Ivan Bell Movies
- 1967
Fort Courage is paid a visit by Colonel Adams (Arch Johnson), who informs Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry) that someone in the vicinity is selling guns to the Apaches. Before long, everyone in the fort is suspecting everyone else of being a guilty party, which wreaks havoc upon the various business ventures of O'Rourke Enterprises. More out of self-preservation than patriotism, O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker)and Agarn (Larry Storch) set out to lay a trap for the elusive gun-runner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Fort Courage endures a Japanese invasion in the form of a fierce Samurai warrior (Mako), who has arrived in town in pursuit of a runaway Japanese girl named Miko (Miko Mayama). In their efforts to protect the girl, the troopers run the risk of seeing their fort reduced to rubble by the warrior's powerful karate chops. As it turns out, the strongest defense against the Samurai's hands is little Miko herself . ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
In the series' second takeoff of the TV western Branded, Cpl. Agarn faces death by firing squad for the murder of Sgt. O'Rourke. As Agarn awaits his fate, flashbacks reveal how all this came about (and though we don't want to spoil the suspence, it can be noted that O'Rourke is still alive and kicking). The storyline is fused together by a plaintive ballad, composed by F Troop producer Herm Saunders and the episode's cowriters Austin Kalish and Irma Kalish, and performed by John Mitchum, who'd made several appearances in Season One as Trooper Hoffenmueller. (And yes, John Mitchum is the brother of Robert Mitchum). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Hoping to impress Wrangler Jane (Melodie Patterson), Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry) vows to capture an elusive wild stallion. Meanwhile, Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) hopes to corral the horse himself, not as a present for Jane but in order to sell the animal to a circus. Inasmuch as Parmenter's efforts to master the lasso have resulted only in his tying himself in knots, it looks like O'Rourke will prevail--but the episode is still young. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
The future of O'Rourke Enterprises is threatened by the arrival of Major Duncan (James Gregory). Not that Duncan suspects that anything crooked is going on: It's just that he is impressed by Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and wants to promote him to lieutenant. Realizing that such a promotion would be fatal to O'Rourke's many business ventures, Cpl. Agarn (Larry Storch) goes out of his way to prove that the Sergeant is in no way qualified to be an officer or a gentleman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
With the departure of the company cook, O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) orders Agarn (Larry Storch) to don chef's hat and dish up food for the troopers. The fact that Agarn can't even boil water is inconsequential: O'Rourke intends to turn a huge profit by having Agarn pad his list of supplies. Future M*A*S*H costar Jamie Farr makes a hilarious cameo appearance as Indian comedian Standup Bull {"Take my squaw--please.") ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Thanks to an unexpected loophole, the men of F Troop discover that they're not legally enlisted in the Army. Thus it is that every man in Fort Courage takes a powder, leaving Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry) alone to guard the fort. The situation gets dicier when the hositle Shug Indian tribe decides to mount an attack, forcing Parmenter to do some quick improvising to convince the invaders that the fort is fully manned. Former "Great Gildersleeve" Willard Waterman appears as ex-commander "Cannonball" McCormick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
This final episode of F Troop's first season--and the final one filmed in black and white--opens with a takeoff of the TV western Branded, as Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) is unceremoniously stripped of his rank. In flashback, we discover the reason for O'Rourke's disgrace: It seems that he had taken pity on town drunk Charlie (Frank McHugh), who wanted to make a good impression on his daughter Cindy (Linda Foster). This resulted in an elaborate ruse wherby Charlie was passed off as the commander of Fort Courage--with disastrous results. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Julie Newmar guest stars as Yellow Bird, a white girl stolen by Apaches in infancy and raised as one of their own. Hoping to collect a huge reward, O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) offers to rescue Yellow Bird on behalf of her father, millionaire mining tycoon Gideon D. Jeffries (Jacques Aubuchon). Unfortunately, the girl has no intention of being rescued--and to make matters worse, she has fallen in love with Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry) and refuses to leave his side. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In this classic episode, Harvey Korman guest stars as Col. Heindrich Von Zeppel, a Prussian balloonist. Under Von Zeppel strict Teutonic rule,the men of F Troop are trained to join the U.S. Balloon Corps--but the results are not quite what the Baron had in mind. Episode highlights include a fleeting reference to the popular ABC series Batman and a beautifully choreographed slapstick ballet involving Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry), a letter, and innumerable catastrophes. And in case you have trouble remembering this episode, we offer three little words: "It...is...BALLOON!!" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Milton Berle guest stars as Wise Owl, an Indian psychiatrist (!) who moonlights as a thief. In order to continue robbing Indians and white men alike, Wise Owl contrives to shift blame for his crimes on Cpl. Agarn (Larry Storch). Helping matters along for the cagey Native American shrink is the fact that Agarn has lost his memory after a bump on the noggin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Richard X. Slattery guest stars as Col. William Bartlett, the latest in a long line of Inspector Generals whose mission is to make life miserable at Fort Courage. Theorizing that a fort is only as good as its bugler, Bartlett demands to hear a reindition from F Troop's resident horn-tooter, Hannibal Dobbs (James Hampton). Inasmuch as Dobbs is the world's worst bugler--heck, he's the worst in the universe--O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and Agarn (Larry Storch) must do some quick thinking to mollify Bartlett. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Forrest Tucker plays a dual role in this episode as both Sgt. O'Rourke and O'Rourke's Irish-born father. Arriving in Fort Courage fresh from the Emerald Isle, the bombastic elder O'Rourke quickly sets abuout transforming the fort into an American replica of the Auld Sod. When it becomes obvious that O'Rourke Sr. has no intention of returning home, Cpl. Agarn (Larry Storch) must persuade him to do so--by disguising himself as a leprechaun! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Comic actor George Furth, who later cowrote the hit Broadway musical "Company", appears in this episode as by-the-book Army captain Jonathan W. Blair. Arriving at Fort Courage, Capt. Blair chooses O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and Agarn (Larry Storch) in a grueling survival test. Equipped with only a knife, a couple of a canteen cups and a self-contradictory Army manual, the two troopers face a horrible demise unless O'Rourke is able to cadge a few free meals from a few unwitting sources. Showing up as an undertaker is Arthur Julian, who wrote this and several other F Troop episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
George Gobel guest stars as Henry Terkel, the eccentric inventor cousin of Wrangler Jane (Melody Patterson). Terkel's arrival precedes that of the Army's Inspector General, who plans to check F Troop's pension fund--which O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) has just lost in a poker game with Dapper Dan Fulbright (Del Moore). O'Rourke's only hope in salvation rests with Terkel, who has created a device that will allow him to hold a winning hand every time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
The good news is that F Troop is about to receive a citation for its high morale. The bad news is that everyone at Fort Courage is mad at everyone else -- and you can cut the angry silence with a knife! This episode is best known for an outtake (never seen on TV but shown at network-affiliate meetings) in which several of the male regulars begin "camping" their roles with lisping voices, limp wrists and swiveling hips (surprisingly, the most convincing performance along these lines is delivered by veteran western star Bob Steele!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
The premiere episode of F Troop explains how Wilton Parmenter (Ken Berry), the last and least descendant of a proud military family, came to be known as "The Scourge of the West." Near the end of the Civil War, Union private Parmenter is sent out to pick up the laundry for General Grant. En route, Wilton's sneeze is mistaken for an order to mount a charge against the Confederates--and as a result, he finds himself a much decorated hero, bound for his first command at Fort Courage, somewhere in Kansas. The clueless Captain Parmenter is unaware that the Fort is actually the personal domain of the entrepreneurial Sergeant O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and his partner-in-crime Corporal Agarn (Larry Storch), who connive to keep Wilton in the dark about their many crooked business activities--and to convince the new commander that the hopeless misfits of F Troop are actually an expert tean of Indian fighters! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) sees an opportunity to pep up business at the saloon when Captain Parmenter's surveyor uncle Jupiter Parmenter (Allyn Joslyn) arrives at Fort Courage. At O'Rourke's suggestion, Jupiter draws up plans to route the new railroad directly into town. The scheme backfires when the Hekawi Indians elect to sell their land to the railroad people--and then move bag and baggage into the fort! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Actress Patrice Wymore, best known for her brief but tempestuous marriage to film star Errol Flynn, makes a rare TV appearance in this episode as legendary stage star Laura Lee. The men of F Troop are agog over O'Rourke's (Forrest Tucker) announcement that Laura Lee is going to make an appearance at Fort Courage. Only one problem: It isn't Laura who's on her way, but instead the mother (Nydia Westman) of the troop's bugler Hannibal Dobbs (James Hampton). This is one of the few episodes in which the Hekawi Indians do not appear. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Having accidentally saved the life of Hekawi chief Wild Eagle (Frank De Kova), Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry) has earned the tribe's undying gratitude. As a reward, Wild Eagle decides to give Parmenter a newborn papoose--and won't take no for an answer. With this episode, Edward Everett Horton makes his final appearance as befuddled medicine man Roaring Chicken; also, keep an eye out for a cameo appearance by 1930s film favorite Mae Clarke. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
