• Series: Bonanza

• Genre: Western
• Movie Type: Prime-Time Drama
• Director: E.W. Swackhamer
• Main Cast: Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, David Canary, Clu Gulager, Mitzi Hoag
• Release Year: 1972
• Country: US
• Run Time: 60 minutes

Plot

The beautiful black stallion given by Ben Cartwright as a birthday present to his son, Joe, is stolen. Searching for the horse, Joe comes across a family of drifters, and is soon embroiled in a potentially deadly rivalry between Bill Brenner (Clu Gulager) and his son, Tommy (Vincent Van Patten). Mitzi Hoag appears as Bill's wife, Alice. Written by Jack B. Sowards, Mort Zarcoff, and Juanita Bartlett, this episode is highlighted by a climactic "race for life" between a horse and a train; by the lush location photography, filmed in the Sierra Foothills near Sonora; and by the musical score of David Rose, which would later serve as the main theme music for the subsequent Michael Landon-starring series Little House on the Prairie. Alas, by the time "Stallion" was originally broadcast on November 14, 1972, NBC had already cancelled Bonanza, which had never recovered ratings-wise from the loss of Dan Blocker or its move from Sunday to Tuesday evening. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Lorne Greene - Ben Cartwright
• Michael Landon - Joe Cartwright
• David Canary - Candy
• Clu Gulager - Billy Brenner
• Mitzi Hoag - Alice Brenner

Vincent Van Patten - Tommy Brenner; Roy Brown - Seth; Michael Greene - Travis; Wallace Chadwell - Doctor

Credit

Hal Burton - Stunts; E.W. Swackhamer - Director; Jack B. Sowards - Screenwriter; Mort Zarcoff - Screenwriter; Juanita Bartlett - Screenwriter