The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959-1963)
"Teen Dobie wanted hot girls, money and to do as little work as possible, egged on by equally work-adverse beatnik pal Maynard (Bob Denver). But Dobie's modest background made that difficult, as did nemeses like golddigger Thalia (Tuesday Weld), the girl Dobie wanted, and handsome rich kid Milton (Warren Beatty), Dobie's rival for Thalia's affections."
Best TV Shows of the 50s.
Ed here: I was a big Max Shulman fan so I was happy to see one of his best books turned into a TV series. The casting was spot on. Dobie was the kind of earnest kid who couldn't get laid with a bag of cash and a Maserati and Maynard the kind who turned shiftlessness into a protest movement. Perfect. Tuesday Weld was not only radiant and beautiful she obviously had a great time playing heartbreaker Thalia Menninger. And Warren Beatty was perfect too--a pain in the ass then and a pain in the ass still.
The whole cast was rich and deep. Frank Faylen and Flordia Freibus as Dobie's parents, Sheila James as Zelda Gilroy (the "sensible" choice for Dobie to hook up with but whoever wanted "sensible," right?) and of course the great Steve Franken's Chatsworth Osborne Jr. nearly stole every episode he was in. He showed Beatty how to play an obnoxious rich kid.
I still watch these on DVD. The first three seasons are the best. Few things satisfy me as much as hearing Dobie's old man say "I gotta kill that kid someday." Now THAT's my kind of "family" show.
One of my all-time favorites.
ReplyDeleteMine as well. I'm of that generation that, when you mention Bob Denver, Maynard G. Krebs comes to mind before Gilligan.
ReplyDeleteCount me in as another fan. I loved it when someone would say "work" amd Maynard would yelp "WORK!" like it was the worst fate imaginable. Let's not forget the great William Schallert as the teacher, Mr. Pomfritt, and Doris Packer as the mother of each snobby boy.
ReplyDeleteMuch of what I know in life came from Dobie Gillis. Tuesday Weld was the essence of glamor for me and still is.
ReplyDeleteI loved the show too. It was a weekly date at our house.
ReplyDeleteA show so full of wondrous cynicism and real laughs. "I just gotta kill that kid someday" They don't make catchphrases like that anymore!
ReplyDeleteThis shows was mine favorite all the time. I like the most its story which was totally bang on. I wish that it would be came with its new series as soon.
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