A few questions about 'Bonanza', please...

ANyone know if season 9-14 will ever be released on DVD?

 

I think the first three seasons were the best. So good in fact, it's almost hard to reconcile it with what it became towards the end, when they were doing whole stories about Hop Sing. Adam left a real hole when he departed. They tried to fill it with that guy Candy, but he was really more of a second Little Joe. Adam was the dark prince of the Ponderosa. Naturally, my favorite episode is an Adam episode, The Crucible, with Lee Marvin. That is some classic television drama.

 

After a 4-year gap between releases, the official ninth season of Bonanza is finally arriving on DVD.

https://www.amazon.com/Bonanza-Official-Ninth-Season-One/dp/B07NR8Q6GP

 

Only one Bonanza episodes is exclusively about Hop Sing [Victor Sen Yung], and that's "The Lonely Man" from the venerable western's penultimate 13th season, broadcast on January 2, 1972. Gut-wrenching performance from Yung btw. Hop Sing is also central to the plot of "Mark of Guilt" from season 10 in December 1968.


The below info comes from the Ponderosa Scenery website.....


404.) The Lonely Man
January 2, 1972
Written by: John Hawkins
Directed by: William F. Claxton

While panning for gold on his vacation, Hop Sing meets and falls in love with a shy woman. Their future plans are dashed when a judge confirms what Ben has told Hop Sing: the law specifically prohibits interracial marriages. An outstanding change-of-pace episode, as well as the only one to feature Victor Sen Yung exclusively.

Guest Stars: Missy...Kelly Jean Peters,...Hop Sing...Victor Sen Yung,...Clem...Bing Russell,...Judge Hill...Peter Hobbs,...Sand...Harry Willis...(uncredited; bit part).

Bonanza Episode Guide: Season 13



316.) Mark Of Guilt
December 15, 1968
Written by: Ward Hawkins, Frank Telford
Directed by: Leon Benson
Lost Episode

Hop Sing tells Hoss and Candy they can use the ancient Chinese art of fingerprinting to prove Joe is innocent of murder.

Guest Stars: Hop Sing...Victor Sen Yung,...Giltner...Dick Foran,...Gort...Alan Bergmann,...Davis...Michael Vandever,...Younger...Sam Greene,...Jackson...Lou Frizzell,...Judge...Gordon Dilworth,...Roy Coffee...Ray Teal,..Bob Miles...(uncredited; stunts for Sam Greene),...Hal Burton...(uncredited; extra as juror).

Trivia: Victor Sen Yung, making a special guest star appearance, along with Alan Bergmann, as the prosecuting attorney, previously seen in seven's, "Home From The Sea", as Gilly. Lou Frizzell makes his debut, this time, as Tom, the stable owner, later seen in eleven's, "The Horse Traders", as Dusty Rhoades, who would replace David Canary (Candy), in season twelve as the above character. Hal Burton, seen as a member of the jury, in this episode.

Trivia: Bob Miles doubles for actor Sam Greene (Younger), in the savage fight when Little Joe goes over to his ranch, to retrieve Hop Sing's pigtail. Bob is visible in the close-ups and some long shots, and Sam Greene does a few himself.

Location Scenes Filmed at: Agoura, Southern California with 1961 stock shots of Joe on horseback at Janss Conejo Ranch, June 1964 stock footage at Keyesville and Kernville, June 1968 stock footage of the Ponderosa Ranch replica and June 1962 stock footage of Hoss at Gooseneck Meadow, Truckee, California.

Bonanza Episode Guide: Season 10

 

I heard him say on television some time after him leaving the role, perhaps on The Tonight Show, he didn't think it was realistic for his character to be calling Greene, 'Pa' at his character's age.

Don't know if he personally didn't like the sound of 'Paw', or just the idea of having to address his father as a 'Dad' figure, as opposed to 'Ben'.