[Previous Suburban Farmgirl, October 2009 – October 2010]
I was an Adam girl. Still am. Always will be, even though Pernell Roberts isn’t with us any more. He died this week of pancreatic cancer at 81.
Anna Quindlen famously wrote how her fellow teenagers, circa 1964, were divided among “Paul girls,” “John girls,” “George girls,” or “Ringo girls.” The four “Bonanza” stars didn’t define and consume my adolescence the way the Beatles did hers, not least because by the time I discovered the show, it was already just in endless re-runs. But among its loyal fans in any year – and I suspect there are fresh ones hatching — there’s one Cartwright for whom your heart beats faster during the rotating horseback cameos in the opening credits. You’re an Adam girl, a Little Joe girl, a Hoss girl, or a Pa girl.
Joe girls – the biggest group – are the ones who like ‘em cute and flirtatious, usually because they’re cute and flirtatious themselves. Hoss girls tend to be bold renegades making a statement (it’s the equivalent of the “Ringo” pick). Pa girls are mostly grandmothers (mine, for instance).
We Adam girls are different. We long for…
I must admit, I was a Little Joe girl but I was a little young in the 60s. I was only two in 1964 so I probably watched the reruns in the 70s and thought they were happening right now! Great song of Pernell’s.
I am a Hoss girl. I cried when he died. He was a gentle giant with a big heart.
That was such a sweet and tender tribute. Thanks Paula
I am an Adam girl too. I always thought I was the only one in the world! Thanks for sharing this. I didn’t know he had passed. Adam was such the strong, quiet, composed, intelligent one. He displayed a broad and vigorous education. He usually led in integrity and sacrifice. We are lessened. Even though I did not hear anything of him of late, it was nice to pat the place where he was and feel comforted by his presence. Now he is legend – at least to me (and you). Never knew he was from Waycross! Never liked Waycross.
I love the show Bonanza! All of the guys were great.
However, after the show was in reruns and the actors were going on to other things, I was able to see Pernell Roberts in a play in Austin, Texas – and of all things, part of the same cast as Dawn Wells (Mary Ann of Gilligan’s Island).
I loved the show! I don’t know if I had a favorite…they all were so cool in their own way…I saw Loren Green at a stock show when I was a youngin and just swooned…Hoss was so gentle…LiL Joe was a great crier(and was the reason I sat thru Little House on the Prairie) but Adam had that oh so wonderful something about him. I had forgotten about Trapper John MD!
I was raised infront of weatern shows and movies but Bonanza is still a fav. I love Barbara Stanwick and I have to say I favored Hoss. I didn’t know Pernell Roberts was involved in Civil Rights…very interesting.
Now I feel old…I watched the show when it aired originally!
hi Paula,yes,I read that in the Sunday paper,so sad.I almost cryed.We watched the show religiously in our home."Hoss" is my momma,s third cousin,she even had a split in her teeth just like his.All of her brothers kinda have that look,and all the men cousins too.So,we watched every week…My grama had that record alumb of Pernell Roberts also.Bonanza was a big part of our lives.All of the men were handsome,I did,nt really have a favorite.Little Joe kind of stole the spotlight from Roberts,and I think that hurt him…He will be missed.blessed be,Carol Branum,Lamar Mo.themofarmersdaughter@blogspot.com
Thanks for sharing this Paula. I did not know he could sing. He was so handsome and he and Little Joe were my favorites. I am so sorry he is gone.
Gorgeous tribute, so true born in the 70’s and no tv until 17 well, I missed all this so will have to go and watch them no – they’re on dvd i believe.
loved the humour too.
keep on keeping on.
Cheers Paula.
I watched the show from the start. I was a Hoss girl although I was only twelve when the show started. He certainly wasn’t my type, I liked skinny guys with long hair, but I had such a crush on Dan Blocker for years. He he was such a nice guy in real life also. He was famous but still took time to teach when he wasn’t filming. I cried when I heard he had died. Once in a while I watch reruns and think of what a waste that he died at 44.
OHHHHHH! Hadn’t heard that Pernell had passed on. He was a great actor, and YES! I was hooked, too! yes, I was. he was so handsome, and so mature and so intelligent!
I really wasn’t for any of them on Ponderosa even though I did watch the reruns in the 70’s. I do think that was a nice tribute to Pernell Roberts though. I was a huge Shaun Cassidy fan, I had his posters on my wall and owned his 8 tracks. Now don’t that date me…lol!
I think we’re about evenly split on our favorite Cartwright….
I,too, was an "Adam Girl" and his qualities followed my search for the right man to spend my life with. However I never realized how much he was like Adam until now. Pernell Robert’s was a man who stood for what was right and tried to do what he could to make the situation better for all involved.
Thank you for taking the time to write about his life. He will be long remembered by many.
Paula, As a young girl I was a die hard Joe girl. Now that I’m 61 I find myself favoring Pa.,of course having a Hop Sing around woulden’t be bad either!
Oh no, can’t forget Hop Sing. He and Sheriff Coffey and the other sheriff (deputy? the one played by Kurt Russell’s dad Bing) all deserved more character development, too!
Pernell grew up in Waycross next door to my grandmother. Her memory of him was the bad little boy who tore up her flowers. Although I was a Joe girl, I must say I would pick Adam today. I guess pretty faces don’t mean as much as they used to now that I am 50 plus. Loved your take on things.
Paula thanks for the info on "Adam". Yes, even though all my friends were "Joe’s girls" (and I tried to fit in for awhile) I was an Adam’s girl. I like the streghtn of the character he played.
Thanks for the sweet remembrances of Pernell. My tribute to him is at http://circlemending.blogspot.com/2010/01/memorial-for-my-friend-pernell-roberts.html
Best wishes, Jean
Jean, thanks for writing so we could all see your lovely tribute! I loved your observation: "I believe that who we are is largely a result of the people we have connected with in our lives."
Paula
Paula,
Your book touched me when it first came out and I learned then that you were an Adam girl. I wrote you then and commented on my own Adam crush. It brings a smile to my face to be remembering that again now. Thanks again for sharing his loss. Now I feel old!
I loved Bonanza and my favorite was Pernell Roberts, although Little Joe was cute.
I am a Hoss girl, and an Adam girl….I loved the gentleness and bear like quality of Hoss, and the quiet,manly man of Adam. It was danger to fall in love with any of the Cartwrights, for surely something would befall either the lady or the relationship.
I watched "Bonanza" reruns as a child in the ’70s, but I didn’t notice Pernell until I started watching "Trapper John, M.D." I liked him as an older, balding-and-graying-a-bit man with a beard. It was only years later watching "Bonanza" reruns again that I realized who he was on that show.
I was born in the mid-eighties, but I got into Bonanza when they started airing on MeTV. I am totally an Adam girl! Strong, intelligent, and beautiful…"sigh".
Edward Cullen, eat your heart out! 🙂
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