# Obvious things about a creative work you realize after the millionth time (OPEN SPOILERS POSSIBLE) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117 "2009-07-24T13:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 274
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2023, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5467 "2023-08-18T03:23:43Z")
I guess I never gave thought to HOW FUCKING BIG the Ponderosa is. Its a small state. How did four guys and one cook run it?? And how much would a 640000 acre ranch on Lake Tahoe be worth today? A trillion?? ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2023, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5468 "2023-08-18T03:33:14Z")
$100,000,000 adjusted to today’s prices: > **[How Much Would The Ponderosa Be Worth Today?](https://www.ownyourownfuture.com/how-much-would-the-ponderosa-be-worth-today/)** > > The 1960s television show Bonanza captivated audiences with its portrayal of the wealthy Cartwright family and their sprawling Nevada ranch known as the Ponderosa. Even decades later, fans still wonder: just how much would the ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2023, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5469 "2023-08-18T04:02:45Z")
I feel thats way under. The ranch or theme park whatever it was…was sold for 38 million and it was 24 acres. Now I get thats the prime part of the property if it were real…but still, it {The fictional Ponderosa} borders almost the entirety of the east side of Lake Tahoe. 100 million is 156 dollars per acre of land. Given the Ponderosa was 640,000 acres ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2023, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5470 "2023-08-18T06:41:24Z")
Here’s a website that estimates $2,000,000,000: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonanza/comments/srr6td/the\_ponderosa\_and\_the\_cartwrights\_today/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonanza/comments/srr6td/the_ponderosa_and_the_cartwrights_today/) Tell us how you make your estimate, showing us what proportion of the land is used for each possible use of it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2023, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5471 "2023-08-18T16:08:07Z")
> [@Pavelb1](#): > > How did four guys and one cook run it?? And how much would a 640000 acre ranch on Lake Tahoe be worth today? They mention ranch hands quite a few times and a couple played roles. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5472 "2023-08-18T17:21:05Z")
Given the “Cartwright Curse”…and doesn’t Adam become a widower within weeks of marrying\*…I doubt they would have surviving heirs. One child per marriage isn’t a good strategy for extended family. - Wait…no…that was Jarrod Barkley. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2023, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5473 "2023-08-23T00:05:53Z")
Ok, can I just say that I was today years old when I realized “flipper” referred to both the dolphins fins AND his somersault trick? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2023, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5474 "2023-08-23T00:36:49Z")
Uhhh… Me, too. 🤦 ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2023, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5475 "2023-08-23T10:35:41Z")
I just noticed the parallel between Eddie Valiant’s visit to Toontown and Alice’s visit to Wonderland. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5476 "2023-08-24T00:53:18Z")
I just realized that John Gielgud and John Houseman are not the same person. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5477 "2023-08-24T00:56:40Z")
Or John Hillerman? (My wife will tell you that I’m notoriously bad with actors.) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5478 "2023-08-24T01:03:23Z")
Good one. But i associate Hillerman so strongly with Tatum/Ryan O’Neal and Tom Selleck, I can keep him straight. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5479 "2023-08-24T01:19:03Z")
Well, I’m the guy who keeps thinking **Scarlett** Johansson has red hair. (It’s actually Julianne Moore.) ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5480 "2023-08-24T05:03:41Z")
While Dom Deluise, James Coco and Peter Boyle used to be the go to for this sort of thing… These days its ridiculous. Samara Weaving and Margot Robbie are nigh indistinguishable from each other ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5481 "2023-08-24T16:33:44Z")
I’ve often wondered why some of those similar-looking actors haven’t been cast as siblings, parent-child, etc. For example, Rod Steiger and Carrol O’Connor. There are better examples. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5482 "2023-08-24T16:42:32Z")
Rod Steiger and Carrol O’Connor both played the same character in the movie and TV versions of In the Heat of the Night . ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5483 "2023-08-24T16:44:54Z")
Yes, of course. I think you know what I meant and are just pointing that out? ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5484 "2023-08-24T16:45:48Z")
Yes, sorry, didn’t mean to sound like I was contradicting you. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5485 "2023-08-24T16:48:53Z")
Thanks, I didn’t take it that way. 😀 If what I’m getting at is actually an interesting possibility, maybe it hasn’t happened much or at all because of actors’ contracts (studios having exclusive rights), or maybe it would be confusing for viewers if the actors looked too similar. I wish I could think of better examples right now, because I’ve thought of a lot of them in the past. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/5486 "2023-08-24T17:12:34Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > I’ve often wondered why some of those similar-looking actors haven’t been cast as siblings It worked for Schwarzenegger and Devito. The role of Mary Cooper (Sheldon’s mom) on **The Big Bang Theory** was originated by Laurie Metcalf. On the prequel series **Young Sheldon** the role is played by her daughter Zoe Perry. In the **Shawshank Redemption** , the mug shot of Morgan Freeman’s Red is actually a photo of his son. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117.md?page=273) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117.md?page=275)