After Bonanza ended, Lorne Greene became interested in science fiction

Fans were used to seeing Greene in the Ponderosa, but science fiction helped him travel to outer space.

Lorne Greene portrayed Ben Cartwright on Bonanza for 14 seasons. That's over a decade of wearing vintage clothing that reflected living in the West and using terminology that was outdated at the time.

Greene was able to focus on a few different things during the series run, like music. However, many of his albums were Western-inspired, and it seemed like he couldn't detach himself from the genre.

That is until the show ended, and he had to put his focus elsewhere. Five years after Bonanza said goodbye to its dedicated fans, Greene appeared in another series, Battlestar Galactica. This time instead of living in the West, outer space was his home.

Starring in the Sci-Fi action-adventure show made Greene very interested in science fiction. He was so interested that he indulged in the genre often.

A Chicago Tribune article from 1978 stated, "Greene said he read about 30 science fiction books to get a mindset on this thing called outer space." The actor played Commander Adama, his planet's president, a military and spiritual leader who gathers human survivors aboard a giant warship-spaceship during the destruction of their planet by evil forces.

Greene also watched about two dozen science fiction films, including Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Blob, The Thing, 2001, and It Came From Outer Space.

"I'm so engrossed in science fiction stuff that I've become starstruck," he told the Chicago Tribune in 1978. He was already interested in making Earth a better place, but his new love for outer space strengthened that connection even more.

Greene even had a message for those who loved outer space and science fiction as much as he did. "While everyone has this great fascination for outer space, let's not lose sight of our own planet."

It's safe to say that the actor was born to lead, helping out others and being the leader in the Ponderosa and space.

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17 Comments

Rae49 1 month ago
I'm a Lorene Greene fan too
Avie 1 month ago
I was introduced to Greene on the set of "Battlestar Galactica" at Universal Studios in late spring of 1978. He was very gracious and warm, asking me to have lunch with him and the cast.

It's a very fond memory, particularly a funny story (which i won't repeat here) he told about a bit of cheeky irreverence he directed at David Sarnoff, the founder and chairman of NBC during Greene's time doing "Bonanza," at a network party they both attended.
KentuckyPhil69 1 month ago
As a devout Lorne Greene fan, would love to see Battlestar Galactica on MeTV!!!! Just saying... Anything would be better than green acres and Hogan's heroes!!!
A week ago, or so. I was at my local Wal-Mart,and I noticed the DVD of all the seasons on the original "Battlestar...". Is somebody giving me a sign???
I hear ya! Would love to come across that!
Gossemer KentuckyPhil69 1 month ago
While I respectfully disagree with the Hogan' s heroes thing. I so agree with Battlestar Galactica. It was on a long time ago. But would love to have it back. That show had all of it. Brotherhood, courage, action. Careing for others. Not like todays shows of self absorbance
KentuckyPhil69 Gossemer 1 month ago
You got that right!
OVkid 1 month ago
I got to see Lorne Greene in person when I was a kid in 1969. I was in disbelief that I was actually seeing Ben Cartwright in real life. He was very gracious.
Mblack 1 month ago
By the time Battlestar Galactica came on, I'd been reading science fiction for a decade, and seen SF movies that came before Star Wars.

This reminds me of William Shatner's SF interests.
Karellen 1 month ago
Does this article mean Battlestar Galactica is returning to METV?
Pacificsun Karellen 1 month ago

Well, they haven't had a change to "Sci-Fi" Saturday (overnight hours) in 5 years.
Moody Karellen 1 month ago
Battlestar Galactica is available on Tubi which is a free streaming service.
Runeshaper Karellen 1 month ago
That would be EXCELLENT!
LoveMETV22 1 month ago


I wonder 🤔🤔..... What the double might have said?
LoveMETV22 1 month ago
This comment has been removed.
Rob 1 month ago
Wow, he read 30 books and watched two dozen movies? That would take me years to accomplish!
CaptainDunsel Rob 1 month ago
...and a couple of months for any true "sci-fi geek".
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