{"id":1559,"date":"2009-01-20T14:47:59","date_gmt":"2009-01-20T19:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1559"},"modified":"2026-07-29T11:41:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T15:41:17","slug":"many-heads-make-light-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1559","title":{"rendered":"Many Heads make Light Work (by the Giggly Sisters)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/span>Spotting regular guest stars can tax even the most ardent Bonanza fan. The Giggly Sisters set things straight.<\/p>\n

Rated:<\/span> T \u00a0WC \u00a01600<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many Heads Make Light Work<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m confused,\u201d said the redhead plaintively. She was sitting on the porch of the Ponderosa ranch house with Joe and the blonde, drinking coffee. \u201cIsn\u2019t that Farmer Perkins? I thought he was hanged in Death at Dawn<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

The other two looked across at the tall man leading a horse from the barn. It was white, and not the most beautiful horse they had ever seen, although it was very distinctive. \u201cHmm,\u201d said the blonde. \u201cWell, I thought he was Cap Fenner, from Amigo<\/em>. And he was in My Friend, My Enemy<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s Danny Morgan,\u201d Joe said, firmly. \u201cA friend of Adam\u2019s and he keeps us up all night with his blooming singing!\u201d He rolled his eyes expressively.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd isn\u2019t that the horse you bought for your father in The Gift<\/em>?\u201d the redhead went on. She had a keen eye for horseflesh, and could sex a horse at 50 paces.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it must be its identical twin,\u201d Joe responded. It really was an extraordinary looking albino-brute, with a wild look in its red eyes. The blonde privately thought they must have borrowed it from the circus, but wisely decided not to say anything, as Joe still seemed to labor under the assumption that it was beautiful.<\/p>\n

Ben Cooper walked passed and the redhead almost fell off her chair in shock. A large mouthful of coffee went down the wrong way and she spluttered in an alarming fashion. Clearly she would be a very handy contender in any tobacco-spitting contest. \u201cI thought he was paralyzed in The Horsebreaker<\/em>! Mind you, I could never quite work out why he had to sleep on a camp bed in the living room, when there was a perfectly good downstairs bedroom just three feet away.\u201d<\/p>\n

The set-dressers gave her a dirty look: hadn\u2019t she learnt by now that only shady characters slept in there? Besides which, they were kept too busy moving Joe\u2019s bedroom around to be erecting other sets.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was Johnny Lightly,\u201d the blonde explained. \u201cAt the moment he\u2019s clearly Sam Kirby from Showdown<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

A small smile played around the corners of Joe\u2019s mouth. \u201cI wore those flowery chaps in that episode!\u201d he reminisced. \u201cI always wondered if cowboys did have appliqu\u00e9 details or if wardrobe were just winding me up. Mind you, they did fit extraordinarily well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sister nodded in agreement, not quite trusting their voices enough to speak. That particular scene had caused the blonde to re-title the episode Showcase<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Ben had been listening to the conversation and stepped forward. \u201cIt\u2019s quite simple, really,\u201d he said in his patented re-assuring and avuncular manner, patting the blonde on the knee. \u201cYou may see the same head appearing on a completely different character, but don\u2019t let it bother you. I think the record is held by Claude Atkins, who played four completely different characters in Desert Justice<\/em>, The Mill<\/em>, Sam Hill <\/em>and The Deserter<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t mention this to anyone else though,\u201d Adam urged, pouring himself a cup of coffee from the amazing insulated coffee pot that kept beverages piping hot for hours on end. He lowered his voice and continued in a confiding tone, \u201cThe powers that be don\u2019t think anyone notices these little things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle things!\u201d the redhead stuttered. \u201cLike Jamie appearing first in The Real People of Muddy Creek<\/em> as Tommy? Let\u2019s face it, he\u2019s pretty unforgettable isn\u2019t he?\u201d It was only when she saw the bemused expressions on the faces of the three Cartwrights that she remembered this was a much later episode. Covering up for her sister\u2019s faux pas, the blonde quickly pointed out that when Deputy Clem Foster first appeared it was as Poindexter, an escaped prisoner in The Long Night<\/em>, and then as Major Reynolds in The<\/em> Honor of Cochise<\/em>. \u201cHe seems to have been demoted since then,\u201d she mused. \u201cOh, but remember, he was Sheriff Walker in The Other Son<\/em>, too!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shot an angry look at the director. \u201cNo one will notice?\u201d he thundered and half the valves on the soundboard blew. \u201cThey<\/strong> noticed!\u201d<\/p>\n

On a roll now, the blonde said, \u201cAnd then there was Stacy Harris. He was in House Divided<\/em>, and Twilight Town<\/em> and a Far, Far Better Thing<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember him,\u201d Joe agreed. \u201cBit funny, isn\u2019t it, a bloke called Stacy? Especially as in Twilight Town<\/em> I kissed his daughter, and her<\/strong> name was Davey! Is that odd or what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that Dave Donovan over there?\u201d the redhead asked, reminded by the reference to Davey. \u201cYour foreman in The Quest<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just had to bring that up, didn\u2019t you?\u201d Joe protested. He glared at Adam, who found the whole thing funny. \u201cThen he was someone named Gavin in Lonely House<\/em> when he beat me up, and then<\/strong> he appears as a lieutenant in Second Chance<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSecond Chance<\/em>,\u201d sighed the sisters. \u201cShirtless, maimed Joe.\u201d He beamed all over. \u201cBut no nice JPM at the end,\u201d the blonde said, glaring at Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn\u2019 that there Lilli Valenty,\u201d Hoss interjected. \u201cShe was a gypsy in Dark Star<\/em>, an\u2019 Cesar Romero\u2019s sister in The Deadliest Game<\/em>, and Madame De Marigny in Marie<\/em>…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy Love<\/em>,\u201d they all chorused, being well rehearsed in this.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then there was the gravel-voiced guy from MBK,\u201d said the redhead. \u201cHe was in Joe Cartwright Detective, too.\u201d She snapped her fingers to bring his name to mind. \u201cKen Lynch. He was in five eps all told.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then there was James Cockburn,\u201d the blonde said. \u201cHe was in three eps. Did they all come on special offer, these guys?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben decided that this was not the time to point out that almost the entire casts of Star Trek and The High Chaparral had appeared in various assorted episodes. (He had not banked upon the fact that the Sisters\u2019 dear friend, Lillian, had compiled an encyclopedic list of such coincidences, and therefore could sleep soundly at nights).<\/p>\n

The blonde smiled fondly at him, although she was engaged in rebuttoning her pet bear\u2019s fair-isle cardigan correctly. Although more intelligent than the average bear, Paw still tended to get a little overwhelmed when it came to buttonholes.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy personal favorite is Ellen Corby,\u201d she purred in the dulcet tones that endeared her to so many staff at the Registers. \u201cIt\u2019s wonderful to think that dear Grandma Walton not only appeared in It\u2019s a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart, but was then recycled in both The Gunmen<\/em> and The Hayburner<\/em>. Quite wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Will Geer, who was Grandpa Walton turned up in The Running Man<\/em> and A Home for Jamie<\/em>!\u201d the redhead added.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough with quoting all those episodes!\u201d Adam fumed. \u201cAlright, you both have encyclopedic memories, but so what?\u201d<\/p>\n

The sisters gaped incredulously at him. Eventually the redhead recovered her normal composure and sang froid to ask, \u201cYou don\u2019t find that odd? Even when you consider that really interesting characters, such as Clay Stafford \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy half-brother,\u201d Joe interjected helpfully, just in case viewers hadn\u2019t been paying close attention. The inept script girl flashed a grateful smile at him and made copious notations in her notebook.<\/p>\n

The redhead continued unperturbed. \u201c\u2026 only ever appeared once, in First Born<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps his head wasn\u2019t interchangeable?\u201d suggested the blonde, who had studied philosophy. \u201cYou can\u2019t expect everyone to be interchangeable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly!\u201d Adam bestowed one of his rather rare smiles upon her. He\u2019d been giving the matter some considerable thought. Truth be told, he found life on the Ponderosa just a tad constraining and was considering a move to pastures new. \u201cI mean, did the fact that John Carradine appeared in Springtime<\/em> and Dead Wrong<\/em> stop Keith and Robert appearing in Bushwhacked <\/em>and A Home for Jamie<\/em>? Of course it didn\u2019t! They were stars and infinitely capable of playing numerous characters with the appropriate nuances and deft touches that denote a true professional.\u201d<\/p>\n

A slightly strained silence greeted this proclamation. The Giggly Sisters busied themselves with giving Paw a worm tablet, while the remaining Cartwrights examined their fingernails with evident interest. Eventually, the redhead plucked up the courage to ask the obvious question.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo why did they only use David Cassidy the once? I mean, he was a talented actor, great looking, good voice and became one of the biggest stars of the seventies.\u201d She paused and added \u201cThe Nineteen Seventies, that is. Why did he only appear in The Law and Billy Burgess<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben turned his stern and foreboding gaze upon her. He looked like all the Old Testament Prophets rolled into one, with a dash of John Knox and Martin Luther added for good measure. \u201cWe work on an equal partnership here. I\u2019m the patriarch and my fans tend to be the parents in the audience. Hoss is the innocent, and he appeals to children and those who wish life were a little more simple. Adam\u2019s the singer and pseudo-intellectual: his fans tend to be ladies of a certain age and I don\u2019t think they wear black in homage to the French existentialists. And, of course, Joe\u2019s the pretty one, with long hair who appeals to the just about everyone!\u201d Ben smiled fondly at his youngest son, totally impervious to the fact that he had royally insulted his two elder sons and their legions of fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cStill doesn\u2019t explain the dreaded Jamie though,\u201d the blonde muttered. Unfortunately, her bell-like elocution meant that every word was clearly audible. However, no one had ever managed to explain that particular phenomenon.<\/p>\n

Adam wondered if anyone would dare to give him a new head if he ever departed the Ponderosa. Somehow, he rather doubted it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*****End*****<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0Spotting regular guest stars can tax even the most ardent Bonanza fan. The Giggly Sisters set things straight.<\/p>\n

Rated: T \u00a0WC \u00a01600<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-humor","wpcat-4-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1559"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1559\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}