Bonanza, the first hour-long Western series filmed in color, tells of the adventure and drama of the fictional Cartwright family. The thirty-ninth episode, Day of Reckoning, written by R. Hamer Norris and Leonard Heideman, made its on-screen debut on October 22, 1960. 

An Indian named Matsuo (Ricardo Montalban) receives a small piece of Ponderosa land as a reward for saving Ben Cartwright’s life.

Meanwhile, Ike Daggett (Karl Swenson), an anti-Indian neighbor of Ben’s, vehemently disapproves of Matsou’s presence. When a raid leads to the death of his wife, Daggett holds Matsou accountable and, in retaliation, murders the Indian’s wife (Madlyn Rhue).

Read the storyline plus some behind-the-scene trivia, or watch the complete episode below.

Watch the Full Episode of Day of Reckoning

Watch the Full Episode of Day of Reckoning:

Main Cast

Day of Reckoning, the seventh episode of Bonanza’s second season, featured some of the program’s recurring and supporting actors. The cast includes the following:

• Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
• Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
• Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
• Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
• Ricardo Montalban as Matsou
• Madlyn Rhue as Hatoya
• Anthony Caruso as Lagos
• Karl Swenson as Ike Daggert
• Roy Engel as Dr. Paul Martin
• Gail Bonney as Martha Daggert

Full Story Line for Day of Reckoning

Lagos, the son of a Bannock chief, attacked Ben by surprise on his property. Matsuo, his brother, stops him from killing Ben. Lagos thinks it’s right to kill Ben, but Matsou insists they must learn to live with them despite their dislike of white people.

Matsuo and his wife, Hatoya, take Ben to their camping tent to tend to his wounds. Lagos arrives by their place in search of Ben to take his scalp and present it to their father to make him proud. Matsuo denies saving Ben, but Lagos insists on entering their tent to confirm. He also mentioned that it wasn’t wise of Matsou to marry a Shoshone woman like Hatoya, even trying to humiliate him for acting soft “like a woman” since they married. Lagos eventually leaves without seeing Ben.

At the Ponderosa ranch, Ike visits the Cartwrights to talk to Ben about his discovery. He reveals an “Injun” skull that turned up with his plow. Ike complains and refuses to live with the “Injuns,” then reveals Ben gave him land at the Ponderosa to homestead. His area is near where the Indians live, so he wants Ben to do something about it.

Ben wakes up and finds himself at Matsou and Hatoya’s place. Hatoya revealed they’re at his land, but Ben insists that there’s no Indian village at the Ponderosa. Matsuo explained that he was a Bannock while Hatoya was a Shoshone—neither tribe would accept them, so they went off on their own. Ben asked about the Bible he found nearby, so Hatoya told him that he lived with a white couple for three years, and their spiritual belief influenced her.

Upon Ben’s request, Matsou and Hatoya bring him back to the Ponderosa. Adam invites them inside to talk about what happened. Grateful for their help, Adam asks them to stay so they can rest and eat. Hatoya thinks it’s God’s will that they save Ben, recalling his promise to let them stay in his land. However, Matsou doesn’t think it’s right to trust them.

The doctor arrives, and Ben is much better than he was before. Ben gives the couple a big piece of land to farm out of goodwill. However, Matsou rejects it, saying he knows nothing about farming, raising crops, or even caring for animals. Ben tells him they will teach him, and Hatoya persuades him to accept the offer. Seeing his husband still hesitant about the deal, Hatoya tells Ben they’d let him know their decision after they pray and talk about it.

At their tent, Hatoya insists they accept the offer so their sons and daughters can have a chance to have a better life. Matsuo thinks it’ll make a significant difference in his way of living since he would have to be a farmer instead of a warrior and a hunter. He also thinks this would mean they’d stop being an Indian. Although still hesitant, Matsou eventually agrees.

Ike complains to Ben regarding the reward he gave the Indian couple. He thinks they’re bloodthirsty savages that won’t work, then tells him many bad things about them. Ben insists on providing them with a piece of his land as a gift of gratitude, encouraging Ike to give the couple a chance.

The Cartwrights and other Ponderosa settlers assist the couple in performing tasks such as farming, sewing, and more. They eventually adopted white men’s fashion and hairstyles. Lagos enters the house to deliver the news of their father’s death as they eat their meal. He tells Matsou that their father died full of hatred for the white man and scorn for his youngest son, which leads to him becoming the new village chief. Lagos also warns him that their people want vengeance against the white people, expressing his need for his brother to return to the tribe. However, Matsou refuses, prioritizing his wife and their child’s welfare.

Matsuo visits the Cartwrights to deliver the warning—the Bannocks are imposing a war. Ben sends the boys to warn the settlers as they prepare to ride into the valley. However, Matsou thinks his brothers have two people in mind: Matsou and Ben. Matsuo reveals that his brother was the person who tried to kill him before, eventually leading to increasing hatred for him, who refuses to return to their tribe. Ben invites Matsou and Hatoya to stay at their house until the war ends. He also sends Adam to warn Ike, but Matsou insists he warns his neighbor, despite their mutual dislike for each other.

That night, Matsou visits Ike to warn him. However, Lagos and some from his tribe arrived to attack Ike’s home, killing Ike’s wife and burning their house.

Matsuo and Hatoya appear at the funeral the next day, with Hatoya offering prayers for the slain woman. Outraged toward the Indians, Ike draws his gun and shoots at Hatoya, leading to Hatoya and her unborn child’s death.

Matsuo exacts his vengeance by impairing Ike and sending him back to the Cartwrights. They thought it could be Matsou’s doing, and Ike confirms it. Ike tells Ben that Matsou wants to meet him at a cave in the north fork or else every settler will experience what he got.

Matsuo shackles Ben up with rawhide. Letting the sun shrink and stretch the rawhide, he hopes that Ben’s pain will alleviate his own. As the temperature rises, Ben begins to pray “The Lord’s Prayer,” but Matsou tells him to stop. Ben keeps going until Matsou can no longer take it, as it was a prayer that he’d heard his wife pray often. Matsuo finally releases Ben, telling him that he hoped the torture would push Ben to hate him so he wouldn’t have to kill Ben.

The episode concludes with Matsou returning to lead his tribe after his brother’s death, while the Cartwright boys arrive to take Ben home.

Full Script and Dialogue of Day of Reckoning

[Music]
why do you stop me
because i do not want to pay for the
stupidity of my brother
wow only you think it is stupid to kill
the white man
i know that if you scalp a white man the
bannocks will be blamed
but we must kill them and drive them out
they are too many and too wise we'll
never drive them out
i don't like them any better than you do
but we have to learn to live with them
you talk like a woman
all right brother soon to be chief of my
people
you handle the white man your way i'll
handle him mine
you make me ashamed to call you brother
[Music]
so
[Music]
um
[Music]
i'm glad you brought him here you
remembered what i read you about love
thy neighbor
i had to when i found he was still alive
i couldn't let even a white man to die
in the sun
i'm glad he lives i'm not sure i am
[Applause]
so you would rather leave our village
and live here like an outcast
what are you doing here largos you
should never have taken that shoshone
woman as a wife
you two are the son of a chief your
places with your people my people turn
me away
this is my home now did you move the
body of the white man i killed this
afternoon
no i did not move him
why i went back to take the scalp so i
could give it to our father
this one would have made him proud you
would say the same about any white man's
scalp that was not
any white man that was the owner of all
this land that what's belonged to our
people
you mean the white man whose scalp i
saved
is the owner of the range called the
ponderosa that is what i mean
[Music]
i left the white man where he fell
i know this kind of woman if the white
man lived she would have you take him
you might even have brought him here
i will look inside to make sure
this is my place i say there is no white
man inside
you will not look i'm sorry you visit
our home only on such an errand
there is no white man here i believe you
even less than i believe my brother you
better leave
[Music]
now
he is still bleeding will you change the
bandage while i get some fresh water no
i can't touch him now
stop that you've done enough
our father who art in heaven hallowed be
thy name
that's enough thy kingdom come
i will be done
[Music]
well pauline's sitting trapped at this
hour
don't worry about paul he can take care
of himself well he's gone awful close to
bannock country
yeah and him indian's been acting up out
there lately too oh they're getting
hungry hoss
can't hardly grow anything up in those
mountains hunting gets worse every year
the park doesn't go into banner country
by himself yeah but
adam our property runs right up there in
them foothills that's pretty close
well he took his blankets with him maybe
he's gonna sleep overnight
hi ike howdy boys where's your car
you're up something late ain't he hike
what are you on with paul i uh i brought
him a present
i got something to talk to him about but
i think it won't keep much longer where
is he
well he must have just missed him on the
way over he he's been out setting traps
in that foothill country right near your
place we
expect him back any minute dad done it
i'd known he was going out that way i
could have saved myself to trip you know
what'd you bring
well i can show you boys while we're
waiting here
[Music]
where'd you get that turned it up with
my plow just yesterday
it's an indian skull that must be 200
years old
yeah they show up every once in a while
all over the valley
guess there's no question about who
originally lived on this land
that was then not now i'll get me to
bring it to paul
i can't figure him wanting a human skull
around the place who's anything about a
human skull
that's an engine skull ike i wouldn't uh
use those words with paw you uh
you know how he feels on the subject
yeah well he knows how i feel about it
too
i got no kick about engines rolling
around under my land but i'll be dead
burned if i want any live ones squatting
on top of it
your land yeah my land your par give it
to me to homestead
i like i don't think there are any
indians living on your land
well they're awful turn close to it
anyhow
your paws got to do something about it
we'll give them your message ike
no hosh i'll give it to myself i'll uh
sit with you fellas for a while and uh
wait for him
all right you can set a while but no
more talk about indians all right
suit yourself
i like it's liable to be a long wait as
a matter of fact it may be all
night
if it is you can sleep in the bunkhouse
and i think we can do without this
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
so
[Music]
[Laughter]
this fever is worse why
why did you try to kill me my husband
did not try to kill you
he found you lying wounded in the
clearing and brought you here
it was an engine that tried to kill me i
know that
you're bannock i am ebenic
but i did not try to kill you perhaps i
should have met so
i i didn't
mean to accuse you
i know you've you've cared for me
i'm grateful for your help you would
have died if he had left you where you
fell
what is this place where are we this
place is on your land
no villages or settlements indian
villages in my land
this is not a village latoya and i live
here alone
why are you not with your village i am a
bannock
she's a shoshone when we married neither
tribe will accept
us what did you find out about the bible
i lived with a man of god and his wife
for three years in a white man's town to
the west
then i met matsu and we will stay
together no matter how many times we
have to move
who said said anything about moving
we do not stay where we are not welcome
you you are welcome
we would still be intruders on white
man's land
you'd not be intruded
if i gave you land
you would give land to ebank
if you came in peace
our people have not signed the white
man's peace treaty
put me on my horse oh
i'll try to find my way home you are not
well enough yet to travel
i must i must always get to a duck
we will get him home
it will take all of god's help
all right atoya i'll hold him on his
horse
you pray
[Music]
what happened where'd you find him he
will need a doctor quickly
he's badly hurt
come inside both of you i'd like to know
more about what happened
don't let them red devils go in the
house after what they've done to your
paw
they probably tried to kill themselves
they brought him home didn't they i shut
up
how did it happen we found him wounded
in the clearing
we tried to care for him but the fever
is very bad he recovered enough to tell
us where he lived
we brought him here do you mean my
father was in bannock country
no no he was on his own land
that's where we found him you see i told
you i told you that heathen devils was
sneaking around on your land
it's a lucky thing they were there now
keep your mouth shut ike
thank you very much for what you did
you'll need rest and food you ain't
asking them to stay
it will be better if we leave your
father's a strong man and very brave
we both hope he is better soon no please
please i
i want you to stay well i ain't staying
in no house where they ask engines in
and they make them welcome
why don't you leave all right but don't
you forget that i got a big bone to pick
with your paw when he gets better
if he ever does
it's a very very poor way to say thank
you
i'm sorry
you would just make yourselves
comfortable here
i'll be right back
[Music]
we shouldn't have come here it was a
mistake
no matsu it was god's will
if we hadn't brought the white man home
he would have died he's a good man
he's promised to let us live on this
land i never believed in any white man's
promises
he's resting more easily now how long
did
you have to pack him paul's pretty heavy
fella
not far we had to take him from his
horse
the wound was opening again why don't
the two of you get some sleep while we
wait for the doctor to get here
i am sure my father would like to see
you before you leave
thank you
how you feeling boy
a lot better than i did well that's all
we can do for him for now boys
i want you three to take turns making
sure that he stays in bed
don't you worry doc i'll make sure he
takes orders
he'll stay in bed dog i don't see to
that
look i'm sorry about that while ryan
coming over doc you can take it easy
going back in this indeed i certainly
will
i don't know how mr cartwright got hurt
or why you helped him
but one thing i do know for sure if you
hadn't helped him when you did
he'd be far beyond all help now
we can't spare men like ben cartwright
thanks adam i see you tomorrow ben
now you rest here that's an order
thank you doc see a little while boys
you mind if i have a few minutes alone
with my friends
not at all you stay in bed paul i'll be
back a minute
i don't even know your names you have
heard them before
but in your favor my name is atoya
and my husband is matsu i'll remember
them
and i haven't forgotten what i told you
about that piece of land
we didn't ask for it i know you didn't
i've been thinking about it
i want you to have a big piece of land
enough for a farm
what would we do with such a piece of
land it farmed
crops animals live off the land
i know nothing of such things the red
man knows more about hunting and fishing
white man knows more about farming if we
put
what we know together there will be more
than enough for us all
this will never be
there is no way to begin
you offers a farm
but i know nothing of such things
so i say keep your farm
let me ask you a question
[Music]
would you come to live as a farmer
on your own land if
i and my sons and the settlers in the
valley would
teach you and help you with the things
you do not now know
it would be so wonderful matsu it would
also be difficult
it might not work
i might not learn
i've talked too much
i never believed such an offer could be
made
that white man always takes
[Music]
we will talk and pray and let you know
our decision
[Music]
but i have lived among them in the white
man's town i know them better than you
do
perhaps you do not know me well enough i
know you very well beloved
and i believe we can do this thing
together
why can't we stay here i could stay here
anywhere alone with you forever matsu
but what if our sons and daughters who
will be coming if god wills it
would you keep them alone too we can go
back to the tribe someday
they won't always be at war and i am a
son of a chief
the youngest son and with no great love
for his brother lagos who will be the
next chief
that is true this is a chance to have a
better way of life than we have ever
known
for us and for our children i don't know
that it would be better
i only know that it would be very
different and it is this difference that
frightens me frightens you matsu
you have told me that nothing frightens
you
i spoke those words as a warrior and a
hunter and they were true
and i was raised to be these things and
not a farmer
you have also told me that our people
and the white men must learn to live
together in peace
but you are asking much more than that
you are asking me to put down my bow and
arrow
and pick up an axe and a plow
you are asking me to eat bread instead
of meat to wear cloth
instead of leather to live in a house
instead of a wiki up
you are asking me to stop being an
indian
and i don't know if i can do it
[Applause]
[Music]
so
[Music]
i shall lift up mine eyes onto the hills
from whence cometh my strength
i do not know that i can do it well
[Music]
or even that i will not fail completely
but i will try my dearest love if you
will stand beside me
no can't do what i tell you i couldn't
hardly believe my own two ears when i
first heard it
can't believe it now well you might as
well believe it i cause it's true
well then i i think you're going out of
your mind
or else that engine banged you real good
on the head before he stuck his knife
into you
well whichever way it is i ain't gonna
have no engine
for a neighbor and you ain't got no
right to make me
look let's just simmer down and talk
some sense i i don't want to simmer down
now you listen to me the night that you
was hurt i come down here to get you to
run off two savages that sneak down to
your land and they were squatting in a
stinking tent right next to my boundary
now i find out those same two savages
has been given a farm by you right next
to my land
and you asked me to simmer down those
two savages
saved my life yeah more like they stuck
their knife into you first
all right now if you have to give him a
reward
give him whiskey or money don't give him
land
don't you think that indians at least
have a
call to share the land in this valley no
not next door to me
what have you got against indians i sure
would like to know well i sure would
like to tell you
i don't like them because they're
bloodthirsty savages there were some
wild animals
they're twice as dangerous and i don't
like them because they're heathens
and i don't like them because they won't
work and they can't work
and because they're dirty and they stink
and they're sneaky
and they're drunks and they're thieves
and god knows what else most of all i
don't like because they scare me
i hate them what is it about them that
scares you
they got long black hair and red skins
yeah
yeah i'm not gonna try to answer you
like
not now but someday somebody's gonna
have to answer for people who think like
you do
there's nothing wrong with the way i
not gonna think that point either but
neither am i gonna back down from what's
my right to do
i promised matsu and latoya that piece
of land and i mean for them to have it
get a wife next to me it's not just a
piece of land ike
it's it's treating them like people i
have no intention of giving them some
worthless scrap up around the rocks
they've already got that
i want to give them a piece of land that
they can work a piece of land that they
can farm
and that land next to you is the best i
have and it's my intention to give it to
them
if you put them on that piece i move out
well that's a decision that you're gonna
have to make ike
i'd think about it a long time before i
made the move
now loco all i'm asking you to do is
is give those two a chance i don't want
you to
be a friend just be a decent neighbor
well i'll tell you what kind of neighbor
i'll be i'll treat him just like there
wasn't there
i won't talk to them i won't answer them
i won't help them i won't let them help
me
i won't go on their land and if they put
a foot on my land
i'll kill them ike
[Music]
you do anything out of line
you'll answer to me
all right let it go
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
look at me
months of work and i am now nothing
not an indian
and certainly not of white man never
mind
eating bread at a table what a thing for
a warrior
it is only when you're tired that you
get this way you've done so much and
we've come so far
we're not only at peace with white men
we've made friends and enemies
our close neighbor i daggered is an
enemy
he is difficult but i noticed that the
other settlers have no love for mr
dagger either
[Music]
i enter this house in peace only because
you were born my brother and i owe you
something
the feather of the chief why do you wear
it
our father died two days ago full of
hatred for the white man
and scorned for his youngest son
[Music]
i am sorry i loved him
and i've had no love for you but i hope
you will be a better chief than he was
i tell you one thing matsu we no longer
will sit in the mountains and starve
while this valley is full of plenty
we no longer will sit in the mountains
and talk about peace treaties
tomorrow the panic braves go on the
warpath and this valley will be full of
death
i have known you would do this i also
know that you are wrong
you are the one who is wrong you do not
belong here never will
as chief of our tribe i ask you to come
back
the day of the lance is upon us you were
once a great warrior
until this woman turned you soft
come back to the tribe you are needed
[Music]
i am needed here lagos atoya is with
child
and i rejoice for the both of you bring
her with you
the band will be lifted if she carries
your child she will be welcome
it is mostly for the child that i will
stay
if you stay then you will die here like
the white man you're trying to imitate
i give you till tomorrow to think on it
i wait no longer
[Music]
are you sorry now about the child you
know i prayed for that child
to your god as well as to mine
but would you go back if it were not for
that
if it comes to dying
i'd rather die as a warrior fighting
with my people than
than as a farmer living among strangers
then you would go back i might but the
child is not only important for us
but for the future of our people
i will stay for my little wife
and for my child
what will you do about your brother
in the morning i'll write to ben
cartwright the settlers have to be
warned
even though he's your brother i still
remember
the teachings of my father atoya
when a decision is made it must be kept
even against a brother
hey matt congratulations i just heard
the wonderful news about latoya
i only heard about it myself three days
ago well you know the way that kind of
news travels women talk wonderful to see
you
you don't get over this way often enough
yeah why don't you bring your pretty
wife with you yeah i'm digging her up a
present it's
it's a cradle ain't been slept in since
little joe jumped out
save your welcome until you hear the
rest of my news
the bannocks are going on the warp path
oh how do you know that matt
because my brother is now chief of the
bannocks and he told me you mean they're
planning a raid
no more than a raid it will be war how
soon is this to start
any moment maybe we ought to get word
before bradley uh you know the way they
are they're not gonna do anything until
after there's an incident you better
warn the settlers
get ready to ride into the valley all
right it is good to warn the settlers
but
uh i came to warn you first that's very
good of you no no no no
my brother has two people he hates
one of them is me because i won't go
back and join them the other one is you
ben
why should your brother hate me
it was my brother who tried to kill you
the time we brought you home
people of this valley are getting to
know you more and more matt
especially me
why don't you and latoya stay with us
here till this thing blows over
oh thank you i would like to bring atoya
here
for the sake of the child i
i will stay on my land
good you do that
adam better get word to act daggett
right
i dagger this my neighbor ben i will
take care of warning him
matt i don't want you to take that
chance don't step foot on his land
i don't like i daggered ben but i am not
afraid of him
you have enough country to cover i will
warn the targets on my way home
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Applause]
oh
why don't you bring that dang gun right
into bed with us you paint more mind
than you do me
martha i told you a hundred times when
you got red engines for next-door
neighbors you got to be ready for
trouble
especially at night you've been saying
that for months
staying up late sneaking around with
your dang gun and they having so much to
set foot on your dang place
that's cause i scared him good and
proper to begin with and i kept him
scared every chance
i heard something out there yep you
certainly got them scared all right
i'm gonna go see what that is
like dagger tiger
hi dagger
[Music]
oh
[Music]
the lord maketh his face to shine upon
thee and be gracious unto thee
the lord lift up his countenance upon
thee
and give thee peace amen
amen
thanks ben
[Applause]
quit it
you quit that i said quick
what is it like what's the matter i
won't sand it i won't stand for no
heathen saying prayers of my wife's
grave now you quit it
she ain't know heathen she knows as much
about the bible as you do what are they
doing here anyway
those engines have killed my marty
they're trying to pay their respects
just like the rest of us now
ain't got no more respect for the dead
than a coyote
[Music]
i want to tell you how deeply sorry i am
that my people kill your wife
i tried to warn you don't you talk to me
you engine
i understand how you feel
i am sorry you dirty rotten
lousy stinking savage fight all right
i stopped
there you savage you killed my wife i
killed yours
an eye for an eye an eye for an eye ben
an eye for an eye it's in the book mike
an eye for an eye it's in the book
[Music]
uh
[Music]
looks like dagger i can only recognize
it
paul paul come out here
that's engine work paul you don't reckon
you don't ride in the met
let's get him into the house he sure
done a job morning
yeah i wonder why he didn't finish it he
didn't want him to die
help me
help me
all right it's all right hank you're
with me
ben bank cartwright it's me like
hey ain't so easy to kill like i did
he left me left me alive a purpose
as soon as i could suffer
who i can
your friend one you tried to make into a
white man
matsu
know why why he left me
let me live man he wants you want you to
meet him in the cave
north fork he wants ben cartwright so
otherwise every settler in the valley
will get
what i got but we're
[Music]
just didn't understand what we're trying
to do
[Music]
what are you gonna do now paul matt
wants to see me i'll go to him
gotta try to bring him to a census i own
that he's gone too far now
i got killed his wife paul we can't let
you take the risk
anything i've ever done is have some
risk attached to it i'll go up at the
north trail
if i'm not back by morning you come for
me
huh hey forgot this
that won't bring me back or not either
that not so
spent cartwright
[Music]
i didn't think you would come
i got your message for mike daggett he
said you wanted to see me
i'm here then you saw what i did to ike
daggert
i saw
aren't you afraid
no matt i'm not afraid
you know about rawhide
it shrinks in the sun it gets
tighter and tighter
i know why did you come here last night
see if i could help you
all right go ahead help me
give me back the wife that i loved and
the child she carried
tying me like this bring her back
now i think that making you
suffer enough will ease some of my pain
i guess you're right
i just wanted to help you not hurt you
help me you held my arms ben
you let that madman shoot atoya right
before my eyes
do you think if you hadn't held my arms
ben he could have done that
i say you killed a toya just as surely
as if you had pulled the trigger
does it hurt
yes it hurts good
good it will get worse
[Music]
is it bad
it's bad you're a strong man ben
i thought you would be screaming by now
our father who are in heaven
what did you say how long me thy name
stop that kingdom come stop that thing
stop it
you shouldn't have done that ben
you shouldn't have prayed
is that what pleasure let me go
i meant to kill you
but i failed here too
i failed at everything
i lost my wife
my brother lagos is dead
i failed being a white man
i failed being an indian
[Music]
all right
you didn't fail i don't think you could
ever fail
i wanted to kill you ben
it was important for me to kill you and
i couldn't do it
if i couldn't torture you into hating me
then i couldn't kill you
can you forgive me for hurting you
i did that before you cut me loose
[Applause]
[Music]
i will help you home then
now i'll be all right
man you're going home
dear people yes
you'll be back
yes we will be back
there he is
hi you all right yeah
what he did this to you yeah i'll get
him
no no let him alone
he's going home back up in the mountains
yeah there's a new chief with ebonics
now
[Applause]
[Music]
you

Behind the Scenes of Day of Reckoning

Several guest stars from this episode appear in the show Star Trek. Ricardo Montalban and Madlyn Rhue, who acted as Matsou and Hatoya, teamed up again in an episode in the first season of Star Trek in 1967 entitled “Space Seed.” The duo played Khan Noonian Singh and Lieutenant Marla McGivers, respectively. Meanwhile, Anthony Caruso (Lagos) appeared as Bela Oxmyx in the 1968 episode “A Piece of the Action” of Star Trek. Additionally, Gail Bonney also appeared as a witch in the Star Trek episode “Catspaw.”

In one scene (around 9:30), Ben Cartwright’s head moves as he reaches for the Bible. However, his hair does not move accordingly, revealing the actor’s toupee.

Looking for More Bonanza Episodes?

The iconic Western television series, Bonanza, is an excellent show to binge-watch alone or with family and friends. NBC was behind the production of this show, airing all 14 seasons on their network from September 1959 to January 1973. Day of Reckoning is the 39th of 430 episodes and the seventh of its second season.

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