Can you tell the difference between the families in The Big Valley and Bonanza?
Both the Cartwrights and the Barkleys had large ranches run by single parents — but what set them apart?
The Big Valley and Bonanza were two of the most popular Westerns in late 1960s America. At a time when many cowboy shows had already been taken off the air, these two series leapt off the screen in full color and showed a different side of the Old West by focusing on the trials and tribulations of an entire family instead of one lone gunman.
They shared many similarities— the fully grown children in each family had differing, and sometimes clashing, personalities and both households lived on large ranches in picturesque locations.
Of course, both shows were different in many ways as well. Pick which family you think each of the below statements are referring to and see how many you can get right!
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This family had a daughter, Audra.
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Each son in this family had a different mother.
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This family’s ranch was named after a type of pine tree.
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This family lived in California.
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This family adopted a teenager late in the show’s run.
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The oldest son in this family was a lawyer.
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The person who played the parent in this family was only 13 years older than the actor who played their oldest son.
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One son in this family was born out of wedlock.
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This family had a fourth son, Eugene, who appeared briefly in the first season.
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Two sons from this family weren't in the show’s last season.
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This family was loosely based on a real ranching family from the 1800s.
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This family was hostile to outsiders on their ranch early on but changed their ways after an actor suggested they be more hospitable.