BONANZA STAR DEAD

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Pernell Roberts, who shocked viewers by leaving Bonanza at the height of his popularity, dies at 81.

Roberts, the last surviving member of the classic TV western which included Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon as The Cartwright Family, died of Cancer over the weekend at his Malibu hacienda, his wife Eleanor Criswell confirmed.

The rugged handsome Roberts had issues with the simplicity of the show’s family dynamic and despite starring in a breakaway hit he walked away, rather then extend a six year contract to the Ponderosa.

Rather than being locked into a role the thesp felt trapped in Robert appeared in roadshow tours of Broadway hits like Camelot, The King and I and The Music Man. 

Roberts also guested on a slew of popular TV shows The Virginian, Hawaii Five-O, Mission Impossible, Marcus Welby, M.D., Banacek, Ironside and Mannix.

In 1979 he landed a top billed role, a MASH spin off, Trapper John, MD.  The series ran until 1986 and was lauded by crux as a serious, realistic look at the world of surgery.

Roberts was born in Waycross, Georgia in 1928 . After an Off-Broadway turn in Macbeth, Pernell headed west, playing lanky character roles in Desire Under the Elms, The Sheepman and Ride Lonesome until Bonanza made him a household name.

Adios, amigo.