Dan Blocker starred in Bonanza as middle son Hoss Cartwright, who knew his way around a rifle when the moment called for it.

Blocker, aka "The Big 'Un," was always a big, soft-hearted guy. Born Bobby Dan Blocker in DeKalb, Texas, in 1928, he weighed in at a staggering 14 pounds.

Dan Blocker’s tragically early death at 43 was a blow to the entertainment world. Though his filmography was relatively short, his memorable portrayal of Hoss made Blocker a star.

Still, despite the show’s longevity, star Dan Blocker could tell its days were numbered by a certain point into its 14-year run. ‘Bonanza’ aired on NBC from 1959 to 1973 ...

Dan Blocker of O'Donnell, Texas, was Hoss Cartwright on the television show 'Bonanza' and lives on through reruns and in a museum and small park in his hometown in the Panhandle ...

Q. Was Dan Blocker always called Hoss on Bonanza? A. Each of Ben Cartwright’s three sons had a different mother and in the course of the series, the story of each of the three marriages was told.

Dan Blocker was born elsewhere, graduated from high school elsewhere and was buried elsewhere, but he always called O’Donnell, Texas, his hometown.

Chris Blocker was a native of Midland, Texas, who grew up in New Mexico. He died in 2016 at age 76 of pulmonary fibrosis. Dan Blocker died in 1972 of a pulmonary embolism after gall bladder surgery.