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The show starred Leif Erickson as Big John Cannon, a rancher who lived in the Arizona Territory in the 1870s . He ran the ranch with his brother Buck ( Cameron Mitchell ) and son Billy Blue ( Mark Slade ). Billy Blue's mother was killed in the first episode, and to ensure his future, Big John courted and later married Victoria ( Linda Cristal ) , the daughter of the powerful Montoya family. His marriage to Victoria Montoya brought her brother Manolito ( Henry Darrow ) into the picture, and he also came to live with the family.

''The High Chaparral'' was Dortort's brainchild, and he left the day-to-day running of ''Bonanza'' in the spring of 1967 so he could focus all of his energies on ''The High Chaparral''. After the show's cancellation in 1971 , Dortort did not return to ''Bonanza'', but retired instead.