The setting was the post-Civil War West, with Ken Berry, Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch and Melody Patterson starring in one of television's wildest situation comedies.

Cowboys and Indians was never like this, with Ken Berry as Captain Wilton Parmenter, an accidental Civil War hero now serving as commander of Fort Courage in "hostile" Indian country. With Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch, Melody Patterson and Frank DeKova in comic support, F Troop produced 65 half-hour episodes from 1965-67.

Created by Richard M. Bluel

F Troop was created by Richard M. Bluel (1925-1992), whose previous producer credits included TV's The Gallant Men (1962-63) and Temple Houston (1963-64). Bluel had also penned scripts for such television fare as Wire Service, Man with a Camera and Bourbon Street Beat.

F Troop's Cast of Characters

Ken Berry (born 11/3/33) headed the cast as the bumbling Captain Wilton Parmenter. Known as the "Scourge of Appomattox," Parmenter's fortuitous sneeze had led to a decisive victory over Confederate forces in a Civil War battle, resulting in his being awarded the Medal of Honor for an accidental cavalry charge.

Co-starring were Forrest Tucker (1919-1986) as Sergeant Morgan O'Rourke, the scheming head of O'Rourke Enterprises; Larry Storch (born 1/8/23) as Corporal Randolph Agarn, O'Rourke's business partner; and Melody Patterson (born 4/16/49) as Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift, owner of the general store and Captain Parmenter's girlfriend.

Other F Troop regulars included Frank DeKova (1910-1981) as Chief Wild Eagle, James Hampton (born 7/9/36) as the inept bugler Hannibal Dobbs, Bob Steele (1907-1988) as the ancient Trooper Duffy, Don Diamond (born 6/4/21) as the cool Indian brave Crazy Cat, Joe Brooks (1924-2007) as the half-blind lookout Trooper Vanderbilt, Ivan Bell (1914-1977) as Trooper Duddleson, John Mitchum (1919-2001) as the non-English speaking Prussian Trooper Hoffenmueller, Ben Frommer (1913-1992) as Smokey Bear and Edward Everett Horton (1886-1970) as Hekawi medicine man Roaring Chicken.

F Troop's First Season

F Troop made its ABC television debut on Tuesday night, September 14, 1965, occupying the 9-9:30 (ET) time slot. Network competition was The Red Skelton Hour (CBS) and the NBC Tuesday Night Movie.

The first episode, "Scourge of the West," introduced Captain Wilton Parmenter, whose Civil War "heroics" lead to his assignment as commander of Fort Courage in 1866 Kansas. Parmenter has his hands full, trying to pacify the "fierce" local Hekawi tribe, rein in his enterprising first sergeant, and ward off the advances of a blond, passionate Wrangler Jane.

A total of 33 additional episodes followed for the 1965-66 season. Among the offerings: "The Phantom Major" (a British officer instructs the troopers in the art of camouflage), "The Girl from Philadelphia" (Wilton is visited by his old flame), "The 86 Proof Spring" (Parmenter poses as a trader in order to track down the owners of an illegal still who are supplying whiskey to the Indians), and "Johnny Eagle Eye" (a Hekawi brave who is a crack shot is drafted into F Troop in order to win them a $1,000 first prize in a sharpshooting contest).

F Troop's Second Season

F Troop kicked off its second season on Thursday night, September 8, 1966, in the 8-8:30 (ET) time slot. The network competition was Jericho (CBS) and Daniel Boone (NBC).

A total of 31 second season episodes were telecast for F Troop, beginning with "The Singing Mountie" in which Larry Storch did double duty, playing both Corporal Agarn and his fugitive French-Canadian cousin, Lucky Pierre Agarniere.

Other second season episodes: "Yellow Bird" (a woman raised by Indians takes a shine to Wilton), "Miss Parmenter" (Wilton's husband-hunting sister trains her sights on Trooper Dobbs), "What Are You Doing After the Massacre?" (the 147-year-old Chief Flaming Arrow tries to reclaim the Hekawis' land), and "Our Brave in F Troop" (Wild Eagle masquerades as a trooper in order to see the camp dentist for his toothache).

Guest Stars

F Troop boasted of a number of prominent guest stars. The roster included Don "Red" Barry, Don Rickles, Lee Meriwether, Henry Gibson, Paul Petersen, Paul Lynde, Harvey Korman, Milton Berle, Julie Newmar, Pippa Scott, Phil Harris, Vincent Price and Mary Wickes.

TV Guide Review

Cleveland Amory reviewed F Troop for TV Guide on November 20, 1965: "If you don't mind your humor stretched far, wide and then some, you could do far worse this season than make a late TV-dinner date with F Troop -- which is not only the spoof to end all spoofs on Indian warfare but also tells you, in no uncertain terms, how the West was lost."

F Troop officially exited the airwaves on August 31, 1967. The following week The Flying Nun (1967-70) starring Sally Field debuted in its time slot.

All 65 episodes of F Troop are available on DVD.

Now, who remembers the words to F Troop's daffy theme song?