Dan Blocker

about

Dan Blocker (December 10, 1928 – May 13, 1972) was an American actor best remembered for his role as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright in the NBC western television blockbuster Bonanza. Blocker was born Bobby Don Blocker in De Kalb in East Texas, the son of Mary (née Davis) and Ora Shack Blocker. His family moved to O'Donnell, located in both Lynn and Dawson counties near Lubbock in west Texas, soon after his birth. He played football at Hardin-Simmons University in 1946. He attended Texas Military Institute and later graduated from Sul Ross State Teacher's College in Alpine, where he earned a master's degree in the dramatic arts. (Although the "Hoss" character on Bonanza was conceived initially as lovable but slow-witted, Blocker was the only cast member with an advanced degree.) Blocker was a high school English and drama teacher in Sonora, Texas, Carlsbad, New Mexico and California. He reportedly worked as a rodeo performer and 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. Stanley Kubrick attempted to cast Blocker in his film Dr. Strangelove, after Peter Sellers elected not to add the role of Major T.J. "King" Kong to his multiple other roles, but according to the film's co-writer, Terry Southern, Blocker's agent rejected the script. The role subsequently went to Slim Pickens. In 1957, Blocker appeared in