Bonanza
A Rose for Lotta (Pilot)
Season 1, Episode 1 · Aired 1959-09-12
Synopsis
Western chronicling the adventures of Ben Cartwright and his sons. When Ben refuses to sell his timber to Troy, he recruits Lotta to kidnap Ben's son.
Pilot desk note
From the desk: Bonanza opens its catalog run with “A Rose for Lotta (Pilot)” (1959-09-12). Proved westerns could be glossy, emotional, and endlessly franchisable. On-set power dynamics and the long goodbye of the western era.
In the series
This episode is part of Bonanza (1959–1973) on NBC.
Color TV's cartwright empire — family western as Sunday ritual.
Key cast
- Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
- Michael Landon as Little Joe Cartwright
- Dan Blocker as Hoss Cartwright
- Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright