The series was filmed beginning in 1959 up until 1973, was translated into 12 languages, and is still being broadcast into millions of homes in 30 countries around the globe.

THE HOME OF BEN, ADAM, HOSS, and LITTLE JOE CARTWRIGHT

Lorne Greene [left] played Ben Cartwright, the patriarch of the clan. Generally serious and reasonable, Ben kept the ranch running. Maried and widowed three times, he raised the three boys on his own with a little help from the cook, Hop Sing. There were no women on the Ponderosa.

Pernell Roberts [right] portrayed the oldest Cartwright son. Adam had a University education, and tended to be more intense than his younger brothers. He was less likely to be involved in in wild antics or passionate love affairs, though he had his share of interesting scrapes over the years. Adam went off elsewhere six years into the series, when Roberts decided to leave the show.

Dan Blocker[left] was Hoss Cartwright, the middle son. Hoss was gullible and not too bright, but he was as sweet and gentle as he was big. He was always involved in hilarious situations, usually innocently, and was the butt of many jokes played by his younger brother, Little Joe.

Michael Landon [right] played the character most beloved by audiences - Little Joe. The youngest member of the family, he was always involved in pranks, and even more frequently falling madly in love. He was looked on by his father and older brothers with affection, and was usually at the centre of the most humourous episodes.

David Canary was cast as "Candy" , the Ponderosa ranch foreman. Candy was very close to the Cartwright clan, and became entangled in many of their adventures.

Victor Sen Yung was the fifth man on the Ponderosa - Hop sing, the cook. The character was generally used in comic bits, often involving the small cook chasing Hoss out of his kitchen for stealing food. There were also, however, a few episodes throughout the series that dealt with the anti-Chinese prejudice in the West of the late 1800's.

Who could forget Sheriff Roy Coffee.He was a friend to the Cartwright's and a good law man for Virginia City.

Mitch Vogel joined the show in 1970 as Jamie Hunter, an orphan taken in by the Cartwrights and later adopted. Michael Landon was now 34 and a bit old for Ben's fatherly advice.