Despite his shortened tenure as the eldest Cartwright son, Adam, Pernell Roberts had a tumultuous relationship with Bonanza at best. In an interview with the Miami-Herald, Roberts took responsibility for a majority of his unhappiness on the series. He said of series creator David Dortort and his former costars, “It wasn’t their fault. It was mine. The thing became a real crusher, mentally, for me. I even went to a doctor for help.”
According to an interview with The Daily News Leader, Roberts said “I left Bonanza because I wanted to expand as an actor. Playing the same character week after week no longer was a challenge to me. The money, was great, sure, but I had to decide if I wanted just the money or a chance to prove myself as an actor. I chose the latter and found that almost everyone thought I was crazy.”
Even after he finally got his wish and departed Bonanza, Roberts found that he still couldn’t escape from the Cartwright’s shadow. “I was being offered jobs, but they were all parts like Adam Cartwright. I had to just sit and wait until something came along that would show a different side of me. I worked, but I wasn’t happy.”
Luckily, Roberts kept at it and was able to find a career in acting that made him happy to go to work in the morning.
He stated, “It’s been a long road, but they always say that the hardest part of a journey is the first steps. My feet sure didn’t do much moving at first, but now I’m enjoying the holes in my shoes.”