Actor Lorne Greene, best known for his role as Ben Cartwright in the television series Bonanza, died on September 11, 1987 at the age of 72. Born in Ottawa in 1915, Greene was a Canadian broadcast journalist and a radio and television actor, announcer, and personality. Greene was a pioneer of Canadian television who made his mark on both sides of the border. He began his career in radio with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). There, he broadcast a variety of programs and hosted the popular radio documentary series “Bury the Dead.” In 1956, Greene joined the cast of the Western television series “Bonanza” and played the role of Ben Cartwright, a demanding yet compassionate father figure. During his 11 year run on the show, Greene earned two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe for his work. After Bonanza ended, Greene continued to appear on television, playing roles in shows such as “Kung Fu” and the NBC series “Griff.” Greene was also an established broadcaster, reading news and hosting radio and television programs for the CBC. He hosted the musical variety program “Lorne Greene’s New Wilderness” and the long running CBC Radio show “Country Hoedown.” At the time of his death, Greene had more than 25 feature films and 75 television appearances to his credit, cementing his status in the industry. Greene was devoted to his family, living with them in California at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife and their three children.