Date: September 12, 1972

Summary: In this two-hour episode, Joe falls in love with and marries Alice Harper, and they move into a home of their own. Eventually, Alice becomes pregnant. In the meantime Alice's brother, John, runs up a large gambling debt. When Alice will not pay off his debt, the man he owes has the house set on fire and Alice and John are both killed. Joe and Candy then set out to find the killers and get justice for Alice's death.

This episode was originally written for Dan Blocker.
Written by: Michael Landon
Directed by: Michael Landon
Guest Stars: Bonnie Bedelia (Alice Harper); Andy Robinson (John Harper); Roy Jenson (Hanley); Robert Doyle (Sloan); Lee de Broux (Kater); Jay Jones (Carver); Ivan Bonar (Minister); Joan Lemmo (Gloria); Helen Kleeb (Miss Grayson); John J. Fox (Jack); William Challee (Jake).


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: September 19, 1972

Summary: Ben tries to help an old friend ex-con readjust to life on the outside.

Written by: Don Ingalls
Directed by: Nick Webster
Guest Stars: Robert Lansing (John Dundee), Warren J. Kemmerling (Sheriff Garth), Fionnula Flanagan (Elizabeth Dundee), Harry Harvey Sr. (Sangster), Len Lesser (Fancher), Ed Long (Anders), Len Lesser (Fancher), Royden Clark (Bartlett), Ed Long (Anders), Harry Harvey Sr (Sangster), Henry Oliver (Telegrapher)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: September 26, 1972

Summary: Jamie and his friend seek to join a club but to join requires initiation.

Written by: Douglas Day Stewart
Directed by: Alf Kjellin
Guest Stars: Ronnie Howard (Ted Hoag), Ed Bakey(Lumis), William Bramley (Mueller), Nicolas Beauvy (Ron Lewis), James Chandler (George Adams) Sean Kelly (Josh Adams), Biff Elliot (Harley Lewis), Jeff Smart (Sonny Mueller), James Van Patten (Corky Sibley) ), Pitt Herbert (Mr. Cropin), John Zaremba (Judge) Alfred Barker Jr.( Billy Newton), Ivor Barry (Preacher), Sam Jarvis (Bailiff), William Challee (Stableman), Harry Basch (Prosecutor), Phyllis Love (Miss Griggs)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: October 3, 1972

Summary: Ben is taken hostage while inspecting a prison. We meet Griff for the first time.

Written by:Robert Pirosh
Directed by: Lewis Allen
Guest Stars: Tim Matheson (Griff), Aldo Ray (Heiser), Marco St. John (Johnny Plank), Denver Pyle (Warden), Gregory Walcott (Cooper), Barney Phillips (Asa Calhoun), Bob Delegall (William Noon), William Patterson (Mr. Vannerman), Noble Willingham (Mr. Kirby), William Bryant (Governor), Biff Manard (Scoggins), Morton Lewis (Idaho), Red Morgan (Kelly, Charles Wagenheim (Donovan), Nolan Leary (Old Charlie)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: October 10, 1972

Summary: Griff comes to the Ponderosa. Sequel to The Riot

Written by: Jack B. Sowards
Directed by: Leo Penn
Guest Stars: Ronny Cox (Lucas), Charles Dierkop (Shorty), Chuck Hayward (Guard), Bing Russell (Deputy Clem Foster). Carol Vogel (Amy), Jeff Morris (Tulsa), Jac Flanders (Clerk)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: October 24, 1972

Summary: Ben plays midwife in a hostage situation.

Written by: Joel Murcott
Directed by: Nicholas Colasanto
Guest Stars: Sian Barbara Allen (Teresa Burnside), Albert Salmi (Stretch), Murray MacLeod (Zachariah) James Olson (Vance Burnside), Douglas Dirkson (Gabe)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: October 31, 1972

Summary: Samuel Clemens makes his return to Virginia City, this time offering tales over an unsolved murder that was tied to a claim jumping.

Written by: Stanley Roberts
Directed by: Nicholas Colasanto
Guest Stars: Ken Howard (Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain), Dana Elcar (Mr. Merrick), Phillip Kenneally (McNabb), Walter Burke (Campbell), Richard Bull (Mr. Goodman), Owen Bush (Station Agent), Curt Conway (Caldwell), Staats Cotsworth (Judge Hale), Wayne Heffley (Bert), Victor Izay (Foreman), Stacy Keach Sr. (H.V. Prentiss), Sean Kelly (Petey), hillip Keneally (McNabb), Britt Leach (Postal Clerk), Arthur Peterson (Martin), Harlan Warde (Solicitor George Osgood)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: November 14, 1972

Summary: The stallion Joe receives for his birthday is sacrificed to save the life of the one who steals it.

Written by: Juanita Bartlett (story), Jack B. Sowards (teleplay), Mort Zarcoff (story)
Directed by: E.W. Swackhamer
Guest Stars: Clu Gulager (Billy Brenner), Mitzi Hoag (Alice Brenner), Vincent Van Patten (Tommy Brenner), Michael Greene (Travis), Roy Le Brown (Seth), Wallace Chadwell (Travis)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: November 21, 1972

Summary: A gifted doctor addicted to morphine brings new treatments and procedures to Virginia City.

Written by: Stanley Roberts and Jack B. Sowards
Directed by: Alf Kjellin
Guest Stars: Mike Farrell (Dr. Willis Agar), Gary Busey (Henry Johnson), David Huddleston (Myles Johnson), Melissa Murphy (Nancy Agar), Mons Kjellin (Chris Agar), Melissa Murphy (Nancy Agar), Bing Russell (Deputy Clem Foster), Ayun Ruymen (Evie Parker), Russel Thorson (Judge Phelps), Jason Wingreen (Graham)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: December 5, 1972

Summary: A friend of Griff’s tries to adopt two orphan boys and runs into trouble.

Written by: Michael Landon
Directed by: Michael Landon
Guest Stars: Jack Albertson (Jonathon May), Dan Ferrone (Mr. Holcombe), Penelope Gillette (Mrs. Farmer), Harry Holcombe (Dr. Martin), Carol Locatell (Mrs. Holcombe s Carol Lawson), Bing Russell (Deputy Clem Foster), Marty McCall(Tim), Timothy Marshall (Tim), Irene Tedrow (Mrs. Caines)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers Gallery.

Date: December 19, 1972

Summary: Jamie becomes attached to the runt of a litter the owner is set on doing away with.

Written by: John Hawkins
Directed by: William F. Claxton
Guest Stars: Don Knight (Tim Riley), William Sylvester (Horace Kingston), Ivan Bonar (Minister), Carl Pitti (George Spencer), John Zaremba (Judge Wilcox)



Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: December 26, 1972

Summary: A new teacher and his wife come to town. Jamie and the wife have been spending time together much to the dismay of her husband.

Written by: Richard Collins
Directed by: Leo Penn
Guest Stars: Pamela Franklin (Kelly Edwards), Jordan Rhodes (Dan Edwards), Lisa Eilbacher (Eloise), Lisa Eilbacher (Eloise), David Doremus ( Gene), Steve Benedict (Henry), Michael Blake (Lew), Dennis Robertson (Harve), Eileen Ryan (Emily), Brenda Smith (Mary)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers Gallery.

Date: January 2, 1973

Summary: Candy, on an errand for Ben, is jailed for the murder.

Written by: Joel Murcott and Arthur Heinemann
Directed by: Lewis Allen
Guest Stars: Sally Kemp (Kate Fallon / Kathryn Gardner), Sam Jarvis (Buford), Stephen Nathan (Oscar Hammer), Byron Mabe (Louis Gardner), David Mclean (Sheriff Touhy), Shirley O’Hara (Ella Peterson), Ross Elliot (Harvey Walters), William Wintersole (Frank Schulte), Mark Allen (Barnes)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers Gallery.

Date: January 9, 1973

Summary: A lady comes to the Ponderosa claiming to being Griff’s wife.

Written by: Ward Hawkins
Directed by: William F. Claxton
Guest Stars:Richard Eastham (Stanton), Karen Carlson (Theodora Duffy), Ramon Bieri (Jonas Holt), Robert Yuro (Dody Hendrickson ), Rayford Barnes (Shaw ), William Sage (Taylor), Bill Clark (Bates), Jerry Gatlin (Barnes), Hal Burton (Read)


Image courtesy of Adamant and Bonanza Boomers gallery.

Date: January 16, 1973

Summary: Joe is stalked by a war-deranged madman who enjoys stalking helpless victims before killing them.

Written by: Michael Landon
Directed by: Michael Landon
Guest Stars: Tom Skerritt (Corporal Bill Tanner), Phillip Avenetti (The Mexican), Hal Burton (Man), Grizzly Green (Harve), Peter O’Crotty (Old Man)


Image courtesy of Tracy and Bonanza Boomers Gallery.