Pernell Roberts

An intense, brooding leading man and character actor on stage and in television, Pernell Roberts rose to fame as Adam, eldest son of the Cartwright clan, on "Bonanza" (NBC, 1959-1973), one of the longest-running and most popular television series in history. He left the show in 1965 due to conflicts with producers over the show's writing, and became a regular face in guest-starring roles on television and in the occasional film. But in 1979, he returned to television stardom with the lead role in "Trapper John, M.D." (CBS, 1979-1986), a medical drama based on the Korean War doctor played by Elliott Gould in the Robert Altman feature "M*A*S*H" (1970) and by Wayne Rogers in the television version. Also blessed with a rich baritone voice, Roberts appeared in several musical theater productions and recorded an album of folk songs in 1962, making him as versatile a performer as he was talented an actor.