The legendary Western series Bonanza kept its viewers glued to the show through its action-packed episodes that dealt with the lead characters’ adventures and drama. William Raynor and Myles Wilder wrote the program’s forty-seventh episode, The Blood Line, which first aired on December 31, 1960. 

The episode begins with Luke Grayson (played by former B-western star Allan Lane) going on a violent drunken rampage. The situation forces Ben Cartwright to shoot and kill him. Todd (David Macklin), Grayson’s son who has recently arrived from the East, swears to take revenge on Ben and the rest of the Cartwright family.

Jan Sterling appears as a special guest star, playing the character Dianna Jordan. Other actors in the episode include Lee Van Cleef as Appling, Norman Leavitt as Bert, and science-fiction film veteran Thomas Browne Henry plays Jenkins. 

Read The Blood Line‘s plotline, which includes some interesting trivia, or watch the full episode below.

Watch the Full Episode of The Blood Line

Watch the Full Episode of The Blood Line:

Main Cast

The Blood Line, Bonanza’s fifteenth episode for its second season, stars a few of the show’s one-time guests, recurring and supporting cast in addition to the lead actors.

• 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 (credit only)
• Jan Sterling as Dianne Jordan
• David Macklin as Todd Grayson
• Lee Van Cleef as Appling
• Ray Teal as Sheriff Roy Coffee
• Norman Leavitt as Bert
• Thomas Browne Henry as Ab Jenkins (as Thomas B. Henry)
• Ed Prentiss as Minister
• Dan Riss as Charlie
• Allan Lane as Luke Grayson
• Sam Bagley as Townsman (uncredited)
• John Barton as Townsman (uncredited)
• Michael Jeffers as Townsman (uncredited)
• Cosmo Sardo as Townsman (uncredited)
• Rudy Sooter as Townsman (uncredited)
• Ray Spiker as Townsman (uncredited)
• Dan White as Station Agent (uncredited)

Full Story Line for The Blood Line

Ben and Hoss visit Virginia City to buy some supplies. Suddenly, a drunk Luke Grayson arrives, shivering, asking the storekeeper, Bert, for his favorite brand of wine. However, his wine of choice is out of stock. Still, Luke insists on getting himself some wine, forcing Ben to interfere. Luke gets a bottle of wine, causing many others to fall. Dianne Jordan, a saloon girl, stops him, but Luke grabs a gun, aiming then shooting it at the Cartwrights. The situation forces Ben to retaliate, killing Luke in the process.

Luke Grayson’s son, Todd Grayson, arrives from Boston, expecting his father to welcome his arrival. However, Todd learns that his father is dead. He rushes inside the funeral parlor as Ben and Hoss exit. Dianne Jordan arrived shortly, telling Todd that Ben Cartwright shot and killed his father in cold blood. Ab Jenkins tells Todd that Ben only fired in self-defense.

Todd points Luke’s gun at Ben as the funeral service ends in the cemetery. Ben feels sorry for the young man.

The sheriff puts Todd in jail until the judge arrives and decides what happens to him. Ben insists they free Todd in the meantime, but the sheriff believes it’s for the best, noting that nothing can stop Todd from exacting revenge. Just then, Dianne arrives to take care of Todd. She brings him his father’s gold watch, chain, and three silver dollars. Todd felt disappointed, expecting more from his father after the words he mentioned in the letters he received.

Ben asks Dianne if there’s something he can do to help Todd. However, Dianne brushes him off, thinking it’s Ben’s way to ease his guilt. Ben tells the sheriff that he’ll take Todd to the Ponderosa to straighten him out before he ends up like his father. Hoss doesn’t think it’s a good idea, but Ben insists. The sheriff reluctantly agrees to give Todd to Ben, only on parole.

Appling visits Dianne to talk about Todd and the Cartwrights. He volunteers to kill Ben Cartwright for a price. Dianne mentioned not having enough funds, but Appling thinks Todd inherited enough money to hire him. Appling leaves, giving Dianne time to think it over.

Hoss spends time with Todd at the Ponderosa to keep him busy. Ben even offers him to eat with them. However, Todd remains bad-tempered, not liking his stay at the Ponderosa.

Later that evening, Todd finds a gun in the Ponderosa house, pointing it at Ben. When Todd pulls the trigger, he discovers that the weapon has no bullet, much to his disappointment. Todd flees, and Ben doesn’t try to run after him. He plans to tell sheriff Roy about the situation in the morning.

Todd visits Bert’s store to buy a gun. However, Bert refuses to sell him a weapon for any cost, considering he’s Luke Grayson’s son. Todd was about to leave when he found an ax handle, striking Bert, causing him to fall unconscious. There, Todd steals a gun and a load of bullets, hiding them on his vest.

Dianne finds Todd hiding at the staircase of the saloon. Todd reveals that he tried to kill Ben, so Dianne offers to take him to his room before they catch him.

Meanwhile, Ben and Hoss visit the sheriff to report what happened. They encounter Bert, who tells them that Todd came into his store to buy a gun. However, as he turned around, Todd hit him with an ax handle. Bert also tells them Todd took a gun and some shells from his shelf. Sheriff Roy orders Ben to take Bert to the doctor while he and Hoss continue searching for Todd.

In Dianne’s room, Dianne tries to stop Todd from killing Ben. Although Dianne wants Ben dead like Todd, she doesn’t want Todd to pursue his plan. Seeing she can’t stop Todd, Dianne shows Todd a draft on the First City Bank of San Francisco, holding five hundred dollars. Just then, Appling enters the room. Dianne asks him to get Todd to San Francisco, and Appling agrees for five hundred dollars. However, Todd doesn’t want to accept it. Appling shoves him, then grabs the bank draft Dianne signed.

Appling goes to the saloon to ask the bartender for a cash exchange. Ben arrives and finds out about it, asking if it has something to do with Todd. However, Appling refuses to talk about it. Ben insists on talking to Dianne about the money, but as he turns, Appling calls his name and is ready to shoot Ben. However, Ben evaded and fired him back.

Todd and Dianne hear the gunshot, so he guides Todd to hide outside the window. Ben asks Dianne about the bank draft. Dianne tells Ben that it was Luke’s money. However, Ben knew that Luke never had that big of cash. He reminds Dianne that the town knew she supported Luke, but Luke failed to recognize what she did for him. Todd jumps from the window and aims the gun at Ben again. Dianne stops him, telling Todd that everything he heard from Ben was true. She tells him that Luke never sent him a dime, that Luke uses his money to get drunk, and all the funds Todd received came from her. Confused, Todd asks Dianne why she stayed with his father if he was that bad. Dianne reveals that he loved Luke despite all of that.

Ben gets the gun from Todd’s hand and leaves to give the two a moment. He meets sheriff Roy and Hoss and surrenders the weapon, stating it had no bullets. Ben also tells Roy that Todd didn’t steal the horse since they gave it to him.

Ben asks Roy to tell Todd to pay them a visit with his new mother, Dianne.

Full Script and Dialogue of The Blood Line

[Applause]
[Music]
they sure are i'll put them on your bill
where'd you put one house's personal
bill say i got a long list of supplies
here i'd like you put together for us
i said leave me alone
some of that sweet wine bird doctor said
take a little with my meals well at the
brand you like luke maybe later today
we'll have some in
luke honey you heard what he said look
you can come back later
i don't want no woman telling me what to
do
who do you think you're fooling you
think i haven't got any eyes
i'll get them myself oh wait a minute
luke you stay out of there
luke uh haas and i just going out to
have some breakfast why don't you come
along with us
are you cartwright stay out of this i
don't like you
i never did
ain't gonna put up with this luke you
get out of here stay out of here honey
please
stop i don't want you to get hurt
[Music]
no stinking store keeper's going to tell
me what to do
you high on mighty cartwrights
you don't mean nothing to me look honey
please stop
i've always wanted to kill me a
[Music]
cartwright
luke luke honey
please me
now how'd this happen
i'm afraid it's too late for a doctor
luke's been drinking for a week straight
sheriff he plumb one out of his head
there wasn't nothing ben could do
luke grayson's been heading for this for
a long time
maybe so a miserable end for a man like
luke grayson once was you had to do this
didn't you ben cartwright
you had to kill him
[Music]
two
[Music]
ah
[Music]
well todd this is the end of our long
journey virginia city
doesn't look like either of us are going
to get much of a welcome
paul musta got my letter i wrote him
right after he sent me the money for the
fair
time's pretty valuable to a man who's
rich and important should say your pies
he probably left word for you let's ask
around well that's the thing to do i
i want to thank you anyway for looking
out for me the way you have no
agent yes sir
you know a man called luke grayson sure
who don't
well he was supposed to meet this stage
all right he ain't going to meet this
stage or any other
and you'll find him over yonder
you don't mean he's dead and i have
jenkins ain't buried alive one recently
however i think the townspeople would
have been willing to make an exception
in this case
no no he can't be dead
can't be dead
[Music]
isn't that terrible that boy came all
the way from boston to see his father
father is that luke's kid
are you sure there's nothing more
hustling i can do appears to me you've
done too much already
i don't like the way you said that mr
jenkins everybody knows it was either
paul or luke you know that in what i
mean haas
i was referring to all the expense
paying for the best funeral
the sheriff has a special fun to foot
that kind of bill
sheriff didn't gun luke down i did
we'll see at the services thank you
get out of my way
is that luke grayson i'm afraid so
not the way i remember him it's not the
way at all
how did he die i'm afraid this ain't the
time of the place look mister i got a
right to know it was my father
todd todd grayson
i'd have known you anywhere it's all
luke talked about the last few days
if there's ever anything i can do what
do you know about him
i'm diane jordan luke and i were
your father and i well he must have
written you about me
how did he die now look son this is no
time to be talking about things like
this isn't it why isn't it i'll have to
know the truth sooner or later
your father was murdered shot down in
cold blood by a man named ben
cartwright now you know better than that
diane
son this ain't the same as back east
but a man draws a gun on another man
cartwright
why did he want to kill my father if
you're ben cartwright you don't have to
have an excuse to kill a man
diane i won't have this talk now look
boy you come with me a minute
it's your father's gun take a good look
it'll show he fired twice
there was no way back after that
he fired even before ben cartwright drew
my father's gun
he wore it proudly it was a famous gun
once
uh son the gun i think i ought to turn
that over to sheriff
why it was luke's gun wasn't it well
yeah sure but then it should go to the
boy
everything luke left should go to the
boy
your father left some other things over
at my place with me
i know we'd want you to have them
nor is it for us to condemn the victor
even while we
mourn the fall we can only hope that the
soul of luke grayson shall achieve in
the everlasting
life beyond the forgiveness
and peace denied him on this earth
let us pray
[Music]
you better say one for yourself mr
cartwright
it's gonna it's gonna be your last you
murdered my father now they're gonna
bury you along with him
don't be a fool boy put up your gun
when i'm finished with it son this is
your last warning you might get off the
first shot but i'll get off the second
holy sheriff
he's just a scared kid now sure i'm
scared
but that's not gonna stop me for your
own sake listen to me
it was no murder ben cartwright did
everything he could to avoid bloodshed
keep out of this it isn't your fight it
doesn't have to be anybody's fight son
if i'd done what you think do you
believe i'd be a free man today
oh i've heard all about you cartwrights
you can even buy your way out of murder
but not this time
wait let me go i'll kill him i'll kill
him
it's all right it's all gonna be all
right just the way i promised your
father
i don't want any favors from anyone
that's all right todd your father was
that way too
he wasn't the sort of man to ask anyone
for a favor either
you put him there ben cartwright think
of that when you try to sleep tonight
i've addressed a complaint to judge
parker and eureka
he should be there but the first a month
and he can head straight back well
that's fine that should only take about
three weeks now what happens to the
board till then
well i reckon that taxpayers can stand
the expense of another border
hang at all well you can't keep that boy
behind bars he's not a criminal he's a
16 year old kid
with a 16 year old gun ben
do you realize that if that kid was just
a split second sooner you wouldn't be
around to watch either one of them grow
any older
that's right paul the sidewinder is just
as poisonous today he's had to use when
he's full grow
now we're not talking about sign writers
we're talking about a boy
besides thanks to this one have already
been pulled
and i am to see that he don't get a
chance to grow another set
least ways until a circuit judge decides
what happens to him
lot of things can happen until then but
not with the boy in here
eat himself up with grief and all it's
just no good roy
what do you want me to do take him by
the hand and tell him that nice little
boys just don't go out and murder in
their elders and turn them loose
i've come for the boy the boy hold on
diane
he's my responsibility isn't he who else
is going to look after him
he was luke grayson's son and i'm the
only one around here that cared anything
about luke grayson so that gives me a
right to the boy
diane it's not a matter of who the boy's
father is it's just
well he's upset and he's kind of
dangerous when he feels this way
well i could take care of him sheriff i
could give him a home
where in the saloon roy
please you stay out of this cartwright
i don't care what you all think about me
but the boy has to have someone
don't you understand that he needs
someone
i'm sorry diane but i just can't turn
him over to you
why could i see him well of course
that's perfectly all right right over
here
todd what do you want
well i i brought you these things
who are your fathers
gold watch and chain remember this
[Music]
three silver dollars
that's all he had but there must have
been more he wrote me
oh what exactly did he tell you todd
that when i got here he'd buy a horse
for me
and i'd help him build a house and
together we'd
we'd start a ranch yes i know
how would you know he never would have
showed you any letters he wrote to me
no that's right he wouldn't besides it
never would have sent for me on a three
dollar promise
wasn't that kind of a man
[Music]
well he's gone now it doesn't matter
well it does to me and it would do you
two if you ever meant anything at all to
him
[Music]
well i don't know what i meant to him
[Music]
but i certainly know what he meant to me
then is there something
i could do to help with the boy what's
the matter cartwright
looking for something to ease your
conscience oh diane you know better than
that
paul's just trying to i don't care what
he's trying to do
how can he know what i must feel how can
any of you cartwrights know anything
about feelings
you've got everything you want isn't any
room in your life or anything like
feelings
sheriff i'm not gonna leave that boy in
that jail cell then
i know what you're thinking but you're
wrong you don't know that kid any favors
what makes you so sure the favorite be
for him roy both of us we've been around
pretty long time but not so long that we
can take a man's life and just forget it
whether the man needed killing or not i
know ben now i don't like keeping that
kid in jail any more than you do but
what expect me to do with him turn him
over to diane
no no turn them over to me to you
paul you forgetting what that boy tried
to do to you at the cemetery us
he's a scared little boy who traveled 3
000 miles for what
for a funeral he's hurt he's confused
he's he's alone
if somebody doesn't straighten him out
now he'll wind up like his father a
worse
then somebody else will have blood in
his hands well paul if
if we do take him what are we going to
do with him take him to the ponderosa
show them what fresh air feels like give
him a horse teach him how to ride don't
you think i know what to do with boys
oh sure you do paul but but this boy
wants to kill you
he thinks he wants to kill me but if he
stays locked up like a criminal he'll be
sure of it now roy please believe me i
know what's best
ben i have all the respect in the world
for your judgment i think you're wrong
but if i do turn him over here you're
going to have to be responsible for him
all the way
i'm perfectly willing to accept that boy
he's going to be a mighty big hand for
adam little joe both going out on a
roundup well we'll be able to manage him
but it's only a parole nothing more
and if he steps out of line just one
time you're duty-bound to turn him back
to me now you understand that
i understand perfectly there'll be no
trouble paul i sure hope you know what
you're doing
so do i
[Applause]
[Music]
mind if i join you don't you believe in
knocking
oh that depends your kind never does
not just what is my kind i've seen you
in every mining camp and every tank town
honky tonk between here and mexico
maybe not the same face or the same
fancy duds but
the same cold eyes same way of walking
and the same stink of killing on you
well now that we understand each other
i'll have that drink
a nice place you've got here fine
tasting furniture
now um you didn't come here just to talk
about my taste in furniture
and don't be too sure about that let's
just call this a sort of uh
social visit people like you and me
we never get enough chance to talk
nobody much cares what we think or how
we feel
feelings can't afford it not anymore
no and what's this still around for
give it to me it's all i have left it in
that and the boy he's on your mind
whether you like it or not
he's nothing to me anymore now that i
know he's in good hands
the hands that killed his father
that kid's got spunk how long do you
think he'll take what ben cartwright
dishes out
come on admit it sooner or later he'll
make his play then
get himself killed then or hang later
what can i do about it he won't talk to
me
maybe he doesn't have to maybe he
already has
what do you mean by that i was at the
funeral he tried to kill ben cartwright
and you didn't try to stop him
i'm not responsible for what he tried to
do maybe not
but you were hoping the boy would pull
the trigger
or weren't you well how do you expect me
to feel
after all his father and i were we're in
love that's very touching with little
out of my line
i'm talking about killing ben cartwright
you'd kill ben cartwright for a price
for a price i could kill most anybody
what makes you think i've got the money
well not you maybe
i was thinking of the kid on the way out
here he told me about his father
that boy's gonna fall into quite an
inheritance
i haven't sunk that low
anyway even if i wanted ben cartwright
dead i'd never hire a two-bit gun like
you
no i guess you wouldn't you can let the
boy do it for you
wear something pretty when you go up to
prison to see him
think it over i'll be around if you need
me
[Applause]
wow
that the prettiest bunch of trees you
ever seen todd
[Music]
you ever been to boston no
can't say it's a half how do you know
they don't have prettier trees there
you got something there never thought of
it right
guess there are lots of things you never
thought of
yeah yep i reckon you're right at that
too
what about that horse you think you can
ride him what's so hard about riding a
horse
come on
yes sir there's a whole lot more to
being a cowboy and just smelling like
one or wearing boots for instance you
always get up on the left-hand side of a
horse
you walk up to him real easy like those
aren't spooky
go and try it boom
todd the left side dog
going boy when are you gonna get it
through that honorary head of yours
we're trying to help you
help me you you think i want to ride
that sweaty old bag of bones
i don't give a hoot whether you want to
or not you're going to you think you can
make me
you dad gum tommy toots and i can hey
what's going on
oh i don't know i've tried my best with
this boy
i can't see him do nothing to please him
huh it seems to be the trouble son look
i came out here because the sheriff made
me that doesn't mean i have to like it
now look todd when you're here in the
ponderosa
you here's a guest not as a prisoner
you're trying to remember that
howdy ben us
all right good to see you how are things
in town sheriff ready to midland
are you getting along with young todd
here oh just fine roy just fine
everything's going fine
gonna make a rancher out of them yet
aren't we todd
ben uh i've been thinking maybe i
overstepped my bounds and letting you
take that boy
well i said i'd assume full
responsibility yeah but just
the same technically you're still in my
custody
why are you figuring on sleeping him
well most of the hands are out with adam
a little john round up i
figured i'd give him the foreman's room
there so they could have a place of his
own
[Music]
seems solid enough except for that wind
in the back you can see that from your
room though can't you
now wait a minute roy this is a boy's
room it's not a jail cell
not as far as i'm concerned and ben
put a lock on that door after the kid
goes to bed night you're here
well i'll be heading back to town roy we
got some rolling table in there and
won't stay and eat with us
i wish i couldn't host but i got to get
back
i'm sorry we're late paul but todd here
couldn't quite make up his mind whether
he won't eat or not
well believe me todd i never had any
trouble like that with hoss when he was
your age
not since either
mm-hmm you know something haas this beef
is about the tastiest we've ever had
that gravy looks good too
now there's no sense in this boy i know
you're hungry why don't you sit down and
eat
do you think i'd eat at the same table
with a man that killed my father
todd we're just trying to help you can't
you understand that boy
don't do me any favors now look i'm not
afraid of you or any other cart right
and i'm not going to take orders from me
either now i i said i wasn't gonna eat
at this table and i won't
[Music]
don't let him spoil each other paul
you've done all you could
the boy's been through a pretty rough
day house
probably hasn't eaten since breakfast
maybe even longer
made up his mind to hate everything
about this place
starting with us he didn't exactly
choose to come here
[Music]
look at it another way i suppose i'd
been the one who'd been gunned down
how'd you feel about breaking bread with
luke grayson
[Music]
yeah reckon i never looked at it like
that paul
us take this supper up to the bunkhouse
boy's got to eat yes sir don't be
surprised if i come back with a finger
bit off
paul thought you might change your mind
about supper i'll bring you something to
eat
you can take it right back to him i said
i don't want anything from you
cartwrights
look todd i don't care how mad a man
gets about something
his stomach goes right on eating
something to eat you think you can make
me eat that
no no i can't and i wouldn't want to
make eat it
but if paul thought you was down here
hungry and there wasn't no food here for
you'd feel real bad about it
your father didn't care anything about
me todd
why didn't you say that what makes me
say it because it's the truth that's why
ben cartwright's a liar now you listen
here boy no you listen
you must think i'm two years old or
something you and all you talk about
about teaching me to ride well i don't
want her right see
and i've had just about enough of your
father's talk about me being a guest
here
todd he meant that you are a guest here
as far as we're concerned
oh am i i suppose you put locks on the
doors of all your guests
there's your supper you can take that
back to him and tell him i'm sick of his
kind of favors
[Music]
[Applause]
hmm
free
[Applause]
[Music]
um
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
hmm
[Music]
all right
todd what what is this
i guess you know what it is
todd listen to me somebody close don't
come any closer
don't come any closer
god give me the gun no no
oh it's all right
what's the matter this todd
stole an empty empty gun out of the
destroy
tried to kill me tried to kill you
with a little varmint where is he
outside somewhere
probably hiding like a scared animal
waiting for you and me and a does
another grown man to come
chasing after him paul you ain't gonna
just let him go are you no i'm not gonna
let him go
i'm not gonna go running after him
either paul he tried to kill you with an
empty gun yeah but paul he didn't know
he's empty dad burn it how far does your
obligation go with this please
please nothing boy after all you've done
for that boy you gave him a home you
least i could do after what i did to him
sheriff roy coffey i have to think of
his position regardless of what i think
i
i'm gonna have to tell roy what happened
probably stole one of our horses and
halfway to san francisco by now how far
do you think he could get you saw the
way he wrote didn't you
yeah but i got a sneak and hunch he
wasn't doing his best neither
well probably try to find his way back
to virginia
city and we did we'll find him there
i'm not going to run after him not
tonight anyhow
let's try to get some rest we'll go see
the show first thing in the morning
[Music]
it's getting late honey why don't you go
to bed
go to bed i haven't slept since he died
you got to go on a living kid yeah
that's just the trouble living and
thinking look at nothing but this day
and night
you really loved him didn't you
sure funny isn't it charlie
me falling in love with a guy like luke
grayson
[Music]
really wasn't much huh
couldn't keep a job always getting in
fights
always getting drunk half the time he
didn't even know i was alive
[Music]
funny isn't it charlie you're not
laughing
nope i ain't laughing
[Music]
remember how he was when he'd walk down
the street all the women would get mad
that they'd met their own husbands
i was just like him my eyes would follow
him wherever you went he was so
so tall and straight
and that smiled
[Music]
it was like that to me until the day
died
[Music]
you want another drink kid yeah i guess
so
better than trying to get to sleep
[Music]
thanks
[Music]
are you open for business you're in a
moment for business what can i do for
you
i want to buy a gun guns cost money boy
i've got money it's not much it's three
dollars but that ought to buy a gun of
some kind
i don't have a gun i can let go for
three dollars look mister any gun
an old one maybe you've got something
here somebody left on a bill or
something like that
son you might as well know i wouldn't
send a gun to
luke grayson's boy for three dollars or
three thousand dollars and nobody else
in town would either i'll just run along
and forget it
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
[Music]
my
foreign
well goodnight charlie
todd what are you doing here mind your
own business leave me alone
i thought you're in trouble what's
happened
i tried to kill ben cartwright todd
they'll catch you they'll put you in
jail
i don't care what they do to me we can't
stand there talking like this someone
will see us
here come with me
[Music]
venice just bad seed i knew luke grayson
when he mounted to something but he
still had that bad streak in him
the boy's got it now just same as the
old man had you got any idea which way
headed
well he came this way as close as we
could figure well i'll get a couple of
deputies
i'd like to have you come along horse
ben
i might as well get started good
[Music]
[Applause]
all right what happened to you well look
grayson's kid came in the store wanted
to buy a gun
i refused to sell it to him when i
turned around he hit me in the head with
an axe handle
don't you think you better have a doctor
take a look at you i don't know
kind of stunned me for a minute i kept
seeing the kid taking the gun i couldn't
make my legs work quick enough to stop
him
he took a gun that's right sick shooter
and some shells
do you know what he was doing ben you
better take him up the doctor
also go along with me all right and ben
it's not just a 16 year old boy we're
dealing with it's luke grayson's kid
he's got a loaded gun
all right roy
i asked you where did you get that gun i
told you i just got it that's all
now that you've got it what are you
gonna do with it i'm gonna kill ben
cartwright what do you think i'm gonna
do with it
listen to me i want him dead just as
much as you do
but what chance do you think a kid like
you'll have against all those grown men
all i need is just one clear shot don't
you realize that they'll cut you to
ribbons the minute you walk outside this
room
god what are you gonna do i'm getting
out of here no todd wait
there's another way what are you talking
about
if i help you will you promise me that
you'll leave virginia city and never
come back here again
how can you help me
[Music]
this is a draft on the first city bank
of san francisco
500 if i sign it it'll be payable to
bearer
500. then i was right
right about what this is my father's
money you were holding out on me
holding out on you todd i'm just trying
to help you look if my father gave you
this you keep it i don't even want to
hear about it
maybe you don't need a kid
but i do you won't need that gun
i'm on your side right diane what are
you doing here
i told you i'd be here when you needed
me i think you do now
and i know you stole that gun so does
the sheriff and he's coming to get you
i've got to get him out of here get him
to san francisco
do you think you could do it i can do it
for 500
you see i was listening outside your
door now that's not socially correct
maybe but
it's a way to find things out and you
just sign it and i'll get the kid out of
town
there's only one thing mustn't cash it
until you get to san francisco
sure i'm in no hurry what are you doing
i don't want anything from you
look my father wouldn't have anything to
do with a woman like you
now look boy you do as you're told
or i'll let the sheriff have you
[Music]
cash that for me
500 that's a lot of money you've got
that much in the till just go ahead and
cash it
i i've never seen anything quite like
this before mr cartwright
yes charlie would you take a look at
this for me yes what is it
it's a bank draft you know about these
things i wish you'd look it over he
doesn't have to look it over it's good
it's got diane jordan's signature on it
why did she give you this i don't think
that's any of your business card right
this is something to do with todd
doesn't it what's the matter card right
can't you hear good where's the boy
you've got my money i said where's the
boy
i don't like people touching me and i
don't like him grabbing my money
this is yours legitimately you'll get it
back
but not until i've talked to diane about
this
[Music]
[Applause]
here
diane are you in there diane
it's been car drive the door's open
i think this belongs to you where did
you get that
from the two-bit gunman who's been
hanging around town he tried to cash it
downstairs
he tried to cash it
but what business is it of yours
maybe i owed it to him maybe he did me a
favor once
oh did he was he about to do you a favor
like killing me it was luke's money
luke owed it to athletes diane luke
never had 50 as long as i knew him much
less 500.
get out of here i don't have to sit here
and listen to you saying these things
about luke
you killed him is that enough don't you
think the whole town knows it was you
who supported luke
don't you think they know it was you who
fed him who clothed them who even gave
him his drinking money
and all the time he didn't even know you
were alive
that's not true luke was good to me
he loved me did he do you think luke was
capable of loving anyone
or even the thinking of anyone other
than himself stop that
i won't listen to you saying such things
i won't listen to you here i won't
listen
diane you know that what i'm saying is
the truth
i wonder you're gonna have to face that
truth
where's the boy
here cartwright it's easy to lie about a
man when he's dead and can't talk back
isn't it
god put away that gun i'll put it away
after i kill you
and this time i'm not gonna miss this
time i got bullets in the gun
don't wait todd stop
he killed my father you're forgetting
that no i'm not forgetting but
everything he said about your father was
true no it's a bag of lies
no it wasn't the pack of lots look i
knew your father better than anyone in
the whole
world it wasn't any good
just like ben cartwright said he was no
good
no you're lying he he sent me money he
wanted me to come out here and live with
him
he never sent you a dime every honest
dollar that luke got he drank faster
than he could walk to the post office
that 500 that i gave to apple was mine
the money the check that you got every
month to keep you in school
that was mine even the money that she
was sent to bring you back here to
virginia city was my
see i thought if he saw his own son that
would help him straighten out
it couldn't be if he was so bad why
would you why did i stick to it
because i loved it
i loved it the first moment i saw it
[Music]
with the gun boy
keep trying to remember him the way i
wanted him to be
[Music]
he was such a wonderful man
such a rotten lousy
stinking wonderful man
[Applause]
[Music]
paul you all right charlie just told us
what happened
yeah i'm all right that boy uh he's
gonna be all right now too
i'm still gonna have to take him in ben
he stole the gun
did he roy an empty gun
now what do you think that would be
worth the lives of two people
i guess it ain't worth a thing then
oh roya in case you happen to think
about it that uh horse of ours
the boy didn't steal it i just gave it
to him
that right house yes sir that's right
roy you you tell him to write him out
and pay us a visit and tell him to bring
his new mom
[Music]
you

Behind the Scenes of The Blood Line

Among the Cartwright family, Pernell Roberts and Michael Landon do not appear in any part of this episode. In one scene, Ben mentioned that Adam and Little Joe were away on a roundup with some of the ranch hands.

This episode marks Lee Van Cleef’s (Appling), Jan Sterling’s (Dianne Jordan), and David Macklin’s (Todd Grayson) only appearances in the series.

Looking for More Bonanza Episodes?

Bonanza, which tells the adventures of the Cartwright family, is a fantastic show to watch alone or with your family and friends. All 14 seasons ran on the NBC network from September 1959 to January 1973. The Blood Line is the 47th episode out of 430 and the fifteenth for the second season.

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