Bonanza Season 1 Episode 18 A House Divided.

Directed by Lewis Allen. Written by Al C. Ward and David Dortort. Produced by David Dortort. Music by David Rose. Stars Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon. Guest Stars Cameron Mitchell, Stacy Harris, and John Anderson.                                                        When Fredrick Kyle, played by (Cameron Mitchell), a one armed man comes to Virginia City and inquiries about one of the Cartwright boys Little Joe,played by (Michael Landon), the hotel manager Tom Madigan, played by (Dan Riss), tells him that Joe's older brother Adam, played by (Pernell Roberts), and Little Joe are in town, Fredrick decieds to go saloon to look for them. When he goes in he see's Joe is in a poker game and loosing. What Joe doesn’t know, is that the person he’s playing whose name is Gordon, played by (John Anderson), is cheating with the help of his friend Regis, played by (Stacy Harris), who is behind Joe and signaling his friend behind his back.

Fredrick however, see’s what’s happing and intervenes. When Joe finds out that he’s been cheated he's hopping mad and jumps up from the table, Fredrick stops Joe from fighting them single handed. But when Regis pulls out his gun and Gordon goes to hit Fredrick, Joe takes care of Regis and Fredrick takes care of Gordon in a fist fight. Once it’s over Joe thanks Fredrick and invites him to the Ponderosa for dinner.

That night at dinner Fredrick tells Joe’s father Ben, played by (Lorne Greene), Adam, and Joe’s second oldest brother Hoss, played by (Dan Blocker), that he’s come to get baking from the silver mine’s for his bakers in the east. Joe says Fredrick that "Well I know them all Mr. Kyle and I'd be more than happy to show you around. Than Fredrick says. I appricaite your offer kind Little Joe.  Than Hoss, joking around says " Wll if your looking for help in high finance Mr.Kyle I'm afraid you done picked on the wrong Cartwright. Hoss chuckles and Fredrick says. How do you mean? then hoss says. Well you see Little Joe's full of that hot southern bloodthat he cant get very intrested in cold cash. Now on the other hand Adam over there is from New England and he just got a natural feeling for the jingle of cash. Then Fredrick says. And how about you Hoss. Then Hoss says. Well sir I reckon I'm sort of from inbeween. Then Ben says. Hoss's mother and I where on our way out west when Hoss was born. Out on the praire just west of the Missouri . Then Fredrick says. Your not alone Hoss many good men where born on the praire. Hoss nods and says. Yes sir. He pauses then says. I just dont understand it. Where all from the same counrty here and yet theres still always talk about north and south, whers the dividing line?. Then Fredrick says. I say that thee dividing line was in peoples minds. And takes a sip of brandy. Hoss nods and says. Well, well that puts me in the middle alright, I aint got no leaning either way.Joe laughs and says. Thats the trouble with you Hoss, now you take older brother over here he's from way up north. Me I'm from way out south of Dixie. Adam says. You just blow the beugal when you want the war started. They all chuckle. then Ben taps his galss and says. Alright now, we all have our roots right here on the Ponderosa now.  The Fredrick says. Sometimes a man's roots and responiblties go deeper than where he lives. Then Adam says . Isent that idea reather stale and old fashioned Mr. Kyle. Fredrick looks at him and Adam countiues. When we came out west we left that behind. then Fredrick asks. Can you ever leave behind an idea, or an ideology ?" Than Fredrick changes the subject.   

The next day Ben and Hoss walk into the salon just in time to hear an argument about north and south. Ben intervenes and tells them that Virginia City is neither North nor South.

A Yankee, played by (Mickey Simpson), see’s Ben has a New York newspaper and asks Ben to read out loud.

A confederate, played by (Jon Locke), protest saying he doesn’t want to her a Northern paper but everyone else urges Ben to read and so he does, and reads about President Abraham Lincolns “House Divided Speech”. When he finishes arguments flare up again but Fredrick enters the salon and offers to read a Southern paper out loud as well. When the paper doesn’t condemn Lincoln the Yankee raises his surprise that a southern paper who’d write like that, Fredrick says  "A man who honestly knows what he believes and has courage enough to act on it, is a man deserving of praise from all men."

Later that day when Fredrick returns to the hotel, Regis and Gordon waiting for him outside his room. They tell him that they know he’s there to get silver and that it’s for “ The Cause”, as Regis puts it, and that some of the mine owners might not want sell him thier silver, and so for a fine of five thousand dollars they who’d be willing to be his hired guns. Fredrick is furious at Regis for speaking like that about his cause, shoving Regis against the wall he tells him never to talk like that again. Gordon wants to fight Fredrick but Regis stops him and tells him it’s just a business deal. Which Fredrick agrees to do.

Meanwhile Adam goes into the hotel looking for Joe. Tom tells Adam that Joe had been all over town intruding Fredrick to all the mine owners and that Fredrick was upstairs alone.

Then Regis and Gordon come down the stairs talking loudly about the one armed man’s temper.  Adam wonders what they were talking to Fredrick about and who they are. Tom tells him that Regis and Gordon just got out of prison but that he doesn’t know anything about Fredrick, except that he had asked about Joe as soon as he got into town. Adam decides to go home and tell Ben about Fredrick’s interest in Joe. Ben decides to go into town himself and find out why Fredrick was so interested in him.

Meanwhile Fredrick and Joe met with a mine owner named Hennessy, played by (Howard Wendell), in the saloon. Hennessy tells Fredrick that he’s not interested and that even if he was he wouldn’t sell to Fredrick because he’s a southern and Hennessy a Northern. Then he leaves. Leaving Joe confused about what politics have to do with business deals. Fredrick tells him not to worry about it and thanks Joe for intruding him to the mine owners, and that it helps to have a Cartwright on his side. Joe doesn’t understand what he means. Fredrick tells him that he came to Virginia City to do some research to see if the Cartwright’s where the same as the ones he heard about, and that he had known Joe’s mother Marie in New Orleans. Fedrick then gives him a pocket picture of his mother. With tears in his voice, Joe offers to intrude him to the last few mine owners in the morning and leaves to hide his tears at the gift.

Meanwhile Ben goes to the hotel and asks Tom if Fredrick is in his hotel room.

A woman named Lily Van Cleet Kyle, played by (Marianne Stewart), over hears Ben and tells him that she checked Fredrick’s room and that he wasn’t there. After she tells Ben her name they sit down to talk. Ben tells her all about his sons and the Ponderosa. And she tells him that she had a son named Joseph but that he had died a year before in a street fight. When Fredrick comes into the hotel and see’s Lilly he’s surprised. But before he can get away Ben asks to talk to him. They move off to the side for privacy and Ben asks why he asked about Joe. Fredrick tells him that he knew Marie and gave Joe a picture of her. Ben warns him to leave Joe alone.

Then next morning Lilly goes to Fredrick’s room. Even though their married her father is a Northern senator and she doesn’t believe in her husband’s cause, but she tells him that she still loves him. Lilly tells him that his cause had taken away their son, his arm, and their marriage. Fredrick is still angry that a Yankee killed their son, but promises that when the war is over that he would come back to her.

Later that day Hennessy comes up to Fredrick and tells him that he’s going to Washington and is going to tell everyone what he’s up to. Fredrick threatens him and tells him not to try. When Hennessy leaves Fredrick calls Regis over to him.

When both Lilly and Hennessy get onto the stage the next day it tips over a cliff and Lilly and Hennessy are killed, along with the driver. When the bodies are brought to the Ponderosa Ben has Fredrick look under the blanket. Fredrick cringes when he sees his dead wife. He asks how it happened Ben tells him that there was a bolder in the middle of the road and that the driver didn’t have a chance. And that the foot prints indicated that there were two people involved. Ben asks Fredrick what the woman was to him, Fredrick just says that she was someone he once knew. Then he asks Ben " You belive that dont you ? Then Adam says. I dont believe you Kyle, who are you and what do you really want in Virgina City. Then Joe says. Look what's got in to you Adam you have no right to question Mr. Kyle like that. Than Adam says. Havent I ? Well he got you pretty well fooled hasent he. Than Joe says,  Fooled about what? He hasent got me fooled about anything. Than Adam yells. Tell him Kyle tell him the truth. Than Ben says. Stop it, stop it. What's the matter with you? What are we doing shouting over the dead fighting like animals? Than Hoss says. Come on both of you." Than Ben apoligies to Kyle.

That night Fredrick goes back to the saloon and finds Regis and Gordon, at gunpoint he marches them into supplies room. Then he throws the gun away and beats them both up.

The next day Fredrick goes to the crash site and finds Lilly’s cape. The Sherriff, played by (Kenneth MacDonald), agrees with Fredrick that it was murder, but wants to know why Fredrick thinks that Regis and Gordon did it. Then Hoss and Joe finds some tool’s, one or them with Gordon’s Intels on it. It proves that Regis and Gordon had something to do with it, but Adam wants to know how he knew it was Regis and Gordon the night before when he beat them up. Joe again comes to Fredrick’s defense, saying. " What difference does it make as long as those are the men that did it? Thank Adam says. But it does make a difference doesnt it Mr. Kyle? What where those two men guilty for, murder or just acting on your instructions? Thank Joe says. Well that ridiculous what reason who'd he have to do a thing like this? Thank Adam says. Well mabey I can give you a clue, Which one did you want killed Kyle? The man or the woman? Thank Joe says. Look Adam you've been riding Mr. Kyle ever since you met him. Thank Adam shoves Joe and says. Stay out of it. Than Joe punchs him in the face and they start fighting. Ben pull's them apart and says. Brother against brother. How dare you either of you?" Than Joe storms off.

Later that evening when Ben was dozing, Adam and Hoss come in and tell him that Joe came home, packed a bag and left. Ben asks Adam. "Well why didn’t  you stop him. Adam signs and says I plan to.  And walks out of the room. Than Hoss says. Pa Adam says he's going to go to. Ben calls Adam. And goes after him down the stairs, Hoss follows. Ben says. Adam wait a minuet. Adam slips on his jacket. Than Ben says now, now Adam before you. But Adam inturpus and says. Poiltical trouble it's a madness pa. Suddenly somthing screams at you inside and you find yourself saying things you dont mean things you dont even believe. Tell Little Joe I wanted him to know that, try to make him understand. Than Ben says. There things are packed here what's this for, where do you think your going ? Adam put's on his hat and says. New England ought to be mighty pretty this time of year, i think I'd like to see it again. He walks away and Ben says. Now Adam you cant be serious about this use your head. Than Hoss says. O Adam come o. Than Adam says. Hoss things cant be the same between us anymore. Than Ben says. What are you talking about what cant be the same why cant it be the same? Thank Adam says. It just cant be pa. And walks away. Ben says. Adam. And goes after him again with Hoss following. Adam goes out the ranch door with Ben yelling behind him. Adam, Adam. Than Adam says. There's no other way pa dont you see? Than Ben says. No I cant see, I'm not going to stand by and watch my family break off like a rusty old wheel. Than Adam says. O use your head pa not your heart cant you see the damage is already dont it's got to be Little joe or me. And he needs you more than I do. Adam saddles his horse and gets ready to mount. Than Ben says. Adam, I dont want you to go. Than Adam says. you think it's what I want pa? Or even what Little Joe wants? This thing has gone so far now theres no stopping it.  You cant have two diffrent points of viwe in the same house pa it just wont work and that's all there is to it. Than Ben grabs Adam and says Adam please. Adam push's him away and says leave me alone pa, leave me alone will you. Mounts his horse and rides away with tears in his eyes. Ben just stands there watching him and Hoss walks over to stand be Ben. Than Hoss says. Pa that newspaer you where reading the other day in the saloon about what Mr. Lincon said about a house being dived cant stand, I reckon he's talikng about folks like us. With tears in his voice Ben says. No, no not like us Hoss, not us." 

Meanwhile Joe and Fredrick are meeting with some mine owners when Ben barges in and asks the men to leave. When there slow to do so he puts his hand on his gun and asks again. Which they more they readily do. When they leave Ben cloese the door behind them. Than Joe says." I suppose you want me to go to u pa? Ben says. your a man now. After you hear what i have to say you can do as you wish. Mr. Kyle. Ben says sitting down. This u, this sceme of yours with the mine owners how does it work? The silver bullion and the letters of trade which given return you will channel though some forign counrty, and the bullion ends up creating a war chest for the confreracy isent that it? Fredrick says. Your a very astute man Mr. Cartwright, a very astute man. No just a father. Somthing which probily isent very imporant to you. Fredrick says. Let me decied that for myself what is imporant to me. Ben says. Your a man of purpose arint you Mr.Kyle, everything for what you believe. Fredrick askes. Is that so bad, or dont you beileve in anything? Ben says. I believe in my sons, today i lost two of them, I should think you know all that better than anyone alive how much that hurts. Fredrick asks. Me, why me? Than Ben says. That woman, that woman Kyle who was she? Fredrick says. You leave her out of this. Ben than asks. Can you? Fredrick stands up and walks across the room. Than Ben says. That night in my front yard when you where looking at, what reamined of her, I could feel the pain in the air. Ben stands up and says. You loved her didnt you? You loved her and you where willing to left her go without so much as a good bye. Than Fredrick says. I dont want to kill you Cartwright, but i could change my mind. Than Ben says. Who was she Kyle? Ever man has somthing to live for and die for. i want to find out what it is with you, how far will you go? how much are you willing to sacrifice Kyle? Than Fredrick says. Cartwright I'm warning you , you let me alone. Than Ben says. I talked to that woman, I saw the way she looked at you, i saw the way she held your arm as youwalked up the hotel stairs, and later i saw the way you where holding her cape, the cape that only a few hours before had warmed at flesh. Than Fredrick yells. Stop it Ben, you hear me stop it. Than Ben says. Was she nothing more than a party girl from Carson City? Than Fredrick picks up a candle stick and goes to hit Ben but stops and lowers the candle stick. Than Fredrick says. It isent fair Ben. your not fair. You said that you, you wouldent take sides, that this wasent your fight. Than Ben says. You made it my fight Kyle. Fredrick looks down. She was your wife, wasent she ?  Ben asks. Fredrick walks a little aways and says. Yes, yes she was my wife. Than Ben says. First your son, than your wife, nothing most interfear with your mission. Fredrick says. Nothing, nothing, I will stop at nothing to insure the succes of my cause. Than Ben says. Yes I believe that. Than Fredrick says. You will see, this is only the beginning. no sacrifice will be too great, there be countless others, men like myself, and worse, brother against brother, father against son. Than Ben says. And when it's over, what a waste it would all have been. What a useless damenable waste. Than Fredrick puts his hand on Joe's shoulder, grabs his hat, and leaves closing the door behind him. Than Joe says. I'm sorry pa. Ben nods and squeezes Joe's arm. Than Joe grabs his hat and says. Brother against brother, father against son, do you really think it will come to that  ? Ben says. I dont know. I do know thata tree has many roots and that they run in many directions, but has only one tap root. Than Ben puts his arm around Joe and says. this is where yours is. Than Joe says. I think I know that now." Than they leave      

Later Adam's looking over lake ToHoe whe joe rides up. Joe says " You should be a lot farther than this by now Adam. Adam says. Dont worry I'll get there. Than Joe says. Well mabey you will and mabey you wont. First I think we better get somthing settled. now just, just hear me out just, sit and listen to me. Now as long as I remeber you u, you always stayed up later than we did cause you where, well you where older than we were. You always help pa settel the problems  of the Ponderosa because  you where grown up. Well that just isent going to sit with me anymore. Not, not if Hoss and I  have to run the ranch by ourselves. Than Adam says. That lake sure gets under your skin dont it? Joe looks and says. Yeah it sure does. Adam smiles and Joe smiles to. Than Adam says. Let's go home. And they ride off and into the ranch yard where Ben and Hoss are waiting. Ben puts his hand around Hoss and Adam tosses his bedroll behind him and into Joe's hands.