Few Western television shows had the lasting power as NBC's Bonanza . An impressive series about a rancher and his three sons, the horse opera was a breath of fresh air for many who were used to stories about traveling guns for hire or stagnant town lawmen. But for audiences who tuned into Bonanza each week for the 14 seasons the show was on the air, there may have been some confusion around the midpoint of the series when, all of a sudden, Ben Cartwright’s ( Lorne Greene ) eldest son, Adam ( Pernell Roberts ), had essentially vanished without a trace. Why did Roberts leave the show? Well, it turns out that he had his own off-screen issues with the Ponderosa .

Pernell Roberts Grew Disillusioned With the 'Bonanza' Brand

Image via NBC

The most morally upright of the three

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