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Here's the real reason Dan Blocker didn't like guns
He was quick to fire back against the idea of real-life gun violence.
One would think that starring in a hit Western would desensitize an actor to guns, violence, and lawlessness—especially a Western like Bonanza, which lasted for 14 seasons.
A gun, a horse, a bad guy, and a hero were kind of what Westerns were all about. However, according to a 1965 interview with The Times Herald, one of those Western heroes, Dan Blocker, opposed guns, even though he used one in the series.
"I have to carry a gun on television—but I won't have a blasted thing to do with them in real life," Blocker said.
Like most characters in Westerns, Hoss wore a holster and occasionally used his firearm when the episode required it. However, he was quick to shoot down the idea of using gun violence in real life.
Blocker played the role of Hoss Cartwright for all 14 seasons of Bonanza. He was at the heart—and the Hoss—of the Cartwright family. While his size was intimidating, he was the complete opposite of his appearance. His stance on violence only proved that further.
"My hatred of guns started one night when I was sitting on a mountain in Korea," Blocker said. "Up until then I guess I thought I was unbeatable. For 20 years or more I had figured that old Dan Blocker was made outta steel—and then I learned how helpless a man can feel when there's someone out there with a gun who is trying to blow him to eternity."
For the series, Blocker was able to put his feelings aside, and due to his military background, he learned a valuable lesson: Guns hold a lot of power, and he didn’t want to be on the wrong side of it.
Blocker served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was drafted in 1951 and served as a tank commander in the 7th Infantry Division. He earned a Purple Heart for his service, having been wounded during combat.
"I made a vow that night that I would never again aim a gun at a living thing," Blocker said.
According to the interview, up until his time in Korea, he used to do a lot of hunting. After his time in the war, he didn’t own a gun and wouldn’t even let his sons go on hunting trips.
Blocker was quick to lock and load his thoughts, and he took a stand, never pulling the trigger on promoting gun violence in real life.
"I told them they could go out and shoot at animals as soon as we figure out how to train the animals to handle high-powered rifles with a telescopic sight on it—then maybe it could be called sport."
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