A local, crappy cable channel (PAX-channel 68) has been rebroadcasting the old “BONANZA” series fronm the 1960’s. I remember the series as a kid (I liked it), but watching the old reruns are kind of sad-everybody (with the exception of Adam) is now dead! Anyway, the father (Lorne Green) and his three sons inhabit the huge cattle ranch (the “Ponderosa”), located outside Virginia City, Nevada, in the 1880’s. Also living in the ranch house is the chinese cook (Hop Sing), BuT NO WOMEN! So (for you western buffs) were the Cartwright brothers all gay? Was Hop Sing a pervert? Whay no females on the ranch-was old Ben Cartwright opposed to his boys going out for a date? Anyway-I understand that (because of the shortage of females on the range) many of the old-time cowboys tries being gay-was homosexulaity on the frontier a common problem?
If there was shortage of females, then homosexuality would be a solution, not a problem.
Little Joe married in one episode, but she croaked rather than spoil other story lines.
Each kid had a different mother, so Ben at least was, er, persistant where women were concerned.
Sure they were gay… it’s why the map bursts into flames.
Ah.
All is now clear.
The Old West was tough on womenfolk. Seems everytime a Cartwright got involved with a woman, she either died or upped and moved on to San Francisco.
Adam was considered quite the ladies’ man in the early years of the show. Perhaps he scared all the single women out of the Nevada Territory.
The real question was whether Ben was a serial wife-murderer.
Michael Landon was asked this very question by Johnny Carson. Landon’s reply: “No, I want to lay this rumor to rest. The Cartwright men were not gay. Thank God Hop Sing was!”
A classic Carson laugh.
And they went around most of the time with a guy called Candy?
And they went around most of the time with a guy called Candy?
Yes, I know the show was corney-nevertheless, I got the impression that the writers tried to locate the show in a historical period-around 1880 or so. I remember one episode where the Ponderosa was visited by a mysterious Frenchman-who turned out to be the notorious new Orleans pirate -Jean Lafite! Given that Lafite was born ca. 1790, wouldn’t he have been a trifle old to be visiting Nevada in 1880? Also, what was the population of the territory capital (Virginia City) around 1880-seems like Sherif Roy Coffee had plenty of time on his hands-or was Virginia City a peaceful place at the time?
Another one-did “Hoss” ever get married?
I remember hearing that Hoss was the one originally intended to get married, until his death made that an impracticality. So it fell to Little Joe.
I heard that many, many years ago, and I have not corroborated it, so I can’t attest to its accuracy.
And although I don’t think they were gay, I do think all the characters on “Hawaii Five-O” were.
Um, no.
-Dave Cartwright, son of Joe (I kid you not) 
They had to be at least bi, because each brother got hooked up with a girlfriend or three.
And I have proof.
-Robin Cartwright, wife of Dave and mother of Aaron.
Doesn’t anyone realize how un-PC this thread is?? What is this, the fifties? People, let’s keep this board sophisticated!
Johnny Carson asked Michael Landon a veiled question along these lines once and Landon’s very, very funny response was “No, the Cartwright boys weren’t gay. Luckily, Hop Sing was.”
The show was set in the Old West. That means it had nothing to do with any historical period. No one writing the show would have bothered with historical accuracy – which is extremely overrated these days.
Dave was gay?
Historical period: There was an episode called “A House Divided” where the brothers fought in the Civil War.
Little Joe rode for the Pony Express.
What I want to know is how everybody kept finding the Ponderosa. They burned the map!
In the MAD satire, Bananaz, it is revealed that all the Ponderosa men propose to women at the same time. (“The family that honeymoons together eats prunes together!”) This is done to scare the women off, so that the Cartwheels (hey, it’s a satire) don’t have to split the Bananaz wealth with any outsiders.