<P> The show chronicles the weekly adventures of the Cartwright family , headed by the thrice - widowed patriarch Ben Cartwright ( Lorne Greene ) . He had three sons , each by a different wife : the eldest was the urbane architect Adam Cartwright ( Pernell Roberts ) who built the ranch house ; the second was the warm and lovable giant Eric `` Hoss '' Cartwright ( Dan Blocker ) ; and the youngest was the hotheaded and impetuous Joseph or `` Little Joe '' ( Michael Landon ) . Via exposition ( S01 : E01 -- `` Rose for Lotta '' ) and flashback episodes , each wife was accorded a different ancestry : English ( S02 : E65 -- `` Elizabeth My Love '' ) , Swedish ( S03 : E95 -- `` Inger My Love '' ) and French Creole ( S04 : E120 -- `` Marie My Love '' ) respectively . The family 's cook was the Chinese immigrant Hop Sing ( Victor Sen Yung ) . Greene , Roberts , Blocker , and Landon were billed equally . The opening credits would alternate the order among the four stars . </P>
<P> The show chronicles the weekly adventures of the Cartwright family , headed by the thrice - widowed patriarch Ben Cartwright ( Lorne Greene ) . He had three sons , each by a different wife : the eldest was the urbane architect Adam Cartwright ( Pernell Roberts ) who built the ranch house ; the second was the warm and lovable giant Eric `` Hoss '' Cartwright ( Dan Blocker ) ; and the youngest was the hotheaded and impetuous Joseph or `` Little Joe '' ( Michael Landon ) . Via exposition ( S01 : E01 -- `` Rose for Lotta '' ) and flashback episodes , each wife was accorded a different ancestry : English ( S02 : E65 -- `` Elizabeth My Love '' ) , Swedish ( S03 : E95 -- `` Inger My Love '' ) and French Creole ( S04 : E120 -- `` Marie My Love '' ) respectively . The family 's cook was the Chinese immigrant Hop Sing ( Victor Sen Yung ) . Greene , Roberts , Blocker , and Landon were billed equally . The opening credits would alternate the order among the four stars . </P>
how many times was ben cartwright married on bonanza
how many times was ben cartwright married on bonanza
three
three