By Laura Salas
Canadian actor and musician Lorne Greene landed the role of Ben Cartwright, the widowed patriarch of the clan. In 2007, a TV Guide survey listed Cartwright as TV’s #2 favorite father. Greene died in 1987 at the age of 72 due to complications from pneumonia, but not before appearing in numerous TV shows and films through his career.
Guy Williams was offered to play the role of Adam Cartwright. Williams refused and decided to play the role of Zorro instead. While he never took on a main role, he did appear on five episodes of the show as cousin Will Cartwright. His character was created as a replacement for Pernell Roberts in case he ever walked off the show. Guess they sensed something was up with Roberts early on!
Hoss Cartwright was actually named Eric Haas Cartwright. His family and other characters on the show always used the nickname “Hoss” which was a play on his middle name.
Every woman that Cartwright fell in love with either ended up dead or left town. It became a joke among the show’s actors and fans and there was obviously a “Cartwright Curse.” We would have settled for just one marriage that lasted but this dad was obviously cursed to raise his kids as a strong father figure with no mom in sight.
Many of the actors on the show wore toupees, including Blocker, Roberts, and Green. Landon’s hair however was all real.
