"Guestward Ho!" (1960) TV series

Director:

Claudio Guzmán

Writers:

Bob Schiller (writer)
Bob Weiskopf (writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

29 September 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Cast

Joanne Dru	...	Babs Hooten / ... (18 episodes, 1960-1961)
Mark Miller	...	Bill Hooten / ... (18 episodes, 1960-1961)
J. Carrol Naish	...	Hawkeye / ... (15 episodes, 1960-1961)
Flip Mark	...	Brook Hooten / ... (14 episodes, 1960-1961)

Runtime:

30 min (38 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Desilu Productions

Trivia:

Originally conceived as a vehicle for Vivian Vance, who shot a pilot for the show in 1958 for CBS. When CBS passed Desi Arnaz retooled the show and cast Joanne Dru in the role of Babs Hooten after Dru's 1957 pilot for a Desilu show called Adventures of a Model failed to be picked up as a series.

Movie Connections:

Featured in T.V. Sphincter (1987) (V)

Only TV series based on a Patrick Dennis book

"Guestward Ho!" was a so-so sitcom about a young couple from the big city who move to the wilds of New Mexico to run a dude ranch. I saw the series at the time it aired, but since it only lasted one season and I was only 7 I remember little about it.

The one unique feature of this show was that it was based on a book, "co-written" by Patrick Dennis, of "Auntie Mame" fame. The book was supposedly non-fiction based on the lives of Bill and Barbara Hooton and co-written by Barbara, but believe me, every line of the book was pure Dennis. I am grateful to the show for having gotten me to eventually read it, every word of which was pure delight.