Is Denny Miller as funny as Dennis Miller? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Nedrta · 10-17-2002, 09:48 PM

Denny Miller, in case you don't know, guest starred on Gilligan as that surfer Duke and the actor playing Tongo. Well, is he as funny as his namesake?

JWood201 · 10-17-2002, 09:55 PM

Well, I wouldn't know to compare them, but I think Denny Miller's pretty funny. LOL. I mean, really, you can't swagger around, flex, say things like "Stop dreamin'...Duke has arrived!" and coin your own words ("smorgasbroad" **dies**) without being funny. It just doesn't happen.
So, this was kinda pointless because I didn't answer your question, but I find Denny Miller slightly hysterical. LOL.

Julie the GI girl · 10-18-2002, 03:52 PM

yeah...i think he's funny too! i love the part where the professor comes running over all spastic and rambles off this whole big string of scientific stuff to duke about how there will be a tsunami and he can get off the island....and he turns to ginger and says "now, why didn't i think of that?" and she's like "isn't he wonderful?" and the poor professor is just standing there like.....what?

it's great.

sorry...i didn't really answer your question either.

DMills52 · 07-05-2013, 04:33 PM

Kinda of an Apples & Oranges question, but still fun. Denny Miller is a great character actor who did comedy and drama equally well plus was the Gorton's Fisherman for many years.

I agree with him being funny in the scenes already mentioned. I also think he did the cocky, handsome surfer dude really well.

We feel Gilligan's super jealousy not just because the girls ignore him, but also because Duke both shows him up and puts him down. Yet the way Miller plays it not only don't we hate him, but Gilligan doesn't seem to either.

For example at the beach Duke puts the fallen Gilligan down by calling him "little man" and saying he "couldn't put a hole in the wind with a fist full of hammers". Then he shows him up by flexing his bicep inches from Gilligan's face before leaning back and smirking while Gilligan stares slack-jawed as if saying "you wish you looked like me". The way Miller plays it though it's just Duke being Duke and we get that "what's a boy to do" type vibe thus making it believable that the girls don't jump to Gilligan's defense.

The same thing happens with the bamboo/boulder barbell. That time Duke shows Gilligan up first by ostentatiously pressing the weight to the delight of the girls. Then he puts Gilligan down by acting exasperated when the fragile First Mate can't duplicate the feat. In this instance not only don't the girls come to Gilligan's defense, but they also join in the bashing telling him he "should just give up" (MA) and he has "to have a body to do that" (GG). In the end he flippantly tells Gilligan to "keep practicing", hands him the bar though it's clear he can't support it and walks off with the girls. Yet still I think the audience doesn't hate Duke because Miller plays it so well it's felt he's not being malicious, he's just being who he is.

Love this episode and love Denny Miller who is a great guy and friends all his fans on FaceBook. So many conflicts and confusions going on it could've been a two-parter. But I see a lot conjecture about this episode on the board so maybe it's best just the way it was.

The crazier the premise the better the episode and a tsunami-surfin' visitor landing on the island is one of if not the craziest.

10-17-2002, 09:48 PM	#1
Nedrta Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 14, 2002 Location: Chicago Posts: 151	Is Denny Miller as funny as Dennis Miller? Denny Miller, in case you don't know, guest starred on Gilligan as that surfer Duke and the actor playing Tongo. Well, is he as funny as his namesake?

10-18-2002, 03:52 PM	#3
Julie the GI girl strike a pose! Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 18, 2002 Location: in the supply hut hangin' out with the Prof Posts: 300	yeah...i think he's funny too! i love the part where the professor comes running over all spastic and rambles off this whole big string of scientific stuff to duke about how there will be a tsunami and he can get off the island....and he turns to ginger and says "now, why didn't i think of that?" and she's like "isn't he wonderful?" and the poor professor is just standing there like.....what? it's great. sorry...i didn't really answer your question either.
	__________________ The Julie Chronicles MySpace Last edited by Julie the GI girl; 10-18-2002 at 03:54 PM.

07-05-2013, 04:33 PM	#4
DMills52 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 26, 2013 Location: Vermont Posts: 27	The Duke Abides Kinda of an Apples & Oranges question, but still fun. Denny Miller is a great character actor who did comedy and drama equally well plus was the Gorton's Fisherman for many years. I agree with him being funny in the scenes already mentioned. I also think he did the cocky, handsome surfer dude really well. We feel Gilligan's super jealousy not just because the girls ignore him, but also because Duke both shows him up and puts him down. Yet the way Miller plays it not only don't we hate him, but Gilligan doesn't seem to either. For example at the beach Duke puts the fallen Gilligan down by calling him "little man" and saying he "couldn't put a hole in the wind with a fist full of hammers". Then he shows him up by flexing his bicep inches from Gilligan's face before leaning back and smirking while Gilligan stares slack-jawed as if saying "you wish you looked like me". The way Miller plays it though it's just Duke being Duke and we get that "what's a boy to do" type vibe thus making it believable that the girls don't jump to Gilligan's defense. The same thing happens with the bamboo/boulder barbell. That time Duke shows Gilligan up first by ostentatiously pressing the weight to the delight of the girls. Then he puts Gilligan down by acting exasperated when the fragile First Mate can't duplicate the feat. In this instance not only don't the girls come to Gilligan's defense, but they also join in the bashing telling him he "should just give up" (MA) and he has "to have a body to do that" (GG). In the end he flippantly tells Gilligan to "keep practicing", hands him the bar though it's clear he can't support it and walks off with the girls. Yet still I think the audience doesn't hate Duke because Miller plays it so well it's felt he's not being malicious, he's just being who he is. Love this episode and love Denny Miller who is a great guy and friends all his fans on FaceBook. So many conflicts and confusions going on it could've been a two-parter. But I see a lot conjecture about this episode on the board so maybe it's best just the way it was. The crazier the premise the better the episode and a tsunami-surfin' visitor landing on the island is one of if not the craziest.

10-17-2002, 09:55 PM	#2
JWood201 TV Nerd Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 25, 2001 Posts: 798	Well, I wouldn't know to compare them, but I think Denny Miller's pretty funny. LOL. I mean, really, you can't swagger around, flex, say things like "Stop dreamin'...Duke has arrived!" and coin your own words ("smorgasbroad" dies) without being funny. It just doesn't happen. So, this was kinda pointless because I didn't answer your question, but I find Denny Miller slightly hysterical. LOL.