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F Troop

Ranked #12,294 in Entertainment, #150,547 overall

Welcome to F Troop!

Whether you saw it when it first ran on ABC from 1965-1967, caught it in syndication during the 1970s or 1980s, or discovered it on the web, you're undoubtedly here because you want to know more about the classic sitcom F Troop. I've put together a page of trivia, polls, links and lots more. So read on and learn all about the Wild West's funniest bunch of misfit cavalrymen.

The Premise

The Civil War is nearing its end. Private Wilton Parmenter comes from a distinguised military family, but unfortunately his bumbling, ineffectual persona has doomed him to a life of obscurity. He is lucky to even be in charge of the general's laundry. But through an odd chain of events, Parmenter helps the Union forces win the war and becomes known as the "Scourge of Appomattox." In reward for a job well done, he is promoted to Captain, and sent to Fort Courage to lead F Troop, a motley bunch who has run roughshod through three other commanding officers.

Two soldiers of F Troop - Sergeant O'Rourke and Corporal Agarn - see Captain Parmenter's assignment as a stroke of good fortune. O'Rourke, with help from Agarn, runs a side business with a nearby tribe of Indians, the peaceful - or is it cowardly? - Hekawi, and he will have no problem hiding this from the likable but rather absent-minded Parmenter. Parmenter's so oblivious, in fact, that most of the time he barely notices that beautiful, blonde Wrangler Jane, who runs the general store, is madly in love with him.

Add to this mix a bugler who can't bugle, a nearsighted sentry, a wise cracking Indian chief and a guard tower that never seems to stay standing, and you have the basis for 65 hilarious shows over the course of two seasons.

F Troop DVDs on Amazon

Both seasons of F Troop are now available on DVD! Get 'em now!
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When Did You Discover F Troop?

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Black & White or Color?

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From the Pilot

So just how did Captain Parmenter wind up in charge at Fort Courage? This clip from the first show introduces him and tells his story.
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Ken Berry's Slapstick Turn

Ken Berry's training as a dancer really shows here — as does the fact that he was clearly influenced by silent masters such as Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd.
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Jamie Farr's Guest Appearance

Although he is best known as the cross-dressing Corporal Klinger on M.A.S.H., Jamie Farr has made hundreds of appearances on various TV shows. Here he dons moccasins and plays "Stand Up Bull," on the F Troop episode "Too Many Cooks Spoil the Troop." (Clearly Chief Wild Eagle is not impressed!)
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F Troop's Guest Stars

There were lots of notable guest stars on F Troop, and this list is far from complete!

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Don Rickles

Veteran funnyman Rickles (yes, he was even 'veteran' in 1965!) plays the title character in Season 1's Return of Bald Eagle - yes, he plays a BALD Indian!2 points

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George Gobel

Lonesome George played Wrangler Jane's mild-mannered inventor cousin, Henry Terkel, in Go For Broke from Season 1.1 point

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Henry Gibson

Gibson hadn't yet become a comic phenomenom in Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, much less the dramatic character actor of later years when he played jinxed private Wrongo Starr in two F Troop episodes - one in Season 1 and one in Season 2.1 point

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Harvey Korman

Because of his stint as a regular on The Danny Kaye Show, Korman was a familiar face to TV viewers when he appeared as Colonel Heindrich Von Zeppel on the Season 2 episode, Bye, Bye, Balloon.1 point

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Vincent Price

What was a Transylvanian Vampire doing at Fort Courage? Who knows, but he was played by Price in V is for Vampire during Season 2.1 point

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Julie Newmar

Batman's original Catwoman guest starred as the title character in Season 2's Yellow Bird.1 point

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Lee Meriwether

This television regular was a decade off from starring alongside Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones when she played saloon mistress Lily O'Reilly on Season 1's O'Rourke vs. O'Reilly.1 point

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Jackie Joseph

Joseph, Ken Berry's real-life wife, played Corporal Agarn's fiance Betty Lou in the Season 1 episode, Our Hero, What's His Name.1 point

Memorable Quotes

  • From "Scourge of the West" (pilot), Season 1, September 14, 1965
    Capt. Parmenter: "How come we have reveille at 10 o'clock? Now, back east when I was in the quartermaster corps, we had reveille at 7."
    O'Rourke: "Oh, but the captain is forgetting there's a three hour time difference."
    Capt. Parmenter: "Of course."
  • From "Me Heap Big Injun," Season 1, November 9, 1965
    Capt. Parmenter: "Trooper Duffy, I noticed something very interesting in your service record."
    Duffy: "What's that, sir?"
    Capt. Parmenter: "You were killed in action."
  • From "The 86 Proof Spring" Season 1, December 14, 1965
    Agarn: "Indians ain't supposed to drink."
    Wild Eagle: "Paleface propaganda. Indian drink long before white man."
    Agarn: "Yeah?"
    Wild Eagle: "You think we sell New York island for $24 if we sober?"
  • From "El Diablo," Season 1, January 18, 1966
    El Diablo: "Which way is it to Fort Courage?"
    Wild Eagle: "Go back same trail you came. Make right turn at big rock that look like bear. Then make left turn at big bear that look like rock."
  • From "Reunion for O'Rourke," Season 1, March 8, 1966
    Agarn: "How did the Hekawis get their name?"
    Wild Eagle: "Glad you asked. Many moons ago, tribe leave Massachussetts because Pilgrims ruin neighborhood. Tribe travel west, over stream, over river, over mountain, over mountain, over river, over stream. Then come big day. Tribe fall over cliff. That when Hekawi get name. Medicine man say to my ancestor, 'I think we lost. Where the heck are we?'"
  • From "Bye Bye Balloon," Season 2, September 22, 1966
    Wild Eagle: "Once we have brave who say he fly in air. He sew feathers on arms and he jump off mountain."
    Crazy Cat: "He fly real good."
    Wild Eagle: "But he land real bad."
  • From "The Return of Wrongo Starr," Season 2, December 8, 1966
    O'Rourke: "Is that all the good luck charms you got?"
    Crazy Cat: "These are all the good luck charms, but we got some bad luck charms."
    Agarn: "Now why would anybody buy a bad luck charm?"
    Crazy Cat: "They're cheaper."
  • From "A Horse of Another Color," Season 2, January 26, 1967
    Wild Eagle: "You want Hekawis to go out to capture wild horse? Boy, did you come to wrong tribe."
    Crazy Cat: "Our people don't like wild horses. To tell you truth, not wild about tame horses, either."
  • From "Carpetbagging, Anyone?" Season 2, March 16, 1967
    O'Rourke: "There's a lot of them carpetbaggers around buying up towns these days."
    Agarn: "No kidding, Sarge?"
    O'Rourke: "Yeah, just last week there was some guy trying to sell me a town, but I was too smart for him."
    Agarn: "Where was it?"
    O'Rourke: "Some place out in Nevada called 'Las Vegas.'"
    Agarn: "They gotta get up pretty early in the morning to outsmart you, Sarge."

F Troop on the Web

Find out more about F Troop at the websites below. You can even watch the shows!

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The Stars of F-TROOP

Find out what happened to the actors who played the characters on F Troop.1 point

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F Troop Episode Guide

This episode guide leads you to all sorts of fun trivia about F Troop - trivia, credits, memorable quotes and more!1 point

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F Troop on AOL Video

This site is a goldmine, because you can watch most of the F Troop episodes (about 61 out of 65) right on your own computer - for free!1 point

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F Troop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

While Wikipedia isn't always the most trustworthy resource, the information there about F Troop is generally reliable.1 point

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F Troop in Jump The Shark

This is where people discuss when their favorite TV shows peaked and then started going downhill. Most viewers, by the way, say F Troop NEVER jumped!0 points

F Troop on eBay

These are the current listings for F Troop DVDs and memorabilia. If you're lucky, you may see an autographed picture or some of the rarer items, like the F Troop Board Game or O'Rourke & Agarn Model Kit!
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Your F Troop Thoughts

Want to share how you first discovered the show? Have a favorite episode, character or quote? Please share your thoughts, memories and comments on F Troop!

  • CleanerLife Nov 15, 2008 @ 8:00 am | delete
    This Is one of my all time favorites! Growing up in the 70s, I was lucky enough to have a local station that would keep this show in the rotation of syndicated reruns they would show each year, and I tried to watch it as often as possible (this was before VCRs were a common household item).
  • KimGiancaterino Jul 1, 2007 @ 1:23 pm | delete
    Wow, you've done a great job! I've lensrolled this to Classic TV Theme Song Lyrics.
  • billc May 30, 2007 @ 9:24 pm | delete
    Very nice lense! I loved that show... Please check out my classic TV lense.
  • N376 May 29, 2007 @ 1:09 am | delete
    This brings back memories from my early childhood in the 70's.
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