That was the best tv show ever. Nothing will ever beat that zany cast of characters and the droll comedy, the innovation of Dobie narrating the show, the interplay of Dobie and his many girlfriends all swooning over him, the poor unrequited Zelda, the great hapless parents. Even the hilarious stage names — whoever would have thought up “Maynard G Krebs”?
Dobie Gillis (Dwayne Hickman)
Maynard G. Krebs (Bob Denver)
Herbert T. Gillis (Frank Faylen)
Winifred Gillis (Florida Friebus)
Zelda Gilroy (Sheila James Kuehl)
The number of cameo appearances in Dobie Gillis is amazing: Tuesday Weld, Warren Beatty, Ron Howard, Bill Bixby (My Favorite Martian), Marlo Thomas (That Girl), Susan Bay Nimoy (Leonard Nimoy’s wife), Thelonious Monk
If we had gaydar back then we could have spotted Zelda for what she is today . . . a ultra-left California gay Democrat.
Zelda. Look her up. Very disappointing.
Can’t forget my favorite character. Doris Packer played the mother of Chatsworth Osborne Jr. Her hilarious catch phrase was “You nasty boy!” Just so funny the way she delivered the line.
She also played principal of Beaver’s school on Leave It to Beaver. The character name there was Mrs. Rayburn.