Top 5 - Lorne Greene

Today would have been Lorne Greene's 9oth birthday. Unfortunately when it comes to Greene, the answer to the question "Dead or Canadian?" is both.

1. I didn't realize that the plot to Bonanza said that Ben Cartwright's three kids were by three different women. I guess that kinda made Ben Cartwright the role model for Shawn Kemp.

2. Greene had a #1 hit with the "song" Ringo about a gunslinger. I have that song downloaded on my laptop and am listening to it right now. It always makes me think of the Val Kilmer Doc Holiday character from Tombstone even though there was a Johnny Ringo character in the movie who really wasn't no daisy.

3. Lorne Greene's real name was Lyon Himan Green. I can see ditching the Lyon Himan part but why add the extra "e" to the end of Green?

4. The theme to Bonanza actually had lyrics. Here they are. I also have an MP3 of Greene "singing" the theme to Bonanza.

5. Some people have speculated that Ben Cartwright and Hop Sing were the first gay couple on TV (OK I just made that up).