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During his time on Bonanza, Dan Blocker had little time for his family
He attracted crowds no matter where he went.
Dan Blocker played the lovable giant Hoss Cartwright on Bonanza. He was the large-in-stature brother with an equally large heart—a heart of gold, to be exact.
While his heart was big on the series, he also had a deep love for his real-life family. In a 1965 interview with The Ottawa Journal, Blocker said to count your blessings if you could go out in public with your family without people screaming for autographs.
Blocker valued his privacy, but his popularity in the role meant he didn’t have much of it. While he would have preferred more, he also enjoyed playing a Cartwright brother on Bonanza.
"I don't want to give the impression that making money and being a famous person on television isn't great," Blocker said. "It really would be nice to go out once in a while with my kids to a ballgame, a circus or Disneyland and have some privacy so we could enjoy each other. I don't want to be a grouch and run away, but sometimes, in the commotion, I lose track of the kids."
Blocker's family consisted of two daughters, two sons and his wife. Being famous was difficult for the actor because of his giant stature and open demeanor—both positives for standing out in Hollywood but challenges when trying to blend in with his family.
He said he attracted crowds no matter where he went.
"Fame frightens me—it really does," Blocker said. "Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting it. You know, all I wanted out of Hollywood when I started 10 years ago was a little better living than I'd be making as a schoolteacher. But gosh, it seems that now I have the tiger by the tail."
According to the interview, Blocker and his wife lived in the San Fernando Valley at the time. Since his rise to fame, the house had been significantly enlarged. The once-smaller home had a few bedrooms added, along with a swimming pool and a game room.
However, people in the industry often suggested he move out of the valley and into a home in the hills. One of their arguments, according to Blocker, was that the schools were better.
"What they really mean is they have better snobbery," Blocker said. "If these schools are good enough for other kids in the valley, they're good enough for mine. If they aren't good enough, then we ought to make them the best—only the best is good enough for any child."
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