"The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" (1959)TV series 1959-1963

Directors:

Robert Butler
Tom Montgomery

Writers:

John Kohn (staff writer)
Thomas Nord Riley (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

29 September 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

Dobie Gillis is an average teenager living in average Central City with an average desire--girls! He lusts after many nubile women...

Plot Keywords:

Breaking The Fourth Wall | Cult TV | Cult Favorite | Monologue | Sitcom

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Dwayne Hickman	...	Dobie Gillis (36 episodes, 1959-1963)
Bob Denver	...	Maynard G. Krebs / ... (35 episodes, 1959-1963)
Sheila James Kuehl	...	Zelda Gilroy (31 episodes, 1959-1963)
Steve Franken	...	Chatsworth Osborne Jr. / ... (29 episodes, 1959-1963)
William Schallert	...	Mr. Leander Pomfritt (21 episodes, 1959-1962)
Frank Faylen	...	Herbert T. Gillis (19 episodes, 1959-1963)
Tuesday Weld	...	Thalia Menninger (18 episodes, 1959-1962)
Jean Byron	...	Dr. Imogene Burkhart / ... (15 episodes, 1959-1963)

(more)

Series Directed by
Rodney Amateau		(101 episodes, 1959-1963)
Guy Scarpitta		(19 episodes, 1960-1963)
Stanley Z. Cherry		(9 episodes, 1961-1963)
Ralph Murphy		(6 episodes, 1959-1962)
Robert Gordon		(4 episodes, 1960-1961)
David Davis		(4 episodes, 1962-1963)
Tom Montgomery		(2 episodes, 1963)
Robert Butler		(1 episode, 1960)

Series Writing credits
Max Shulman		(44 episodes, 1959-1963)
Joel Kane		(40 episodes, 1959-1963)
Arnold Horwitt		(22 episodes, 1960-1963)
Dean Riesner		(16 episodes, 1959-1963)
Bud Nye		(16 episodes, 1960-1963)
R.S. Allen		(14 episodes, 1959-1961)
Rodney Amateau		(8 episodes, 1959-1962)
Lawrence Williams		(8 episodes, 1960-1962)
Maggie Williams		(8 episodes, 1960-1962)
Lester Pine		(5 episodes, 1961-1962)
Irving Elinson		(3 episodes, 1959-1960)
Fred S. Fox		(3 episodes, 1959-1960)
Ben Starr		(2 episodes, 1959-1960)
Terry Ryan		(2 episodes, 1960-1961)
George Beck		(2 episodes, 1960)
Phil Davis		(2 episodes, 1960)
John Kohn		(1 episode, 1960)
Thomas Nord Riley		(1 episode, 1960)

Series Produced by
Rodney Amateau	....	producer (147 episodes, 1959-1963)
Joel Kane	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
Martin Manulis	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Guy Scarpitta	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Earle H. Hagen		(unknown episodes)
Lionel Newman		(unknown episodes)
Max Shulman		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
James Van Trees		(109 episodes, 1959-1963)

Series Film Editing by
Johnny Ehrin		(56 episodes, 1959-1963)
Willard Nico		(31 episodes, 1959-1962)
Robert Moore		(18 episodes, 1962-1963)

Series Art Direction by
Edward L. Ilou		(unknown episodes)
Charles Myall		(unknown episodes)
Jack Martin Smith		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Chester L. Bayhi		(unknown episodes)
Walter Scott		(unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph Lenzi	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
John W. Rogers	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Addison Schaumer Jr.	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts (unknown episodes, 1961)

Series Editorial Department
Larry Heath	....	supervising editor (1 episode, 1962)

Production Companies

• 20th Century Fox Television
• Martin Manulis Productions

Distributors

• CBS Television

Other Companies

• Philip Morris Cigarettes  original sponsor: Marlboro cigarettes
• Pillsbury  original sponsor (Pillsbury flour/refrigerated goods)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

What did the middle initial in Maynard G. Krebbs, stand for? In one episode, and one only, someone asked this question, Maynard stated that the "G" stood for Walter. His explanation was that his mother "didn't spell too good".

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Herbert T. Gillis: I was in World War II - the big one - with the good conduct medal!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2 (1999) (TV)

Classic Comedic Elements

Dobie Gillis may not be groundbreaking, but it is a well-crafted comic gem of a TV series. Direction is crisp, acting is excellent and the comic characters are perfection: Maynard, the clueless but lovable loser (who has been widely copied but never surpassed), Thalia, the sexy, cute gold-digger, who is smarter than anyone expects, Milton, the insufferable preppie, Zelda, the nerd, etc. And here sits Dobie--ridiculously average, being tossed between them all like a beachball, and trying to make sense of it all. Character actors Wm. Schallert and Frank Faylen shine; Beatty gives an eerily prescient glimpse into his future roles; and Dobie is the personification of the likeable schlemiel.

Enchanting!