[1] The premise revolves around a New York City family, the Hootens, who tire of the urban lifestyle and relocate to operate a dude ranch in New Mexico.

Hawkeye, played by J. Carrol Naish, was a rather cynical native who sold indigenous-looking trinkets mass-produced in Asia, and who frequently read The Wall Street Journal, seemingly in search of a way to purchase the country and return it to its "rightful owners".

The trade publication Billboard reported in December 1957 that CBS was negotiating with Jeanne Crain to be the lead in an adaptation of Guestward, Ho!

Desilu had developed the pilot specifically for Vance, who had portrayed Ethel Mertz on the hit CBS/Desilu sitcom I Love Lucy from 1951 to 1957, and its later followup specials.

Upon viewing the pilot, CBS executives felt that Vance had become so typecast in her Ethel Mertz role that she was unconvincing playing a leading character in her own situation comedy.

[citation needed] Desilu eventually retooled the pilot, with Joanne Dru and Mark Miller as the Hootens, now a younger couple (with Babs being a former model).

"[7] The review said that Dru, Miller, and Mark portrayed their characters "airily", and it concluded with "By dint of its high polish it achieved an entertainment level well above that reached by most of its rivals.