"Goodbye Old Paint" guest stars veteran character actor Harold J. Stone as Alexandre Gregor Dubov, whose disdain for critics is only surpassed by his incompetence as an abstract artist. Living alone on the island for a decade to escape the barbs of human society, Dubov wastes no time in insulting the castaways left and right, but once he reveals that he owns a transmitter they invent a scheme to get him to call a boat. When that fails Gilligan poses as a painter to poke at his enormous ego, which also backfires. Stone is an unheralded performer capable of both comedy and drama, and his exaggerated Russian accent expertly avoids cliché even as it lampoons it, much like Vito Scotti's Japanese sailor, and just as funny. Some of his asides are priceless, such as 'nincompoopers' or just 'phooey,' but he never fails to push the buttons of the exasperated castaways.
4 Reviews
Dubov Won't Win any Popularity Contests...
kmcelhaney00531 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Gilligan is meandering near the lagoon when he comes across an abstract painting. After the rest of the castaways deny responsibility, a very hairy Dubov comes out of the jungle to claim it as his.
Dubov, who ingratiates himself really well by making the castaways furious, gets a significant improvement in treatment when he tells them of his transmitter. But Dubov is not ready to return to civilization just yet. So the castaways scheme to find ways of getting Dubov to bring a boat to the island.
This is one of those episodes that I'm really divided about. The tired "sure fire rescue" bit is on display again and the various schemes to get Dubov off the island are reminiscent of a previous episode, "The Return of Wrongway Feldman".
Highlights include Dubov's initial appearance, "Nincompoop! It's upside down!", Dubov's first interaction with Ginger, Ginger's reaction to Dubov's depiction of her as a Bali dancer, Mr. Howell running his new plan by the rest of the castaways as Gilligan wonders what is going on, Gilligan painting the Skipper, the prop department deserves credit for making that incredible transmitter of Dubov's and the epilogue scene nicely done between the Skipper and Mr. Howell.
Veteran character actor Harold J. Stone plays the rather unlikable Dubov, a skilled abstract painter with a personality fit for punching in the face. However, it's actually kinda nice to have someone so unlikable on the island. He is easily the most unlikable of the first season and his grating personality works well with the castaways.
Overall, this episode is okay, but not great. Still, Harold's performance elevates it up just above middling and there are enough laughs (Ginger's reaction is one of the best) to make this acceptable, if not very memorable.
Dubov, who ingratiates himself really well by making the castaways furious, gets a significant improvement in treatment when he tells them of his transmitter. But Dubov is not ready to return to civilization just yet. So the castaways scheme to find ways of getting Dubov to bring a boat to the island.
This is one of those episodes that I'm really divided about. The tired "sure fire rescue" bit is on display again and the various schemes to get Dubov off the island are reminiscent of a previous episode, "The Return of Wrongway Feldman".
Highlights include Dubov's initial appearance, "Nincompoop! It's upside down!", Dubov's first interaction with Ginger, Ginger's reaction to Dubov's depiction of her as a Bali dancer, Mr. Howell running his new plan by the rest of the castaways as Gilligan wonders what is going on, Gilligan painting the Skipper, the prop department deserves credit for making that incredible transmitter of Dubov's and the epilogue scene nicely done between the Skipper and Mr. Howell.
Veteran character actor Harold J. Stone plays the rather unlikable Dubov, a skilled abstract painter with a personality fit for punching in the face. However, it's actually kinda nice to have someone so unlikable on the island. He is easily the most unlikable of the first season and his grating personality works well with the castaways.
Overall, this episode is okay, but not great. Still, Harold's performance elevates it up just above middling and there are enough laughs (Ginger's reaction is one of the best) to make this acceptable, if not very memorable.
- You know, Gilligan's Island must be one heck of a large island for our castaways to not discover Dubov until now, especially when he seemingly made no attempt to hide himself.
- Dubov completes the trifecta of people who were on the island long before the castaways. Dubov clearly states that he arrived at the island 10 years earlier. Wrongway Feldman was there long before that and no one knows how long the Jungle Boy was there.
- Gilligan says he's never seen anyone eat as much as Dubov...well, he ate that much and more himself not two episodes ago in "Physical Fatness".
- For whatever reason, the Skipper is not present when Dubov completes his painting of Ginger.
- It seems strange that Dubov would want Gilligan to give him painting lessons, especially given his previous behavior. But hey...it's Gilligan's Island.
- However, what is stranger given what happened to the transmitter when the Skipper barely touched it, is how Dubov got his note inside. Plus, if Dubov can sail away on some painting to another island...shouldn't the castaways try that as well?
He ain't no darling of the day.
mark.waltz14 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A variation of the Arnold Bennett story "Buried Alive" and the play "The Great Adventure" (filmed as a silent under that title and as "His Double Life" and later "Holy Matrimony", and musicalized after this episode aired as "Darling of the Day"), this deals with a temperamental Russian artist Dubov, played by character actor Harold J. Stone who is found on the island and promises the others a way off the island if he can finish his masterpiece.
Ginger agrees to pose as a Bali dancer, and is of course offended by the results, a piece of modern art so hideous and indescribable but everybody must pretend to love it, that is until Gilligan spills the beans. Stone is probably one of the most obscure character performers to appear on the episode, and fortunately, his Russian accent is not completely over the top.
Those who wonder about the praise of modern non-representational art will find it amusing because frankly, the paintings are nothing but big blotches and blobs, while fans of modern art might take some offence. As they try to make Gilligan a rival to Dubov to enrage his ego, it becomes clear that they are doing nothing but speeding up his departure and increasing their stay on the island. A minor episode that somehow I've forgotten about, especially when compared to Japanese soldiers, misguided pilots and mad scientists and of course the look alikes who would make their way to the island.
Ginger agrees to pose as a Bali dancer, and is of course offended by the results, a piece of modern art so hideous and indescribable but everybody must pretend to love it, that is until Gilligan spills the beans. Stone is probably one of the most obscure character performers to appear on the episode, and fortunately, his Russian accent is not completely over the top.
Those who wonder about the praise of modern non-representational art will find it amusing because frankly, the paintings are nothing but big blotches and blobs, while fans of modern art might take some offence. As they try to make Gilligan a rival to Dubov to enrage his ego, it becomes clear that they are doing nothing but speeding up his departure and increasing their stay on the island. A minor episode that somehow I've forgotten about, especially when compared to Japanese soldiers, misguided pilots and mad scientists and of course the look alikes who would make their way to the island.
Gilligan paints himself into a corner.
Ralphkram3 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
For the third time this season an eighth castaway magically appears. Following in the steps of Wrongway Feldman and the Jungle Boy is an eccentric artist from Russia named Alexandri Gregor Dubov. Unlike those other surprise guests, though, he isn't a charismatic or quirky scene stealer and doesn't elevate the acting of the other cast members. Instead, whenever Dubov appears on screen, he sinks any chance for the episode to be memorable or above average. He kills many scenes with his arrogant, pushy, in-your-face attitude. Many viewers consider him the most obnoxious guest star of the first season.
The reclusive Dubov has been living on the island incognito for the past ten years. (Amazing he's been able to pull that off considering he leaves his abstract painting lying out in the open, then pops out of the bush to defend it against criticism). He detests people and wants nothing to do with civilization.
To move things along, there is a short expository scene with the painter and Mary Ann where we're told the castaways detest him back because he's spent the last few days playing dictator and pushing them around. Dubov desires better treatment, and confides he's stashed a transmitter and he'll divulge where it is if the castaways play nice. The castaways, who are ordinarily pretty passive anyway, give in to his blackmail and let the Russian steamroll them for the rest of the first act, including a hostile takeover of Gilligan and the Skipper's hut.
Thankfully, we get a break from Dubov when Mr. Howell, always good for a scheme, plans to persuade him to use the transmitter to contact a ship and rescue them. He appeals to Dubov's immense ego to paint a portrait of Ginger as a Bali dancer, which is as silly and strangely humorous as it sounds. The plan isn't Gilligan-proof, however, and it backfires. Mr. Howell quickly forms a more entertaining plan B: he will play on Dubov's insecurity by setting up Gilligan as a rival painter, primarily because our lead failed third grade art, which makes him as good a choice as any. The castaways will rave over whatever 'work of art' he produces and get Dubov so jealous he'll be forced to call the world's critics to come to the island to debate who's the better artist, and they'll be rescued. Our lead takes to wearing a stylish chapeau and churning out abstract paintings. In a clever bit, they are identical to Dubov's works.
The Russian falls for the scheme and trades in the cherished transmitter for painting lessons from Gilligan. Unfortunately, the transmitter is as old as dust, and Dubov decides the island only has room for one abstract fool.
COCONOTES:
Harold J. Stone plays the eccentric Dubov. He does a serviceable job with the material he's given, and looks suitably ridiculous with an oversized beard and paint-splotched smock, but single-handily weighs down the episode with his obnoxiousness.
Major plot hole: We're supposed to believe Dubov never bumped into Wrongway Feldman in his many years on the island.
"Because the more simple a thing is, the more beautiful a thing is." "Then I must be gorgeous."
Wondering how Dubov slipped his note into the transmitter.
Gilligan reading the note in Dubov's voice doesn't work. Maybe Bob Denver hadn't yet perfected the Russian accent he'd use in a season three episode.
The reclusive Dubov has been living on the island incognito for the past ten years. (Amazing he's been able to pull that off considering he leaves his abstract painting lying out in the open, then pops out of the bush to defend it against criticism). He detests people and wants nothing to do with civilization.
To move things along, there is a short expository scene with the painter and Mary Ann where we're told the castaways detest him back because he's spent the last few days playing dictator and pushing them around. Dubov desires better treatment, and confides he's stashed a transmitter and he'll divulge where it is if the castaways play nice. The castaways, who are ordinarily pretty passive anyway, give in to his blackmail and let the Russian steamroll them for the rest of the first act, including a hostile takeover of Gilligan and the Skipper's hut.
Thankfully, we get a break from Dubov when Mr. Howell, always good for a scheme, plans to persuade him to use the transmitter to contact a ship and rescue them. He appeals to Dubov's immense ego to paint a portrait of Ginger as a Bali dancer, which is as silly and strangely humorous as it sounds. The plan isn't Gilligan-proof, however, and it backfires. Mr. Howell quickly forms a more entertaining plan B: he will play on Dubov's insecurity by setting up Gilligan as a rival painter, primarily because our lead failed third grade art, which makes him as good a choice as any. The castaways will rave over whatever 'work of art' he produces and get Dubov so jealous he'll be forced to call the world's critics to come to the island to debate who's the better artist, and they'll be rescued. Our lead takes to wearing a stylish chapeau and churning out abstract paintings. In a clever bit, they are identical to Dubov's works.
The Russian falls for the scheme and trades in the cherished transmitter for painting lessons from Gilligan. Unfortunately, the transmitter is as old as dust, and Dubov decides the island only has room for one abstract fool.
COCONOTES:
Harold J. Stone plays the eccentric Dubov. He does a serviceable job with the material he's given, and looks suitably ridiculous with an oversized beard and paint-splotched smock, but single-handily weighs down the episode with his obnoxiousness.
Major plot hole: We're supposed to believe Dubov never bumped into Wrongway Feldman in his many years on the island.
"Because the more simple a thing is, the more beautiful a thing is." "Then I must be gorgeous."
Wondering how Dubov slipped his note into the transmitter.
Gilligan reading the note in Dubov's voice doesn't work. Maybe Bob Denver hadn't yet perfected the Russian accent he'd use in a season three episode.
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