The shows introduction shows footage shot at North Lake Tahoe near Incline Village. He guest-starred in five episodes as Will Cartwright, a cousin of the three brothers. Part 29 - The Accidental Death Of HOP SING - The BONANZA TV Show Actor's Sad Ending The Graveyard Channel 107K subscribers Subscribe 4.1K 71K views 1 year ago Today I visit the gravesites of. August 7, 2021, 5:04 pm At the end of the pilot episode, all four Cartwrights sing the lyrics of the Bonanza theme song (the song in the shows introduction is the instrumental version). And before you go, take a second to give this video a like and subscribe to our channel if you havent already. Sometimes that darkness is the result of one or more of the stars partaking in controversial behavior. Family cook Hop Sing, played by Victor Sen Yung, sported a fake ponytail. Bonanza 's 14 seasons and 440 episodes made it the second-longest-running western in broadcast history, after Gunsmoke. into kitchen. NBC | Air Date: December 15, 1968 Starring: David Canary, Dan Blocker, Lorne Greene, Mitch Vogel, Michael Landon Summary: Hop Sing is humiliated by Virginia City bully Emo Younger who cuts off his pigtail. Well, not quite. Hop Sing and was quite a charact. Marigny died in a horse-riding accident when Little Joe was just five years old. This has been leading some to concerns about her [] More, If youre looking for a decent show to check out then you should look no further than the classic western series Bonanza. [5] Sen Yung played Jimmy Chan in 11 Charlie Chan films between 1938 and 1942. The storylines focused on each of the four characters pretty equally. Though the four Cartwrights were the true stars of the show, guest actors were paid handsomely. Despite their popularity, the shows targeted a small demographic, and the networks felt they could capture wider audiences with other shows. Blocker, much like Hoss, was tough as nails. In 1971, the restaurant chain grew and even made it to Canada! However, many audience members didnt realize that. According to his IMDb page, Yung was traveling from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 1972. The Charlie Chan series was now in the hands of Monogram Pictures, with Sidney Toler continuing in the leading role. And even though the western series was set between 1861 and 1867, the show often dealt with contemporary social issues which distinguished it from many of the other shows of its time - especially other westerns. Therefore, you needed color to see it; Guess who sold color TVs? Sadly the women that entered the Cartwrights lives left one of two ways they were bound to skip town or die tragically. Of course, Landon was blessed with a full head of hair. Who is your favorite Bonanza character? Another actor from the show, Victor Sen Yung, who played Hop Sing, survived an almost tragic event in real life. Its a testament to these actors ability that they can play such a wide array of characters. Facts Verse April 23, 2023, 10:16 am, Trending He loved the part; he loved doing it. The restaurants are owned by the Metromedia Restaurant Group. Eagle-eyed fans of the show might have noticed the characters never changed clothes. House of Hop Sing; Healthy, Wealthy & Wise; Site Help; Tech Help for outdated help threads; Hassan But it wasnt just the show itself that brought it revenue clothing, toys, and other merchandise sold well. Of course, some episodes were more literal in wearing the influence on its sleeve. Toler's health was failing; Monogram was conserving Toler's waning energy, limiting his scenes and giving him long rest periods during filming. Played the role of "Number Two Son" in 25 Charlie Chan films during the A lot of Cartwright love interests passed through Ponderosa but none stayed too long. Not quite. Sometimes it takes a while, but most people tire of a job after a while even in show business. His body was found November 10, but he had reportedly been dead at least ten days. In 1946 Sen Yung resumed his Hollywood career at Monogram, now billed as Victor Sen Young and reunited with Sidney Toler. But eventually most seemed to get over their initial apprehension and learned to appreciate the show without Adam. He was killed in an accident in the show after Blocker died from a blood clot in the lung. There actually was a prominent Hop Sing (the Cartwright's cook, played by Victor Sen Yung) on the Comstock, though it is doubtful the television producers knew it. He was killed in an accident in the show after Blocker died from a blood clot in the lung. The western comedy held the number one spot until 1967 when it was ousted by a variety comedy show called, While the settings of the two shows couldnt be more different, there is still quite a strong connection between the original, In fact, practically every cast member of the original, William Shatner (Captain Kirk), James Doohan (Scotty), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), and George Takei (Sulu) all appear on episodes of the western. Hop Sing Quit, Go Back China Little boy say ' boo ' and that scare Adam and he drop coffee Pas third wife was Marie DeMarigny, a French-Creole woman from New Orleans with a dark past played by Felicia Farr. It wasnt that he wasnt hard-working or that he was mean-spirited, it was just that he had a narrow vision of how he wanted scenes to look and be acted. Yung also played in Jimmy Chan in a line of Charlie Chan movies as well. Sen Yung, later known professionally as Victor Sen Young (born Sen Yew Cheung; October 18, 1914 - c. November 9, 1980); [1] one source lists his given name as Victor Cheung Young with the birth year 1915) [2]) was an American character actor, best known for playing Jimmy Chan in the Charlie Chan films and Hop Sing in the western series Bonanza. It should come as no surprise then that they took a while to warm up to his replacement, Candy Cannady portrayed by David Canary. Luke left the series in 1938, leading to the need for a "number two son". Stick around to see why being a female cast member on Bonanza wasnt exactly your ticket to fame and fortune. Wisconsin State Journal, November 10, 1980, Section 1, Page 10, His father's name is given in the dedication to the, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The actor who played Bonanza's Hop Sing actually was an acclaimed chef", "INTO THE NEXT STAGE: REDISCOVERING SAMMEE TONG IN 'BACHELOR FATHER', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Victor_Sen_Yung&oldid=1150006443, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles needing additional references from March 2017, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 April 2023, at 19:41. During World War II he joined the U.S. Army Air Forces just as his erstwhile co-star Sidney Toler was set to revive the dormant Charlie Chan series at Monogram Pictures. Facts Verse Tap the bell icon to turn on notifications. He frequently complained about the show but did little to try and fix it, according to Michael Landon. After he happily left his role on Bonanza (1959), he turned his back on Hollywood wisdom and well-meant advice, hence, he returned to stage acting. Ben Cartwright was meant to mirror King Arthur, and his sons represented his closest knights. Hop Sing (Bonanza), a fictional character, a stereotypical Chinese housekeeper on the 1959-1973 TV Western Bonanza Hop Sing Tong ( Chinese: ; pinyin: Hshng Tng; Jyutping: Hap6sing3 Tong4 ), the Hop Sing (), a tong (), an ethnic Chinese organization, founded in the U.S. in 1875 fans. The first one to reach for a hairpiece was Dan Blocker (Hoss), and the other Cartwrights quickly followed suit. Not many people are tough enough to shake off a broken collarbone. Joe goes to deal with the bully. The cast began to joke that there was a Cartwright curse. He wanted Bonanza to paint the familial patriarch in a positive light. Anyway, nows your turn to let your voice be heard. That said, the inclusion of characters such as Hop Sing played by Victor Sen Yung lent some needed authenticity to the show. Cookbook" in 1974. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that some cast members might have a passion for music. Network execs began to feel like there were just far too many westerns on TV, Despite their popularity, the shows targeted relatively small demographics and the networks felt that they could capture a wider audience pool with other types of shows. Even [] More, What is it about celebrities that we find so attractive? all day ! When Little Joe arrives at Mr Younger's place he takes the pig tail from him and a fight ensues. Join Facts Verse to know about the reason Why the Bonanza Cast Didnt Get Along. He was still working on his second book before his sudden death in 1980. He is best known for his portrayals of 'Charlie Chan's' number two son 'Jimmy Chan' and of the Chinese cook 'Hop Sing' on the classic 1960s and 1970s western television series Bonanza. Cannady was the Cartwrights jovial friend and ranch foreman. Despite being young and inexperienced at the time, Landon quickly developed a reputation for being difficult on set. Perhaps the darkest was when the show had to write in the tragic death of Dan Blocker, or Hoss Cartwright, onto the show. Though he never actually cooked on the set, Victor Sen Yung who played the Cartwrights cook Hop Sing, was an acclaimed Cantonese-style chef in real life. In 1975, he appeared on Garry Moore's To Tell The Truth and related the events of the hijacking. However, he still got to play a Cartwright, after all. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, . Bonanza wasnt exactly an immediate success right out of the gate. It was nice of them to share the spotlight. It also made it easier if and when they had to re-shoot a scene or use a stunt double. Female characters on Bonanza never lasted. The estranged wife happened to be Marie, whod eventually fall in love with Ben and the two promptly married and had a child of their own. Dan Blocker, who played Hoss, was similarly tough. He altered the lyrics slightly but the theme and story remain. But she ended up spilling the beans on one of the most embarrassing chapters of her life instead. He bring Hop Sing the eggs, but he forget In this movie, Sidney Toler replaced the recently deceased Warner Oland as Charlie Chan and Sen Yung replaced Oland's "number one son" Lee, who had been played by Keye Luke. Hop Sing go back to China. Sen Yung made his first significant acting debut in the 1938 film Charlie Chan in Honolulu, as the Chinese detective's "number two son," Jimmy Chan. Its no surprise then, that they took a while to warm to Cartwrights replacement, Candy Cannady (played by David Canary). Its finished., To make up the difference, Landon wore special boots that added a few extra inches to his height. WhenBonanzafirst premiered, TVs conventional method of depicting fathers was a dimwitted man often managed by their wives. When he left to pursue theater acting and more high brow entertainment, the three remaining Cartwright actors distributed his salary evenly among themselves. Over the course of. Please stay Hop Sing. There is a certain fascination with hearing about the stars lives on the screen, in newspapers, and in magazines. Well catch you next time for another Facts-tastic video! In a case of art imitating life, Victor Sen Yung, the actor who played the Cartwright familys chef Hop Sing, was actually an accomplished chef in real life. The storylines focused on each of the four characters pretty equally. In fact, many downright devastated by his departure. When they did, its popularity skyrocketed instantaneously. named James, Jimmy, or Tommy Chan. After the birth of Hoss, Ben and Inger decided to move their family West. The two children were released back to his guardianship, and began learning Chinese. was not shot in a film studio (at least for the first few seasons it aired). [3]During his acting career, Victor was given billing under a variety of names, including Sen Yung, Sen Young, Victor Sen Young, and Victor Young. Such was the case for Pernell Roberts who portrayed Adam Cartwright on the first six seasons of Bonanza. FBI stormed the plane on the ground in San Francisco and killed the two hijackers before any more tragedy could occur. Of course, the hefty investment paid off. Pa Cartwright was thrice widowed before the show even started. But pick one he did when he and another man waylaid Victor Sen Yung in Lou Frizzell's livery stable and cut off his pigtail. Ben, Hoss and Joe, and two hired hands, Hamp and Johnny, delivered a herd to San Francisco. by Hop Sing clears Joe of the mur A town bully humiliates Hop Sing by cutting off his ponytail. , right? Facts Verse THE SERIES * It has been widely reported that NBC, then owned by RCA, started "Bonanza" in 1959 to sell color television sets. Guy Williams was their first choice to play Adam, but he had to decline after he accepted the eponymous role of, Even by todays standards, NBCs budget for, was insane. In reality, after the sudden death of Dan Blocker caused by a pulmonary embolism, the show pretty much ran out of steam. Instead of canceling Bonanza, they shifted its time-slot over to Sunday. At first, Bonanza Steakhouse and Ponderosa Steakhouse were actually different companies, so there could be both in any region. While its true that Lorne Greenes face and voice eventually became well-loved by audiences everywhere, it wasnt always that way. In all reality, the old American West was a lot more diverse of a place than other shows from that period would have you believe. NBC originally wanted another man for the role of Adam Cartwright and he would have accepted, had he not been offered another starring role first. He had some choice words when he left the show. He was found dead in his home, and the police werent sure who to blame. " Then at lunch Little Joe sneak up behind Adam just as Adam take drink So, here we are once again at the end of another Facts-filled video. When he left to continue pursuing his career as an actor in theater and other forms of high-brow entertainment, the remaining three Cartwright actors distributed his salary evenly among themselves. So much so, that he wanted to try his hand at writing. Because when he sang the theme song to Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, he just made up his own.. The cast began to joke that there was a Cartwright curse. But there is one thing that we find more engrossing than celebrity lives their deaths. In 2007, aTV Guide survey listed Cartwright as TVs #2 favorite father. (We would have taken Alf, if were being honest.). Ben Cartwright as the ideal father Rather than focusing on life on the range, the primary focus of Bonanza was the dynamic between a caring father and his three wildly different sons. This tactic made it so production could work in stock footage when necessary and lower production costs. He wanted Ben to be an admired father-figure worthy of respect. Later the bully ends up dead and Joe is charged with the murder. Victor Sen Young died in his North Hollywood home in 1980. He even scored a number one hit in 1964 with his ballad Ringo. In total, hed release 10 albums over the course of his career. Its hard not to wonder how the show would have changed if Williams had played Adam. His son is Brent Kee Young, a glass artist and a professor at Cleveland Institute of Art. Thats it. With Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, Michael Landon, Dick Foran. Ben gave a big sigh of relief that Hop Sing wouldn't quit after all. Victor Sen Young continued to work in motion pictures and television, in roles ranging from featured players (affable or earnest Asian characters) to bit roles (clerks, houseboys, waiters, etc.). He frequently complained about the show but did little to try and fix it, according to Michael Landon. Bonanza is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. named after him, awarded each year by the Chinese Alumni Association. Throughout the first four seasons, Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, Michael Landon, and Pernell Roberts all made the same salary. Between 1959 and 1973, Yung played the easygoing cook, Hop Sing, in more than 100 episodes of the long-running TV series, Bonanza. He took six weeks off to recover and put on considerable weight while resting. Ben begged. I feel I am an aristocrat in my field of endeavor, Pernell said. The two children were released back to his guardianship, and began learning Chinese. Show creator David Dortort, on the other hand, wasnt too sure. But in the end, Michaels stubbornness seemed to pay off quite well for him, as he went on to become one of the driving creative forces behind the show and continued to enjoy a long career in television after the series came to a close. In fact, no women last longer than a few episodes, though we do get glimpses of Pas wives during flashbacks from time to time. Facts Verse Set in the 1860s, Bonanza starred Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, Michael Landon, Pernell Roberts (who left after six seasons), and later David Canary and Mitch Vogel. He constantly complained about the show but did very little in the way of trying to fix it. Was it because they believed so strongly in the show? The FBI stormed the plane, and in the ensuing gunfire Sen Young was shot in the lower back. Joe did this time ," Ben pleaded. Michael Landon was able to use the skills he learned as a scriptwriter for, throughout his career. Joe goes to deal with the bully. He was dubbed the Number Two Son.. The western comedy held the number one spot until 1967 when it was ousted by a variety comedy show calledThe Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on CBS. The original, began in 1966, seven years after the beginning of. . The reason the cast wore the same outfits all the time was purely economical. " Sen Yung was also an accomplished and talented chef. Victor Sen Yung (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: Yng Sn; Jyutping: Joeng4 Sam1; born October 18, 1915 died November 9, 1980)[1] appeared in a total of 107 episodes of Bonanza as Hop Sing throughout the run of the series, beginning with the series' pilot, "A Rose for Lotta". [5] The cultural clash between Chan pre, a Chinese immigrant whose values were fundamentally those of China as expressed in his amusing pseudo-Confucian aphorisms vs. his well meaning, but inept Americanized sons gave the series much of its appeal, together with the fact that for all of Charlie Chan's putdowns of his sons there was a genuine paternal love and warmth being expressed.[6].