A Passion for Justice

Bonanza episode
“A Passion for Justice”
Season 5, Episode 2 #136 in Series
Air date	September 29, 1963
Production code
Guest starring:
Written by	Peter Packer
Directed by	Murray Golden
Episode Guide
Previous Episode: She Walks in Beauty	Next Episode: Rain from Heaven
External links
IMDb A Passion for Justice on IMDb

Summary

Renowned English novelist Charles Dickens comes to Virginia City to protest the city's newspaper serializing his latest novel without his permission. He's arrested and fined for his trouble. The writer refuses to pay the fine or defend himself, so his fans, the Cartwrights, come to his aid.

Plot

At Ben's invitation, Charles Dickens comes to Virginia City to give a reading from "Oliver Twist" while on a reading/lecture tour in America. While there, he stays at the Ponderosa. He becomes enraged by the townsfolk's casual attitude toward distribution of copies of his stories published without protection of copyright laws.

After confronting the local newspaper publisher, the newspaper's office is destroyed. Already having lost the esteem of the townsfolk, Dickens now finds that the townsfolk blame him for the violence.

Cast and Characters

The Cartwrights

• Lorne Green: Ben Cartwright
• Dan Blocker: Hoss Cartwright
• Michael Landon: Little Joe Cartwright
• Pernell Roberts: Adam Cartwright

Recurring

• Ray Teal: Sheriff Roy Coffee

Other

• Alice Frost: Prominent Townswoman
• Amzie Strickland: Lady in audience
• Betty Endicott: Brunette Saloon Girl
• Bill Clark: Townsman
• Bob Miles: Townsman
• Charles Irving: Prosecutor Rogers
• Clegg Hoyt: Drunk
• Don Washbrook: Tim the Typesetter
• E.J. André: Jeb
• Frank Albertson: Sam Walker
• Jack Tornek: Trial Spectator
• James Stone: Henry
• Jonathan Harris: Charles Dickens
• Martha Manor: Blonde Saloon Girl
• Max Wagner: Juror
• Sydney Smith: Judge
• Victor Maddern: Dan Stoker

Notes

Did you know?

• German episode title: "Charles Dickens in Virginia City", meaning "Charles Dickens in Virginia City".

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