Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 13, 1995 TAG: 9501170034
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG NYE KNIGHT-RIDDER/TRIBUNE
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Again?
That's right, pod'ner, Nimoy is no stranger to the dusty trails of the Old West.
Although he is best known for his role as Spock in the original ``Star Trek'' television series, Nimoy rode many a horse in Hollywood before he climbed aboard the Enterprise.
He dons a Stetson once more Sunday for the TV movie ``Bonanza: Under Attack,'' which airs at 9 p.m. on WSLS (Channel 10). It's the second such production based on the popular Western series that ran on the network for 14 years from 1959 to 1973. ``Bonanza: The Return,'' which aired in November 1993, turned out to be the third-highest rated NBC movie during the 1993-94 season.
Nimoy was happy with the switch from outer space to the wide open spaces.
``It was really an enjoyable experience,'' he said during a telephone conversation. ``I got to work with guys like Ben Johnson and Jack Elam and it was just fun.''
One of Nimoy's very first roles in films was that of an Indian named Blackhawk who befriends cowboy star Rex Allen in ``Old Overland Trail,'' a 1952 B-western from Republic Pictures.
``Good old Republic,'' Nimoy said. ``That role came along at a time when I was really trying to break in. They [Republic] gave me that chance.''
By the way, Republic also cast him as an alien in the 12-chapter sci-fi serial ``Zombies of the Stratosphere.'' In this role, Nimoy looks like a very young Spock.
``That got me started,'' Nimoy said.
After the two roles at Republic, Nimoy began to find more and more work in the movies, and he also appeared as a guest in several television shows, many of them westerns such as ``The Virginian,'' ``Wagon Train'' and, coincidentally, ``Bonanza.''
In the latest ``Bonanza,'' Nimoy plays Frank James who, after being acquitted by three juries, has given up his outlaw ways to become a model citizen. On the way home to his wife and children, James is ambushed and wounded by Charley Siringo and his band of renegades.
Siringo (played by Dennis Farina) had been an ace Pinkerton detective for 30 years. Now, he leads a gang of other ex-Pinkertons who track down those he feels have eluded much-deserved justice.
Fortunately for James, the ambush takes place near the Ponderosa and the folks there take him to the ranch, where he fully recovers. When Siringo discovers that James is there, the ex-lawman launches an attack on the Ponderosa and the countryside is filled with gunsmoke.
Much of the cast that was in ``The Return'' is back for ``Under Attack.'' Veteran Western performer Ben Johnson is back as Bronc, who runs the ranch along with foreman Jacob (again played by Richard Roundtree). Another Western veteran, Jack Elam, plays their cook Buckshot.
Michael Landon Jr. and Emily Warfield play Benji and Sara Cartwright, the offsprings of Little Joe. Brian Leckner plays Josh, the son of Hoss Cartwright.
For those who missed ``The Return,'' here's an update on what happened to the original three sons after the ``Bonanza'' series ended its run: Little Joe was killed during the charge up San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War. Adam became an engineer, helped construct the Suez Canal and eventually moved to Australia. Hoss died in the great Missouri floods of 1900 that roared through Kansas City.
Now their children are back trying to take up where their grandfather and dads left off.
\ The original ``Bonanza'' series premiered Saturday, Sept. 12, 1959, at 7:30 p.m. on NBC. The cast included Lorne Greene as Ben Cartright and Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Pernell Roberts as his sons Little Joe, Hoss and Adam. Greene, Landon and Victor Sen Young, who played cook Hop Sing, were the only performers to remain with the show during its entire run.
During its third season, the show switched to Sunday nights at 9 p.m. and ratings zoomed. The show ranked No.1 for three straight seasons during the mid-1960s and remained in the Top 20 through the 1971-72 season.
Without Dan Blocker, who had died over the summer, the show's ratings slipped badly during the 1972-73 season. The series' final network telecast was January 16, 1973.
By the way, this isn't the first time an attempt has been made to revive ``Bonanza.'' Eight years ago ``Bonanza: The Next Generation'' was made as a two-hour movie. John Ireland and Robert Fuller (``Wagon Train'' and ``Laramie'') co-starred. It failed to generate any excitement.
by CNB