[citation needed] In 1957, Blocker was cast in episodes of David Dortort's NBC series The Restless Gun as a blacksmith and as a cattleman planning to take his hard-earned profit to return to his family land in his native Minnesota.

In 1957, he had at least two roles as a bartender in an episode of the syndicated Western-themed crime drama Sheriff of Cochise, starring John Bromfield, and in the film Gunsight Ridge.

In 1958, he played a prison guard and later had a recurring role as Tiny Budinger in the NBC Western series Cimarron City, starring George Montgomery, John Smith and Audrey Totter.

[citation needed] That same year, he appeared in "Stagecoach Episode" of the NBC Western Jefferson Drum, starring Jeff Richards.

[citation needed] Another 1959 role was as Del Pierce in "Johnny Yuma", the first episode of the ABC Western series The Rebel, starring Nick Adams.

Blocker's big break came in 1959, when he was cast as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright[3] on the NBC television series Bonanza, playing that role in 415 episodes[2] until his death.

In 1968, Blocker starred as John Killibrew, a blacksmith, who had convinced a number of settlers to follow him to California and founded the town of Arkana.

This TV film, Something for a Lonely Man, also featured Susan Clark, John Dehner, Warren Oates, and Don Stroud.

[8] In 1970, Blocker portrayed a love-shy galoot in The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County, with Nanette Fabray as a love prospect and a supporting cast featuring Jim Backus, Jack Elam, Noah Beery Jr., and Mickey Rooney.

Also in 1963, Blocker started and received partial ownership in a successful chain of Bonanza Steakhouse restaurants,[2] in exchange for serving, in character as Hoss, as their commercial spokesman, and making personal appearances at franchises.

Originally from Bowie County, Texas, Blocker arrived in Los Angeles in 1958 planning to do post-grad work at UCLA but began getting acting roles.

Previously, while attending Sul Ross State College, he had a non-speaking part in a stage play and found that he was attracted to acting.

Blocker, a liberal Democrat, was among Hollywood celebrities who supported Pat Brown's re-election in 1966 as governor of California against Ronald Reagan.

[citation needed] On the 2010 PBS special, Pioneers of Television: Westerns, actor Mitch Vogel, who played adopted brother Jamie Cartwright on Bonanza, said Blocker, "was so easy to get to know—the kind of guy you could go and have a beer with.

[12] A news item provides these specifics: "Blocker went into the hospital for gall bladder surgery, developed a blood clot in his lung, and died".