Customer Reviews

F Troop (Television Favorites Compilation)

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Joining televisions other military comedies of the day was this overlooked gem. The thing that set "F Troop" apart from "Hogan's Heroes" and "McHale's Navy" was the fact that, while not politically correct, it was fair. The brave men of Fort Courage were as inept, sometimes moreso, than the Indian tribes of the area.

Led with a gentle hand by Captain Wilton Parmenter (Ken Berry), F Troop had a bugler who couldn't bugle, a soldier in the guard tower who couldn't see, and a cannon that usually caused damage to the fort when fired. He was ably assisted by Sgt. O'Roarke (Forrest Tucker) and Corporal Agarn (Larry Storch). Berry was adept at physical comedy, much like Dick Van Dyke he came from a dancing background. Storch was an over-the-top stand-up comic whose routine often lent itself to some fun moments in the show. Tucker was the stalwart Marshal Dillon type. Although a con-man, he had a soft spot for both Agarn and the Captain.

This collection gathers six episodes, 3 color and 3 black/white. The transfers are generally very good with minimal screen noise. The black and white episodes look a bit better, but only because of the oversaturated color of the other episodes.

Overall, for the price this is a great piece of nostagic entertainment.

This was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. I loved all the characters: the Captain, Sarge, Wrangler Jane, Dobbs, Wild Eagle... but my all-time fave was Cpl. Agarn. Larry Storch had the best comic timing of anyone I've ever seen (and it may be my imagination, but does anyone else see that same kind of Agarn-ness in Chandler Bing of Friends?)

F-Troop was sweet and funny, and I'm so glad they've finally released a sampler on dvd. The only thing better would be the complete series!!

Favorite episodes:

The one with the Haunted House
The Day They Shot Agarn
Don't Ever Speak to Me Again!

Great 60's tv show!!

The first F TROOP release since Columbia House put 30 episodes out on VHS in 1998, this DVD in Warner's "Television Classics" series offers 6 episodes of the classic sitcom, which was ahead of its time in having scheming characters who did NOT have 'hearts of gold' (O'Rourke and Agarn) and subversively combined this with kiddy-friendly slapstick. Until the producers decided to go overboard with the slapstick angle and soften O'Rourke and Agarn in season two (arguably what killed the show), this was a true classic, anticipating SEINFELD in that our lead characters always wondered "what's in it for me?" and never learned any lessons in the end.

This sampler DVD could use a better episode selection: JOHNNY EAGLE EYE, THE 86 PROOF SPRING, THE DAY THE INDIANS WON and O'ROURKE VS. O'REILLY are among the B&W classics ignored, and THE RETURN OF BALD EAGLE has the somewhat grating presence of Don Rickles and is one of the first season's lesser lights. But the compilation quickly recovers: THE GIRL FROM PHILADELPHIA sees O'Rourke Enterprises threatened by Parmenter's old girlfriend seeking marriage and a transfer, which in turn has O'Rourke and the Hekawis scheming to get rid of her; INDIAN FEVER finds Agarn afflicted with the title disease.

Although the second (color) season is not as good as the first, the 3 color episodes included here are all true highlights, arguably the 3 finest episodes from that season. THE SINGING MOUNTIE features Paul Lynde as the title character (and yes, he does proclaim that we "always get our man") and also showcases Larry Storch in a dual role. Storch was at his best, and deservedly Emmy-nominated for this series (he lost to the late Don Adams in 1967), and the writers test the 1960's censors by naming the character "Lucky Pierre". BYE BYE BALLOON guest stars Harvey Korman as a Prussian balloonist who causes trouble by brainwashing Agarn and threatening the make the men of F Troop "real soldiers". And best of all, OUR BRAVE IN F TROOP is one of the few season two episodes to really recapture the feel of season one, as O'Rourke and Agarn sneak Chief Wild Eagle into the army to get his tooth pulled, not knowing that General Sam Courage (guest star Cliff Arquette) is planning a surprise visit!

Though Larry Storch is deservedly cited, kudos should also go to Forrest Tucker, who reinvented himself as a comedian after 25 years of dead-serious film roles as both hero and villain (some 15 years before Leslie Nielsen did this in AIRPLANE!) and to the very underrated physical comedian Ken Berry, whose talents for physical comedy were fully explored here; strangely, his talents were largely ignored in his later series MAYBERRY R.F.D.

A fine sampler, but a boxed SEASON ONE DVD set is what we REALLY need, Warners! Get on that right away... and that's an order!

Love this 60's classic sitcom!

This situation comedy originally aired from September 1965 - April 1967 and produced a total of 65 episodes.

The show revolves around the incompetents of a post-Civil War day troop stationed at Fort Courage, somewhere West of the Missouri.

The cast includes good-hearted, but bumbling Captain Wilton Parmenter (Ken Berry of Mama's Family) who's always getting into trouble or trying to keep his troop from staying out of trouble. Sergeant Morgan O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) who appears to be the brains of the group, and the one who tries to straighten everything out. And then there's, Corporal Randolph Agarn (Larry Storch), O'Rourke's chief aid and assistant schemer who, almost always, is involved in one mess or another. Lastly, there's Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift (Melody Paterson), the woman whose only focus is to marry Captain Parmenter.

The series is sprinkled with,the some time friendly, Hekawi Indians who interact with F-Troop represented by Chief Wild Eagle (Frank DeKova), Crazy Cat (Don Diamond) and Roaring Chicken (Edward Everett Horton) to name a few.

Additional supporting cast characters are Corporal Hannibal Dobbs (James Hampton), Trooper Duffy (Bob Steele), Trooper Vanderbilt (Joe Brooks) and Trooper Hoffenmueller (John Mitchum) who all add to the hi-jinx of the show.

Put them all together for one crazy, and very entertaining time!

This DVD release is what I would call a "sampler" release. There are only 6 episodes on it. Perhaps, if the response is great - the whole series releases will follow.

It is a great way to sample the show without making a large investment!! [...] What do you have to lose?? So please, please buy it!

F-Troop NEEDS YOU!!!

When I heard that an F Troop DVD was on the way, I gave thanks to the electronic hacking gods that I had been able to modify my Region 4 DVD player to play DVDs from all regions. I knew that it would take a very long while, if ever, to be released in Australia, so the American release was an absolutely essential addition to the collection.

F Troop and Get Smart were TV jewels of my childhood, but while Get Smart has been repeated on free-to-air and pay TV many times in Australia over the decades, F Troop hasn't been seen here to my knowledge for at least 15 years.

While this release is only six episodes, it still provided more than enough proof of the lasting quality of the show. Three black & white episodes from Series 1, and 3 in colour in Series 2: all excellent, a couple - Bye, Bye Balloon & The Singing Mountie - classic.

Let's all hope this release is just a test of the market, and that response is good enough to trigger the full release of both series. So much dross is released on DVD these days, surely this all-time great can't languish on the shelf much longer.

This military frontier comedy classic never had a chance to wear out its welcome during its pair of seasons, one in glorious black and white, the other in color. LARRY STORCH, lovable ham that he was, stole every scene he was ever in (except maybe the ones with the HECKOWIS). KEN BERRY was the best "perfect fool" since ED WYNN, MELODY PATTERSON was a rawhide-wrapped sexpot, and FORREST TUCKER held it all together with his rugged charm. Even the second bananas, from inept bugler DOBBS to myopic VANDERBILT to "glory days" ratchet-jaw DUFFY added a lot to the merry mix. That's not even counting the roster of wonderful guest stars, such as PAT HARRINGTON (as B. WISE, a takeoff on GET SMART), CLIFF ARQUETTE, HARVEY KORMAN, JULIE NEWMAR, PHIL HARRIS, MILTON BERLE, VINCENT PRICE, HENRY GIBSON and many more. Gimme an "F"! Gimme a cheer! F TROOP is finally here!!...

RATING: FIVE BEARS THAT LOOK LIKE ROCK

I was very excited to find this DVD, very disappointed that they did not release the whole season one and then two etc. Considering some of the junk that is on DVD, why is this classic getting this treatment? I loved this show when younger and upon watching it, realized by my belly laughing that it holds up well. We need more episodes! Not once during any of these episodes did Vanderbilt fall in the well, not once did the lookout tower get shot down, nor did Duffy give one of his "at the Alamo" speches. Please release more of this well done classic comedy.

One of the great sixties TV comedy series. The selections in this compilation set are all great individual episodes too. Includes the Paul Lind as the visiting Mountie episode (remember the bandit from Banff-fff-ff?) The surprising thing is how long it's taken for the complete First Season disks to be issued. They are due out (according to Amazon) in June 2006. In the meantime, this compilation fills the gap.

Really. "F Troop" is incredibly FUNNY! If you're looking for an evening of wackiness, "F Troop" is the ticket. It's as much a hoot now as it was over 40 years ago! Like most of the reviewers here, I'd love to see Warner Brothers release an additional volume.

Here's a brief synopsis of the six episodes (which aired from 1965 to 1966) that you will get in this set. The first three are in black and white; the last three are in colour.

"Indian Fever" has Cpl. Agarn seeing a fierce Indian brave.

"The Girl from Philadelphia" sees an old flame from Philadelphia and feisty Wrangler Jane (Melody Patterson) vying for Capt. Wilton Parmenter's (Ken Barry) attention and affection.

"The Return of Bald Eagle" is played by Don Rickles. Those familiar with Rickles' antics will appreciate this one.

"The Singing Mountie" stars Paul Lynde (Uncle Arthur from "Bewitched") impersonating a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer in pursuit of fur trapper Lucky Pierre (Larry Storch). As it turns out, Lind is 'The Burglar of Bamff-ff", a right royal rogue out to steal Lucky Pierre's mink pelts. This one's a riot!

"Bye, Bye Balloon" features Harvey Korman (the comedian best known for his skits on the Carol Burnett Show) playing a Prussian Colonel who has been sent to set up a hot air balloon corps. Larry Storch plays his adjutant who looks after his dachshund named Schnitzel. You'll bust a gut laughing over this one!

"Our Brave in F Troop" has Chief Wild Eagle (Frank de Kova)enlisting in the army to have a bad tooth pulled. While serving at Fort Courage, a retiring General pays a visit to the fort and subsequently promotes him to the rank of Major. Does Chief Wild Eagle get his tooth pulled while in the army? I won't spoil your fun and tell.

Enjoy!!!!

When I bought this DVD, my 11 year-old son rolled his eyes - another of mom's silly, old shows. But I talked him into watching just one episode with me. He agreed, with a frown, but within 5 minutes he was laughing away. We watched three episodes in one sitting and he can't wait to see the rest. The laughs are still there - now for a younger generation. I hope Warner Brother's releases the rest of the episodes soon.