Dusty's Trail is an American Western/comedy series starring Bob Denver and Forrest Tucker that aired in syndication from September 1973 to March 1974. The series is a western-themed reworking of Denver's previous series Gilligan's Island. The series, set in the latter 19th century, is about a small, diverse cluster of lost travelers who become separated from their wagon train. Country music singer Mel Street sang the theme song. Storyline Two coachmen and five passengers of a wagon and stagecoach become separated from their wagon train on the way to California in the early 1870s. The group includes wagonmaster Mr. Callahan and his shotgun lookout Dusty, Mr. and Mrs. Brookhaven (a wealthy Eastern banker and his wife), a book smart civil engineer named Andy, dance-hall girl Lulu McQueen, and farm girl Betsy. The show follows their adventures while they attempt to return to their wagon train. According to the theme song, "...Dusty's the reason for their plight, thanks to Dusty – nothing's right". Cast Bob Denver as Dusty (The Gilligan role) Forrest Tucker as Mr Callahan (The Skipper role) Ivor Francis as Carson Brookhaven (The Thurston Howell III role) Jeannine Riley as Lulu McQueen (The Ginger role) Lori Saunders as Betsy McGuire (The Mary Ann role) Lynn Wood as Daphne Brookhaven (The Lovie Howell role) Bill Cort as Andy Boone (The Professor role) Episodes Theatrical film Four episodes of the series were edited together into a theatrical film, The Wackiest Wagon Train in the West, and released in movie theaters in August 1976. In order, the four episodes are: "Tomahawk Territory" (ep. 8) "Horse of Another Color" (ep. 3) "There Is Nothing Like a Dame" (ep. 2) "The Not So Magnificent Seven" (ep. 1) Reception and cancellation The show was created for Denver by Sherwood Schwartz, who had also created its progenitor, Gilligan's Island. (At the time, Schwartz had been actively trying to get Gilligan's Island revived for several years; after Dusty's Trail ended, Schwartz conceded to an animated Gilligan adaptation that debuted in fall 1974.) Jeannine Riley and Lori Saunders were both former cast members of Petticoat Junction, while Forrest Tucker had previously played a crusty Old West character in F Troop. According to U.S. television researchers Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, the reason for the show's failure was that it was too obviously a rewrite of Gilligan's Island. Denver professed on several occasions that Dusty's Trail was his favorite