by Hal Erickson
synopsis
One of the handful of truly classic Bonanza episodes, "The Flapjack Contest" first aired January 3, 1965. Having entered the titular contest, Hoss Cartwright is put on a starvation diet by his brother Joe to ensure victory. Meanwhile, several other plot strands are woven into the proceedings, involving a bank heist, a glib con artist, a phony ruby-and an abundance of hilarious property damage. The supporting cast includes Johnny Seven as Trager, Mel Berger as Big Ed, Joan Huntington as Lily, Howard Wendell as the Banker, and and Olan Soulé as Ira. "The Flapjack Contest" was written by Frank Cleaver.
