COMEDIES THAT CENTER on the life in the military are a commonplace sort of genre. Even before the days of TV, the Service Comedy was a guaranteed crowd pleaser. We have only to look at such examples in the theatrical release category as WHAT PRICE GLORY? (Two versions), THE SGT.DOUBLEDY "B" Movie Series (from Hal Roach), Martin & Lewis in JUMPING JACKS and even TELL IT TO THE MARINES (starring Lon Chaney).
AS FAR AS examples on the small screen, we have PHIL SILVERS SHOW/YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH, McHALES' NAVY, ENSIGN O'TOOLE, HOGAN'S HEROES and the short lived series THE SOLDIERS (with Hal March & Tom D'Andrea).
EACH ONE OF these has at its central element some sort of ongoing friction between some conniving officer & his men with the Commanding Officer. Hence we see Sgt. Bilko & his Platoon vs Colonel Hall, Sgt. O'Rourke & Cpl. Agarn vs Lt. Parmenter, Hogan vs Klink, etc.
PERHAPS BECAUSE IT gave the production company a chance to strike out into a slightly different direction, F TROOP was born. After all, each of the previous TV Service Comedies were set in contemporary times; no one had thought of setting a series in the Old West, circa 1870's and having the antagonists in the U.S. Cavalry.
WELL, THE IDEA did get off of the drawing board and was filmed by Warner Brothers' TV Unit. Its success seems impossibly short today, as it lasted only two seasons. One of its years was done in B&W, the other in Color. Music was supplied by Hollywood Veteran, William Lava; whose career had included work in Warner's Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies animations, Republic Serials and his Television output.
BEING THAT THIS series went for the obvious gag and was not at least subtle, we wonder what did make it so memorable? In one sense, it is the BILKO Show or McHALE in a different packaging. The only essential difference would be substituting horses for jeeps, planes and warships.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW, we discover that it is the work of the cast that made it click. The teaming of Forrest Tucker (Sgt.O'Rourke) and Larry Storch (Cpl. Agarn) was one of those pleasant accidents that work out so well. They function as a sort of straight man & stooge comedy team and do it well. How often they used the running gag of, "I don't know why people say you you're so dumb. Agarn!", followed by (after a dissolve to another scene) "Who says I'm so dumb, Sarge?"
INSTEAD OF HAVING a hard boiled, commanding officer (such as those on McHALE or BILKO, F TROOPS' antagonist is a sort of man child. Innocent and Naïve, Ken Berry's characterization of the Lieutennant was never cross with his men and also never aware of all of the shenanigans that were playing out.
COMIC CARICITUER OF the local non hostile Indian Tribe were provided by Frank DeKova (Chief Wild Eagle), Don Diamond (Crazy Cat), Edward Everett Horton (Roaring Chicken) and others. Those of the Hokowi tribe were more interested in doing business than making war. (We often wonder if, knowing human nature, these types weren't really commonplace in the West!)
WE RECALL SEEING Forrest Tucker some years after F TROOP had gotten the ax. It was on some talk show (Merv Griffin, maybe?). He said that they wanted to get together and revive the series for some new episodes; but alas, it never materialized!
NOW, WE KNOW why everybody says that Network Execs are so dumb!
