Ponderosa Ranch from the original "Bonanza" series, Lorne Greene's 1964 song "Saga of the Ponderosa", the 1988-95 TV movies, and the 2001 PAX prequel series "Ponderosa"). The ranch house was a single level structure that had a facade second storey. Inside a staircase seemingly led to the first-floor corridor, but it was a dead end. The bedroom scenes were filmed at Burbank Studios. The inspiration for the name may have been the large number of Ponderosa pines in the area or the original Latin meaning of "large" (root of the English word "ponderous"). The exteriors for the television show were occasionally shot
The Big Bonanza school teacher, Judy Parker. It turns out Sam is a dishonest man who intends to stake an illegal claim to the Big Bonanza gold mine that belongs to someone else. Jed ends up literally fighting him for the mine, where a cave-in results in Sam's death. Hap is happy to learn that Jed and Judy are already busy planning a wedding. The Big Bonanza The Big Bonanza is a 1944 American film starring Jane Frazee, Richard Arlen, Gabby Hayes, Robert Livingston and Lynne Roberts. Escaping from jail after being falsely accused of cowardice, Army captain Jed Kilton ends up at