Andrew Prine appears as George Whitman, a self-proclaimed “jinx” whose presence invites disaster wherever he goes. Despite objections from the Ponderosa ranchhands, Hoss Cartwright hires Whitman, determined to prove his hard-luck reputation wrong. However, even Hoss starts to doubt his decision when the ominous predictions of gypsy fortune teller Teresa (played by Angela Clarke) materialize—originally airing on May 9, 1965, as the 200th episode of Bonanza, Jonah was penned by Preston Wood.

You can watch the complete episode below to delve into a comprehensive plot summary and captivating trivia.

Watch the Full Episode of Jonah

Watch the Full Episode of Jonah:

Main Cast

In the thirty-second episode of Bonanza’s sixth season, “Jonah,” several recurring and supporting cast members appeared. Notable members of the cast include:

• Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
• Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright (credit only)
• Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
• Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
• Andrew Prine as George Whitman
• Dean Harens as Jim Poole
• Jacklyn O’Donnell as Susan (as Erin O’Donnell)
• Ken Mayer as Harry Kern
• Angela Clarke as Teresa
• Bill Clark as Will
• Troy Melton as Charlie
• Martha Manor as Martha
• Gene Coogan as Barfly (uncredited)
• Bill Coontz as Brawler (uncredited)
• Betty Endicott as Brunette Saloon Girl (uncredited)
• Cosmo Sardo as Bartender (uncredited)
• Jerry Summers as Cowhand at Bar (uncredited)

Full Story Line for Jonah

Despite protests from the ranch hands who believe George Whitman is cursed and unsuitable for work at the Ponderosa, Hoss remains convinced that the man’s reputation is unwarranted and hires him regardless.

However, as disasters start to unfold in George’s presence, even Hoss becomes apprehensive about the ominous predictions made by a gypsy fortune teller.

Full Script and Dialogue of Jonah

Hey, Hoss. Did you hear that?

[COWS MOOING]

No, I don't hear nothing.

Oh, come on, Harry, you're as spooky
as a fox in a forest fire. Settle down.

I don't know, I got a
feeling something is wrong.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

Howdy, fellows.

POOLE: Howdy. GEORGE: Howdy.

Harry, this here is George
Whitman. He's a new hand we put on.




Howdy.

- Ain't I seen you somewhere before?
- I don't think so.

George Whitman.

He's the one they call The Jinx.

Come on, Harry.
Everything's quiet, Poole.

- They're yours.
- Good enough.

- See you in the morning.
- Come on, Harry, let's go.

- Is, uh, that true?
- Huh?

What old Harry says
about you being a jinx.

Some folks think so.

Well, what do you think?

I don't know.

Hmm, well, uh, just in case,
you stay here. I'll do the circling.

Hoss.




I've been thinking on it.
Now, you better listen to me.

I know. I worked the Forbes
spread with that George Whitman

and we had nothing but trouble.

Now, Harry, that's
a bunch of nonsense

and you know it, dadburnit.

Besides, we need all the
hands around here we can get.

Come on, let's turn in.

But I'm telling you,
now, I got a feeling.

Look, Harry,

if you happen to see any
witches flying by the moon tonight,

don't wake me up and tell me
about it. Wait until morning, will you?

[CHUCKLES]

[HOSS CHUCKLES]

[HOSS GRUNTS]

[HOOFBEATS APPROACHING]

Stampede! Stampede!

On your feet. Stampede!

The cards say you
will be happily married.

What else do they say?

They say you will
have many children.

Beer.

MAN: Make it two.
CHARLIE: Whiskey.

- Hello, Susan.
- Hello, Jim.

- Buy you a drink?
- All right.

Bartender.

- Do you mind if I watch?
- No, heh.

STEVENS: How have
you been, Charlie?

Right prime.

Hey, Harry, what
happened to you?

Oh, got caught right dagnab in
the middle of a cattle stampede.

It'll be all right
in a day or two.

I hear the Cartwrights
hired on George Whitman.

Yeah, this week.

We had him on the Box-W.

You fellows are in for it.

- How so?
- Ain't you heard?

- Whitman's bad luck.
- Yeah, yeah.

Heh, yeah. Now
maybe you'll believe me.

Everywhere he goes, trouble.

One of you had better
tell the Cartwrights.

Don't you think I haven't?

Don't make no
difference to them.

They don't know the
forces that's in him.

- Oh, Harry.
- I'm gonna tell you something.

I'm gonna tell both
of you something.

Now, if you was to look
into George Whitman's eyes

you'd see evil things
stirring in his soul

beyond all understanding.

But don't ever look him
dead straight in the eye.

Why not?

Because that's how
he puts the sign on you.

Well, I ain't afraid of
nothing I can't see or touch.

Well, you'll see. You'll see.

Uh, they wouldn't believe
me. I told them it was a jonah.

CHARLIE: Hi, Little Joe.
- How you doing?

CHARLIE: Hoss.
- Howdy, boys.

CHARLIE: Buy you a...?

- Order me a beer, will you, Hoss?
- Yeah.

- Couple of beers, Cosmo.
- Hi, Susan.

Hi.

Has that, uh, dark-haired
lady I'm supposed to meet

shown up yet?

If you want to,
we can look again.

No, that's all right. I'll
give her a day or two.

COSMO: Three beers, Hoss.
- Yeah, thank you, Cosmo.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Hoss, there ain't no use
to stay here and get jinxed.

What do you mean by that?

Bunch of superstitious...

Excuse me.

George?

- Oh, hello, Susan.
- I heard about the stampede.

I just wanna make sure you
didn't get hurt or anything.

[GEORGE CLEARS THROAT]

No, I'm all right.

Oh, cheer up, honey.

I don't know why you waste your
time on a guy like that, anyway.

You're right.

Well, sure isn't the way
I'd handle it, George.

HOSS: Me either.

George, what in tarnation is
the matter with you, anyhow?

All that little gal wanted
was just to be friendly.

Come on, let's go talk to him.

- Look, George, come on back...
- Will you leave me alone?

Hoss, Hoss, I'm sorry.

I just never should have
gone in there in the first place.

I'd like to know why not.

Because I got a hex
on me, that's why not.

Come on, will you, George?
There's no such thing.

No?

I'm the 13th child
of a 13th child.

I got 13 letters in my name.

I was born on February the 13th.

- What a bunch of baloney.
- Well, it's true.

I've been bad luck to
everybody I've ever been around.

I thought that on the Ponderosa,
things might be different,

but after last night,

it just seems to me like
it's starting all over again.

I just can't take the chance of
anything bad happening to her too.

[SIGHS]

- George...
- Come on.

There's nothing you can say
to him. Let's finish our beers.

[ALL YELLING]

CHARLIE: Come on, get
that saddle on. Thatta boy!

Get the saddle on.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

CHARLIE: Hoss, you all right.
- Yeah.

Thanks to George, I'm all right.

They're gonna get rid of you.

Hey, what's going on here?

It's that jonah I was telling you
about. He almost got Hoss killed.

HOSS: Oh, Pa, there
wasn't nothing to it.

Spoony just spooked
a little bit, that's all.

GEORGE: Mr. Cartwright?

I'd like to, uh,
pick up my time.

[GEORGE PANTING]

You've only been with
us a couple of days.

Yes, sir, I know,
but, uh, I'd like to quit.

Well, of course, uh, ahem, that's your
privilege, but I'd sure like to know why.

Heh. I've caused enough
trouble around here already.

I'd like to move on
before there's any more.

Heh, well, George, as
far as we're concerned,

that's no reason
to leave at all.

Oh, Mr. Cartwright, let him go.

We don't want him
around here anymore.

Ahem, seems to be some doubt
as to who's running this Ponderosa.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

Is there?

Because if there isn't, I'd sure
like the privilege of deciding

who stays and who goes.

Yeah, but Mr. Cartwright, this
fellow is just plain bad news.

He's already put the
sign on me and Hoss.

HARRY: Yeah, me too.

I'm not running this ranch
according to hexes or voodoos

or hoodoos or any
other kind of claptrap.

As long as George
Whitman does his work

and does it right, he
gets paid and he stays.

I'm not so sure we wanna
work with him anymore.

Well, of course, that puts a
different conflict on things, doesn't it?

Well, if any of you are so
scared of old wives' tales

that you're willing
to give up a good job,

I'll be willing to
pay off right now.

No, there's no need.

Oh, come on, let's
get back to work.

That was a mighty nice
thing you did, Mr. Cartwright,

but, uh, I still think
I ought to move on.

I don't want anything
to happen to you people.

Well, that's, uh, mighty
nice of you, George,

but why don't you let
us take our chances?

I kind of believe that a
man makes his own luck.

It's different with me.

Tsk, well, you just saved my
life. You figure that's bad luck?

I was the closest one to you,
anybody would have done that.

It was my bad luck it
happened in the first place.

All right.

You think that you're bad
luck, huh? A jonah, is that right?

That right?

I'm kind of surprised at you.

I mean, why don't you
do something about it?

How can you just accept it?

Why don't you do
something to change it?

If only I could.

Well, of course you
can. You can try.

All right.

I will.

[GEORGE SIGHS]

George, I'm glad you
made that decision.

I, uh...

Do you think it'd be all right
if I went into town later today?

- I reckon so. Why?
- Well, I kind of got this idea.

Do you wanna come along?

Yeah, I'd just as
soon do. Hey, what...?

George Whitman, the cards
say you are very troubled.

Well, ma'am, heh, we already knew
that. That's how come we came in.

I have known for some time.

You have? You mean,
you've known about this

and you ain't tried to help him?

These gifts are not
to be given lightly.

They are to be sought after.

You mean, you know about
me being bad luck and all?

Well, George, it ain't exactly
no big secret, you know.

Right now, you are
wondering if I can help you.

I've tried rabbit's feet
and four-leaf clovers and...

Playthings.

The curse of number 13
requires a charm of unusual power.

And I, uh, suppose you got one.

I mean, some kind of
mumbo jumbo, huh?

You mean, a charm?

It will not be easy.

Oh, ma'am, I'll try
just anything at all.

There is a charm
that works without fail,

but it will cost $2.

Oh.

Uh, Hoss, have, uh, you
got some money on you?

[SIGHS]

Yeah.

Thanks.

I will write it out for you.

You cannot make this yourself.

It must be done by
someone who is close to you.

Hoss?

Yeah. I'll do it
for you, Georgey.

Probably find most of this stuff
without a whole lot of trouble.

GEORGE: I don't know how to
thank you, ma'am. Let's go, Hoss.

- Hoss?
- Oh, yeah.

You must follow
that very closely,

or else...

- Or else what?
- Don't worry about it, George.

I'll take care of everything.

George, why don't you run along and
I'll try to gather some of this stuff up.

- I'll join you after a while.
- All right.

Yeah.

- Howdy, Miss Susan.
- Hello, Hoss.

Miss Susan, I wanna
tell you something.

Old George is...
He's real fond of you.

He takes a very funny
way of showing it.

Yes. Look, me and him is gonna
be in town Saturday night, see?

I couldn't be less interested.

Well, now, you
might be surprised.

There's liable to be a
big change in old George.

I just thought I'd tell you

in case you wanted to get all
spruced up or something. See you.

I don't know, that doesn't
look like a goat's horn to me.

Dadburnit, George, I got
that from Granny Greer.

If she says it's a goat
horn, it's a goat horn.

- Now, we got the dried bat wings?
- Yeah.

- Got the snakeskin?
- Mm-hm.

And we got the feathers
from the owl's eye.

Mm-hm.

You know?

Joe, I haven't seen such
a conglomeration of stuff

since you and Hoss tried to
follow one of Hop Sing's recipes.

Only difference is, I think
this might taste better.

[JOE CHUCKLES]

Pa, heh, we might as well try it if it
might make old George feel better.

Mr. Cartwright,
rustlers hit us last night.

- How many?
- They got 31 head of prize stock,

stampeded them right
out of Box Canyon.

- Well, did anybody get hurt?
- No, nobody.

- Well, you have to wonder...
- Oh, Harry, will you stop it?

Let's start tracking them
down. Everybody, let's move.

Get my horse for
me, Joe, you hear?

[WOLF HOWLING]

This is where the Indians
put their dead, isn't it, Hoss?

Yeah.

Well, why don't we
move on? It's getting late.

Wait a minute.

It's a good place for me to
pick up that graveyard dust.

That charm I'm making for you.

If I'm gonna make it, I might
as well make it right, hadn't I?

Yeah, well, hurry
up. It's spooky here.

This will do it nice.

Save me a trip to town.

Come on.

This one here, I can't
make out. What is that?

Uh, that looks like a hasenpfeffer
or a hasselbach, something like that.

Well, I'll just
use both of them.

Okay.

Hassenpfeffer... Or hasselbach.

A pinch of this.

Higgly, piggly, abracadoo.

Add a bit of that too.

Pour it in,

drop it in.

Phew.

Shake it all around.

Ah, it'll never work.

Dadburnit, George, you'll
never know till you try it.

[SIGHS]

Here. It says you're supposed
to wear it right next to your heart.

All right.

- Hoss.
- Yeah?

- I can feel the power of it working.
- Yeah?

I really can.

Do you know something? Heh.

- I feel lucky.
- Yeah?

[BOTH CHUCKLING]

- Yeah.
- Doggone it, that's the spirit, George.

I'll tell you what, we'll get Little Joe
and we'll go into town tonight and try it.

(theme music playing)

I still say we're making a
mistake being anywhere near

where that jonah
is hanging around.

We ain't got nothing to worry about
since Hoss gave him that concoction.

That's right, Harry.
He's a changed man.

- Leave him alone.
- Four beers.

Fine. Thank you, Cosmo.

[JOE AND WOMAN CHUCKLING]

Hey, thank you, Hoss.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

- Thanks, Hoss. HOSS: Yeah.

Look at that. I've never seen
such a change in a fellow.

That charm never fails.

You know, you sure do
look pretty tonight, Susan.

Thank you.

I bought the dress
this afternoon.

You see, Hoss said
you might be coming in.

Do you mean that
you did it for me?

Sort of.

I'm going to keep this
dress forever and ever,

as a remembrance of tonight.

Yes, sir, that sure is a mighty
potent magical potion at that.

The only trouble I had
finding all them ingredients

was that graveyard dust.

If I hadn't found that
Indian burial ground,

I'd have to come all the
way in here to Boot Hill.

What?

You did not use dust from
an Indian burial ground?

Sure. Sure, I did.

- What's the matter?
- That was dust

from unhallowed ground.

Well, you just said
dust from a graveyard.

You didn't say nothing
about no special kind.

Dust from unhallowed ground.

The charm is no longer a charm.

Don't get excited and all upset.

I said the right
words and everything.

It doesn't make any difference.

You put a most
horrible curse on him.

Look, you don't really
believe this stuff, do you?

Yes. Yes, I do.

I do.

I told you not to talk
to this guy, honey.

He'll cause you
nothing but trouble.

You leave us alone, Poole.

- George.
- Come on.

Oh!

[POOLE LAUGHING]

Well, you did it
again, jonah. Ha-ha.

Hey, I'm awful sorry,
mister... [JOE GROANS]

[GLASS SHATTERS]

[JOE GROANS]

Well, you ain't gonna
believe this but someone just...

[ALL GRUNTING AND GROANING]

HOSS: Break it up, break it up.

Joseph. Joseph! Break it up.

You boys had your fun for today.

Break it up. We're all friends.
Let's all step up and have a belt now.

Come on, fellows.

Somebody's gonna stump
their toe and hurt themselves.

MAN: Oh, you guys.

Gee, it's great
to have relatives.

HOSS: It's a big help.
MAN: Give me a drink.

I knowed it.

Even with all that hocus-pocus,
that didn't help, he's still a jonah.

- Will you shut
up? HOSS: George.

JOE: Give me a whiskey.
COSMO: Coming up.

- Sit down.
- What for?

Just sit down.

- Shuffle them.
- Huh?

I must see what the
cards are going to say.

Oh, well, that's a lot
of dang nonsense.

No matter what she
does with them cards,

it ain't gonna change nothing.

[SIGHS]

- Are you all right, Little Joe?
- Oh, no. I'm not.

I'm in a lot of
pain right there.

- Is that better?
- Oh, yeah.

You know, Martha, you're
the best friend I have.

- Am I?
- Mm-hm.

Look, ma'am, we ain't
got time for these games.

There is a fight.
That is part of it.

Shuffle them.

Why me?

What is going to
happen will affect you too.

[CARDS SHUFFLING]

Will you look at that?

You ever see such a silly mess
of mumbo jumbo in your life?

Fortune-telling.

What does it mean?

The lifelines are identical.

You are bound together
by a common fate.

I don't understand.

The charm has become a curse.

She says it's all
my fault, George.

Listen. I saw five
events in the cards.

The first one already
happened, the fight.

On the first night, I see
an explosion and a fire.

On the second, a wolf
howling three times.

The next day, a snake is going to
strike and miss, and yet not miss.

That night the third night,

a black horse will come to the
Ponderosa bearing your saddle.

Death...

looking for a rider.

After that, it is not
long, a few hours.

Then I see you, Hoss.

And you, George,

your body stretched
out in the moonlight.

And that is the end.

Yeah, well, uh, Madam Teresa,
you make this sound mighty exciting.

But thank you, anyhow. Come
on, George, let's go home.

I don't guess I'll need this
anymore. So long, ma'am.

[GRUNTS]

[CHUCKLES]

I wouldn't sit so
close to that fire.

You know that prediction.
Fire, explosion, phew, heh.

You go ahead and josh
all you want, little brother.

Funny thing, somebody
makes a prediction like that.

No matter how much
you disbelieve it,

you find yourself
waiting for it to happen.

Oh, yeah, I agree with you.

I mean, I'm waiting right here
for that dark-haired girl to show up.

[CHUCKLES]

- Uh, Pa, - Hmm?

What are we gonna
do about them rustlers?

Well, welcome home.

It's about time you started thinking
of something besides hocus-pocus.

I'm sorry, Pa.

You know, we done lost 31 head.

Ain't we gonna put
out guards or nothing?

Of course we're
going to put up a guard.

I've just been trying to
figure out where, though.

Yeah, we lost the trail of those
cattle just around that rocky outcrop.

Maybe starting tonight,
we ought to do that, huh?

Good idea. Good idea.

[GROANS]

Help put out the fire!

Here, here.

Hoss, come on out here.

Explosion.

BEN: Ugh, Hoss!
- Yeah, Pa.

Don't just stand there.

Ah, don't stand
there. Do something.

Fire and explosion
on the first night.

- That's what she said, wasn't it?
- Yup.

Oh, come on, will you?

Little gas pocket
formed among the logs.

Happens all the time.

George, will you go out
and saddle your horse

and saddle Hoss's
and wait outside?

Now will you stop worrying
about this hocus-pocus business?

Now, come on, get your hat
and gun, go out with George.

- Ah.
- Start guarding against those rustlers.

Oh, Hoss. See if you can talk
some sense into George, huh?

Yeah.

You really think that explosion
was caused by a gas pocket?

George,

it just ain't reasonable that anybody
could tell the future by a deck of cards.

Ain't but one way you can tell
the future with a deck of cards

and that's by holding
four aces in a poker game.

A wolf is supposed
to howl three times.

Yeah.

[WOLF HOWLING]

That's the first one.

[WOLF HOWLING]

I reckon if he just howls
twice, it don't count, huh?

Shh.

[WOLF HOWLING]

Come on.

One more time, make it four.

I thought you didn't believe
in Teresa's predictions.

I don't, not a
dad-burn word of it.

Then explain them
wolf howls to me.

Just like she
said, three of them.

Go on, explain it to me.

Well, it's...

It's a coincidence.

You know, heh, George, if Teresa
could really predict the future,

it seems to me that she'd
be making a lot more money

than the dimes and quarters
she's picking up at the saloon.

Don't you think so? Look at
the predictions she's made.

The, uh, fight. Well, that
had already taken place.

The explosion and fire,
she didn't say where or when.

And wolf howling... Why, these are
all commonplace occurrences here

in this part of the country.

But I'll tell you, George, I'm
gonna make a prediction of my own.

I'm gonna predict that she
comes riding up here today

with some kind of charm
or hocus-pocus of some kind

that's gonna cost you
a lot of money, heh.

No, sir, it won't, because
I'm leaving right away.

Oh, George, you can't do that.

Well, the real big predictions
are supposed to happen today.

I mean, like that snake that
strikes and misses, but don't miss.

Now, that I gotta see.

And that mysterious horse that
comes up here with your saddle,

don't you wanna stick around
to see if they do happen?

Don't you see, Hoss? She
said we're in this together.

Now, if I get far enough away
today, that will all be changed.

I'll get you out
of this, anyway.

I'd like to thank you for
everything you tried to do for me.

Oh, uh, I wish that, uh, you'd
see that Susan gets this watch,

even though she is
pretty mad at me, heh.

Doesn't keep much good time, but

it's the only thing I ever had
that was worth anything, and

it belonged to my father.

I'm going into town
tonight. I'll give it to her.

I wish you'd stay, George.

Well, George,
sorry to see you go.

I wish I could say that.

But I'll take good care
of that little girl for you.

GEORGE: Bye, Hoss.
- So long.

Good riddance.

Uh, now Pa ain't paying you yahoos
to lollygag around here. Get at it.

And that goes
for you too, Poole.

George. Come on in.

It happened.

What happened?

The snake missed, but he
spooked my horse so bad

he dumped me and ran off.

I couldn't do anything
else but walk back here.

So in a manner of
speaking, you could say

that the snake didn't
miss his purpose.

Yeah.

It's gonna happen, Hoss.

Tonight.

And there ain't no way in
the world we can escape it.

ANNOUNCER: We'll return
to tonight's story of Bonanza

in a moment.

ANNOUNCER: And now the
exciting conclusion of tonight's story.

Well, I told you I was a pretty
good predictor myself, didn't I?

Yeah, let's go see how
expensive this is gonna be.

Oh, I've been so
worried about you.

I'm, uh, awful glad... I mean, I'm glad
that you're not mad at me anymore.

Oh, George.

[GEORGE SIGHS]

Madam Teresa,
this here is my pa.

- Hello, Susan.
- Mr. Cartwright, Hoss.

Hi, Susan.

Teresa was telling
me such terrible things.

I was getting so worried about
George... and you too, Hoss

that I finally made her tell me

that there is a way to
put a stop to this curse.

Oh, there is, is there?

Tonight, both of you must get
back to the Indian burying ground.

I have written out
what you must do

and brought
everything you will need.

The charcoal brazier,
into the fire of which...

Ahem. Madam Teresa.

I'd like to, uh, see what you've
written out here, if you don't mind.

"Roots of violets, sulfur,

spirits of hartshorn,

marjoram and rosemary.

A witch hazel rod

with which you must inscribe
the magic pentacle on the ground."

[SIGHS]

Look, I don't know how much you
expect to get for this paraphernalia.

There is no fee,
Mr. Cartwright, and no charge.

Nor is there, as you are
thinking, a dishonest purpose.

My only interest is in helping
both these unfortunate men.

Well, it seems to me that these,
uh, unfortunate men are old enough,

or should be, to
help themselves.

I'm sorry that you had
to come here for nothing,

but I'm afraid
that's just what it is.

Hey, Susan, Susan.

I appreciate what, uh,
your intentions were

but I think you ought to go back
to town and take this with you.

Uh, Susan.

Susan, I want you to go on back
to town and not worry about a thing.

Now, I'm gonna be all right.

George, please take this.

Oh, heh, I don't
think I'll need this.

George Whitman, if
you change your mind

be sure you follow the
instructions to the letter.

You be careful.

[THUNDER CRASHING]

HARRY: Hey. Little Joe!

[WIND WAILING]

Boy, I hope this
weather clears up.

So do I, Harry. It sure is
squally tonight, though, ain't it?

It's time to relieve
your pa and Charlie.

Yeah, I know.

- Hoss, we'll see you in the morning.
- Okay, Joe.

[THUNDER CRASHING]

GEORGE: Hoss?

Go on, George, you scared
me out of a year's growth, huh?

What are you doing
back here, anyhow?

Waiting.

Waiting for what?

The black horse.

Oh, George.

I still got that magic
stuff Teresa left.

You think that maybe...

George, you know what Pa
said about that magic stuff.

[HORSE NEIGHING]

It's the horse.

[HOOFBEATS APPROACHING]

He's coming.

[HORSE NEIGHING]

- That was my saddle.
- Ah, you still got them instructions?

I got the magic stuff
in the bunkhouse.

[WOLF HOWLING]

[THUNDER CRASHING]

[CHANTING] Fire
light, fire bright,

higgledy, higgledy,
booms in the night.

[THUNDER CRASHING]

Curses be gone
with a big shin bone.

Abracadoo.

[THUNDER CRASHING]

Z azzamazoo

Take this curse
off of me and you.

[THUNDER CRASHING]

[WIND WHISTLING]

[GASPS]

Dad-burn you, Poole, you
scared the daylights out of me.

What are you doing here, anyhow?

[COCKS GUN]

Guess.

You're the one that's been
stealing the cattle, ain't you?

Wrong.

Turn around, both
of you. Turn around.

POOLE: It was George.
- Me?

POOLE: Yes, you.

You see, you and
me were out riding.

We came upon George
and caught him red-handed.

He shot you, but I was lucky enough
to get him before he could get me.

Strange, isn't it, how
Teresa's predictions came true?

Right down to the last one.

You and George, lying
dead in the moonlight.

[COCKS GUN]

Poole!

Poole, it, ah, looks like somebody
else has done some figuring too.

- You better drop that gun.
- Shut up.

[GUNSHOT]

HOSS: Pa.

All right, break them
up, Hoss. Break them up.

Joe.

[GRUNTS]

BEN: Joe. Get back to the herd.
Everything's all right down here!

Harry.

All right, Mr. Poole,
you can get up now.

We got the rest of your gang.
You might as well join them.

Take him in to
the sheriff, Harry.

Making a fool out of me.

You did good, jonah.

Hey, Pa, how did you know
where we were, anyhow?

I followed Poole here. Did you
know that he was the head rustler?

Well, just found it out.

His gang was trying to get away
with some more cattle tonight.

Poole was also the fellow

who was making Madam
Teresa's predictions come true.

Did you know that?

Well, I'll be dang...

How come you didn't
let us know about it?

Oh, well, you were so busy
with your hocus-pocus-ing

that I thought it might be
better if you'd keep on doing

what you were doing,

and Poole would keep
doing what he was doing

until he finally hanged himself.

Tsk. Boy, Pa, you sure
played it close to the vest.

Well, I had to. Wasn't
sure until tonight

that Poole was the
man we were after.

Then maybe I
wasn't a jinx this time.

Heh, oh, George,
of course you're not.

You gotta remember one thing:
There's no such thing as a jinxed man.

Yes, sir, I'll
remember that, heh.

Hey, why don't you go help
Little Joe take care of the herd?

Right.

[LAUGHING]

You know, ha-ha, old George
really did think he was a jinx.

I never did believe that
stuff. I was going along with it,

because I thought it was
helping George feel better.

Higglety-pigglety.

[THUNDER CRASHING]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Well, Teresa,
still no sign of her?

- The dark-haired lady?
- That's the one.

I do not believe I was
wrong about her. You will see.

All right, if you say so.

[BEN SIGHS]

BEN: I'm telling you, I'm glad
that's over with. I'll have one, ahh.

So am I, Pa,
except for one thing.

What's that?

Can't figure out how
Poole got that black horse

with George's saddle
on it to come in there.

Poole found the runaway, put
George's saddle on the black horse

and did it to scare
him. Thank you.

He did the same thing
with the shotgun shells.

Put them on the log. And
he imitated the wolf calls.

It was always Poole.
Always Poole, all the way.

No hocus-pocus.

Well, that explains
those things right nicely.

All but one thing.

- What?
- That rattler.

What about the rattler?

Well, now, how do you
reckon that Poole knowed

which trail George was gonna
take out of the Ponderosa?

Well, uh...

Harry, haven't you
got anything to do?

Well, why don't you go do it?

Why, why, rattlers.

Hey, Pa, wait a minute.
How did he know?

Hoss, what difference
does it make?

Look, one out of
five, one out of five.

Now, is there anything
wrong with that?

Mm-hm.

Just like the cards said.

I'll be doggone.

- Hi, I'm Joe Cartwright.
- Yes, I know.

[WHISTLES]

Now, Pa, what about that?

The dark-headed lady.

(theme music playing)

I got you another one.

Here she is, Chevrolet's
newest, the Chevy Van.

It's the lowest priced of all
Chevrolet delivery trucks,

but it's still built
like a Chevrolet.

Double-wall doors and...

a floor that's
low, wide and flat.

And enough space to
load a whole ton of cargo.

Well, excuse me, little fellas.

Now, here's the
real special thing:

a tough four-cylinder
engine that's more powerful

than a whole lot of sixes.

And it cuts operating expenses
plumb down to the bone.

(engine starts)

Yep, it's Chevrolet's
lowest priced delivery truck.

And don't forget the
name: Chevy Van.

Behind the Scenes of Jonah

The episode marks the first appearance without Pernell Roberts, who had departed from the show. He is credited but does not appear on screen.

Looking for More Bonanza Episodes?

Bonanza provides wholesome entertainment suitable for both individual viewing and family gatherings. Jonah marks the 200th episode out of the series’ 430. Produced by NBC, Bonanza aired on their network from September 1959 to January 1973, encompassing 14 seasons.

You can find more about any of the 430 Bonanza episodes here>>