Actor in "Bonanza"
Mitch Vogel
The Fourth Cartwright Son
"Can you believe that I was still in my playpen when "Bonanza" started?" Mitch Vogel told TV Guide in 1971. "The show is older than my five pegeons, my rabbit and my chameleon combined."
Mitch Vogel joined "Bonanza" in 1970 when he was 13 years old. By 1970 Michael Landon (Little Joe) was 34 and Dan Blocker (Hoss) had passed the big 4-0. Ben's fatherly advice, no matter how well Lorne Greene delivered it, began to sound silly. The father-son bond was key to "Bonanza"'s success and without it the show was on shaky ground. "We got the feeling that the warmth of the show was in danger of being weakened by the absece of the father-son relationship," Dortort explained. Mitch Vogel as Jamie Hunter (later Jamie Cartwright) added much-needed youth to "Bonanza", and became a perfect victim of Ben's fatherly advice.
Working for $3.00 a week!!!
A native of Alhambra, California, Vogel lived with his mother, half-sister and grandmother. His grandmother also doubled as his business manager. While his co-stars were signing multi-million dollar land deals. Vogel's grandmother allowed him $3.00 a week. "It isn't too bad," he said. "I get lunch money too."
Mitch Vogel's credits on stage and in movies
Mitch fell in love with acting in 1966 when his mother took him to see "Peter Pan". He enrolled in the Orange County Performing Arts Foundation, which led to lead parts in community productions of "Tom Sawyer", "Heidi" and "The Wizard of Oz". His performances caught the attention of an agent. Vogel appeared in "Yours, Mine and Ours" with Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball, "The Reivers" with Steve McQueen, and "Menace on the Mountain" and "Bayou Boy", both for the Wonderful World of Disney. In "Bayou Boy", he filmed a scene with an alligator. Mitch was in the lake when the alligator opened its mouth, and Vogel stared down the throat of the giant reptile - the wires on his jaw had snapped. Mitch shoved an oar into the alligator's mouth and made tracks!
The youngest "Bonanza" cast member
The youngest "Bonanza" cast member so far, Mitch earned his co-stars' respect. "It takes a pretty bright kid to change hats as he does and handle the script with such ease," Lorne Greene said. To test Vogel's abilities, during a rehearsal Greene ad-libbed lines and movements. Another kid might have been shaken up, but Mitch kept up.
Ben Cartwright with his sons Hoss & Jamie
Filming "Bonanza" around Vogel's schedule was a new challenge for the cast and crew. According to law a child Vogel's age can work just 4 hours each day and must receive 3 hours of tutoring. To manage that tight schedule, Mitch showed up at 8am sharp and went from makeup and wardrobe to private tutoring. He was also tutored between scenes. This difficult schedule was worth the effort; Mitch added a great deal to the show. In an era of political and social unrest, it was great to hear Ben's advice sounding as fresh as it had many years earlier.
Film & Television Credits
The Virginian: "The Storm Gate" (NBC, 1968)
Gunsmoke: "McCabe" (CBS, 1970)
Bonanza (series, NBC 1970-1973)
The Streets of San Francisco: "Jacob's Boy" (ABC, 1974)
Little House on the Prairie: "The Love of Johnny Johnson" (NBC, 1974)
Little House on the Prairie: "To See the World" (NBC, 1975)
Gunsmoke: "The Hiders (CBS, 1975)
The Quest: "Seventy-Two Hours" (NBC, 1976)
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