In Memory of Actor Lorne Greene ('Bonanza'/'Battlestar Galactica'): 37 Years After His Tragic Death

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It's been nearly four decades since the tragic death of actor Lorne Greene. Best known for his patriarchal roles as Ben Cartright on Bonanza (NBC, 1959-1973), and Commander Adama on the original Battlestar Galactica (ABC, 1978), Greene died at only 72 on September 11, 1987. This is his story.

A Closer Look

Lorne Greene was born on February 12, 1915, in Ottawa, Ontario. He would later base his most famous TV portrayal on his father, Daniel, a maker of orthopedic boots and shoes. He became interested in drama while attending Queens University, which led to a two-year fellowship at the Neighborhood Theater in New York.

After World War II, he returned to Canada, but could not find any acting roles, so he turned to radio. He soon became the chief newscaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and "The Voice of Canada."

In 1949, Greene helped to found the Jupiter Theater, an enterprise that has produced some of Canada’s finest drama. By 1953, he became a professional actor, moved to New York, and began performing on stage, film, and TV.

Then Came Bonanza

In 1959, Lorne Greene was cast in his benchmark role on Bonanza, which made him a multimillionaire. He began investing in real estate and ran a string of thoroughbred horses in Southern California. Greene was cast in the widowed father Ben Cartwright by the sheer circumstance of being there at the right time.

Then Came Battlestar

When Bonanza ended in 1973, Lorne Greene appeared in the short-lived detective series, titled, Griff, and shortly after, Battlestar Galactica. As with Bonanza, Greene portrayed a TV father. But whereas Bonanza was a one-hour family drama about the Old West, Battlestar was a sci-fi series set in the new space frontier of the future

Battlestar Galactica, which co-starred Richard Hatch (who died in 2017), never reached the popularity of Bononza, but the show still made managed to make its mark in pop culture history.

Through the years, Greene remained close with the Bonanza family, including his TV sons Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon, all of whom are also now gone.

Greene's Tragic Final Hours

On the morning of August 5, 1987, Lorne Greene was admitted to St. John’s Hospital and Medical Center in Santa Monica, CA with a bleeding ulcer. Shortly after, he passed away from cardiac arrest and a respiratory ailment caused by prolonged infection.