This page uses content from the Dan Blocker biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.

Dan Blocker (December 10 1928 – May 13 1972) was an American actor best remembered for his role as Eric 'Hoss' Cartwright in the TV western Bonanza.

He was born in De Kalb, Texas, the son of Ora Shack and Mary (Davis) Blocker and his family moved to O'Donnell, Texas soon thereafter. He attended Texas Military Institute and later graduated from Sul Ross State Teacher's College with a degree in the dramatic arts. He reputedly worked as a bouncer in a beer joint while a student. By all accounts he is remembered from his school days for his size of 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and weight of 300 pounds (136 kg), and as being good-natured despite his intimidating size.

Blocker was drafted and served in the Korean War; he later married Dolphia Parker, whom he had met while a student at Sul Ross State; all of their four children's names begin with a 'D'. He earned a master's degree from Sul Ross State and held down various jobs as a high school teacher, actor and rodeo performer. Actor Dirk Blocker and producer David Blocker are his sons, and his twin daughters are Debra Lee (who studied to be a hairdresser) and Danna Lynn.

Dan Blocker died suddenly following routine gall bladder surgery in Los Angeles in 1972. The cast and crew of Bonanza were shaken by his death and it is speculated that the loss of one of the show's most popular characters hastened its end. Bonanza lasted another season, but the final season in which Blocker did not appear is the least-requested in reruns.

Trivia

• Once owned an authentic 1965 Chevrolet Malibu SS396 (with the sought-after Z16 option) when Chevrolet was the sponsor of the show where it aired commercials. The Blocker Chevelle has been in private hands since where the car has been shown at car shows.

• Played a facially disfigured android in the 1957 Three Stooges short "Outer Space Jitters."

• World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) announcer Jim Ross affectionately calls many of the bigger wrestlers "Hoss" in honor of Blocker's character from Bonanza.

• Son Dirk Blocker and Michael Landon Jr. appeared in a Bonanza reunion movie in 1995, with Dirk playing a Virginia City journalist and Landon Jr. playing Little Joe's son, Benj Cartwright.

• Received partial ownership in a successful chain of Ponderosa/Bonanza Steakhouses in exchange for serving (in character as Hoss) as their commercial spokesman and making personal appearances at franchises. Though not as popular as they once were, a few of the restaurants still remain.

• His 6,000 square foot Tudor style mansion in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles is currently owned by Rob Zombie. [1] On a television interview Zombie claims to have had encounters with Blocker's ghost, though he may have been joking.

External links

• Biography by Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
• Biography from Handbook of Texas online

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