
Calamity Over the Comstock Full Episode – Bonanza, Season #05, Episode #7
Stefanie Powers makes a guest appearance as the legendary and cantankerous Calamity Jane. In this episode, Joe is drawn to Calamity, who disguises herself as a man to claim her inheritance. However, Joe becomes entangled in a romantic triangle involving Calamity and her former suitor, Doc Holliday, played by Christopher Dark. The climax of the episode unfolds with a showdown between Holliday and Joe. Fifi D’Orsay adds to the charm with a rare TV appearance as Babette. Originally aired on November 3, 1963, Calamity Over the Comstock was penned by Warren Douglas.
Delve into the storyline and captivating trivia, or indulge in the complete episode below.
Table of Contents
Watch the Full Episode of Calamity Over the Comstock
Watch the Full Episode of Calamity Over the Comstock:
Main Cast
The seventh episode of Bonanza’s fifth season, “Calamity Over the Comstock,” showcases several familiar faces from the show’s recurring and supporting cast. Here’s the full lineup of actors featured in this episode:
- Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
- Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
- Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
- Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
- Stefanie Powers as Calamity Jane Canary
- Christopher Dark as Dr. John ‘Doc’ Holliday
- Fifi D’Orsay as Babette
- Bern Hoffman as Bartender
- Russ Bender as Walt
- Big John Hamilton as Miner
- Danny Borzage as Accordionist (uncredited)
- John Bose as Barfly (uncredited)
- Rudy Bowman as Barfly (uncredited)
- John Breen as Party Guest (uncredited)
- John Burnside as Party Guest (uncredited)
- Bill Clark as Barfly (uncredited)
- Betty Endicott as Party Guest (uncredited)
- John Fritz as Party Guest (uncredited)
- George Golden as Party Guest (uncredited)
- Herschel Graham as Party Guest (uncredited)
- Bob LaWandt as Barfly (uncredited)
- Bob Miles as Indian (uncredited)
- Ernesto Molinari as Party Guest (uncredited)
- Murray Pollack as Party Guest (uncredited)
- John Rice as Barfly (uncredited)
- Cosmo Sardo as Party Guest (uncredited)
- Rudy Sooter as Barfly (uncredited)
- Rick Warick as Barfly (uncredited)
Full Story Line for Calamity Over the Comstock
Joe meets up with Calamity Jane and promises her dying father that he’ll take care of her. He brings her to the Ponderosa, keeping her gender a secret from the other Cartwrights so she can collect her inheritance. Joe and “Cal” begin to fall in love, which is bad news because she has a jealous boyfriend: Doc Holliday.
Full Script and Dialogue of Calamity Over the Comstock
Come on, you droop-eyed, grass-bellied mountain bloomers, we ain't got all month. Hyah! You grubby-nosed, fence-crawling case of worms. Hyah! You all get along or get me a 2-by-4 and bust it across your stupid bone-filled, stubborn-headed heads. - Hyah! - Hold on, now, Cal. Ain't no call for you to bust loose on them mules. - They's doing the best they can. - They ain't doing the best they can. Get along, you sons of Satan. Hyah! Paiutes. Get that wagon up front. Hyah! Come on, you mules. Get down off that wagon! Get under there. Get. Got one of them mangy, no-good, hair-lifters, I did. Get back here! Come on. Walt. Cal. Cal, who's gonna take care of you? You gotta look after Cal, mister. Promise me you will. I will. Here. If you hadn't rode trouble our way, Walt would be alive right now. You know that, don't you? You think that hasn't been bothering me? Walt was a good friend. Look, I know it's of little comfort you now, all I can say is I'm sorry. I guess maybe if them Paiutes was chasing me, I'd done the same thing. I had no call to say what I did. I'd be beholden to you if you just forget I ever opened my mouth. All the same, I'm sorry. I made him a promise. I feel kind of responsible for you. No country for a kid to be running around in alone. - Especially if the kid's a girl. - A girl? Don't you go calling me no girl. Why not? That's what you are, isn't it? How'd you find out? I took a wild guess. You won't tell nobody. You gotta promise me you won't tell nobody. Why not? Because a lot of people think like you think. "This ain't no country for a girl to be wandering around in alone." Well, I got a lot of wandering to do, a lot of places to see, and I don't want no blue-nosed old ladies or dang-blasted peace officers trying to stop me. - You understand? - Mm-hm. Promise? Promise. That is, if you promise to come out to the ranch with me for a couple of days, just to give yourself a little time to decide where you want to go and what you want to do. You got a ranch? My pa does. I live there with him and my two brothers. I'd kind of like to have you meet them, like to have them meet you too. What do you say, is it a deal? It's a deal. After I deliver this here stuff to Virginia City. Okay. Better get started. We got a long ride ahead of us. Well, business over. I'm thirsty, Joe. - Could use me a drink. - Best place in town, right here. There's the place. Hey, wait a minute, you can... Hey, you ca... Hey, you, we need us a drink up here. - What'll you have, Little Joe? - Beer. - Beer coming up. - Wait a minute. - You talking to me, son? - Yeah, I'm talking to you. Give me a bottle of whiskey and a glass. How old are you, sonny? Old enough to bullwhack a freight wagon 900 miles across hot, stinking desert, old enough to lap up the bottom of a barrel of Monongahela and old enough to blow the top of your head clean off. Now, how about that whiskey? You heard the man. That was fun. What do you really want? We got lemonade, fruit punch, grape juice? I'm buying. I want whiskey. And old Cal's buying. I said a glass. I gotta see. Hey, you just watch who you're pushing, you big ape. Well, you dirty-faced little insect. You shut your yapping trap or I'll thumb you to death. I'll squeeze you like a tiny ant. Now, you get out before I peel your head like a peach. I'm going. I'm going. Them big fellas are like babies, they is. Yeah, well, you keep that up, you're not gonna live long enough to spend this. Stop that drinking, you had enough. One more for the tules, Joe. Where we going now? Well, we're gonna go... We're gonna go home, and you're gonna rest and you can decide what you wanna do next. And you're gonna take a bath. You ain't exactly no violet either. And that's no way to talk to a lady. I thought you weren't supposed to be a lady. - Come on, let's go. - I already know what I wanna do. Know exactly what I wanna do. Yeah? And what is that? I wanna stay with you, Joe. I want to stay with you forever and ever. Oh, boy. See you, Bern. Ah, it's about time that young brother of yours got home Won't you come out tonight That's Joe? If that's our little brother, he must have slept in a swamp all night. Won't you come out tonight And we danced By the light of the moon Hi, Pa. This here's Cal. - Howdy. Cal, this is my pa, my brother Hoss and my brother Adam. Horse, huh? Looks more like buffalo to me. Buffalo gals, won't you... Joseph. Oh, uh, Cal's just gonna spend the night, Pa. Oh. Yeah, we're just going to go upstairs and get cleaned up a bit. How about that bath I promised you, Cal? Yeah. How about that bath that you promised me? Don't you worry about a thing, Pa, I'll take care of everything. See you later, fellas. Good to be home, Pa. Buffalo gals Won't you come out tonight Come out tonight Won't you come out tonight Did you get the impression that little fellow was drunk? Drunker than a fly on a corn squeezing. Well, he does have a knack for making friends. Yeah. Buffalo gals Won't you come out tonight Come out tonight Come out tonight Buffalo gals Won't you come out tonight And we'll dance By the light of the moon He sure got a big voice for a little fellow. Ain't he, though? Hey, ain't there no towels in this dump? Dump. What that Cal needs more than anything else is a good thrashing. Hey, somebody bring me a gall dang towel. Joe, you gonna take your partner a towel or not? Oh, hey, uh, I was wondering maybe you ought to take him a towel, Hoss. He feels kind of strange in the house, you'd make him feel home, you know. Yeah. I'll make him feel at home. I'll take him a towel and stuff it right down his throat. What do you intend to do with your protégé? I don't know. We can always use an extra hand around the place can't we, Pa? I could use an extra cup of coffee. Hey, how about that towel? I'm coming. Keep your pants on. I ain't got no pants on. No, ma'am, I reckon you ain't. What's the matter, you big ape? Ain't you never seen a lady before? Oh, yes, ma'am, I've seen lots. I mean, I... Oh, Lordy. I was lumbering down the street Down the street Down the street Pa, that... What's the matter, Hoss? Pa, that Cal, that fella Joe brought, he's... Oh, Lordy. Hoss, what's the matter? Pa, he ain't no he at all, he's a she. It's a gal. - He's a what? - A gal. Joseph. Stand up. Stand up. Now, did you know that he was a girl? What? Oh, no, Pa. You know I knew a thing like that, I'd certainly tell you about it, wouldn't I? I don't think you'd have told us. Joe, I'm gonna tear you limb from limb. Howdy. That man's a Peeping Tom. Now, ma'am, that ain't true. I mean, Cal. I was just coming up there to give you a towel and... - Oh, Lordy. - Ma'am. It seems we've made a little mistake here. What might your last name be, ma'am? My last name might be Canary. Well, then what might your first name be? - Jane. - Jane. Then how come you call yourself Cal? Well, that's short for Calamity. - Calamity? - Calamity Jane. Oh. Nice moon. Yeah. Yeah, it's nice. - Aren't you tired? - Tired? Why should I be tired? Heh, we had a long hard day today. You're not tired? Nope. Oh, I am. I am tired. Hey, do you know what we have to do tomorrow? First thing we gotta do is get you some new duds. I can't have you walking around here looking like one of my brothers. What's the matter with the way I look? Oh, nothing. You look great, heh, heh. You look great. You know, I like you, Joe. Don't guess I ever met a fella I like better. You ain't nothing like John. John. Who's John? He's the fella I was running away from. Always chasing me, wants to marry me. But he's a dentist, and I just couldn't stand the thought marrying a man who spends most of his time looking down people's throats. But, uh, speaking of marrying, a gal like me would make a fella a mighty fine wife. Why, I can ride with the best of them. Snap a fly off an oxen's ear with a bullwhip four times out of five. Clear leather faster than a cat can sneeze. Drink more whisky than a... I guess that don't sound too lady or wife-like, does it? Heh. No, it doesn't. Maybe I... Maybe I ain't too good at talking like a woman, but I ain't so bad at acting like one. Joe? Joe? Do you like it, Joe? Do you like it? Yeah. Yeah. It's nice. Oh, Joe-Joe. "Nice" is all you have to say. Why, this is the latest fashion from Paris. Why, mademoiselle is very chic in this dress. And she's very pretty. You know, she would be the most beautiful girl at the Fireman's Ball on Saturday night. Fireman's Ball? Well, I guess I just ain't the type for them fancy shindigs. Oh, the hair, Joe-Joe. What are we going to do with her hair? Well, we can always cover it. - Cal, what's the matter? - It's Johnny. Hey, Babette, wrap up those other dresses, will you? And send the bill to Pa. Johnny! I just knowed you'd follow me, John. I just knowed it. - Who's he? - Oh, that's Joe Cartwright. He just got me all gussied up. How do you like it? That was very considerate of Mr. Cartwright. Wasn't it? Well, what are we standing around here for? This is a big day. I got me a brand-new dress and two fellas, let's just go in this here saloon and lap us up a bellyful of drinks. Let's just do that. Listen, you two must have a lot to talk about, so I'll... You'll join us, Mr. Cartwright? Well, that's very kind of you. Don't mind if I do. Doc Holliday. - Sit down. - Hey, chubby. Ha, ha, chubby. I'm sorry, ma'am, but we're not allowed to serve the ladies in here. You served me yesterday. If you're smart, you'll do the same today. You... You mean, she's the same? Mm-hm, yeah, she's him. - But... - You heard the lady. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I sure heard the lady. Jane looks real pretty. That was nice of you to do that, Mr. Cartwright. Why did you do it? Why? I just felt the clothes she had on weren't fitting a lady. And they wasn't. And you consider that your business, Mr. Cartwright? Oh, come on, don't be so formal, just call me Joe. All right, and you can call me Doc. Doc? Holliday. Holliday? Oh. Uh... It's Doc Holliday, heh. He's that dentist I was telling you about, Joe. Oh, the... Sure, the dentist. The den... My teeth are all good. All good, heh. It's a real pleasure to see you, Doc. Uh, let's keep it that way, shall we, Mr. Cartwright? Sure. Sure, Doc, let's. And now that we understand each other, I'm sure you'll excuse us. Hm? Oh, yeah, I got a lot of things to do, anyway. You probably have a lot of things to talk about. - Wait a minute, Doc. - No. no. Please, I've gotta go pick up your clothes and I gotta go shopping. And I got a lot of things to do. You just... You... You know... You had no call to do that, Doc. - Didn't I? - No, you didn't, gall dang it. You're coming away with me. Now. I ain't going nowhere with you, Doc, let alone marry you. Now, look, Doc, it ain't that I don't like you, because I do. I got a deep sisterly affection for you. But it ain't enough for marrying, it just ain't. And him? I don't know. That Little Joe, he might be just the fellow for me to want to settle down with and be a lady. A lady. You will never be a lady. No more than I'll ever be anything but a man running to meet oblivion. Folks like us, Cal... we got the devil on our coattails. And he's ridden us and whipped us so long, we're used to it, and maybe, maybe we even like it. We're much alike, you and I, and we need each other. And I'll kill the man who tries to take you from me. We gotta do something about that cough, Doc. Yeah. I, uh... I gotta do something about that. Maybe you're right. Maybe we do have the devil on our coattail, but I gotta try. I gotta see for myself. Ride out of here and give me a chance. If it don't work, I'll come looking for you, I promise. You won't have far to look. I, uh... I'm not going anywhere. Suit yourself, Doc. Well, I gotta go along and get me some more of that ladylike wearing apparel. Doc Holliday. Well, in that event, then, Joseph, I suggest that the most sensible thing that you could do would be to take Ms. Canary into town first thing in the morning and get her a room. We don't need any trouble with Doc Holliday. Yeah, Pa, but I can't do that. In a way, I kind of owe her my life. She's just liable to collect on that debt if you don't get her out of here. Yeah, and then too I made that promise to Walt about looking after her. I'm not asking you to break your word or shirk your responsibility. I'm just saying that under the circumstances, it would be much better if you got her a room in Virginia City. I'd like to, but she won't go. What do you mean she won't go? She just won't go! Besides, I'm not afraid of Doc Holliday. Oh, pfft. No, I can take care of him. Well, Joe, it ain't like we got no confidence in you. It's just that... Well, I've heard tell that fella Holliday done killed himself 15 men. He ain't even worked up a good mad yet. Oh. How do you like it? You don't like it? Oh, no. It's, uh... It's very nice. Very nice. Well, we have some work to do, fellas. Um... You, uh... You come up when you're, uh... - When you're ready, Joseph. - Hey, Pa... When you are ready, understood? Ms. Calamity, you do look nice. Real pretty, as a matter of fact. Thank you, Hoss. Hoss. Oh, yes, Pa. Adam. Hey, Pa, wha...? What'd your pa mean? Ready for what? Oh, well, just, uh... Uh, you see, we figured that since Doc was in town that you'd probably might like to be closer to him. - That is just till you pull out. - Why? Well, it's just like you said. You've known each other for a long time and, uh, Doc is so fond of you. I know if I was the doc, I'd really be jealous. Would you, Little Joe? Would you? Well, yeah, if I... So, what I thought we'd do is, in the morning, we'd get up and get in a wagon and I'd take you into town and, uh, get you a real nice room in the hotel. I ain't going, Joe. - You ain't? - No. How come? I got a big fond for you. - You and me. - Yes, I do. It's like I told Doc. It's, like, heh, you told Doc, huh? Mm-hm. He said that him and me, we got the devil on our coattail. That we need each other. Oh, you know, he has a point. You know, you do. No. I don't need Doc, Little Joe. - I need you. - Me. I said I thought you was just the man to make me wanna settle down and be a lady. And, uh, you told that part to Doc? And you is. I'm gonna stay right here and take care of you and love you and never, never leave. Hey, Joe... There's that Peeping Tom again. No, ma'am. Not really. Pa just wanted me to come back and see if you was ready, Joe. He's ready. You go tell your Pa. You tell him all about us. Well, it looks like you handled that real nice, Joe. Oh, shut up. Whiskey. Wasn't very friendly. It wasn't meant to be. You've got until midnight tomorrow to convince Jane to quit playing at being a lady and ride out with me. And at exactly one second after midnight, I'm gonna kill you, Mr. Cartwright. Look, now, I've tried to be nice to you, Mr. Holliday, but you're pushing me just a little bit too far now. Now, whatever Calamity wants to do with her life is her own business. It's not mine and it's not yours. And you may be older than me and maybe a little quicker on the draw, but I'm not backing down to you or anybody like you. They say I'm dying. That means... I haven't long to get things I want out of life. And I want that girl. And you better see to it that I get her. You see, when a man knows he's dying, it just doesn't seem to make much difference whether it comes slow or fast. And that gives me a terrible edge over you, Mr. Cartwright. Yeah, well, we're gonna have a big ball here Saturday night in town, a big dance. And I've just now decided I'm gonna ask Cal if she'd like to go to it with me. So if you'd like to see her, why don't you drop around? I'll be there with Cal. Oh, I... Oh, I will, Mr. Cartwright. You can depend on it. I will. I'll be there at exactly five minutes to midnight. All right, Doc. Any time you say. What are you doing? Uh... I was just loosening up a bit. Why? There's no special reason, it's just good for you to loosen up. Hey, does Doc know you're taking me to the ball tomorrow night? Sure, he knows. He ain't gonna like it. What Doc likes doesn't concern me. I see. I guess a fella'd have to be mighty fond of a girl to get in a gunfight because of it. Wouldn't he, Little Joe? Yeah, I suppose he would. Especially if he was getting into a gunfight with someone like Doc Holliday. I guess he'd have to be more than just fond of her. He'd have to love her. Otherwise, it wouldn't make any sense. Oh, Cal, there's lot of things in this world that don't make sense, but a man just goes ahead and does them anyway. You don't love me, do you, Joe? I like you. I like you a lot, Cal. I see. You know, I ain't never been to a ball before. Ain't nobody ever asked me. In my whole life, this is the very first. I'm beholden to you, Joe. I'm mighty beholden. But I ain't going. What do you mean, you ain't going? I just ain't going, that's all. Oh, I don't belong at that ball no more than a raw-bone plow horse belongs in a show ring. A lot of fancy frills and gewgaws ain't gonna make a lady out of me, not even for one night. Besides, I ain't so sure I wanna be one. All scrunched up and tied together like a trussed-up chicken. Hey. You look at me and say that and then I'll believe you. Joe, Doc will kill you for sure. Oh, don't you worry about that. That's my concern. You're going to that ball, and you're going with me. - But... - I don't wanna hear more about it. I made up my mind. I want you to get real prettied up tomorrow night and I want every man at that ball to be jealous of me. Oh, Joe, I am beholden to you, awful beholden. And you ain't gonna be sorry. I'll promise you that. You ain't gonna be. Good morning, may I be of service to you? Morning, Babette. I'm, uh, looking for one of them little fur pieces I've seen them fancy ladies wearing. Mademoiselle is referring to a choker. Like this. It is made of the finest of mink. That varmint looks like a cow-stomped squirrel, that ain't it. Cow-stomped squirrel? Well, I will have you know this is cow-stomped mink. No, what I want it's bigger than that and rounder and fatter and... You are speaking of a cape. Oh, Mademoiselle has, mwah, excellent taste. Oh, la, la. Ew! What I want is... Well, it's round and it kind of looks like a coonskin cap with the top shot out of it. - Ah... - And you can you put your ha... - There it is. That's one of them. - Oh. Nice dance. Looks like Little Joe's enjoying it. Do you have to carry that polecat while we're dancing? Yep, feel plum naked without it. Besides, it ain't no polecat, it's mink. Yeah? Well, it looks like a polecat. Thank you, sir. You're welcome. By the way, it's customary to check your gun at the door. I, uh, won't be staying long. Excuse me. I don't recall your asking for the pleasure of this dance, Dr. Holliday. May I, Ms. Canary? The pleasure's mine. Joseph, don't you think you've dipped into that bowl a little too often tonight? No, I'm just thirsty, Pa. Joe, it's getting late. Ain't you about ready to give up? Let's go home. Don't you wanna? I guess he don't. I've also noticed that ever since you got here tonight you've been looking at that clock every five minutes. Why? Why? Uh, no reason, just wanna know what time it is. There something you haven't told us? No. Joseph. It's nothing I can't handle. Joe. You ain't fixing to have no trouble with that Dr. Holliday, are you? No. None, unless he starts some. And what's that supposed to mean? Nah, it's, heh, just that Doc Holliday said that at one second after midnight he was gonna kill me, heh, heh. Now, look, son, you're gonna get right on your horse right now - and ride for the Ponderosa. - I can't do that, Pa. You're no match for him, son. You're no match for him. Now, do as I ask you. Ride for home. Pa, I just can't do that. By morning, everybody in Virginia City would know Doc Holliday faced me down. That he chased me out of town, sent me back to hide in the ranch. Now, I just can't do that, Pa, you gotta understand. Adam, will you talk some sense into your brother? You talk to him, he's your son. Hoss? Pa, I reckon Little Joe's sort of got himself into a pickle. Ain't but one way out of it. If you harm Little Joe, Doc, you are gonna be sorry. Awful sorry. He's got exactly three minutes to live. You see, Cal, when a man has committed himself, there is no other way he can go. Ain't there, now, Doc, ain't there? That's a mighty uncomfortable muff you have there, Cal. It ought to be. There's a Colt .45 right in the middle of it. You're joking. You won't be laughing, Doc. If you harm Little Joe, I'm gonna blow you clean in two. You can believe that. Sorry, Cal, but it's too late. I just can't back down. And there isn't any other way. You better try and find one. You better search yourself to find a way. Nobody really wants to die, Doc. Not even you. Besides, you said we was alike, that we needed each other. Well, I think you're right. And I'd hate like blue blazes to have to plunk you out on Boot Hill and ride on alone. Think, Doc. Think. Mr. Holliday. I'm Ben Cartwright. Just a word of warning. You're a known gunfighter, a killer. I thought you should know that if you hurt my boy, I'll see that you're hung from the highest tree in Virginia City. And I've been in towns all over the west, Mr. Cartwright, and I can't begin to tell you how many times I've listened to that promise. But, as you can see, nobody's hanged me yet. You listen to me, doctor. You touch my little brother and the only way they'll ever hang you will be piece by piece. You gentleman ought to try this punch, it's delicious. Yeah, well, drink hearty, because it's gonna be hot and dry where you're going. I've known just where I'm going for a long time, mister. A day one way or the other isn't gonna make that much difference. Any time you say, Doc. Get out of the way, Cal. Count to three. Ready. One. Two. Sorry, Joe. I guess maybe any differences we have will just have to wait. Come on, Cal. Let's get out of here. Wait a minute. Ms. Canary will leave when she's good and ready and not until then. - It's all right, Joe. - No, no. It's not all right. Not all right at all. I promised you this evening, and nothing's gonna spoil it. Try to pull yourself together, Doc. You need me, I'll be around. Got nothing to worry about now, Cal. See the way I backed him down? You sure did, Little Joe. Why, you got him running scareder than a bee-stung jackrabbit. - You're all heart and you're all guts. - Yeah. I just gotta drink with a man like you. Pour me one, will you? I'd love to. - He's determined to get himself shot. - Yeah. Well, we better get him out of here. Yeah, before he gets shot or gets drowned in that punch bowl. Mm-hm. Well, don't just stand there, play something. Hey, you, uh, enjoying yourself, little brother? Oh, having a heck of a time. - You see the way I backed him down? - I sure did. - Wasn't that beautiful? - I'm proud of you. - Good night. - Good night? Yeah. Awful nice knowing you, Little Joe. Spider juice has a real kick to it. Well, put him on his horse, boys. I'll be right out. Too bad, huh? I never could cotton to fella can't hold his liquor, heh. I'll be riding on, Mr. Cartwright. All right, Cal. Then I'll be saying goodbye to you. You know, Cal, you're right. A fella can't hold his liquor ain't nothing but a boy. I wanna thank you for giving my boy back to me. Thank you, Mr. Cartwright, for giving me the chance of knowing him. Mr. Holliday. You ought to do something about that cough. Yeah, I ought to do something about that. You meant what you said about you and me, Cal? Sure, Doc. We got a lot of places to go and a lot of things to see. We ain't hardly seen any of them yet. Doc, I'm thirstier than a bullfrog on a hot skillet. Will you fetch me a drink? So long, Little Joe.
Behind the Scenes of Calamity Over the Comstock
In reality, Calamity Jane (Martha Jane Canary) never crossed paths with ‘Doc’ Holliday; instead, her affections were directed towards ‘Wild Bill’ Hickock. However, Doc Holliday did suffer from tuberculosis, as hinted at in this episode, and he passed away in 1887.
During a scene in this episode, Adam mentions that Doc Holliday is heading somewhere “hot and dry,” a veiled reference to Hell, but also serving as a double entendre for Arizona, where Doc sought relief from his tuberculosis.
In this episode, Christopher Dark portrays Doc Holliday despite being 43 years old at airing. Since Bonanza is set in the 1860s, Doc Holliday, born in 1851, would have been 18 years old by 1869. Moreover, he obtained his dentistry degree at the age of 20 from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, making it improbable for him to be in Virginia City, Nevada, during this period. Similarly, Calamity Jane would have been only 17 at the close of the 1860s, in contrast to Stefanie Powers, who was 21 during the production of this episode. Calamity Jane’s association with Virginia City stemmed from her family’s relocation from Missouri to Virginia City, Montana, in 1865.
Looking for More Bonanza Episodes?
Bonanza provides wholesome entertainment suitable for both individual enjoyment and family gatherings. Calamity Over the Comstock is the 141st episode among the series’ total of 430. NBC aired Bonanza from September 1959 to January 1973, spanning 14 seasons.
You can find more about any of the 430 Bonanza episodes here>>