On September 12, 1959 – Bonanza, the first regularly scheduled TV program presented in color, is launched in the United States.

 

In 1959, Bonanza made television history as the first regularly scheduled program to be broadcast in color in the United States. Premiering on NBC, the show was a Western drama that followed the wealthy Cartwright family, who lived on the sprawling Ponderosa Ranch near Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Led by patriarch Ben Cartwright and his three sons Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe the series combined action, moral lessons, and family-centered storytelling. At the time, color television was still a novelty, and NBC, owned by RCA (the company behind much of the push for color TV sets), used Bonanza as a strategic tool to encourage American households to invest in color televisions. The lush scenery of the Nevada landscape, vividly captured in color, was a key selling point for both the series and RCA’s business interests.

Despite its groundbreaking format, Bonanza initially struggled in the ratings due to its prime-time Sunday slot competing against popular programs. However, as color television became more widespread in American households, the series gained traction and grew into one of the longest-running and most beloved shows in TV history, lasting for 14 seasons until 1973. Its success not only cemented the Western genre as a television staple but also helped accelerate the adoption of color broadcasting across the country. Bonanza proved that television could be more than black-and-white storytelling; it could deliver a more immersive, visually stunning experience that shaped the future of entertainment.

See also: Today in history: On September 12, 1890 – Salisbury, Rhodesia, is founded.