Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Kodie Bird True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

hfan77 Two years after Leave it to Beaver became the first show to look at life from a child's view, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis becomes the first sitcom to focus on a teenage perspective of life.What made Dobie Gillis stand out was Dwayne Hickman's portrayal of the title character. His clean cut, good looks attracted lots of female viewers to the show. Also, he had one of the great TV sidekick as well as one of the most offbeat, Maynard G. Krebs, played by Bob Denver.Denver, who would go on to greater success on Gilligan's Island would portray not only TV's first beatnik but also one of the first breakout sitcom characters. He wore a goatee and a sweatshirt and shuddered when anyone said the work "Work." I should also point out that Maynard's other catch phrase was "You rang?" The line was also used by Lurch the butler in The Addams Family.The show wasn't just about Dobie and Maynard. There were also Dobie's parents Herbert and Winnie, played by Frank Faylen and Florida Friebus. Winnie was a patient, understanding mom like June Cleaver and Herbert would sometimes say in the early episodes "I gotta kill that boy." Let's not forget an early TV appearance by Warren Beatty, who played Dobie's rival in the first season Milton Armitage. When Beatty left the show, he was replaced by Steve Franken, who would play one of the most popular characters on the show Chatsworth Osborne.And there were the girls. The actresses who appeared as Dobie's girlfriends would make some of their early TV appearances such as Michele Lee, Sally Kellerman and Marlo Thomas.Even though I haven't seen a lot of episodes, I did watch a few on the new Decades channel and I though it was a pretty funny sitcom. Unlike Beaver, Hickman breaks the fourth wall and talks to the audience. It was an added dimension to a successful teen sitcom. And that was Dobie with a "b".

rcj5365 Based on the creation of Max Shulman's characters,some of the episodes of the television series and some of the scripts for the show were adapted from a 1951 collection of short stories of the same name that were written by Max Shulman that also inspired the 1953 theatrical motion picture, "The Affairs of Dobie Gillis",that starred Debbie Reynolds,Bob Fosse and introducing newcomer Bobby Van in the title role as Dobie Gillis. A follow up novel based on Max Shulman's characters appeared in "I Was A Teen-Age Dwarf" that was published in 1959,the same year the television series,"The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" made its premiere on CBS."The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis",was brought to television on September 28, 1959 and was produced by Martin Manulis,who served as executive producer of the series along with producer Rod Amateau,under Manulis' production company,Martin Manulis Productions in association with 20th Century-Fox Television for CBS. And speaking of situation comedies,"The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis",during its premiere in 1959,was 20th Century-Fox's first foray into the half-hour situation comedy genre that was also produced by Martin Manulis,who also brought to television and for the studio its first foray into the action-adventure genre for ABC with "Adventures in Paradise" that premiered the same year and was responsible for bringing to the studio the first foray into espionage thrillers for NBC with "Five Fingers" that also premiered that same year."Dobie Gillis" stars Dwayne Hickman as the endearing simple minded teenager,who has the aspiration to have popularity,money,and the attention of beautiful and unattainable girls. He didn't have any of these qualities in attendance,but the tiny crisis surrounding Dobie's lack of success made the story,along with the hilarious hijinks in just about every episode. His partner in crime was television's first beatnik,Maynard G. Krebs(Bob Denver)who also tagged along with Dobie for just about anything. His affection for the girl he really wanted was the rich and spoiled Thalia,played by Tuesday Weld. Hilarious hijinks ensues each week with Dobie trying to win the affections of Thalia and every girl he tried to get with Maynard tagging along for laughs. Dobie's rivals for affection were the rich playboys Milton Armitage(Warren Beatty),and Chatsworth Osborne,Jr.(Steve Frankel),not to mention the super-intelligent Zelda Gilroy(Sheila James),who was also chasing after Dobie,and who knows Dobie is meant for herself one day."Dobie Gillis" had some really sharp writing that was just downright hilarious,mixed in it with some snappy editing and the jazz soundtrack and not to mention over-the-top situations in just about every episode with Dobie and Maynard getting into one predicament after another. Bob Denver was the coolest buddy ever as Maynard(who needs Gilligan?),while Frank Faylen and Florida Friebus as Dobie's parents were there for support. This was the series that launched not only Tuesday Weld and Warren Beatty,but Steven Frankel into Hollywood stardom because of this series,and later on Michael J. Pollard. It made have been hilarious and extremely funny,this was the one of the high points of great 1960's TV,and one of the most endearing winningest sitcoms of all time. Of the four seasons that it ran on CBS from September 28,1959 until September 18,1963,this was classic black and white TV. A total of 147 episodes were produced. "Dobie Gillis" was top notch comedy that was ahead of its time. A classic from the golden age of late 1950's-early 1960's TV.

rlquall This show is consistently underrated in my opinion. Created and largely written (even the theme song) by the talented Max Schulman, who later brought us such gems as the movie "House Calls", the program gave us such classic characters as the boy-crazy Zelda (ironically portrayed by a Lesbian, Shelia James), Maynard, the closest thing to a "beatnik" most of Middle America ever saw, and Dobie's dad Herbert (played by the great character actor Frank Faylen), the grocer who needed very little prompting to remind whoever was listening, "I was in The Big One, W W 2!" but who was deep down a fine guy (he reminded me a lot of one of my uncles). Dobie's pining for Thalia, and his soliloquies in front of the copy of Rodin's "The Thinker" in the local park, were close to priceless. I think that the fact that this show was filmed in black and white has hurt its chances for being rerun in recent years, even on "TV Land" or "Nick at Nite".

Mike_Tee_Vee Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959-1963) was another one of the manysit-coms that came out during the late fifties through the early sixties. Inever really enjoyed this show. I don't understand how people like thisshow. The only thing that was amusing about it was Bob Denver. Heco-starred as one of Dobie's friends. I believed he was supposed to be abeatnik. I didn't care about Dobie's love life or his many girlfriends either. The series didn't last more than four years. Years later a made fortelevision update was made. I never saw the movie because I never dug thisshow. Who knows maybe if I see it again I'll like it. Until then I have togive this "classic" show a pass.I'm Mike Tee Vee. Same channel, same station!