"F Troop" (1965) TV series 1965-1967

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Creator:

Richard M. Bluel

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

8 September 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War | Western

Plot:

Becoming a hero by accidentally leading a cavalry charge the wrong way, Lieutenant Wilton Parmenter is given command of Fort Courage...

Plot Keywords:

Fort | U.S. Cavalry | Beautiful Woman | Hekawi Tribe | Army Life

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Forrest Tucker	...	Sgt. Morgan O'Rourke / ... (65 episodes, 1965-1967)
Larry Storch	...	Cpl. Randolph Agarn / ... (65 episodes, 1965-1967)
Ken Berry	...	Capt. Wilton Parmenter / ... (65 episodes, 1965-1967)
Melody Patterson	...	Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift (65 episodes, 1965-1967)
James Hampton	...	Hannibal Dobbs / ... (65 episodes, 1965-1967)
Frank DeKova	...	Chief Wild Eagle / ... (63 episodes, 1965-1967)
Bob Steele	...	Trooper Duffy (63 episodes, 1965-1967)
Don Diamond	...	Crazy Cat / ... (50 episodes, 1965-1967)
Joe Brooks	...	Trooper Vanderbilt / ... (48 episodes, 1965-1967)
Ivan Bell	...	Trooper Duddleson / ... (41 episodes, 1965-1967)
Ben Frommer	...	Smokey Bear / ... (30 episodes, 1965-1967)

Runtime:

30 min (65 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (season 1) | Color (season 2)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Kanab Movie Ranch - 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, Utah, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

The group playing The Bedbugs in the episode "That's Showbiz" was a group known as The Factory. Their frontman, Lowell George, would later gain fame with Little Feat and as a songwriter for other artists.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the pilot and opening credits, Wilton Parmenter is receiving a Silver Star, an award created in 1918 that became a medal in 1932.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Captain Wilton Parmenter: Janie, please, I've told you: not in front of the men.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saved by the Bell: Screech's Woman (#1.5)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

F Troop

A TV Classic Way Ahead Of It's Time!

F Troop was without a doubt a victim of it's own genius and thus in my mind ranks as the SINGLE greatest example of a television show that was way ahead of it's time. Perhaps, too far ahead. As correctly pointed out in previous comments, the show ran for two seasons on ABC from 1965 to 1967. One season in black and white, the other in color. 66 episodes were produced and every one of them was a comedic masterpiece. Despite poor ratings and eventual cancellation, the show went on to become extremely popular in syndicated reruns and develope a large cult following. So what happened? Here is my opinion. At the time F Troop made it's debut, Television was still in it's infancy and America was use to either the "family" sitcoms such as "Donna Reed", "Beaver", "Ozzie and Harriet", etc... Or, the "idiot" sitcoms such as "Gilligan", "Bewitched" or "Jeannie". The nation was not ready for, nor did the understand the "Satire" comedy. Two came out in 1965. One worked, the other didn't. "Get Smart" was a satire of the secret agent phenomenon which was sweeping the country. America could relate to that because of "James Bond" and the cold war so "Get Smart" was a success. Plus you had the great talents of Don Adams and a superb show to boot! But a satire on the American west? The nation didn't get it or take to it thus "Troops" fate was sealed. Despite the fact that the show is brilliant, the chracters are funny and endearing and the writing was superb and ahead of it's time, America just didn't get it. Only when times changed in the 70's and 80's and the show was in syndication did America start getting the humor and understanding what satire really meant. "F-Troop" paved the way for satires like "Police Squad" and "The Naked Gun". To this day the humor is fresh and funny and even relevant. I have seen episodee hundreds of times and still laugh and still find things I didn't notice before. And hats off to Televisions most underrated physical comic, Ken Berry. I urge anyone to find this show on video and enjoy it for the classic and genius that it is.