Thanks!

I was about fifteen when Dan Blocker passed away, and I can assure you this country grieved at his loss. What a wonderful man.

Hoss was my favorite Bonanza character. Even though I was no longer watching Bonanza at the time, I remember the sadness I and my family felt at the news of his passing. It is even more tragic now that I realize how young he was. Dan came across as someone you would really like as your neighbor.

I’m in wood county just a few miles from dekalb county. There’s a ranch nearby that Dan owned. He’s still remembered fondly locally and as a hometown hero. He had a reputation of being a strong, intelligent, and gentle man who wanted to make everyone smile. He was always smiling. Ironically my oldest daughter married his great nephew. Her last name is now Blocker. Her husband, Dans great nephew is a firefighter. Go figure.

Hoss and the Leprechauns was one of the best Bonanza episodes of all time.

Dan's heart was bigger than all outdoors. Beautiful man talented, loving husband, father, and friend to all he met. I guess a good memory would be gentle giant.

Excellent presentation. Dan died just before I graduated from high school. Everyone was so upset. He was so loved, so it's wonderful to know he was a great guy. 👍

Didn't expect to end this episode in tears, what a great man.

Hoss was my favorite character on bonanza because he was such a gentle giant. ❤

Dan Blocker is what this world needs 😀😀 Many Blessings for the beautiful example bring hope to the world 🙏🙏

My family & I watched Bonanza all the time. We were stunned to hear of Mr. Blocker's passing. He, indeed, was the gentle giant. I wonder what his students thought about him becoming a well-known actor; it must have been a hoot for them to say, "Hey, he was my teacher." I also remember seeing his Son on TV, especially the episode on M*A*S*H; he's the spitting image of his Dad, just a little shorter.

Dan was one of a kind. Thank you for highlighting this great man. Truly inspiring!

I remember watching Bonanza as a little girl and feeling a special fondness to the Hoss character. I enjoy the show to this day! 🌼

i grew up watching Bonanza & loved Hoss. I'm 70 yrs old & will forever love this guy. You could feel the kindness of this man which absolutely made you love the character of Hoss.

Dan passed away when I was a kid. It was so very sad. About 30 years ago I had the privilege of visiting the Ponderosa set near Truckee. What an honor. I love watching reruns of the show. This was such a touching tribute to Dan. One again you hit it out of the park. Thank you sir.

Dan Blocker is my cousin - thanks for doing your research and having proper facts - thanks for a great video. ~Jack, VEG

I had visited the Ponderosa Ranch a few times and still the poster of the opening scene hanging on my wall, loved Hoss.

A documentation about my favorite Bonanza character? Yee-haw!!!🤠

I Remember the Bonanza Restaurant, I Ate There Quite Often With My Family. Really Enjoyed It, There was One in Fort Wayne Indiana. Not the Same when Ponderosa Took over. Now they Suck in my opinion. Thanks for Sharing This. I Loved Bonanza. It Still is Streaming Somewhere over The Tv Stations I'm Sure. You Made My Day.😀🙂😊🥰🐾

I loved him and cried when I heard he had passed away (which was 15 years later), as a German I only heard of his passing because the passing of Lorne Greene was on a German news show in 1987. Dan Blocker will always be my favorite character, a guy you´d want as your dad, uncle, brother, best friend, neighbor, co-worker.

This one made me cry at the end….i went to war and that beer story got me. If there were only more like him.

Dan was one of my first crushes as a very young girl. I had good taste. Audi Murphy was another one. I wanted to marry Dan when I grew up. He was a great guy. Thank you for making this. ❤

My favorite Bonanza character. My dad's too. My dad was 5'6" and weighed 138 lbs. He thought the big guy was the best. Reminded him of his Captain in WW2. Big, strong, smart and a great leader.

I met his oldest son at work in 1998. He looks just like his father and was really nice. The crew he had called him Hoss. What a nice memory ❤❤❤❤

He was a huge Gentleman! I loved his acting, he was a natural! Also you could tell his heart was huge also.

When I was a kid in 1964 my Dad was a radio-TV guy in Saskatoon and he brought Dan Blocker home one night for supper! Dan Blocker was doing some sort of publicity tour with Lorne Green at that time. My Mom is a great cook and I recall him being so grateful for a 'home cooked' meal. I also recall my elder sister proclaiming her love for him at the dinner table and that he was the man she would marry which caused Dan to blush profusely while everyone laughed because she was 7 years old. He was as everyone says a gentle, kind and loving giant of a man who was soft spoken and quick to smile and laugh. RIP Dan Blocker and say 'howdy' to my Paw. 💖

Dan Blocker came to my school when I was a kid and he was my hero as a kid. It's one of my favorite memories because of the joy expressed on his face as he welcomed every one of us one on one. We waited in line and he treated every single one of us as if we were the only other person in the room. That's a powerful lesson as a kid. Thank you Dan Blocker. ❤️

I met Dan when I was a kid at Frontier Land in NC...He was just like you saw him on TV, very friendly and made you feel like you've known him for years...He signed his autograph "Hoss", which I still have to this day.

I met Dan Blocker in Schwabs Drugstore on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. I accidentally stept on his foot and appologized. He smiled and said he didn't even feel it.

People don’t understand how much this man was genuinely loved by so many! Thanks for posting! I was 12 when he died, and everyone was so completely shocked by his passing. Even today, after 50 years, this actor is still missed! He was a gentle giant among men! (I even bussed tables at a BonanzaPonderosa restaurant in Fairfield CT as a teenager!). This guy was GREAT! Thanks for remembering him.

I remember watching the bonanza TV show, I was also a middle Son of three sons, and I remember wanting to be like Hoss Cartright for as big and strong as he was, He was always portrayed as a very kind man, and now I know he was in real life to , Great video thank you

In the 60's, Bonanza was also very popular in Taiwan, it was called "牧野風雲", The Ranch.

I happened upon this video, and am blown away! Mr. Blocker was a genuine big-hearted hero, whose amazing qualities aren't seen enough in this world. I'm glad that he had a great marriage, and four children.

This was a very nice video. I loved Bonanza when I was growing up. Dan Blocker was obviously a very fine person.

As a youngster I watched Bonanza .Never missed a show .Being a big kid myself i kind of looked up to him .when i found out that he had past away , like so many others I cried and my heart nearly broke.

I can testify to Dan's kind and caring personality. When I was about 18, (1967 or 68) me and three friends went to a place on the northern outskirts of Wichita Falls, Texas on a Wednesday night. We were all underage but knew the Red Barn Dance Hall was very lax about ID'ing. Since it was Wednesday night, almost no one was there but us. We sat at a table and ordered. About ten minutes later we noticed four men enter. They were dressed nicely but casual. And we couldn't miss the biggest of them for sure. We all recognized Hoss Cartwright. They sat about two tables away from us. Just a few minutes later one of them got up and headed toward our table. Heh, we were scared to death they might have noticed us staring and thought maybe he was going to get on us. Instead, he smiled and said that Dan was wondering if we would like to join them. We almost fell over ourselves saying yes. We pulled a couple of tables together and after the introductions Dan ordered two pitchers of beer. We talked about 30 minutes and they were as nice as they could be. They all called each of us by our first names and demanded we do the same to them. They treated us like old friends. They were driving from Florida back to California and had just happened to see the place and decided to stop for a beer. As they went to leave, I asked Dan if I could tell people he was a friend of mine. He said, "Why you dern sure can Mike. All four of you can. Heck, we are all friends, aren't we"? Then they went on their way. I have never been overly enamored with celebrities, but the day Dan Blocker died I cried. I didn't cry because we lost a celebrity, but because I lost a friend. See you again soon, Dan. Your friend, Mike.

to alot of folks, especially those growing up in the 60's.....dan blocker was the kind of man you wanted to grow up to be like. fantastic role model. we didnt have 300 cable channels, the internet, etc so your viewing was limited. looking back, we were lucky to have a show like bonanza. . alot of the old shows are dated and not watchable by todays youth. i am glad i had hoss cartwright/ dan blocker in my life . great post !

As a child, I fell for Adam Cartwright, but as I grew older, I fell in love with Hoss (Dan Blocker). Event though I never met him, I felt his warmth and that permeated through me. He was such a sweet guy even through the television.

🏴‍☠ It wouldn't be surprising to find out Hoss Cartwright was everyone's favorite character on Bonanza. Thanks to social media I can still watch the great television westerns of my youth.

What a wonderful tribute to a fine man. I think that his character Hoss will live on in the many people who watched Bonanza when it first aired and now in syndication. I was a young adult when he passed and do remember the shock and sadness everyone felt. Thank you for sharing his on screen and off screen life. It was very interesting and touching.

O'donnell 1962 I am 6 yrs old visiting my aunt and uncle eating home made peach ice cream under a summer shade tree. The grown up folks conversation confused me. They talked like they knew Hoss. I pondered He was from a place called Hollywood where all TV people live, not this little wind and dust blown town which would blow away in a few seconds. Indeed they knew him and his parents for they traded and bartered with the Blockers, and my dad's younger brother worked for the grocery on Saturday. Dad explained as we drove back to home ,close to Sonora, that Dan as a 9 year old hauled a 100 lb sack of potatoes to their wagon while he looked on in ahh at the kid. He said my uncle who worked at the grocery help teach Dan how to punch because a couple of bullies were giving him a hard time taking advantage of his gentile nature. A couple of weeks pass after the lesson then Dan met my uncle in back of the store yelling: I licked em, I licked em. He is not a 'roudy," but much more of an academic according to my brother who heard Blocker guest speak to his English class at Sul Ross 1961. He said Hoss was an excellent public speaker. I have heard him on old interviews where he sounded like he had deep organized thought showing intellect. Another story I know a neighbor who shinned boots after school in Odonnell. He said Dan came over to his spot by the Bank and got a shine, all the while talking to him and leaving a generous tip. Folks need to remember that the community was in the bottom of the dust bowl. Cash was hard to find; hence, my Grand dad would sometimes bring a box of home made Black Strap Molasses to trade with Mr Blocker for canned goods. Well that is all I can remember. Thanks to your channel for the hard work in making this excellent video.

And the world still grieves for him... RIP.

I was born in 1954 and grew up watching Bonanza with my daddy.. Hoss was both of our favorite..

Lee Van Cleef was in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Great role! I was 12 when he passed on, and it broke my heart. He was always my favorite. R.I.P. Dan.

I am 66, and grew up watching this man on black and white tv sets. I always liked him, and although I never met him, I miss him.

wow! I never knew any of this and Bonanza was my Mom's favorite show. I was born in 1961 so I got to watch Bonanza with her. RIP Mom

When he passed it was a sad day for me as a young man. You could tell what nice a man he was. Miss You still Big Man!❤️

Hey Dave 👋 Great Love 💘❤ 💕 💖♥

Like so many others I loved Dan’s character because of his...character’s character.

Dan Blocker one of the very best . I love our gentle giant .

Such a great tribute!! I always liked Mr. Blocker. There was just something about him that seemed likable and genuine. I’m glad to found out he was indeed a good guy. Thanks for sharing another good one!

Thanks for this lovely bio of Dan Blocker. I grew up with his daughters, BTW. And though your compilation of his life story was wonderfully done, especially the heartfelt slice-of-life about Dan's conversation and shared beer with the 18-year-old recruit en-route to Vietnam, I'm sorry to point out one error. This is that Debbie and Dana, Dan and Dolphia's twins, were born in October 1953, not later. Why I know this is because I grew up with them in the San Fernando Valley. Debbie had once been my best friend, and she and the whole family attended my secondary school play when I was cast as the Baroness van Schraeder in our version of 'The Sound of Music'. I remember their father as a kind and loving dad who was a sweetheart, but he didn't seem as big to me as he did on screen. Dolphia too was a generous, down-to-earth mother. And they were very active in our community rodeo at our Valley's Devonshire Downs fairgrounds. Dan would often MC it, in fact. The family later moved to Beverly Hills and I lost touch, but I was grief stricken to hear of the tragedy of Dan's death. They'd been such a closely knit family. Debbie later grew up to be a fine artist. And I'm not sure about Dana, as it had been Debbie whom I'd been close to.

Died at 43 and remembered in a positive way forever , the best do die young quite often !

As a child I loved Hoss he was gentle funny and basically a big kid Bonanza couldn't survive without him and didn't Lovely tribute

Dan was a kind and generous man. My Father told me the story about the time he invited my Father and his friend to hunt on his property and then to eat at his ranch when the were young. He said he was very kind and hospitable. He welcomed them into his ranch without knowing them.

This is wonderful. Thank you. I always had a crush on Dan. Especially after seeing the Bonanza show where Hoss talks with the little Irish people. Made me laugh.

I am no Dan Blocker but share his alter ego of Hoss! Spent time in the military and now ride a bike with a veteran’s organization. My road name is Hoss. I only hope that I can do that name justice… Well done and thank you for the memories. Stay safe out there…

Dan Blocker was one of those actors you felt like you knew personally. Loved the guy!

Of course I watched the show 🙄, very good presentation of Mr blockers life well done 👏. He was a big man in stature, but a big man in his life and family. God bless him 🙏.

Thank you for sharing Dan's story with us. I have heard that outside of Bonanza, he had the same sweet and kind character. I still adore him. ♥

Aww. That memorial message is amazing. Short, sweet, painfully true and impactful. ❤

Oh, my goodness, I just finished the vid and I'm in tears. What a moving story and beautiful man. The kind of man any woman would want to marry and have in her corner for life.

Lovely story! 😀😍

Thanks. I still watch Bonanza on TV on the weekends. Miss all of them.

A real gental giant of a man who will forever be missed. An inspiration to us all. Thanks so much for the video!

I loved Bonanza. It was on tv all throughout my childhood and early teens. Hoss was my favorite character.

A lot that I never knew about Dan Blocker. I was in the Philippines when he died but watched every Bonanza up until I joined the USN. Thank you for the memories.

Another Gem 💎 Cool Classics! Great Work. Dan Blocker was One Authentic Human Being and a Class Act! Powerful kindness. How about them prices at the Bonanza Restaurant! Beam me up Scottie.... I want to time travel to Opening Day. 🤤

This one is the best one you have ever done. I always knew Dan was a good guy. It hurt me when I heard he had past away.

I love Hoss . I still watch Bonanza. Five times a week. I was born in 1952. Me and my dad enjoyed the show together.

In 1972, I held in my hand a newspaper clipping to read to the class for “show and tell…” The article stated that my grandmother was in fact a cousin of Mr. Blocker’s!! I am pretty sure that she was a sixth cousin so that makes me an eighth! Haha! Since that was fifty years ago, I definitely don’t remember the exact relation but, knowing that I have a teensy weensy relation all these years always makes me smile whenever I hear or see him mentioned! Thanks for making me smile today!!

Wow! He truly was a great person. That story at the end shows it. He died so young. May he always be remembered for the person that he was. Very nice video. Thank you for making these wonderful mini autobiographies!!!

Thank you. Hoss will live in film, but DAN will live in every heart that loved him.

He was a favorite of mine on Bonanza still is . he passed when I was a kid in Pacoima California.

Thank you ! I grew up as a kid watching those 50 & 60`s westerns. The whole family in the living room on Sunday night and the biggest of all was Bonanza....peace to you ,pj

As a young teenager, I lived in Northridge, California, which is in the San Fernando Valley. One time, a small group of friends and myself went trick-or-treating on Halstead Street, across from Tampa Street where I lived. Where we trick-or-treated we were told was Dan Blocker's house. We were greeted at the door by a group of young kids who were probably his children. We didn't get to meet Dan Blocker, but it was exciting to know that he only lived "a stone's throw" from where I lived growing up as a teenager. There is an irony here, too: I used to go a few blocks up from where I lived to visit a friend on Sunday night and watch Bonanza on their color television set, since we didn't have a color set at the time; but I did not realize for a awhile that in the other direction, not even as far from my house as my friend's place, was where Dan Blocker lived. Ah! Hollywood and its magic! (P.S. Thank you for this video presentation. You did a wonderful job!)

I met him on a flight between Dallas and LA. MY Dad kept telling me to ask for his autograph. I didn't want to bother him but I asked and he gave it to me. He was wearing a very nice suit and sun glasses.

I always like Dan Blocker ever since I used to watch "Bonanza" as a kid but as I watched your segment above I've come away here with an even greater depth of both respect and admiration for the "Gentle Giant". Thanks for sharing.

Bonanza was definitely on of my favorites growing up in the sixties. Everyone I knew was saddened by his young passing.

I like Bonanza and I still watch it today

I was about 9 yrs old when he died

Another awesome episode 👏 The world was robbed when he died at 43. Well worth waiting for, as always keep up the fine work and I will look forward to the next one. Love from South Yunderup Western Australia 🇦🇺

I meet Dan blocker in 1963 on the stage at the National Boy scouts of American at Valley Forge. A great guy! I remember his size even though I was only 5'9 at the time (14 Years old)

Here is a fun fact for you. One of the last jobs he had before going to Hollywood. He worked in Fort Worth Texas, as an Insurance salesman, for the American Life and Accident Co. He was a really nice young man, he worked for my father. for about 6 weeks. my dad took a liking to him and kept him afloat as he tried his hand as a insurance salesman. I got tickled at my dads narrative of how hard it was for him to make sales because people wouldn't allow him into their homes due to how big he was. in this short career. he sold 0 policies. and the day he quit, my dad asked what he planned to do after he left. His response was I think i will head to Hollywood and become an actor. and so he did.

I lived in Frazier Park California back when they would film Bonanza there. Dan Blocker was a Sweetheart of a guy and everyone there loved him dearly. Little Joe was a WILD MAN! Him and the crew ruled the bars there! Them were the days Boy!

As a kid I used to watch all those westerns named. I loved them.

Its still running today

Criminy. This is probably the second or third of your videos that moved me to tears. You do a great job celebrating the lives of those you've covered. Thank you.

I watch Bonanza every day Monday thru Friday. then the show times difrent on the weekends.R.I.P. Mr. Blocker

Thanks for this wonderful Video. It's really great to be reminded , especially now a days, there are those who becomes Rich & famous, & remain kind & can be true gentleman ... It renews one's faith in mankind !

Thanks so much for another great episode. Longtime fan of the Bonanza series, and knew Dan Blocker had passed away rather young, but the amount of info you dig up for these episodes is truly astonishing. Thanks again for all of your hard work.

Thanks!

In early 1966, my parents took my sister and me to “Kids’ Night” at the Houston Rodeo in the brand new Astrodome. The entertainment that night was “Ben and Hoss” and, since it was kids’ night, “Lassie.” Lorne Greene and Dan Blocker sang some songs while on horseback, then Lassie came out and ran around the perimeter so all the kids could get a good look.

Bonanza was great to watch all the time indead I never mist a show at all. and Dan Blocker died far to soon R.I.P.

Kid's loved Hoss He was kind and gentle but if you got him mad watch out! The show couldn't survive without him It's heart was gone

Always loved watching Bonanza!! ❤❤❤❤❤

The episode "The Duke" showed the character of Hoss and Dan when after beating the duke in a boxing match he had empathy and sympathy when he said "Pa he didnt have nobody with him"

Love You Dan , theres no Bonanza without Hoss , We all love you .........

I remember it well. I'll never forget it.

Well done 👍