The Shocking Loss: Dan Blocker’s Final Episode
As Bonanza entered its thirteenth season, no one could have predicted the storm that was about to hit. On May 13, 1972, the world was shocked by the news of Dan Blocker’s sudden death due to complications from gallbladder surgery. The show’s creators were faced with an unthinkable challenge: how to continue without one of its most beloved characters.
Unlike today, where the death of a character can be addressed with the snap of a scriptwriter’s pen, Blocker’s death was a real, profound loss for the Bonanza family. The writers chose to address the situation head-on by writing Hoss’s death into the storyline. This decision set the stage for one of the most heart-wrenching episodes ever filmed.
The episode, titled “Forever,” is a masterclass in understated emotion. It begins with the Cartwright family grappling with the loss of Hoss. The show never explicitly mentions how Hoss dies, focusing instead on the emotional aftermath. The pain and sorrow depicted by the actors weren’t just performances—they were expressions of genuine grief. The tears shed by Lorne Greene (Ben Cartwright) and Michael Landon (Little Joe) were real, as they were not just mourning the loss of Hoss, but also their dear friend, Dan Blocker.
A Turning Point for ‘Bonanza’
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