculine man and in a nice way, a very bossy man on occasions. He is a very opinionated person – but I don’t mean that in a derogatory way. As for working with Pernell, he was very much in it. He gave me a lot to play off. Some actors only say their parts. They don’t send off any messages. They just play the role for themselves. This is very difficult for the actress opposite them. I’ve had some very emotional scenes and it is very difficult to play against a wooden Indian, someone who doesn’t work with you. But Pernell did. He gave me reactions, involvements, all the nuances. When you’re playing love scenes on TV there is never much time. The most a director can do is tell you where to stand, what he wants and you have to work it out from there. Pernell was very cooperative. Because he is such a serious actor, he worked them out with me. We discussed the love scenes and talked them over and we selected what seemed to be the most workable or most effective method. There are hundreds of ways to do a scene. The director gives you just the basic idea. I believe Pernell was instrumental in getting me roles. I like to work with him very much because he gives so much.”

Stella Stevens plays Ann Croft, a deaf mute. The following extracts are from an article – ‘Eleven and a half hours with Mike,’ by Joseph H. Conley Jr, done while they were filming this episode. 8:00a.m. We walked over to stage 14 and there, amid some authentic-looking cliffs, streams, trees and boulders, I met Bob Altman, the well-known, talented writer-director of the show. Mr. Altman explained to Mike that the first shot would be of the big fight scene between Albert Salmi and “Little Joe Cartwright.” Mr. Altman informed Mike and Bob Miles, action supervisor on the show, that he wanted about a minute and a half of fight, ending with Salmi going over the cliff to his death. Roy Jensen, a stunt man and actor, would double Salmi. (Mike does his own fights and stunts.) For the next hour and a half Bob, Roy and Mike worked together to “choreograph” a fantastic fight which included punches, kicks, bear hugs, judo chops, flying tackles, head beatings and dives. 9:45a.m. Dave Salvin blew his whistle and the actors took their positions. The fight began but Bob Altman called “Cut!” after just a few seconds – Mike had rolled out of camera range. They started again and this time the fight was perfect. I haven’t seen such a rock‘em, sock‘em brawl since John Wayne and Ward Bond did that fabulous donnybrook in The Quiet Man. 10:00a.m. After a short break they began to shoot close-ups of the fight which would be spliced into the “master” shot later. 11.20a.m. Miss Stevens and Mike started to rehearse a “little” love scene. They didn’t get very far when lunch was called. 12:00 noon. We entered the commissary and seated ourselves at the table reserved for the Bonanza cast. They all ordered prime ribs of beef and who am I to be different? As soon as the menus were out of sight Mike pulled out a copy of the magazine Road and Track and displayed the cover picture of an XKE Jaguar. They all oohed and aaaahed over it and before long I was hearing about all the autos owned by the cast. I noticed that Mike asked for and got a second order of prime ribs. Why two lunches? His answer was simple enough. “I’m hungry!” 2.30p.m. They now began to shoot a scene which would take the rest of the day. They nicknamed it the “rain sequence.” In the scene a storm comes up complete with lightening and thunder. You can imagine the technical difficulties. The rain is caused by a giant sprinkling system which really rains. The thunder is put in later with sound effects but the lightening was really something to behold. Two large carbon rods which are charged with electricity are brought together. This causes a firing, which is, in effect, lightening. We were all warned not to look at it because it would burn our eyes. In the foreground Mike explains to Stella what sound is and how it is used to communicate. He shows her the lightening and then puts her hand on the ground so that she can feel the rumble of the thunder. Then he places her hand on his throat so that she can feel the vibrations as he talks. He then shows her the “sign” for lightening which is a big “Z”. As they went over and over this scene attempting to get it perfect, I found myself fully entranced with the writing even though there was very little dialogue. 3.30p.m. David Rose, the musical director of the show, came on the set. He told Mike that he especially wanted to see this scene shot because he was going to attempt to blend the emotional feelings of the people with the violent natural happenings of nature. I heard him say that he planned using flutes and a great many strings. 4:00p.m. The script called for Stella to kiss Mike at one point. Mike is then supposed to push her away from him, violently. He felt that the action wasn’t motivated and discussed this with Bob Altman. Bob agreed with him in part but maintained that the push was a necessary story point. In the final take Mike lightly pushed her away after the kiss and I am in agreement that the compromise was most effective.

Guest star Karen Sharpe plays Shari.

Blooper: After Shari is killed, Hoss, Joe and Pa have a whispered conversation. Hoss tells them he thinks Arnie is at Granite's Point. Hoss rides out and Roy comes over to Ben and Joe, they have a conversation, they don't tell Roy where Hoss has gone but Roy says, "You about ready to lead us out to Granite's Point."

Blooper: When Hoss comes back to the hotel, he and Joe sit on their beds and talk. Depending on if the camera is shooting from the back or the front of Michael, Joe's string tie is on/off/on/off/on/off/on - just before he takes his shirt off.

In an article in 1961, guest star Anita Sands (Willow) said: “It’s often difficult to play a love scene and make it ring true, especially if you’ve never met your partner before you walked on the set. Sometimes you get nervous, but Mike puts you at ease. He has a wonderful sense of humor that takes off the pressure, even in a love scene. At the same time, a love scene with Mike is tremendously exciting.”

Blooper: Adam is shot and clutches his right leg but later in the bedroom when he and Joe are talking and Joe leaves, he puts his hand to his left leg, like that is the one that hurts.  Also, after Joe rides off to see the Hoads, we see him with a jacket on, but it is a different colour to the blue one he is wearing in later scenes.

Episode 50. The Bride – First aired on January 21, 1961 . 

Guest star Suzanne Lloyd plays Jennifer Lane.

From an interview with Ziva Rodann (Maria), in 1962. “I do think Pernell is very definitely husband material – if he loved the girl. I think Pernell is interested in things and in people. I’d say he is a combination of the happy-go-lucky and the serious type for he can be extremely happy and carefree at times but can be serious, too. From a strictly masculine appeal standpoint, in working with Mike Landon, Dan Blocker and Pernell on a show together, I think I’d have to admit Pernell appealed to me as a man more than the other two. But then I knew Pernell better than the other two. In the past we’ve had some mutual friends. I really enjoyed working with him. He’s one of the finest actors among those on TV shows and he is easy to work with. I’ll never forget one thing that happened – it wasn’t exactly a joke. While I was doing a dance, in costume, at a Spanish café for the Bonanza show, the zipper on the costume broke. There I was in the altogetherness – for I had nothing on underneath. Of course the director called ‘cut’ – but I suspect there was a lot of footage taken before the camera stopped. I know it rolled on for a few more feet. Sometimes in such cases men are gentleman, and turn their eyes in the other direction. But not this time. Instead there was a very loud burst of applause. The wardrobe lady dashed over to me and wrapped me in a blanket until the dress was fixed. There was a slight, but happy delay in production. Nobody was gallant enough to turn away. Was it gentlemanly to just stand and admire?”  

Blooper: A ranch hand gets shot and is laying in the yard but later when the area is shown again, he is gone.

Blooper: At the beginning during the fight scene, Ben's vest rips right down the side just before he throws Josh Tatum over the hitching post. It mysteriously repairs itself somewhere during the fight.

From an interview with CeCe Whitney (Delphine Marquett) in1962. “I like Pernell. I think he is very nice. But I don’t find that overpowering maleness in him. Steve Cochran, for instance, has that physical maleness. You can’t miss it. Jack Lemmon is a handsome, terribly attractive nice guy. But he doesn’t have it. Mike Landon has it but he’s too young. Pernell and I got along very well. He is lovely to work with. He is a very nice person, very gentle. Pernell is very aware of you as a woman, is very gallant. He’s the type that always helps you with your chair. He’s terribly conscious of the little things. As I particularly like dark men, I do find Pernell physically attractive. While he is warm and friendly, he does not push nor does he open up with people quickly.” The love scene that CeCe and Pernell did together was cut. 

In the original script, there is a scene after Elizabeth (Geraldine Brooks) dies where Ben, unable to accept it, has gotten drunk. According to Andy Klyde that scene was filmed but for some reason it was cut from the episode.

This episode was filmed as an intended pilot for a new television show. At one time Pernell dated the actress who played Lonesome Lil, Caroline Richter. Nancy Greene said that when they were filming this episode she was on the set because Lorne really wanted her to see the horse they were using because it was so smart. The horse did everything the trainer asked it do, from picking up hammers with its mouth to hiding behind rocks.