
The Flapjack Contest Full Episode – Bonanza, Season #06, Episode #15
The Flapjack Contest, a gem among classic Bonanza episodes, premiered on January 3, 1965. In this comedic tale, Hoss Cartwright embarks on the titular competition, only to be subjected to a starvation diet by his brother Joe in hopes of securing victory. Amidst the contest, various subplots unfold, featuring a bank heist, a smooth-talking con artist, a counterfeit ruby, and a plethora of amusing property mishaps. The ensemble cast includes Johnny Seven as Trager, Mel Berger as Big Ed, Joan Huntington as Lily, Howard Wendell as the Banker, and Olan Soulé as Ira. Crafted by Frank Cleaver, “The Flapjack Contest” delivers an unforgettable blend of humor and excitement.
Delve into its plot intricacies and trivia, or indulge in the episode below for a memorable Bonanza experience.
Table of Contents
Watch the Full Episode of The Flapjack Contest
Watch the Full Episode of The Flapjack Contest:
Main Cast
Apart from the main cast, “The Flapjack Contest,” the fifteenth episode of Bonanza Season 6 presents various recurring and guest-supporting actors. The cast includes:
- Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
- Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
- Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
- Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
- Johnny Seven as Trager
- Joan Huntington as Lily
- Mel Berger as Big Ed Simpson
- Bern Hoffman as Bartender Sam
- Olan Soule as Ira
- Howard Wendell as Banker
- Eddie Baker as Townsman (uncredited)
- John Bose as Townsman (uncredited)
- Bill Clark as Townsman (uncredited)
- Gene Coogan as Townsman (uncredited)
- Betty Endicott as Townswoman (uncredited)
- Charles Fogel as Townsman (uncredited)
- Bob LaWandt as Townsman (uncredited)
- Jack Lilley as Townsman (uncredited)
- Mike Morelli as Townsman (uncredited)
- Cosmo Sardo as Townsman (uncredited)
- Sammy Shack as Townsman (uncredited)
- Cap Somers as Townsman (uncredited)
- Victor Sen Yung as Hop Sing (uncredited)
Full Story Line for The Flapjack Contest
Ben and Hoss sit at the breakfast table, with Ben expressing his displeasure over Joe’s late-night poker games and subsequent disruptive behavior. Hoss, tasked with waking Joe, humorously douses him with water, prompting Joe to retaliate by throwing a boot and accidentally shattering the window in the process. When Joe finally awakens, nursing a headache from a bump on his head, Hoss remains indifferent to his complaints.
As the morning unfolds, Joe recounts his poker escapades from the previous night, boasting of a hundred-dollar win but lamenting being ambushed on his way home. Ben reminds Joe to replace the broken window pane and tasks Hoss with retrieving a package Adam sent containing a valuable uncut ruby. Meanwhile, Joe heads to the saloon in pursuit of the man who attacked him, only to discover bets being placed on an upcoming flapjack eating contest. Joe impulsively wagers against the man he suspects of bushwhacking him.
Returning to the ranch, Joe deceives Ben about Hoss’s whereabouts, claiming he’s preparing for the contest. Ben instructs Joe to fix the window, but Joe conveniently forgets the replacement pane, inadvertently causing further damage. At dinner, Hoss eagerly anticipates a hearty meal, only to be served a meager salad, much to his disappointment.
Later that night, Hoss sneaks downstairs for a midnight snack, but Joe’s makeshift obstacles cause him to stumble and make noise. Joe intercepts him, ensuring he can’t access the kitchen, leaving Hoss resignedly hungry upstairs.
Hoss and Joe venture into town, and Joe heads into the saloon for a drink. There, he encounters Trager and impulsively bets an additional five hundred dollars on Hoss, defeating Big Ed in the upcoming contest. Hoss joins him, questioning the stakes, but Joe assures him they’ll make a profit to compensate for Adam’s lost ruby. However, Joe reveals that if Big Ed wins, they’ll owe twenty-five hundred dollars, angering Hoss.
As they discuss the window pane, Sam reveals his involvement in the broken saloon windows, complicating their search. Lily, a barmaid, offers Hoss pie, but Joe intervenes, leading to a messy confrontation that leaves Hoss covered in pie.
Back at the ranch, Ben scolds Joe for carelessly placing the window pane on the sofa, leading to its destruction. That night, Hoss’s attempt to sneak to the kitchen ends with a painful encounter with a mouse trap, prompting Ben’s intervention and a warning to behave.
The next day, as the contest commences, Joe rushes to replace the broken window pane. Meanwhile, Trager perpetrates a bank robbery, but Joe’s intervention leads to Trager’s arrest and a five hundred dollar reward. Joe encounters Lily, accidentally breaking what he believes to be the stolen ruby, only to discover it’s a fake. Ben informs Adam about the incident, prompting Joe to offer to buy a natural ruby for one thousand dollars. However, Adam is offered fifteen hundred dollars by another buyer, prompting Joe to ask Hoss for the extra five hundred dollars, which Hoss refuses, supported by Ben, as Joe heads off to purchase another window pane.
Full Script and Dialogue of The Flapjack Contest
- Black coffee? - No, thanks, Pa. What's gotten into your young brother lately? Tearing around the countryside, playing poker, getting home at all hours. Pa, he's just young, sowing his oats. Well, I wish he'd straighten out and confine his oat-sowing activities to the ranch. Run him out of bed, will you? He'll spend the whole day there. I'll get him for you. [SIGHS] [DOOR SLAMS] [JOE SNORING] Hey, Joe. Joe, wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Up and at 'em. Come on. Hey. [JOE SNORING] Oh, Joseph. [SCREAMS] What's going on up there? [JOE GRUNTING] Joe. Why in tarnation did you do that? Oh, my head. Ooh. Let me see. [JOE SCREAMS] Hey, Joe, did you that just now? No, I didn't do it just now. It's a long story. Yeah, well, tell me about it later. Pa is waiting for you downstairs and he's in a bad mood. Oh, just my luck. He's gotta be in a bad mood. Why does everybody gotta be in a bad mood? What a lump. JOE: Morning. What time did you get in last night anyhow, little brother? Oh, I'm gonna guess about 4:00. It's a good thing Pa didn't catch you. You'd have more lumps than one. [JOE YAWNS] Hoss, I must have laid in that road for hours after they bushwhacked me. How much did they get off of you, anyhow? Oh, I started out with about $20, and after the poker game, I guess I had close to a hundred. Well, you sure got a talent for trouble, little brother. Pa sends you into town to get the mail, and you end up in a poker game, win a hundred dollars and then get bushwhacked. How do you get in all them messes, anyhow? Well, there's this new tinhorn gambler in town named Trager. He was bragging to everybody about how great his cards were, so I thought I'd show him. Show him what? Like, how to draw to an inside straight? [JOE CHUCKLES] You know, I did too, I drew an inside straight against him. He was a big loser in that game. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he wasn't the one that bushwhacked me. He's a real bad loser. Here comes Pa. Talk about something else. [HOSS CLEARS THROAT] - Hoss. - Yes, sir. Here's a list of supplies. And you, young fellow, don't forget that windowpane. Yes, sir. Make sure that he gets up at a decent hour. Stop in at the post office, see if a package arrived from Adam. HOSS: Yeah. When's he coming home? BEN: In about a week. I got a letter from him, which this young man finally brought. It seems he bumped into an old friend of his, a clipper captain who needed some ready cash. So the fellow offered to sell Adam a beautiful uncut ruby, which he picked up in India. Adam buy it? He sure did, for a thousand dollars, worth much more, of course. HOSS: That Adam. Ain't he a shrewd one? Yeah, he sure is. He didn't want the ruby stolen or maybe lost so he put it in a small plain box and sent it home. So check at the post office, huh? Are you feeling all right? - Yeah. - You look awfully pale. Well, I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night, Pa. I know that. Then try to make up for it tonight, will you? HOSS: Ho. Ho. Ho. - Hoss, start ordering those supplies. Be back in a minute to help load them. - Wait, where you going? - Saloon. Joe. Don't you think you got enough troubles without going and getting yourself in another poker game? Look, stop worrying. I'm not gonna get into another poker game. Just want to see if that tinhorn's over there, or whether he skedaddled out of town after he bushwhacked me. Joe, you ain't got no proof that he's the one that done it. If he's throwing my money around, I got proof. Hey, Joe. How can you tell it's your money or not? SAM: Morning, Little Joe. What will you have? Nothing for me, Sam. I'm just killing time. Say, uh, has that Trager fellow been around? You getting in on it too? - Getting in on what? - The Flapjack Contest. Heh, the what? The Flapjack Eating Contest Saturday, you know, on Founder's Day. The Merchant's Association is sponsoring it. - Here, just sign up for it. - Oh, yeah? Heh, "Flapjack Contest." What's Trager got to do with it? Why, he's taking bets on Big Ed Simpson winning the contest. That's why I thought you wanted him. - He's taking bets, huh? - Yep. Giving 5-to-1 if Big Ed Simpson wins the contest. - Hi, Little Joe. - Hi, Lily. - Give me two beers, Sam. - Right. - Where is Trager? - In the back room. - Right. Thanks. - Two beers. I hear you're throwing all kinds of money around, Trager. What? Last night after the poker game you said you were broke. Now you're throwing all kinds of money around on some contest. It ain't none of your business, but I ain't throwing no money around. All I'm doing is making bets on Big Ed here winning the Flapjack Contest. Flapjacks is my favorite food. Especially when the prize is $500. Now, Big Ed, you simmer down. Stop your bragging. Otherwise, I'm gonna have to raise the odds on you. How are you gonna pay off if he loses? Big Ed ain't gonna lose. But if he does, the payoff is my business. So like I was saying, I'm taking bets on Big Ed, at 5-to-1, and I'm paying off by the book. Put me in for $10. [TRAGER AND BIG ED LAUGHING] [JOE LAUGHS] What's so funny? I'm afraid this deal is a little too big for you, Little Joe. When I talked about 5-to-1, I was talking 500 to $100. Oh, well, that's fine. Put me down for a hundred dollars. Oh, well. "Cartwright, $100." That's right. And I'll be right here Saturday to collect. You better be right here Saturday to pay off. [TRAGER AND BIG ED LAUGHING] - See you, Sam. - See you, Joe. Well, little brother, you sure have been a big help this morning. I had to load all these supplies by myself. What have you been doing in there? Oh, just signing up for the Flapjack Contest. Surprising. I never knew you was fond of flapjacks. Oh, I'm not. You are. What's that supposed to mean? I just signed you up for the Flapjack Contest. That's crazy. If I wanted flapjacks, I'd just get Hop Sing to mix me up a batch. The winner of the Flapjack Contest gets $500. - Is that a fact? - Yep, that's a fact. After you win the contest and I win my bet, there's a thousand dollars. - What bet? - Well, Trager's in there. He's giving 5-to-1 odds that Big Ed Simpson is gonna win the contest. I know you can out-eat him any day of the week. So naturally I had to bet against him. Joe, all you're doing is making a lot of trouble for yourself. If Pa finds out you've been gambling again, he's gonna clobber you. Gonna get more than clobbered if I don't get $1000 before Adam gets back. Now what in tarnation has Adam got to do with it? - When I got bushwhacked? - Yeah. They also stole a little package that I picked up at the post office. Adam's $1000 ruby? Adam's $1000 ruby. See, Hoss, I gotta get that money. I just gotta. Well, I'll tell you what you got to do, little brother. You gotta tell Pa this whole miserable story. Just lay it on the line, that's what you gotta do. But stop to think for a minute. Try to visualize what's gonna happen when I tell him the truth. Can you see it? Wouldn't it be easier just to win the $500? They had good flapjacks. JOE: Whoa. - Where's Hoss? - Oh, he'll be along in a minute, Pa. He's just walking the rest of the way home. He's walking? What in heaven's name for? For exercise. That will build up his appetite. He eats more than all of us put together. Why does he have to build up his appetite? Well, for the Flapjack Contest. The Flapjack...? Say that again. This Saturday is Founder's Day in Virginia City, right? BEN: Yeah. Part of the big doings is a Flapjack Contest. I entered Hoss. I figure he's a cinch to win it. Sure. Of course, you fellas have nothing better to do. - Hmm. - I'd unload those supplies. Oh. And very first thing, put that windowpane back in your room. Holy Toledo, Pa, the windowpane. You forgot it. Oh, Pa, I was so busy it just slipped my mind. Sure, you were busy. Entering Hoss in a Flapjack Contest. - I'm sorry. I'll go back and get it. - Oh, no, you won't. Stay right here, there's plenty for you to do around here. - Now just unload the supplies. - Yes, sir. JOE: Oh... I guess Hoss thought of it for me. Congratulations. [SIGHS] What have you got out there, Hop Sing? Smells delicious. - Fried pork chops. - Pork chops! Hot dog, that's my favorite. Bring them on, I'm starving to death. Hungry enough I can eat fried bear fat. No, Hoss, please. Didn't I tell you exercise would improve your appetite? Pass me the butter. - Oh, yeah, Pa. BEN: Ah. Hmm, smells good. No, thanks, Hop Sing. I don't care for any salad. I'll just have the pork chops. Mr. Joe say this your supper. - What? - Yeah, it's a diet. Oh, it's real good. Carrots and celery and an apple. It'll keep you alive. Joe, I'm starving to death after all that exercising. I can't live on this rabbit food. Do you want to win the $500 or don't you? Yeah. But, Joe, this ain't fair. All right. Go ahead. Go on, stuff yourself. Eat the pork chops, have the bread, the peas. Have dessert. Go on, gorge yourself. Don't worry about the promise you made to me. Go ahead, lose the $500. I've done everything I can do. Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute, hold your horses. I didn't say I wouldn't eat this rabbit food. I'm just worried about who's gonna pick me up when I fall over in a dead faint from hunger. Hoss, you know you can count on me. I'll be with you every minute... until Saturday. Yeah. I reckon I could bet on that, if you'll pardon the expression, Pa. [CLEARS THROAT] Joseph. Joe... Have you ever thought of going into politics? [SIGHS] Oh, Hoss, do you have to make all that noise? [SIGHS] HOSS: Ah! [POTS CLANGING] BEN: What in tarnation is going on down there? JOE: Oh, nothing, Pa. It's all right. Go back to sleep. - What are you doing down here? - Hmm? What are you doing down here? What are you doing down here, Joseph? It's too cold to sleep in my room with the window broken. And what is your excuse? I came down here to get a drink of water. A drink of water, my foot. You came down here to sneak some food out of the kitchen, didn't you? Hm? Heh, heh. And you're sorry, aren't you? Oh, you're not sorry? I'm hungry, Joe. Hungry, that's what I am. And you are going to stay hungry until the contest is over. Now go upstairs and go to bed. BEN: Hoss! Coming, Pa. Don't forget, I'll be here all night long. Right there. [SIGHS] [POTS CLANGING] BEN: Little Joe! Yeah, Pa, I'm coming up. I'm just straightening up. You finish, Mr. Cartwright? Yes, thank you, Hop Sing. - Joseph. - Huh! Yeah, Pa. Yeah, Pa. Look, either you eat your breakfast or you go back to bed. Either one, but do one of them, will you? I'm sorry, Pa. Sorry. What with Hoss banging around half the night. I just didn't get much sleep. Well, let me remind you, young man, that nobody got too much sleep last night. Everybody would have been better off if you had stayed in bed instead of sitting around spying on your brother. - Morning, Pa. BEN: Hmm. Hop Sing, you got any breakfast for me? Hey, where's the apple? Mr. Joe say apple only for supper. [JOE GRUNTING] Please. Gentlemen, listen to me, I'm going to seek the peace and quiet of the upper pasture. And against my better judgment, I am forced to send both of you into Virginia City again to get some more fencing, which we need, and I'm going to count on you to see that your young brother keeps out of trouble. - That ain't always easy, Pa. - I'm making it your responsibility. As for you, young man, don't come home without that windowpane. You know you can count on me, Pa. I'm sure trying, son. I'm sure trying. Excuse me. All right, let's go. I ain't finished my breakfast yet. - Whoa. Whoa. - Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. - Hey, where are you going? - In the saloon. Joe, I promised Pa I'd keep you out of trouble. Trouble? Who's getting into trouble? I just got an idea to get us out of trouble. More trouble than what we got out of yesterday. Hey, don't forget the windowpane. The windowpane. Giddyap. Giddyap. Hi, Sam. You're getting to be a regular customer. How come you're back in town again today? Hoss and I came in to pick up some fencing. Just killing time till he gets it ready. Oh, that's hard work. Waiting, I mean. - Ha, ha. - So have a beer. I'll take you up on it, sounds good. Well, if it ain't the big old spender from the Ponderosa. Heh, heh. What's on your mind, Trager, besides the usual larceny? I hear you got that big, fat brother of yours entered into the Flapjack Contest. Yeah, that's right. That big brother of mine is gonna ruin you, when you have to pay off all those bets. - Is that so? - Yeah, that's so. What do you think about that, Big Ed? Nothing. That Hoss has been eating so high on the hog out there at the Ponderosa that he ain't gonna be no competition at all. You gotta be poor to be hungry and I ain't had a job in six months. [BIG ED & JOE LAUGH] What do you think about that, Cartwright? I think your friend's head is as fat as his belly. I tell you why he hasn't worked in six months, because he's lazy. And that's why you're gonna lose because my brother Hoss is not only a big eater, he's also a fast, ambitious eater. You, uh, wouldn't be willing to put your money where your mouth is? Are you talking about another bet? Now what else would I be talking about? Let's see, my confidence in Big Ed was 5-to-1. What's yours in that brother of yours? Well, I don't wanna terrify you, Trager, so we'll leave it the same, 5-to-1. - Good. I'll put 500 against Hoss. - Mark it down. - Ha, sure. JOE: Heh, heh. Ah, let's see. - That's "five hundred - Five hundred, right. - against Hoss Cartwright." JOE: H-O-S-S. Now you be sure to be here tomorrow after the contest. Oh, don't you worry. I'll be here with a new and bigger wallet. - Thank you, sir. - You're very welcome. You've been making more bets to that tinhorn? JOE: Shh. Keep your voice down. I don't want him to hear you. He's liable to try to change his mind. Oh, did I trap him. Did I trap him into a bet! Ho-ho-ho. What kind of trap? See, I figure when Trager hears you're entering the contest. He's gonna start welching on the bets with Big Ed. So I play like him frightened, see? I'm worried about the competition. So I get him to bet against you. Joe, just how much you got riding on this contest, anyhow? If Big Ed loses, I get $500. If you win I get another 500. Five hundred and 500, that's the thousand I need for Adam, plus the 500 you get for winning the contest. We split that down the middle and it's a nice little profit. Yeah, yeah. What happens if I lose and Big Ed wins? Don't talk that way, it makes me upset. Yeah, well you just stay upset until you can examine the other side of that coin. Well... If Big Ed wins, I lose a hundred dollars. Heh. If Big Ed wins, that means I lose, don't it? Then what? Twenty. Twenty-five... hundred. Twenty-five hundred dollars? Plus that other... Joe, are you crazy?! Will you stop talking that way? Don't talk that way, think how nice it's gonna be when I win all that money. Look what you're doing, you're making me nervous. Sam, let me have another beer. Hey, uh, yeah, me too, Sam. No, no, no, a glass of water. - What? - You heard me. A glass of water. Look, Hoss, beer has hops in it. It's filling, it's fattening. Now, no beer. Water. Water, carrots and celery. You're trying to kill me, ain't you, Joe?! Will you keep your voice down? Keep your voice down. They're right there. They're right there. You know, that Little Joe, he's a lot smarter than he looks. But not as smart as you, Trager. Prettier, maybe, but not as smart. [BIG ED LAUGHS] Heh, heh, heh. You bet he ain't as smart as I am. Now, listen. [WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY] [BOTH LAUGHING] Come on, finish your water. Did you get that windowpane? Jake didn't have no more. He what? He didn't have no more of them. After I bought that one yesterday, the one you busted, he ran out. He said he'd had a big run on them. Oh, no. Oh, Pa's gonna have my hide. Well, I guess that's kind of my fault, Little Joe. - What? - The windowpanes. You know the rooms I got upstairs? Well, I've been renting them to out to cowhands who can't afford the hotel. Well, a couple of them got to whooping it up a few nights ago and broke five of them, so I had to go over to Jake's and replace them. Sam, I'll buy a windowpane from you. I already got them set in the windows. I'll take it out of the window. Then how am I gonna rent the room? Hey, how long did Jake say it would be before he got another windowpane? He said it would be at least a week. Sam, what do you get a night for the rooms? SAM: Fifty cents. - All right. I'll buy the windowpane from you. I pay 50 cents a night till Jake gets the new windowpanes in, a deal? Heh, heh. If it means that much to you. Right. I'll be right down. Be strong, Hoss. - It ain't easy on water, Joe. JOE: Ugh. Sam, is this the strongest water you got? SAM: Hi, Lily. Little early for work, ain't you? You run such a lovely place here, Sam, I just can't resist it. [SAM CHUCKLES] - Hello, Hoss. - Howdy, Miss Lily. What you got in the package? Remember your birthday last month when I forgot to get you a present? Oh, that was all right, Lily, I didn't mind. Oh, well, I did. And it's been bothering me ever since. So today I got you a present. Got it from Mrs. Hawkins, it's her specialty. SAM: What kind is it? Lemon cream meringue. I'd like you to have the first bite. Lilly, that is the tastiest pie I ever ate. I sure appreciate this, I surely do. I'll go get some plates. How about you, Hoss? No, thank you, Lily. LILY: Hoss, what's the matter? You're not sick or something. I've seen you turn down the best-looking girl in here, but never something to eat. Oh, come on, baby, for Sam's birthday. Hm? - Now, cut that out, Lily. - Why? - What's wrong with a little bit of pie? TRAGER: Ha, ha, ha. Well, I promised Little Joe. What's he got to do with it? Don't worry. We'll save him some. - No, that ain't it. - Oh, come on, honey. If not for Sam, then do it for Lil, huh? Please? What's the big idea? That's what I'd like to know, what is the big idea? Where'd the pie come from? I bought it for Sam, for his birthday, if it's any of your business. Sam's birthday, my foot. You're working for Trager, aren't you? LILY: I haven't got the slightest idea what you're talking about. The heck you don't. You've been going with Trager ever since he came into town. He paid you to tempt my brother, didn't he? I'm not that type of girl. You're no pie maker either, Jezebel. - Why, the nerve. - No, Lily! [GLASS SHATTERS] [BOTH LAUGHING] [JOE GRUNTS] Cut that out. Sam, I need another pane. That means rent on another room. [JOE SIGHS] Money is getting to mean less and less to me all the time. Will you leave it alone? Come on, weakling. [TRAGER & BIG ED LAUGHING] Run in and see if see if Pa is here. Whoa. JOE: Whoo. Made it. Mr. Joe say you stay out of kitchen. Mr. Cartwright say take fence to upper pasture, chop-chop. All right. All right. Oh, Joe, Pa wants to get that fencing up to the pasture. I'll be with you in a minute. I want to find a safe place for this. Hurry it up. It's gonna be dark before we get back. JOE: Whoa. Ah, let me see. Fellows, you put my horse up, I'm plumb tuckered out. JOE: Right, Pa. Come on, Hoss. Shake a leg and get down from there. HOSS: About all I can do. I'm all tired and tuckered out, I'm gonna go in the house and lay me down on that sofa. The sofa! Holy Toledo! The sofa! [GLASS SHATTERS] BEN: Joseph! [JOE SNORING] [FLOOR CREAKING] [TRAP SNAPS AND HOSS SCREAMING] [JOE SCREAMS] HOSS: Ow! BEN: What's going down there? I don't know, Pa. I think maybe we caught a Hoss in a trap. [HOSS GROANING] BEN: Hoss, what in tarnation's going on down there? Hoss, what's all that yowling about? Ow! Pa, some little... You were in the kitchen, weren't you? What were you doing? Trying to steal some food? Joe, my belly's so dang nippy it's killing me. Argh! And it's gonna stay that way until after the contest tomorrow. Yes, and it's a dang good thing it is tomorrow. One more night like this, you'll both be out in the barn. Now listen to me, get to bed! Yes, sir. BEN: Hurry up, fellows, let's go. Yeah, we're coming, Pa. - What's that for? - Huh? Oh, that's for the pane of glass. It would be cheaper to go ahead and buy a whole glass factory. Well, after you win that contest today, Hoss, I just might be able to afford a whole glass factory. There, lie down and rest. That's it. I want him to save his strength for the contest. This I gotta see. It will be some compensation for the last few days, anyway. [JOE CHUCKLES] SAM: Ladies and gentleman, your attention please. With all the contestants here, we can begin. Rules are simple. The man who eats the most flapjacks in an hour wins. The hotel will keep them coming from the kitchen. Hey, Ira, what are you doing here? You couldn't be over a 15- or 20-flapjack man. You see, Hoss, my wife's been away visiting her sister. I ain't been eating so good. So I figure this here would be a good chance to store up. Ha-ha. SAM: Plain or with something on them, any way you want. Now if you'll all be seated and ready, we'll begin. One, two, three, go. [ALL CLAMORING] Take your time, you got a long time. Don't worry about the competition, just take it easy. Come on, boy, just keep thinking of that $500. Just keep thinking about it, now. Go ahead, boy. BEN: Joseph? - Yeah, Pa. Joseph, this contest is taking exactly an hour. So let's you and I get some errands done in the meantime, huh? Pa, don't you think I ought to stay? Hoss might need some - syrup or something. - The hotel provides all those services. Wanna get to the post office, see if there's any mail from Adam and you might try persuading Jake to open up his shop long enough to get that windowpane. He hasn't got any left. Huh? Why'd you bring that mattress? Oh, I've been getting them from Sam at the saloon. He's got a couple extra. Well, you just get over to that saloon and get an extra windowpane, huh? - I'll meet you back here. - All right, Pa. [CROWD CLAMORING] - Howdy, Mr. Trager. - Howdy. - Be with you in a moment. - No hurry. - How's the contest going? - Just fine. I do believe the whole town is out there watching. Yes, I know. I was counting on watching myself when the bank closed at noon, but they went and upped the starting time. Yeah, I know. All right, sir. Now, what can I do for you? Well, you can put the money in this here valise. What? You holding up this bank? And shoot the bank, if I have to. Now you just do as I tell you and you won't get hurt. - What's that, Hoss? - My secret weapon, Ira. - Try it. - No! - Ain't got enough to go around. - Hoss. Stop him! Stop him! He robbed the bank! Stop him! [GUNSHOTS] [GUNSHOTS] [GUNSHOTS] [WOMAN SCREAMS] [GUNSHOT] JOE: Hey, sit down, sit down. Wait here. You'll be disqualified. It's one of Trager's tricks. - Are you sure? - Sure. Now sit down, start eating. [GUNSHOT] [GUNSHOT] [GUNSHOTS] [GUNSHOTS] Go right on and eat. [GUNSHOTS] [CLICKING] All right. That does it! What are you doing here? Nothing, Joe. [BEN SIGHS] Well, you'd just go to any lengths to break a windowpane, won't you? [BOTH CHUCKLE] - Good job, boy, good job. - Thanks. Trager robbed the bank. He was trying to get away. - He, what? - Trager robbed the bank. He was trying to get away. - You mean he's a crook? - Sure. You saved the bank thousands of dollars, boy. Heh, but now I can't collect my bet. You've just earned yourself a $500 reward. Come over the bank and pick it up. Joe, did you hear that? Five hundred dollars. Yeah. But that's only half the loaf, Hoss. Listen, that was a pretty slick job you almost got away with there. You are no ordinary bank robber, are you? - What's your real name? - You might as well tell us. We'll find out anyway, soon as we get you to the jail. Sure. - Cunningham. - Cunningham. Ain't there a price on your head? Best there is for bank robbing, $500. HOSS: Hey, Joe, you hear that? - Hey, this is your lucky day, Joe. Five hundred dollars. That 500 plus another 500, that's a thousand you're looking at. And the $500 you won for winning the pancake contest. Hey, Sam, where's my $500 at? You haven't won yet, Hoss. There's still one contestant at the table. Ira's still at the table and in the remaining time, if he eats more than you, he wins. That danged Ira. He ain't no bigger than my leg. Yeah. All right. Let's get this jasper off to jail. JOE: Well... tough luck, brother. - Wait, wait a minute, now. - Huh? Where you going? - Over to the jail, see by my reward. - Uh-uh, first things first. Pa, what's more important than my reward? A windowpane. Oh, come on, Pa, for crying out loud. You don't expect me to drop everything just to get a... A windowpane. A windowpane. [HOSS CHUCKLES] Oh, by the way. Got a letter from Adam, he's coming in on today's stage. That Little Joe, he made it just in time. - What? - Nothing, Pa. Nothing. Hi, Little Joe. Hey, what was all that shooting about? All the shooting was at your boyfriend, Trager. He was robbing the bank while everybody was at the contest. No. How about that. You can't trust nobody no more. Hey, what's that? A little trinket that bank robber gave me. - Probably a phony. - Hey. Let me see that. - Yeah. - Oh! I told you, a phony. "Priceless ruby," he said. Well, what did you break this time? A ruby. [CHUCKLES] Not your brother Adam's ruby. Yeah, they stole it from me the other night. They stole it? Here comes the stage, Pa. Joseph, your brother Adam is in that stage. I sure don't envy you the trouble of having to tell him that they stole his valuable ruby. His, what? Pa, this isn't a valuable ruby. It's a phony. I was worried about having to give Adam $1000. I don't have to give him anything. It's nothing. You know your brother Adam. He's gonna want that ruby or whatever he paid for it, in hard cash. Oh. There he is now. Well, Ira, it looks like you done it. I'm so full I'm gonna bust, Hoss. You can't stop now, just ten more minutes. If you finish that plate, you win the whole contest. I'm gonna hate flapjacks the rest of my life. - I just can't eat another bite. - Oh, sure you can. Look, uh, since Little Joe is all set, I ain't got no interest in winning this contest no more. So I'm gonna give you my secret weapon. Yes, sir. You see what happens, if you eat all of them sugars and them syrups, it gets monotonous. A man needs to shake up his taste buds once in a while with something like this. - What is it? - Vinegar. IRA: Ugh! Ira. Ira. ADAM: Thank you. By the way, you get that package I wrote to you about? BEN: Oh, yeah, well, uh, - as a matter of fact, uh... - What's wrong? Didn't it arrive? Yeah, yeah, it arrived. I'll buy it from you for a thousand dollars. Well, what in the world would you want a ruby for? Oh, haven't you heard? Little Joe has become a collector of rubies, windowpanes... Well, you're out of luck if you want my ruby. Man on the stage offered me 1500. What? Now, give me the ruby or $1500. - Howdy, Adam. - Hey. Hey, um, what's the matter with Ira? Oh, poor little Ira took sick. Hey, you mean you won the contest? Yeah, yeah, guess I did at that. What contest? What are you talking about? Well, what they're talking about... At lease what Little Joe is talking about I think is, uh, money, hmm? Adam here wants, uh, $1500 for that ruby. Huh? JOE: That's what the man said, $1500. I'm $500 short. So, what you want is my contest money, right, Joe? Right. The way I figured, Joe, what you already owe me and Sam, the bartender, figured it will take you at least a year to just get even. I reckon that will be a good lesson for you, little brother. Oh, I doubt that very much. I'd be willing to make a little wager that your young brother here takes more than a year to pay you off. - Oh, yeah? You giving any odds? - What's that, huh? Oh, nothing. I was only kidding you, Pa. Heh. Just a joke. You know I don't bet. Well, of course you don't, and I know that. Heh, heh. But what was that you said a little while ago, when Mr. Trager was taken into custody, about a bet being ruined? And while we're at it, young fellow, what about these poker-playing activities of yours? - And then it... - Pa, Pa. Why don't we just talk about that later? I got important things to do. I gotta get that windowpane and I know that's important. Oh! Hello. I know you want that windowpane and I'm gonna get it. I promise you. Excuse me. I'm gonna it. I'm gonna get it fixed too, Pa. I'm gonna fix it.
Behind the Scenes of The Flapjack Contest
This is reminiscent of an episode from “Little House on the Prairie” in which Pa (Michael Landon) continually deals with his picture window getting shattered.
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Bonanza offers wholesome entertainment suitable for individual viewing or family gatherings. The Flapjack Contest is the 183rd episode out of 430 in the series. From September 1959 to January 1973, Bonanza, produced by NBC, graced their network, spanning 14 seasons.
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