Movie Stars "Death Held The Reins" July 1961 Charles Miron Article submitted by: Pamela T. Pentz

“It looked like an easy bit. Then, suddenly, it looked as if I was going to get killed.” Husky Pernell Roberts wiped the perspiration from his tired face, leaned back in almost complete exhaustion, and tried to wipe away the harsh scene that he had just been involved in.

“We’ve done this kind of scene before. So, I wasn’t especially worried when I was told I’d be riding the stagecoach up top. But, apparently, no one told the horses it was just another scene.”

The Bonanza crew had set up the shot, with Pernell riding the reins. Dan Blocker, Lorne Greene and Michael Landon, Pernell’s “family” in the NBC series had done their stuff for the day so Pernell was to close out the day’s shooting.

“Everything started out okay. The horses took to a steady gallop, and I had a good hold on the reins. The camera boys were getting all the good footage they needed. It looked like an exciting chase sequence, until…” Pernell closed his dark eyes and rubbed at them for a long minute. It was almost as if the trail dust were being kicked up in his eyes again and the horses were getting up more of a head of speed and the trail turns coming up sharper. Generally a stunt man will take such scenes, but it had been laid out as a relatively simple chase and the boys wanted some good close-up stuff of Pernell, so he readily agreed to take the reins.

“Something must have frightened one or two of the horses, for suddenly, they bucked and completely threw the other horses out of their natural rhythm. I lost control at the seat, and with the next turn coming up I didn’t know what to do.” The camera boys seeing Pernell in trouble could not get to him in time, and hoped that he could steady the horses. Pernell jerked frantically at the reins trying to right the gait of the team. But… “They hit a turn and I got jolted clean out of my seat. I flew head first off the coach, and the only thing I could see in front of me was a boulder. I twisted in mid-air trying to avoid getting my head cracked open on that rock.”

The sharp rock lay directly in his path and the split second that Pernell reacted, his life hung in the balance. He furiously strained to avoid the collision, but his shoulder caught the rock and his leg, too, cracked against it. “Getting badly bruised, and shook up, was better that winding up in the hospital with a battered head,” was Pernell’s feeling.

The horses were collared and the shooting was over for the day. Pernell was bandaged up and helped from the studio. He was asked if he wanted to be hospitalized, but Pernell, showing the way of the old West, declined with honor, although more than a bit in pain. “I just said a little prayer, and went on my way,” says Pernell. It wasn’t quite that simple, for he was forced to take it easy for the next few days, least the “Bonanza” boys operate shorthanded in the future.