Bonanza

Pernell Roberts: The Dark Cartwright

Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright "I feel like I'm an aristocrat in my field of endeavor," Pernell Roberts said in a 1965 interview, just after his last season. "My being part of Bonanza was like Isaac Stern sitting in with Lawrence Welk."
Confessing later that Bonanza was not what he thought it was when he signed his contract, Pernell Roberts hated the show almost from the beginning. He felt the scripts appealed to a low mentality and accused NBC of producing mediocrity while avoiding controversy. He said starring on "Bonanza" was hard on his conscience. Dubbing the show a "reprehensible lie, he was infuriated that Bonanza glorified the wealthy when poverty was widespread. He also objected to the objectifying of women, pandering to women's fantasies of being carried off by a Cartwright.

Roberts tried for years to cancel his Bonanza contract. Threatened by NBC executives that he would never work there or anywhere else again, he completed his six-year contract (1959-1965) by walking through his part. He told reporters he never read the scripts; he just said whatever lines he was told to. Yet the producers insisted he was doing a great job. "Those silly asses, Roberts said, "You give them one tenth of what a scene requires and they thinks its great."

Pernell Roberts had defied establishment his entire life. He was born in Waycross, Georgia, on May 18, 1928. An only child in a southern family. His father was a soft-drink salesman. His poor discipline caused Adam Cartwright & his folkshim to flunk out of college three times, once at Georgia Tech and twice at the University of Maryland. He served two years in the Marines between schools. Pernell had an experience as a youth in church that led to his life-long work against racism. He describes it like this: "I was teaching a Sunday school class at one of the churches in Waycross, Georgia, where I grew up. And the lesson dealt with equality and all of us being one under the eyes of God. All of a sudden it hit me!! This isn't true! The church was/is the most segregated place one day a week there is in our country. And it's so ironical and so tragic that here's a philosophy which preaches and teaches human understanding and brotherly love and practices, in essence, the most vicious form of human relationship there is."

At the University of Maryland Pernell took up acting. He appeared in four plays at the University theater, then went to summer stock in Cleveland and to Washington DC's Arena Theater, where he appeared in (appropriately) The Fireband. After two years with the Arena group he did minor productions in New York and Wisconsin. He eventually won a part in Broadway's The Lovers with Joanne Woodward. The Broadway appearance led to film work in Desire Under the Elms (Paramount, 1957). This brought him to David Dortort's attention.

Two years later he began a role that would have a major effect on the rest of his life:
"Bonanza"'s Adam Cartwright.

Cast of Bonanza
Dan Blocker, Michael Landon, Lorne Greene and Pernell Roberts

"Bonanza", in spite of the popularity of westerns at the time and the addition of colour in what had previously been a black-and-white medium, was not an immediate hit. During the next few years, though, it would climb to the top and remain there.

Adam holding gun Behind the scenes, there were soon problems on the set. Pernell Roberts was concerned that the show was sexist, racist and violent. Producer David Dortort and others were equally worried about making changes to a show that was proving so successful. Robert's defiant attitude on the set earned him the nickname "the bad boy of the Ponderosa". He called the closeness of the Cartwright family a fraud and complained that he was playing only "one-fourth of a character". The antagonism between he and his costars was no secret, especially his problems with Michael Landon. "You can imagine how it is for an actor to be delivering his lines and get nothing but a blank stare from the person he is talking to, Landon said. "...Pernell said he only gave 10 percent of his creative effort to the show. Well, maybe 20 percent would have helped us a little more.
Six years into the show Roberts' contract was up, and Pernell refused to sign another. Adam Cartwright was written out of the show, his fate left uncertain in case Roberts ever decided to return. He didn't.
In an interview immediately after leaving "Bonanza, Roberts gave Landon an extremely backhanded apology. "When he asked why I wanted to leave the show, I told him, Pernell said. "I pointed out that there was not an equality of competence among the actors, that he himself was untrained, that he was perpetuating bad acting habits. I meant all this constructively. I was trying to convey that he was not getting the fullest potential from his talent. I was attempting to say that he wasn't developing himself. Somehow he took it as a personal attack. He never forgot. I'm sorry."
Robert's fans adored his dark, brooding presence, so much that he usually got more fan mail than any of this three costars.

Pernell Roberts left Bonanza at the end of the 1965 season without a farewell episode; occasionally it was mentioned later that Adam had gone to California, back east, Europe or the sea. His departure from the show is considered among the worst mistakes in television history, comparable only to McLean Stevenson's departure from M*A*S*H.
Lorne Greene urged him to stay, take his fortune (in 1965 he was earning $10,000 per episode, plus residuals) and buy his own studio where he could produce more "worthwhile" programs. But immediately after his departure Roberts told reporters he wouldn't go back for a million dollars. "I have only one life to waste, he said.
He incorrectly assumed his Bonanza fame would put him in demand for more significant roles. Instead, he was forced to take any role available, including dinner theater, summer stock, and guest appearances on Marcus Welby, Perry mason and, ironically Gunsmoke.
In the fifteen years that followed Pernell Roberts would make a number of movies, make guest appearances in a variety of television shows, work on the stage and even do a television version of the musical "Carousel". He stopped wearing the toupe he had used on "Bonanza" and grew a moustache, then a beard. To the viewing public, however, he was still Adam Cartwright.

Pernell as Trapper John, M.D. Somewhat ironically, it was another television series that introduced a new generation of viewers to Roberts in a very different way. In the title role of "Trapper John, M.D" Roberts played an older version of the "M.A.S.H." character, now head of a major American hospital. The show was primarily a drama, but included some great comedy and romance. The middle-aged, bearded doctor bore little resemblence to Adam Cartwright, and allowed Roberts to be accepted by the public in different parts.

Although "Trapper John, M.D." did not have the long run of "Bonanza", it was an international hit. The show dropped in ratings and was finally cancelled, however, after the loss of actor Gregory Harrison, who played Dr. "Gonzo" Gates.

In the early 1990's Pernell Roberts starred in his third, and so far his last, television series. He was the host of the short-lived "FBI: The Untold Stories". The show had a controversial beginning, featuring in its first episode the story of Woody Harrelson's imprisoned father. It never really caught on, though, and was soon replaced.

Today Roberts continues to work on stage, screen and television. His most recent television appearance was in February, 1997, in an episode of "Diagnosis: Murder". He is recently divorced from his third wife, and has one son, Christopher. He expresses no regrets at leaving the fame and money of "Bonanza" behind, and continues his long and varied career.

For the real Pernell fans:
Try this new Desktop Theme for Windows 95!
made by Karen Millard

Small photo of Pernell Roberts

Please click on Pernell Roberts for the Desktop Theme!
This is a windows 95 Plus! Desktop Theme

Please enjoy!

Problems?  Suggestions?
Please, drop me a line at this special "Bonanza" E-Mail address

Mailbox

The background music on this page is an old English folk song called "Early One Morning". Pernell Roberts sang this song in a "Bonanza" episode called "The Wooing of Abigail Jones" (episode 90)
and also on the "Ponderosa Party Time" album.
Album cover


Pernell also put out one solo album in 1963, a collection of folk songs entitled
"Come All Ye Fair And Tender Ladies".




Back to the Pernell Roberts page Pernell Roberts or to the homepage Home of the Cartwrights


This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1