The big Bonanza quiz

Here in the West, we're quizzin' the best, Bonanza!

Fans of Bonanza know each episode meant a new adventure, loving every second of the long-running TV Western that dependably smacked you in the feels with riveting drama, but also knew how to hit your funny bone, too.

If you stuck through to follow every along with every episode of Bonanza, have we got a trail of questions for you to follow next!

Scroll through the quiz below that occasionally trods into deep trivia territory and discover how big a Bonanza fan you really are. Good luck!

Watch Bonanza on MeTV!

Monday - Saturday at 2 PM

*available in most MeTV markets
  1. What was the name of the Cartwrights' ranch?
  2. In what state did the Cartwright family live?
  3. How many seasons in total did Bonanza run?
  4. What is the name of the actor who played Hoss?
  5. What was Ben's son Joseph’s nickname?
  6. In what year did Bonanza debut?
  7. What was the name of Bonanza’s series creator?
  8. In what decade was the show originally set?
  9. How many former wives does Ben Cartwright have?
  10. What was Hop Sing’s job on the Cartwright ranch?
  11. What is the correct order of Cartwright sons, from oldest to youngest?
  12. Which son built the Cartwright’s ranch house?
  13. What was Hoss’ given name?
  14. Which Bonanza star eventually went on to write and direct episodes?
  15. What was the name of the Sheriff of Virginia City?
  16. What was the name of Ben’s adopted son on the show?
  17. Who wrote the Bonanza theme song?
  18. Which actor from the show started the popular Bonanza Steakhouse chain?
  19. How many Bonanza TV movies were there?
  20. Bonanza was the first network TV Western to:
  21. What car company remained a sponsor of the show for its entire run?
  22. Griff King was in prison for attacking which of his family members before he joined the Ponderosa as a ranch hand?
  23. In which year did Bonanza first become the No. 1 show on television?
  24. For which of these holidays did Hoss NOT dress in a funny costume?
  25. Speaking of outfits, in which season did the main characters adopt the costumes that they’re now known for wearing?
  26. The actor who played Ben’s nephew Will Cartwright famously went on to star in which sci-fi series?
  27. On that sci-fi note, which Star Trek star did NOT appear on Bonanza?
  28. Which famous writer showed up as a character in a first season episode of Bonanza?
  29. Before settling on the Ponderosa, Ben Cartwright captained a ship docked in what city?
  30. In what year did the Bonanza series end?

The big Bonanza quiz

Your Result...

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque nec ante ipsum. Mauris viverra, urna et porta sagittis, lorem diam dapibus diam, et lacinia libero quam id risus.
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
Close

13 Comments

Snickers 28 months ago
19/30 Didn't know Bonanza ran for 14 years.
Cowgirl 55 months ago
You got 30 out of 30
A tip of Hoss' ten-gallon hat to you, Bonanza expert!
I wish Pernell Roberts had stayed with the series.
Whomever wrote this quiz needs to spend more time watching the show. Questions 12 & 29 are wrong. Adam did not build the house. He designed & helped his father build it but he did not build it by himself. Ben was not the captain of the ship & he did not sail out of New Orleans. He was first mate on his future father-in-law's ship, the Wanderer and sailed out of Boston. Adam was born in Boston. Joe was always calling him 'Yankee Granite Head' and in the season 1 episode, 'A House Divided', Joe and Adam argued over which side to support in the Civil War. Since Adam was born in Boston, he supported the Union while Joe's mother was from New Orleans so he leaned toward supporting the Confederacy.
Dale 56 months ago
Got 'em all. YEEEE HAAAA!
rycki1138 59 months ago
28 out of 30
A tip of Hoss' ten-gallon hat to you, Bonanza expert!
ndebrabant 59 months ago

You got 30 out of 30
A tip of Hoss' ten-gallon hat to you, Bonanza expert!
EllisClevenger 60 months ago
You got 24 out of 30
A tip of Hoss' ten-gallon hat to you, Bonanza expert!
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?