Bonanza Little Joe

[TrekStar]

I am currently upgrading some of my customs other than Star Trek and wanted to share. This is Little Joe (Michael Landon) from the hit western tv series Bonanza 1959-1973, it’s one of my all time favorite western tv shows and I believe the first in technicolor used for the beautiful outdoor sceneries

I used an original mego Shazam head on an original body, clothes and accessories from classic tv toys and Dr. Mego and the custom art box from the Toyroom.

I would love to get my hands on the Bonanza American Character figures that came out around 1966, I believe they are the same height as the 8 inch megos, they came with a lot of accessories along with there horses, it’s really an amazing set.

[Jorge Galvan]

I am currently upgrading some of my customs other than Star Trek and wanted to share. This is Little Joe (Michael Landon) from the hit western tv series Bonanza 1959-1973, it's one of my all time favorite western tv shows and I believe the first in technicolor used for the beautiful outdoor sceneries



I would love to get my hands on the Bonanza American Character figures that came out around 1966, I believe they are the same height as the 8 inch megos, they came with a lot of accessories along with there horses, it's really an amazing set.

Dude! you did a KILLER JOB, as I also am a HUGE BONANZA Fan, I love what you did and you nailed the GREEN JEAN JACKET perfectly!!!


Do you have a Candy Canaday? Or a Jamie Hunter Cartwright? Hop Sing? Do I even dare ask.... Dusty Rhodes? (Lou Frizzell!)!

Either way, you did great, you should be proud! If only Dan Blocker hadn't died. Well done Trek!

[TrekStar]

Thanks Jorge, I appreciate the compliment. I have all 14 seasons of the show on the dvd collection and since I
probably won’t be able to collect the American Character figures, the next best thing is creating custom Mego’s of the characters.

I got the green jacket from classic toys a long time ago, I’m not even sure what it went with? maybe a classic toys generic army guy?

Yes, I do have a Candy custom and I’ll post him soon, I just want to upgrade the main characters first.

I also have a Sheriff Coffee custom, and I’ll post him too at some point, I would also like to create a Deputy Clem too.

Hop Sing would be great, but not to many Asian heads out there to choose from, and for Jamie I might have an idea.

I think the show was running out of good story lines anyways and then they added the Grif character, but it just wasn’t going to work without Dan Blocker. I was sorry to see Pernell Roberts (Adam) leave after season 6, but the show still had good scripts and then they added the Candy character to the mix, so the show still worth watching.

[apes3978]

That's great, good job on him. It's too bad that CTVT or Dr. Mego didn't have a left handed gun belt/holster for him, but the right handed oriented one works fine.

In regard to the show itself, I bought the complete series set for myself last Christmas off Amazon. I think it was worth the price. I do wish they would have included the three (for lack of a better term) "reunion movies" in the complete series set. I might just and up tracking them down on Amazon or something since I still have a functioning VHS player.

[monitor_ep]

Great job on the Bonanza figure. I cannot wait to see more.

[TrekStar]

That's great, good job on him. It's too bad that CTVT or Dr. Mego didn't have a left handed gun belt/holster for him, but the right handed oriented one works fine.

In regard to the show itself, I bought the complete series set for myself last Christmas off Amazon. I think it was worth the price. I do wish they would have included the three (for lack of a better term) "reunion movies" in the complete series set. I might just and up tracking them down on Amazon or something since I still have a functioning VHS player.

I’m not sure, but I think the American Character series might have given Little Joe a left handed gun belt? I’ll have to look that up. I don’t have the 3 reunion or call it the siblings reunion movies, but the movie Bonanza Under Attack stars Leonard Nimoy who was also in a season two episode called “The Ape”

When the movies were made, Pernell Roberts was still alive, it would have been cool if he made a cameo appearance for a couple of scenes.

[TrekStar]

Great job on the Bonanza figure. I cannot wait to see more.

Thanks, I’ll be posting more in the weeks to come. The next time Svengoolie shows, “I was a Teenage Werewolf” I’ll have take out Little Joe to watch it with me…lol

[apes3978]

Thanks, I’ll be posting more in the weeks to come. The next time Svengoolie shows, “I was a Teenage Werewolf” I’ll have take out Little Joe to watch it with me…lol

Are "Bonanza" figures the only custom "Western style" figures you made, or have you made others as well?

I ask because even though I don't own any, nor have I ever made any, I've always thought custom Western Megos are cool. (I recall in the past, somebody made customs of "The Lone Ranger", and it seems like somebody made some generic Western figures...)

[Jorge Galvan]

I think the show was running out of good story lines anyways and then they added the Grif character, but it just wasn't going to work without Dan Blocker. I was sorry to see Pernell Roberts (Adam) leave after season 6, but the show still had good scripts and then they added the Candy character to the mix, so the show still worth watching.

yeah, Dan Blocker was the heart & Soul of that show. DAMN!

Griff King, was someone I liked. Who knows how his character would have progressed if the show continued.

"The Marriage of Theodora Duffy" was pretty heavy and FYI, when the "Family Channel" was on they NEVER SHowed that episode along with "The WISH" from Season 10.

I guess they were the most "Controversial" episodes that they didn't want to show.


When Griff got released from Prison, he had his PTSD to deal with and even though the season was 14 episodes, we have NO IDEA how much actual time had passed. Griff was known and as shown in "The Sound of Sadness" (With Jack Albertson) People are acquainted with Griff.

[Jorge Galvan]

Im not sure, but I think the American Character series might have given Little Joe a left handed gun belt? I'll have to look that up. I dont have the 3 reunion or call it the siblings reunion movies, but the movie Bonanza Under Attack stars Leonard Nimoy who was also in a season two episode called "The Ape".

When the movies were made, Pernell Roberts was still alive, it would have been cool if he made a cameo appearance for a couple of scenes.​
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I saw the last film: Under Attack on the INSP channel (sic!) and it was... Mediocre. I don't get why they couldn't get Mitch Vogel, Tim Mathieson or David Canary to star in the damn films as they have more right to be there then the kids.

Dennis Farina, Nimoy and Jack Elam. Oh and Richard Roundtree! A interesting cast!!!



IF Dan Blocker had lived what would he have gone on to do? I could have seen him as IRONSIDE or in a 70's TV Detective drama or if he made it to the 80's he could have been cast as MATLOCK?!?!??


So many great episodes, I know I am gonna be in the minority, but once Pernell left the show, in my opinion the show went STRAIGHT UP! Instead of 4 people not getting along, you now had three people who WANTED to be there and who genuinely liked/loved each other. Hence so many comedy based episodes with Hoss & Joe!!! The flapjack eating contest comes to mind.


Bonanza rules.


oh and don't forget PONDEROSA the prequel that was on PAX-tv. I never saw it, but I know its out there if you want it. Not sure if I wanna see the boys as... Boys!

[TrekStar]

Are "Bonanza" figures the only custom "Western style" figures you made, or have you made others as well?

I ask because even though I don't own any, nor have I ever made any, I've always thought custom Western Megos are cool. (I recall in the past, somebody made customs of "The Lone Ranger", and it seems like somebody made some generic Western figures...)

I only made customs of the Bonanza characters, the main cast along with a couple of supporting cast members and two generic characters.

a few years back, I made customs of Wyatt Earp using the Mattel Superman head, and James West, I sold them on ebay.