The CBS TV-movie "Bring Me The Head of Dobie Gillis"

[Schmoopie]

Billie was kind enough to send me copies of the reunion movies and I can't wait to watch them! I don't have the DVD set yet so I'm trying to hurry and watch the eps I have on my DVR before I watch the reunion movies. I'm sure they will be fun to watch!

[ZeldaGilroy]

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

Billie was kind enough to send me copies of the reunion movies and I can't wait to watch them! I don't have the DVD set yet so I'm trying to hurry and watch the eps I have on my DVR before I watch the reunion movies. I'm sure they will be fun to watch!

You should definitely watch them so we can chat about them.

[bliss]

Originally Posted by treky

I only saw it when it first aired YEARS ago, but I think it was mentioned that his parents had both died. I could be wrong, though.

And I don't remember him having a brother in both the series and this movie.

There was big brother Davey who was in college and appeared in 3 episodes of the first season. I wished Darryl Hickman aka Davey did more episodes like when Dobie was graduating or him & Maynard about to go into the army.

I'm almost done with Season 2 DVD and it appears that Davey no longer mentioned like he never existed.....

And I just found out the actor who played Dobie's dad died a few years before the reunion movie was filmed but what a shame that wonderful Flordia Fribus who played the mom was maybe not even asked to do the movie

[biffbronson]

According to IMDb:

Bring Me the Head was released on Feb. 21, 1988 (so it's no stretch to speculate that it was filmed in 1987).

Florida Friebus did her last TV acting in 1978 and died on May 27, 1988

Frank Faylen also did his last TV acting in 1978, and died in 1985

Like Florida, creator Max Shulman died in 1988 (August), but apparently had not worked on Bring Me the Head -- he's mainly credited in relation to the original Dobie theme. Musician Lionel Newman died in 1989.

So we see that beginning with Frank's death in 1985, there was a lot of Dobie-related news up through 1989 (unfortunately almost all bad).

[McGillicuddy]

Why isn't Bring Me The Head of Dobie Gillis, not included in the box set? I hate when reunion shows are not part of a complete set!

[McGillicuddy]

Originally Posted by bliss

There was big brother Davey who was in college and appeared in 3 episodes of the first season. I wished Darryl Hickman aka Davey did more episodes like when Dobie was graduating or him & Maynard about to go into the army.

I'm almost done with Season 2 DVD and it appears that Davey no longer mentioned like he never existed.....

And I just found out the actor who played Dobie's dad died a few years before the reunion movie was filmed but what a shame that wonderful Flordia Fribus who played the mom was maybe not even asked to do the movie

That's exactly what happened on Happy Days. The first season had an older brother , Chuck, and he just disappeared, also.

[ZeldaGilroy]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

According to IMDb:

Bring Me the Head was released on Feb. 21, 1988 (so it's no stretch to speculate that it was filmed in 1987).

Florida Friebus did her last TV acting in 1978 and died on May 27, 1988

Frank Faylen also did his last TV acting in 1978, and died in 1985

Like Florida, creator Max Shulman died in 1988 (August), but apparently had not worked on Bring Me the Head -- he's mainly credited in relation to the original Dobie theme. Musician Lionel Newman died in 1989.

So we see that beginning with Frank's death in 1985, there was a lot of Dobie-related news up through 1989 (unfortunately almost all bad).

According to Dwayne Hickman's autobiography, Max Shulman was originally involved in the making of Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis. He claims that Shulman was creating the entire script and shocked the cast and execs at CBS by making the character of Dobie commit suicide at the end of the movie. CBS fired Shulman because they felt the audience would be devastated by his ending of the movie and Shulman refused to change it. However, according to Hickman they still used parts of his script for the movie.

Hickman also states in the book that he and his brother Darryl had a falling out when Dobie Gillis was on the air and that at the time the book was published (which was early 90s) he hadn't spoken to his brother or sister in decades. I'm assuming this is part of the reason the character of Davey disappeared from the series and obviously not in the reunion.

As for Faylen and Friebus...Dobie's parents are mentioned in the movie. In one scene a towns person says "That's Herb and Winnie Gillis's son Dobie." Also, Zelda mentions Dobie's father saying "You're acting just like your father. Remember when he used to say 'I've gotta kill, that boy. I've just gotta.'" The movie gave the impression that they had passed away. Frank Faylen does reprise his role of Herbert T Gillis in the 77 reunion pilot Whatever Happened to Dobie Gillis, but Florida Friebus is absent from that one as well and there is no mention on her.

[ZeldaGilroy]

Originally Posted by McGillicuddy

Why isn't Bring Me The Head of Dobie Gillis, not included in the box set? I hate when reunion shows are not part of a complete set!

I agree! It would have been an excellent addition to the set.

[biffbronson]

Thanks for all of the great info, Zelda. I'm looking forward to reading Dwayne's autobiography sometime. So far I've read Bob Denver's (Gilligan, Maynard, and Me), along with two biographies of Warren Beatty (Milton Armitage).

[ZeldaGilroy]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

Thanks for all of the great info, Zelda. I'm looking forward to reading Dwayne's autobiography sometime. So far I've read Bob Denver's (Gilligan, Maynard, and Me), along with two biographies of Warren Beatty (Milton Armitage).

You're welcome! I'd recommend it. It is over 20 years old, so it wasn't available at my local library so I bought my copy at amazon for $9. I'd love to read Bob Denver's autobiography as well. I may need to put that on my reading list soon!

[bliss]

Originally Posted by McGillicuddy

Why isn't Bring Me The Head of Dobie Gillis, not included in the box set? I hate when reunion shows are not part of a complete set!

Thank God Shout Factory included The Patty Duke Show reunion movie on the final season DVD set. It makes it seem more "complete" imo.

I wonder what prevented Shout Factory from acquiring the rights to the Dobie reunion movie

[bliss]

Originally Posted by McGillicuddy

That's exactly what happened on Happy Days. The first season had an older brother , Chuck, and he just disappeared, also.

LOL same with Mike Douglas on My Three Sons.

Darryl was actually very good on Dobie Gillis. Too bad his character became more of a prop after his first appearance.

[bliss]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

According to IMDb:

Bring Me the Head was released on Feb. 21, 1988 (so it's no stretch to speculate that it was filmed in 1987).

Florida Friebus did her last TV acting in 1978 and died on May 27, 1988

Frank Faylen also did his last TV acting in 1978, and died in 1985

Like Florida, creator Max Shulman died in 1988 (August), but apparently had not worked on Bring Me the Head -- he's mainly credited in relation to the original Dobie theme. Musician Lionel Newman died in 1989.

So we see that beginning with Frank's death in 1985, there was a lot of Dobie-related news up through 1989 (unfortunately almost all bad).

Thanks for info about the actors. I never knew both Frank & Florida retired the same year.