'Bonanza': The Tragic Passing Of 'Hoss' Actor Dan Blocker

Jul 15, 2021

Dan Blocker was a highly successful and beloved television actor best known for his role as Eric “Hoss” Cartwright in the NBC Western series “Bonanza.” Born as Bobby Dan Davis Blocker on Dec. 10, 1928, Blocker chose to go by his now-famous moniker when he became an actor. Blocker became a memorable and likable star from his now-famous role as Hoss, and his work has inspired many others in the industry to this day.

“Bonanza” helped further the careers of many actors alongside Blocker, including Michael Landon and Lorne Greene. The show was a hit, until the end of its 13th season. During his time on the Western television series, Blocker tragically died after he had a detrimental blood clot following gallbladder surgery. He was only 43 at the time and had led a very successful and wonderful life as an actor and war veteran.

The TV show’s writers were then forced to address the death of not only the actor but one of their beloved main characters. This was a rarity for television since most characters were not forced to be written off due to the death of the actor portraying them. The writers and producers had to figure out how to move forward with the program.

Blocker and his character were both incredibly loved and appreciated, which made the death of both even harder for fans and television workers to deal with. While the show handled the death with grace, fans were left wondering just what exactly happened to Hoss, until they were finally given some answers years after Blocker’s death.

Blocker grew up in Texas and attended the Texas Military Institute before later enrolling in college and earning his degree in speech and drama. Before he had his big break, Blocker was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War, and served from December 1951 until August 1952. Following this, Blocker worked as a high school English and drama teacher in Sonora, Texas, from 1953 until 1958. He picked up more teaching jobs before moving to Los Angeles with his wife, Dolphia, where he then began finding work in the entertainment industry.

During the late 1950s, he began making small appearances on television and in shorts, including roles in “Outer Space Jitters,” “Gunsmoke” and “Colt .45.” His work continued as he was cast in more episodes on series such as “The Restless Gun” and “The Sheriff of Cochise.” He began earning some recognition, but Blocker was still only landing minor roles.

Blocker finally hit it big when he was cast in “Bonanza” in 1959. In 1963, he had started and received partial ownership in a successful chain of Bonanza Steakhouse restaurants, partnered with Ponderosa Steakhouses, as the chain’s name depended on the restaurant’s location. Portraying Hoss, Blocker would make occasional appearances at the franchise locations and work as the company’s commercial spokesman. 

Blocker played the role of the gentle-natured man for 415 episodes until his untimely death. On May 13, 1972, Blocked died in Los Angeles of a pulmonary embolism following his gallbladder surgery. He was 43 years old at the time. 

Since he was still appearing on “Bonanza” at this time, the writers had to adjust and reference the main character’s death in the show’s storyline. The show ended Blocker’s story on a touching yet tragic note, but the details surrounding the character’s death were not discussed very much until later.

“Bonanza” lasted another season without Hoss, with it coming to a complete end in January 1973. Classic Country Music reported that many fans of the series believed that Hoss’ departure was the ultimate cause behind the end of the show’s run. The character was known for having a heart of gold and being incredibly kind. Just one month after the finale of the 13th season aired, Blocker unexpectedly passed away due to complications following his gallbladder surgery.

Following his heartbreaking death, producers had to figure out what to do with Blocker’s character and how to move forward with the Western series. Classic Country Music reported that they had decided that no one other actor could fill Blocker’s shoes, so they ultimately had to get rid of the character altogether. This was a rarity in television, and absolutely unheard of at the time. It was the first time in TV history that a series had to kill off a major young male character rather than writing him off in another way, as per Classic Country Music.

Although the show addressed Hoss’ death, the cause behind it was never really discussed until 1988 during a made-for-TV movie called “Bonanza: The Next Generation.” It was then revealed that the character had tragically died while trying to save a woman from drowning.

What do you think about Dan Blocker’s career? Did you know about how the “Bonanza” writers addressed his tragic loss both on-screen and off? Let us know, and be sure to send this to any “Bonanza” fans you know.