Bonanza, a Western television program under the NBC network, shows the stories and adventures of the Cartwrights, a fictional family of ranchers who lived on the Ponderosa ranch. The Hopefuls, the program’s thirty-seventh episode, debuted on October 8, 1960, and was written by E. Jack Neumann. Charles Maxwell, who plays Shenandoah, also joins the supporting cast. 

Larry Gates plays Jacob Darien, the leader of a Quaker sect that has bought land in California. As they cross the Ponderosa in a special wagon meant to transport money for the land transaction, Jacob’s daughter, Regine (Patricia Donahue), makes a request. She convinces her father to have Adam and Hoss Cartwright act as escorts for the Quaker wagon train.

Meanwhile, Adam’s new friend, Sam Bond (Dennis Patrick), accompanies the Cartwright boys. However, Sam plots to steal the Quakers’ money at the first opportunity.

Read its plot, learn some fascinating behind-the-scenes trivia, or watch the full episode below.

Watch the Full Episode of The Hopefuls

Watch the Full Episode of The Hopefuls:

Main Cast

The Hopefuls, the fifth episode of Bonanza’s second season, featured special guest stars in addition to the lead and recurring cast. The actors in the episode are:

• Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
• Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
• Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
• Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
• Larry Gates as Jacob Darien
• Patricia Donahue as Regina Darien
• Dennis Patrick as Sam Bord
• Charles Maxwell as Shenandoah
• Jason Johnson as Matthew
• Paul Genge as Mr. Blair
• Richard Reeves as Townsman #1 (as Dick Reeves)
• Clegg Hoyt as Townsman #2
• Hank Patterson as Blacksmith
• Clarence Straight as Older Man
• Tom Newman as Card Player
• Fred Aldrich as Townsman (uncredited)
• Nick Borgani as Townsman (uncredited)
• Bill Clark as Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
• Betty Endicott as Quaker (uncredited)
• John George as Townsman (uncredited)
• Walter Lawrence as Quaker (uncredited)
• Cactus Mack as Quaker (uncredited)
• Martha Manor as Quaker (uncredited)
• Rex Moore as Townsman (uncredited)
• John Rice as Townsman (uncredited)
• Cosmo Sardo as Quaker (uncredited)
• Ray Spiker as Townsman (uncredited)

Full Story Line for The Hopefuls

A wagon train from Ohio passes through Virginia City on its way to Slaytersville. Among the people, the leader’s daughter caught Adam’s attention.

Inside the saloon, steps in a game when one of the players is about to shoot their opponent. In return, he makes a new friend in Sam Bord. Adam offers him a job at the Ponderosa.

Meanwhile, the leader, Jacob Darien, finds difficulty passing the town in peace when two drunkards block their way. Sam and Adam, smitten with the leader’s daughter, Regina, help them deal with the drunks, then offers to accompany the wagon train as they head west.

The wagon train stops to make camp. Adam and Regina fetch buckets of water for the people to use. Regina asks why Adam seems puzzled, so he mentions Regina’s father and their customs. Adam thinks the way Regina’s people do things is far different from what they do. He later reveals that Regina caught his interest, making him want to know her more. Regina tells Adam she feels the same way.

Jacob asks Sam about Adam’s whereabouts. Sam tells him that Adam accompanied Regina as they fetched water for the group. Allowing a guest to help bothers Jacob, but Sam assures him that Adam doesn’t mind assisting her. The Cartwrights arrive at the campsite to welcome their visitors, and Jacob thanks them for the abundant resources that they can enjoy during their stay. Jacob invites them for dinner, and although Ben is hesitant, Hoss accepts their offer. Adam returns to the campsite with Regina, introducing her and Sam to the Cartwrights. Little Joe thinks he has seen Sam before.

That night, the Cartwrights enjoy dinner with Jacob and his family of Quakers. Jacob reveals they’re off to Slaytersville to buy land from the money they earned and start a peaceful life free of debt. However, Sam has his sights set on the cash the wagon train is transporting. Meanwhile, Adam decided to ride along the wagon to Slaytersville to enjoy more time with Regina.

The following day, Ben is hesitant to send Adam off with Jacob and his family. Hoss suddenly arrives and seeks to join Adam, realizing that Jacob and his family are not far different from them.

Adam and Hoss rode ahead of the group. They suddenly discovered fresh tracks, then realized people might be eyeing the wagon to rob it later that night. Adam and Hoss return to Jacob to deliver their discovery. However, Jacob insists they won’t engage in violence regardless of the circumstance.

The group sets camp while Adam, Hoss, and Regina guard the wagon circle. Sam arrives with three more men and then shouts from a distance. A shooting ensues. Sam boldly steals in front of Jacob, and one of the men, Shenandoah, shoots Jacob dead. Adam kills the other two men.

The next day, Adam decides to confront Sam to get the family’s money back, and Hoss tags along. They find Shenandoah’s dead body, shot by Sam, who took the money himself. Adam and Hoss continue riding to look for Sam while the wagon train travels far behind.

Adam and Hoss arrive in a new town and find Sam’s horse. He requests new horses from the person in charge and then follows the trail Sam left. They discover a horseshoe, helping them figure out Sam’s heading to Slaytersville.

Adam searches the town for Sam. The wagon train arrives later, and Hoss informs Regina that Adam’s safe. Regina thinks violence is not the answer, but Adam insists he must get money. Sam comes and fires at Adam. An older man from the family and Adam got shot, but Adam fired back, killing Sam.

Adam and Hoss prepare to leave. Regina asks if Adam will visit them, but Adam thinks it’s better not to see them. They both understand that they couldn’t continue their relationship, but they bid their farewells with peaceful hearts.

Full Script and Dialogue of The Hopefuls

[Music]

morning mr blair

here with you in a minute adam

[Music]

[Applause]

welcome to virginia city reverend i

thank they sir

huh planning on staying

no sir just long enough to water our

animals

you're very welcome reverend just help

yourself

i thank thee and may god bless your day

yeah our people have had a very long

journey we've come all the way from ohio

adam i'm glad you wrote in today

come on in

how's ben these days

adam oh uh he's fine

[Applause]

[Applause]

here's your bill of lighting adam tell

ben i want the cattle shipped by the

first of the month

he'll be there good time for a little

drink

no thanks it's a little early for me

i like my cards from the top you've been

getting them from the top

that card you were just gonna deal me

came from the bottom of the deck mister

it's the five of clubs mister you're

just asking for trouble

get out of here to both here and stay

out of here

[Applause]

mine

then i'm off to the sheriff gambling

how to beat him anyway why did you step

in

uh he was gonna shoot you

well i guess that's as good a reason as

any

but now i owe you

[Music]

hey

[Music]

which way you're riding west

write a piece with you fine

last time i saw one of them sex trains

was just outside salt lake city

funny thing about them people they don't

use guns

i know they don't believe in them

where's your horse

livery

i didn't get the name cartwright adam

cartwright

from the ponderosa huh that's right you

in the ranch in business

not yet but i'm looking for a steak

i want some land and some cattle that

don't belong mostly to a bank

i don't like owing anybody

i throw my saddle on the calico

well i rode the edges of ponderosa

yesterday on my way here

a mighty big place how does a man get a

place like that

he works i'm gonna shape their horses

and i'd say you've been looking for that

steak pretty long time

i have but then it takes a lot of

looking

well we can always use good help at the

ponderosa you offering me a job

40 months at the end of the year you get

your pick and 10 head of stock bonus

you make this offer to everybody nope

why me

you look like you can handle it

you talk right out don't you i try to

well it's a mighty tip and offer well

you think about it

i'm doing just that right now

[Music]

uh black hat

black goat

beard like a billy goat

we are weary we must find a campsite and

rest for the night

camp right here sure you can have a

prayer meeting tonight

we'll get hoopla stalin or gals to come

and join in

i know thou art seeking amusement but

please allow us to pass

how do we know you ain't desperate

characters my friends i assure thee

we wish every man good days and a long

life

and ask and ask only to pass in peace

pass in peace he's asking

ask them for nothing father well what do

you know

they're kind of pretty to be with this

kind of outfit i bought them clothes

what do you say honey you and me have a

drink of whiskey huh

yeah and maybe i'll uh

buy you a new dress huh

come on honey ain't you got any life in

here

come on honey that's having a little fun

huh

you all right ma'am i believe so yes

hold it get him out of here

we was just funnin

get ready to move hurry please matthew

before there's more trouble

i thank thee very kindly that what a

very brave man

is everything all right sir yes thanks

to thee and

my friend i'm jacob darian

i'm adam cartwright

this is my daughter regina

oh this is um sam board

you're riding west sir why uh yeah yes

or so are we um maybe it would be a good

idea if we rode along with you

if thou art going that way uh we are

then thou art indeed welcome

indeed

nice girl that yeah

sam bourdain your name is familiar to me

i figured it might be you could have

used another name

i don't see any reason to i figure i owe

a man something the least i can do is be

honest with them

thanks for the job offer it still goes

[Applause]

sam

my friends

so

oh

give me thanks for the protection

and the guidance thou hast given us this

day

and especially we give thanks for our

new friends

who have served us so well and for this

earth

and this sky and this water

and we wish the lord a peace-filled

night

as we wish it for ourselves and our

fellow men

[Music]

amen

here let me help you no though out of

guest

and our the most pretty young woman

[Applause]

[Music]

thou art a strange man adam crawford

[Music]

strange why do you say that

thou had much to say to me every time

they looked at me today

and yet now that the opportunity is here

they'll say it's nothing at all

well maybe uh maybe i

just don't know what to say or how to

say it

simple and direct as is everything under

god's sky

what puzzles they um

your father them

your customs all disturb the adam

yes uh well no i mean um

well if for instance if it were my train

i'd

i'd circle the wagons at night instead

of uh stringing them out

oh i pinned the stock inside in case of

trouble

what trouble well any trouble uh well

look uh

yes

well i think and um do things one way

and and and we do them differently is

that it

well isn't every man entitled to his

his own beliefs or his own manner of

living

yes but uh

but what adam it's you

you disturb me very much regina oh

why because i'd like to know more about

you

because um

well we're right back where we started

aren't we

oh no we've come a long way from there

[Music]

i'm disturbed by the also adam

children children we'll help thy mother

susan go along with my brother

where's my friend adam he's with your

daughter

helping her to get some water my

daughter allowed a guest to help ah

trevor

i kind of got the idea he wanted to be

with her

and uh i kind of got the idea that uh

perhaps she wishes to be with him no

objections

a man might as well object to the wind

and the sun

and the rain

what are you carrying here reverend him

books

no my friend not exactly

jacob jacob your visitors coming

welcome welcome friends to our humble

campsite

welcome peace be with you my friends and

with you

who's in charge here i am call me jacob

this is my friend matthew hey that

probably sure got a face full of hey

i'm ben cartwright you're on

ponderosaland

ah then these men

are are thy sons oh we are

indebted to thee all of thee is that so

indeed sir why we have all this fine

grazing for our stock

plenty of water to take care of them

what more could a man

ask well am i good i ask how long you're

planning to stay here

we leave on the morrow oh

is something amiss no no no you're

most welcome if there's anything that my

sons and i can do to serve you please uh

please ask us oh thou art most kindly

may god bless thee orphan thank you

oh um there is one thing more we would

ask of thee

oh that uh they'll remain and dine with

us

oh well i uh yes sir sure do thank you

hi pop well

uh these people are i know adam

my father has just bit us welcome on the

ponderosa

well i'm glad of that oh this is a

regina darien

my father ma'am

now this is sam board

i was bored these are my sons horse a

little joe

honey mr board don't we know each other

we do now howdy

the child smells mighty good then they

will remain mr cartwright

so we insist well then we will remain

splendid come friends

oh

nothing he swede

nothing i couldn't back up

gina give me a little more of that

certainly you folks been eating this

kind of food all the way from ohio

we have sir oh you keep shoveling it out

to him you're not gonna have any left

where are you headed we hope to be in

slatersville by week's end

we have word of a large fertile valley

there

and god willing we hope to buy land and

settle in peace

buying land uh it could be pretty

expensive yes

but we worked for many years and put all

of our money together to do it

it is our dream to start a fresh new

life

free of debt all of your money

all of it you travel 2

000 miles across the united states

to settle in a land that you've never

seen

i've been there we we've all been there

many times in in our minds

my daughter speaks truly

before all this ponderosa belonged to

thee

was it not a dream in thy mind also mr

cartwright

yes of course

[Music]

very much a dream

[Music]

how is the prayer meeting what do you

want

you'll never make a preacher sam

you know what i want

what's the matter don't you want to let

us meet your hymn singers

take them and get out of here who do you

think you're fooling sam

not them not me we want our cut

of that five it's gone

i lost it

well we figured you'd do that sam but we

figured you'd like a chance to make it

up instead of getting killed

you can make it up can't you say it

there's a meadow about a half a mile

from here

i'll meet you there in the morning

[Applause]

you've got an hour sam

now what a strange woman regina darien

what is it coyote badlio

you read me well what do you mean

they would think me faithless and hate

me if i spoke of it

you could never be faithless i know that

much about you

and i could never hate you i know that

much about myself

oh adam i do have faith but i but what

well we will pass on from here tomorrow

and they will think of me as that one

with the strange people

and they will forget me

i could never forget you

[Applause]

oh adam i'm supposed to believe that

what will be will be

that was before we met yes you'll be

gone tomorrow

and nothing will be

regina

[Music]

i'm coming with you the slater's bill

ride along with the train and give us

more time together

oh yes we have needed that

oh adam they must make me foolish and

forward

no i think of you as

beautiful lovely

[Music]

adam thinks we've been observed adam

and what have we had

where are you going sam tell the folks

goodbye for me

kind of sudden isn't it well i'm kind of

like that

i don't figure you i get a niche every

time i hear folks talking about what

they got

and what they're gonna get

what are you running away from

maybe a fella named sam

about the job i never was much at ranch

hanton

cards are more my line you can take the

job

and get everything you always wanted

you're all right cartwright

but it wouldn't do for me to listen to

you too long

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

adam yeah

yeah you sure you know what you're doing

now i mean going with the train and all

i know what i'm doing we're different

from them adam

she's different from you

i'm saying this badly son but i it's

what i want to say

i heard you

[Music]

[Applause]

good luck i better go say goodbye to

jacob and the rest

[Music]

hey adam

uh where are you going warm not the same

place you are right

yeah yep

your idea paused well i i reckon it's

mine

i sort of got like in this old hole

cooking as a matter of fact i

i like everything about these folks i

didn't think i could even talk to them

at first but

and i don't reckon they're so much

different than the rest of us none of

them

when when i say

well if it's the kind of outfit you say

it is and if it's as easy as you say it

is

why not right now in the daylight

or maybe you need the night

adam what are you stopping for well this

will be a good place to camp for tonight

there's still two hours of daylight left

i know mr darian but the um

the animals are all worn out poor beasts

so are all of us we've traveled a long

way

but our fear has been that the land will

be taken before we get there

forgive us adam if we seem impatient but

we're so anxious to reach our new home

well what about it how's you man you

think that old trail across the plateau

might still be good

well well they've been traveling a long

time

get them wagons across there or not i

don't think it's still worth a look-see

yeah um

water your animals but uh leave them

hitched up

we'll see if we can't get you a little

further along thank you adam

[Music]

hey wait a minute

these are fresh tracks at them not over

an hour how many do you figure

[Applause]

that looks like at least four now

whoever they are

they could see the wagons all day i

never knew a man yet didn't come into a

wagon train to get some good home

cooking

yeah me neither unless they had a reason

for not wanting to be seen

well those wagons and the stock alone

that trains good pickings

yeah if they're planning to do anything

about it it'll probably be tonight

[Music]

is something amiss uh something i have

to tell you

what is it my friend if you people have

any guns on this train

if you use for hunting or anything else

get them out

what i'm trying to say is that we found

the tracks of four horses up there

now we have reason to believe that these

four men have been watching and

following this train all day long

well do you want him to come in and take

everything you own without fighting for

it

surely you must have some guns of some

kind we have no guns adam

and we can do no violence on our fellow

man

well they can do violence on their

fellow man and they will

still it would not be right for us

matthew

can't you do something

he's only thinking of us father regina

thou forgotten what we all live by

we shall pray that this test comes not

to us

and that once more we shall be delivered

mr darrian if you reckon you could pray

just as well if the wagons were circled

up and

they thought you was going to put up a

fight i can't see how that violate

nothing

whatever he thinks best mr cartwright

yes sir adam

they would use this on a man

if i have to

[Music]

all right

i will stay beside the atom if that

can't believe with us then

i will try to believe

[Music]

[Applause]

that's them

we may not have to use them

i see the wagon circle that might make

him skittish

they don't seem very skittish to me

seems like they got lots of confidence

yo wagon adam it is thy friend

he's made some friends

[Music]

train oh

easy pickings huh easiest

yeah they was just gonna invite you

right in as soon as you got here

you won't need that that's what you told

me sam

but you told me a lot of things now i'm

gonna tell you something

i want to pick that up easy or any way i

can get it

and i want to pick it up now

[Music]

wait here

[Music]

too quiet let's wake him up

ah

[Music]

boy mr lord

my friend i pray thee not to do this

my friend get out of my

vegeta

let's get out

[Music]

uh

[Music]

uh

[Music]

earth to earth ashes to ashes

dust to dust ensure and certain hope

of resurrection into eternal life amen

we will move on at once my friends

prepare

[Music]

he will leave me too adam i have to

i brought sam board among you and he did

all this to you

his things are not thine in a way they

are

it's my job to get that money back

i better go with it

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

well they probably head south board

needs a new town

yep man like that's always needing a new

towering

that's real pretty isn't it

yeah really looks good

and i'm gonna enjoy it all of it

[Music]

well we're partners shin are we

no i don't figure that way sam

[Music]

as i remembered you owed me and the boys

since they ain't here to collect

i just figured to take all our shares

don't you trust me no i don't sam

now you just throw the money over here

right down there

[Applause]

[Music]

oh and i'll uh a heavy gun

real easy but first

cut down there too

[Applause]

[Music]

yeah cut i had half you never did have

any brains

could be a trap

out it figures yeah the board's gone all

the way and adam he's a killer

but one of them left now and that's

where the money is

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

where's the man belongs to that horse i

don't know he left him here

he took another and give me a 20 gold

piece

that more than two hours ago which way

to go uh west

or toll bridge creek we'd like some

fresh horses

we're allowing it in a hurry huh

[Music]

yeah left the trail again

adam he ain't doing a blooming thing but

leaving us on one big merry chase round

around the circle on these blooming

rocks

well sooner or later he's got to go to

water

or even i don't know you know

[Music]

well you'll have to find a town now yeah

which one's nearest slatersville

hey network that's right

[Music]

howdy howdy what did i do for you

this uh fit any animal you got in here

today

my narrow to death going to get him

another horse tonight you got any idea

where the man is

i wouldn't be surprised he's over

saluting there cooling his dampers

pretty hot out today

[Music]

thanks

[Music]

so

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

miss regina miss regina

hux oh horse

where is he where's adam is he he's all

right now thank god

but where ma'am the board's down here

and

adam's gone after him oh no ma'am

i know how you feel i know how adam

feels there ain't nothing nobody can do

to stop him

the only thing we can do is try to help

him plus i've got to find him

adam

adam i beg thee thou must not do this

thing

well what about your father these people

for whatever the reason it would be

violence

adam i see vengeance in thine eyes i saw

it when they rode off

i've got to get that money back if they

get it this way with a gun then it is

not worth having

they will find him and he will be killed

or they will be killed

i'm sorry adam if they do this thing it

will be between us all our lives

[Music]

it has to be done regina

you'll get over it will i

look at me adam i am no child i've

waited a long time to find the kind of a

man i could love

listen to her adam you know i don't have

any choice i'm responsible for sam board

they are not responsible to him they are

responsible to nobody but thyself

adam i beg thee put away thy gun

[Music]

adam no no but we befriended thee

get out of the way old man

have run all i'm gonna run boss get her

out of here

take this back i'm all right

i had to do it

[Music]

they are well enough to ride now yes

but they will come and visit us

[Music]

no i i couldn't do that knowing what it

would do to you

to them

[Music]

and to the adam and me

yes

[Music]

he was my father adam

their leader i would be breaking faith

with him and them

and myself if i neither one of us had a

choice

did we

[Music]

bless the atom

[Music]

[Applause]

home adam

[Music]

home

[Applause]

[Music]

you

Behind the Scenes of The Hopefuls

The title of this episode in German is “Land für Daviens Leute,” which translates to “Land for Davien’s People.”

Looking for More Bonanza Episodes?

Bonanza, the Western television series that stars the fictional Cartwright family, is a fantastic show to watch alone or with your beloved ones. NBC broadcasted all 14 seasons on their network from September 1959 to January 1973. The Hopefuls is the 37th episode out of 430 and the fifth for the program’s second season.

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