Dan Blocker
Dan Blocker as Hoss Cartwright, his most memorable role in Bonanza
Birth name	B. Dan D. Blocker
Born	December 10, 1928 DeKalb, Texas, USA
Died	May 13, 1972 (aged 43) Los Angeles, California, USA
Other name(s)	Dan Davis Blocker
Years active	1953-1972
Spouse(s)	Dolphia Parker

Dan Blocker aka Dan Davis Blocker (real name - B. Dan D. Blocker) (December 10, 1928 – May 13, 1972) was an American actor best remembered for his role as Eric 'Hoss' Cartwright in the TV western blockbuster Bonanza. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Bonanza logo was superimposed upon a map of a wild west frontier area. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... De Kalb is a city located in Bowie County, Texas. ... is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Actor (disambiguation). ... Dan Blocker as Hoss Cartwright Eric Hoss Cartwright is a fictional character, the middle brother on the classic 1960s TV show Bonanza. ... See TV (disambiguation) for other uses and Television (band) for the rock band European networks National In much of Europe television broadcasting has historically been state dominated, rather than commercially organised, although commercial stations have grown in number recently. ... Cover of a book by Louis LAmour, one of Western fictions most prolific authors. ... The Bonanza logo was superimposed upon a map of a wild west frontier area. ...

He was born in DeKalb in east Texas, the son of Ora Shack Blocker & Mary Davis Blocker. He is also related to David Blocker and Kristen Blocker as well. His family moved to O'Donnell, Texas near Lubbock soon after his birth. He attended Texas Military Institute and later graduated from Sul Ross State Teacher's College in Alpine, where he earned a master's degree in the dramatic arts. (The Hoss character was originally written as "lovable but slow-witted". Blocker however, was the only cast member with an advanced degree). Despite playing the "middle son" on "Bonanza", he and the actor who played his elder TV brother, Pernell Roberts, were born the same year. De Kalb is a city located in Bowie County, Texas. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... ODonnell is a city located in Texas. ... “Lubbock” redirects here. ... T.M.I. formerly, Texas Military Institute is an , Episcopal, college preparatory school in San Antonio, Texas with an optional boarding program. ... Sul Ross State University (SRSU), a public university in Alpine, Texas, is named for former Texas governor, Civil War hero, and patriot Lawrence Sullivan Ross. ... Alpine is a city located in Brewster County, Texas. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Blocker held down various jobs as a high school teacher, actor and rodeo performer. He reputedly worked as a bouncer in a beer joint while a student. By all accounts he is remembered from his school days for his size of 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and weight of 300 pounds (136 kg), and as being good-natured despite his intimidating size. For university teachers, see professor. ... It has been suggested that History of rodeo be merged into this article or section. ...

Blocker was drafted and served in the Korean War. He later married Dolphia Parker, whom he had met while a student at Sul Ross State. All of their four children's names begin with a 'D': actor Dirk Blocker and producer David Blocker, and twin daughters Debra Lee (who studied to be a hairdresser) and Danna Lynn. “Conscript” redirects here. ... Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... Dirk Blocker (born July 31, 1957) is an American actor. ... A film producer creates the conditions for making movies. ... David Blocker is a film producer. ... A hairdresser is someone WHO IS EXTREMELY GAY LIKE NEIL AND HIS DREAM JOB IS TO BE A HAIRDRESSSER whose occupation is to cut or style hair, in order to change or maintain a persons image as they desire. ...

A Free Methodist, and Eugene McCarthy supporter (later endorsing the 1968 U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hubert Humphrey), Blocker uprooted his family in the late 1960s and moved to Europe, as he was angered by the ongoing Viet Nam "conflict". He kept a house in Inglewood, California. The Free Methodist Church is a denomination of Methodism, which is a branch of Protestantism. ... Eugene Joseph Gene McCarthy (March 29, 1916 – December 10, 2005) was an American politician and a longtime member of the U.S. Congress. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... For other uses, see Hubert Humphrey (disambiguation). ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Nickname: Location of Inglewood in Los Angeles County, California Coordinates: , Country State County Los Angeles Established 1888 Incorporated February 14, 1908 Government  - Mayor Roosevelt F. Dorn Area  - City  9. ...

In 1972, Blocker died suddenly of a pulmonary embolism following routine gall bladder surgery in Los Angeles. The cast and crew of Bonanza were shaken by his death and it is speculated that the loss of the show's most affectionate character hastened its end. Bonanza lasted another season, but the final season in which Blocker did not appear is the least-requested in reruns. The gallbladder (or cholecyst) is a pear-shaped organ that stores bile (or gall) until the body needs it for digestion. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ...

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating or removing these items. (May 2007)

• Stanley Kubrick attempted to cast Blocker in his film Dr. Strangelove, after Peter Sellers backed out of playing the role of Major T.J. "King" Kong. Blocker turned it down, feeling it was too liberal. The role subsequently went to Slim Pickens.

• Robert Altman befriended Blocker while directing episodes of Bonanza. Years later, he cast Blocker as Roger Wade in The Long Goodbye. Unfortunately, Blocker died before filming commenced. The role went to Sterling Hayden, and the film was dedicated to Blocker.

• In 1968, Blocker began wearing a toupee on the series as he was approaching forty and losing hair. He joined the ranks of fellow co-stars Pernell Roberts and Lorne Greene, both of whom began the series with hairpieces (Greene wore his modest frontal piece in private life too, whereas Roberts preferred not wearing his full crown piece, even to rehearsals/ blocking). Michael Landon was the only original cast member to be wig-free throughout the series, as even Victor Sen Yung's Hop Sing wore an attached pony tail.

• The actor once owned an authentic 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 (with the sought-after Z16 option) as Chevrolet was the commercial sponsor of the show. His Chevelle is now in private hands, and is sometimes displayed in car shows

• He played a facially disfigured android in the 1957 Three Stooges short "Outer Space Jitters."

• World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) announcer Jim Ross affectionately calls many of the bigger wrestlers "Hoss" in honor of Blocker's character from Bonanza.

• Son Dirk Blocker and Michael Landon Jr. appeared in a Bonanza reunion movie in 1995, with Dirk playing a Virginia City journalist and Landon Jr. playing Little Joe's son, Benj Cartwright.

• He received partial ownership in a successful chain of Ponderosa/Bonanza Steakhouses in exchange for serving (in character as Hoss) as their commercial spokesman and making personal appearances at franchises. Though not as popular as they once were, a few of the restaurants still remain.

• His 6,000 square foot Tudor style mansion in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles is currently owned by Rob Zombie. [1] On a television interview Zombie claims to have had encounters with Blocker's ghost, though he may have been joking.

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... “Kubrick” redirects here. ... Strangelove redirects here. ... Slim Pickens riding the bomb in the movie Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Louis Bert Lindley, Jr. ... For other persons named Robert Altman, see Robert Altman (disambiguation). ... The Bonanza logo was superimposed upon a map of a wild west frontier area. ... The Long Goodbye is a 1973 film adaptation of Raymond Chandlers novel The Long Goodbye. ... Sterling Hayden (March 26, 1916 - May 23, 1986) was an American actor. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Chevrolet (IPA: - French origin), (colloquially Chevy) , is a brand of automobile, produced by General Motors (GM). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For information about the car of this name, see Chevrolet Chevelle. ... The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the mid 20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... Information in this article or section has not been verified against sources and may not be reliable. ... Dirk Blocker (born July 31, 1957) is an American actor. ... The Bonanza logo was superimposed upon a map of a wild west frontier area. ... Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... Ponderosa Steakhouse is one of the most franchised subsidiaries of Metromedia Restaurant Group. ... Ascott House, Buckinghamshire. ... Hancock Park is a park in Miracle Mile, Los Angeles, California which is the location of the La Brea Tar Pits, the George C. Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries, and LACMA. Hybrid view in Google Maps. ... Insert non-formatted text here Robert Cummings (born January 12, 1965)), better known as Rob Zombie, is an American musician, film director, and writer. ...

External links

• Biography by Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
• Biography from Handbook of Texas online
• Dan Blocker at the Internet Movie Database
• Dan Blocker at TV.com
• Dan Blocker Memorial at Find A Grave