Bonanza had a well-rounded cast that helped the Western television series launch with incredible success with a 14-season run. However, NBC didn’t initially hold much faith in creator David Dortort to make the right decisions. As a result, they wanted him to cast well-known actors to draw in audiences. Dortort retorted that he would only agree to their terms if Oscar-winning actor Marlon Brando himself agreed to star in Bonanza.
‘Bonanza’ creator David Dortort ran into problems with NBC
According to David R. Greenland’s Bonanza: A Viewer’s Guide to the TV Legend, Dortort was initially extremely pleased with the idea of having free reign to create what he wanted. He loved American history and wanted to dig into a Western narrative. Nevertheless, NBC met the creator with opposition rather quickly.
Dortort had two demands to allow his vision come to life–filming in color and on-location at Lake Tahoe. NBC was open to considering the location on a limited basis, but they were concerned about the additional costs of broadcasting in color. This was at a time when no other network was doing so. However, Dortort called it “sacrilegious” to shoot in “one of the most beautiful spots in the country” in black-and-white.
David Dortort would only cast known actors in ‘Bonanza’ if Marlon Brando said ‘yes’
However, the network issues were still far from over. The studio turned down Dortort’s idea to cast unknown actors in the leading roles. They feared that they were spending more money on previous requests, so they wanted to ensure that audiences tuned in with recognizable faces. Dortort’s words in Bonanza: A Viewer’s Guide to the TV Legend indicated that unless they cast Brando, he refused to allow them to take over.
“Television makes its own stars,” Dortort said. “I told the network I knew my people, I had written the parts with them in mind. If Marlon Brando, who was then at his peak, would do the show, I’d change my mind. Otherwise, either go with my four guys, or let’s forget the whole idea.”
After all, he noted that NBC initially overlooked the talents of Jackie Gleason, Lucille Ball, and Gunsmoke‘s James Arness. They all became timeless starts who initially needed a chance to prove themselves.
Audiences grew to love the cast
Dortort had a remarkable sense with his Brando remarks regarding the cast of Bonanza. The show ultimately brought one of the most lovable ensembles to ever grace television screens. In fact, the cast became so integrated into the show’s identity that every week switched up the billing at the beginning of the episode.
Bonanza landed at the top of the ratings for three consecutive years between 1964 and 1967. This was largely thanks to the cast that included the likes of Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts, Victor Sen Yung, Ray Teal, among others.