Bonanza: The Return

Bonanza: The Return is a 1993 American Western made-for-television film. It is a sequel to both the 1959–1973 television series Bonanza and the 1988 made-for-television film Bonanza: The Next Generation. The film was directed by Jerry Jameson^[1] and featured noted character actors Ben Johnson, Jack Elam, Dean Stockwell, Linda Gray, and Richard Roundtree. The film premiered on NBC on November 28, 1993.

Bonanza: The Return
Theatrical release poster
Genre	Western
Based on	Bonanza by David Dortort
Teleplay by	Michael McGreevey
Story by	Michael Landon Jr. Michael McGreevey Tom Brinson
Directed by	Jerry Jameson
Starring	Ben Johnson Michael Landon Jr. Emily Warfield
Music by	Bruce Miller
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	David Dortort Tom Sarnoff
Producer	Kent McCray
Production locations	San Andreas, California Tahoe Meadows, Lake Tahoe, California Warner Ranch, Calabasas, California Sierra Railroad, Jamestown, California Ponderosa Ranch - 100 Ponderosa Ranch Road, Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, Nevada Ponderosa Wagon Camp, Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, California
Cinematography	Haskell B. Boggs
Editor	John Loeffler
Running time	93 minutes
Production companies	Legend Entertainment NBC Productions
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	November 28, 1993 (1993-11-28)
Related
Bonanza: The Next Generation Bonanza: Under Attack

Production

None of the characters from the original series appears since the entire cast, with the exception of Pernell Roberts and David Canary, were dead. Michael Landon Jr. and Dirk Blocker, sons of the original series's stars, do appear, although Blocker, who looked and sounded almost exactly like his father, was cast in a different, smaller role but his face and voice were featured prominently in the commercials advertising the film. Bonanza: The Return was followed two years later with the TV-movie Bonanza: Under Attack. David Canary, who portrayed Candy Canaday on the original series, was not involved with either TV-movie.

Plot

The setting is The Ponderosa in the year 1905. Augustus Brandenburg (Dean Stockwell), a land baron, attempts to take the Ponderosa first by legal, and then by illegal means, in order to strip the land of its natural resources. The story includes several flashbacks to the original series.

Partial cast

• Ben Johnson as Bronc Evans
• Michael Landon Jr. as "Benj" Cartwright
• Emily Warfield as Sara Cartwright
• Alistair MacDougall as Adam "A.C." Cartwright Jr.
• Brian Leckner as Josh Cartwright
• Richard Roundtree as Jacob Briscoe
• Jack Elam as Buckshot
• Dirk Blocker as Walter Fenster
• David Sage as Miller Swanson
• Stewart Moss as Preston McAdam
• Dean Stockwell as Augustus Brandenburg
• Linda Gray as Abigail "Laredo" Stimmons
• John Ingle as Judge Jefferson MacKenzie
• Archie Lang as Dr. Green
• Richard Fullerton as Head Surveyor
• Charles Gunning as Otis

Reception

Variety said, "Barring a big-screen version, it may be time to let the Cartwrights ride off into the sunset."^[2]