The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis

Watch The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis

  • TV-Y7
  • 1959
  • 4 Seasons
  • 7.7  (1,934)

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis is a classic American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1959 to 1963. The show is set in a fictional town called Central City and revolves around the life of Dobie Gillis, a young and restless high school student who constantly falls in love with different girls. Dobie is portrayed by Dwayne Hickman, who delivers a charming and witty performance that captures the essence of the character. He is a smart yet lazy student who dreams of being rich and successful but lacks the motivation to achieve his goals. Dobie's best friend is Maynard G. Krebs, played by Bob Denver, who is his polar opposite. Maynard is a hippie-like character who is constantly in a daze and has an aversion to work. Dobie's parents, Herbert T. Gillis and Winnie Gillis, are played by Frank Faylen and Florida Friebus, respectively. They are portrayed as a typical middle-class couple who are concerned about their son's future and often clash with his unconventional ideas. The show is known for its many guest appearances by budding Hollywood stars who went on to become iconic actors. Tuesday Weld, who played Dobie's first love interest, Thalia Meninger, became a Hollywood legend, and the show also featured appearances from Warren Beatty and Sally Kellerman. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis was one of the first sitcoms to incorporate social commentary and satire into its storylines. The show tackled issues like class, race, and gender, and was unafraid to challenge conventional norms and values. For example, the character of Zelda Gilroy, played by Sheila James Kuehl, was a strong and intelligent young woman who had a crush on Dobie and was not afraid to pursue him, despite his lack of interest. The show was also innovatively shot, using unusual camera angles and visual effects to enhance the comedic and dramatic elements of the storylines. For example, the show used freeze frames and voice-overs to emphasize Dobie's inner thoughts and desires. Despite its successes, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis was criticized for its portrayal of women, who were often reduced to love interests and objects of desire. However, the show's overall impact on television comedy cannot be denied. It paved the way for future sitcoms like The Brady Bunch and Happy Days, and its legacy continues to be felt today. In conclusion, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis is a classic sitcom that broke new ground in the world of television comedy. With its charismatic cast, innovative storytelling, and incisive social commentary, the show remains a beloved and influential part of American pop culture.

The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis
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Seasons
The Devil and Dobie Gillis
36. The Devil and Dobie Gillis
June 5, 1963
Dobie has a hot date but he's broke as usual so to pick up some cash he agrees to help Chatsworth fix his mother's charity raffle.
The Call of the, Like, Wild
35. The Call of the, Like, Wild
May 29, 1963
After accidentally dousing himself with a chemical concoction, Maynard is stunned to discover that this formula makes him irresistable to women.
Beauty Is Only Kin Deep
34. Beauty Is Only Kin Deep
May 22, 1963
Dobie falls for the smokin' hot younger sister of Dr. Burkhart but according to family tradition she must wait until her older sister gets married first.
There's a Broken Light for Every Broken Heart on Broadway
33. There's a Broken Light for Every Broken Heart on Broadway
May 15, 1963
Maynard turns a fellow student into a singing sensation but then a fast-talking agent steals her away.
I Was a Spy for the F. O. B.
32. I Was a Spy for the F. O. B.
May 8, 1963
Dobie and Maynard take a trip to Washington D.C. where enemy agents mistake the goateed beatnik for a brilliant rocket scientist.
Requiem for an Underweight Heavyweight
31. Requiem for an Underweight Heavyweight
May 1, 1963
Maynard swallows some energy pills which give him superhuman strength so Herbert decides he should enter the boxing ring with the elder Gillis as his manager.
The Rice and Old Shoes Caper
30. The Rice and Old Shoes Caper
April 24, 1963
In yet another plan to snare Dobie, Zelda announces she's going to marry Maynard figuring that Dobie will do anything (such as take his good buddy's place) to save him from such a fate.
Lassie, Get Lost
29. Lassie, Get Lost
April 17, 1963
When a teen socialite's pooch disappears she offers a $500 reward to its finder which Maynard is determined to claim.
Now I Lay Me Down to Steal
28. Now I Lay Me Down to Steal
April 10, 1963
Spending the weekend at the Osborne mansion, Maynard goes on a sleepwalking jaunt and is suspected of taking the contents of the Osborne safe.
The General Cried at Dawn
27. The General Cried at Dawn
April 3, 1963
On a visit to Latin America, Maynard is commandeered into impersonating a general marked for assassination.
There's Always Room for One Less
26. There's Always Room for One Less
March 27, 1963
After mumsie tosses him out on his ear, Chatsworth moves in with the Gilleses and Herbert tries to take full financial advantage of the situation.
The Little Chimp That Couldn't
25. The Little Chimp That Couldn't
March 20, 1963
In the college animal behaviour laboratory, Maynard is assigned to develop the talents of a chimp. If he doesn't succeed the simian might meet a terrible fate.
Beethoven, Presley, and Me
24. Beethoven, Presley, and Me
March 13, 1963
A freak accident turns Maynard into a songwriting machine which cousin Virgil T. Gillis hopes to use to his advantage in becoming a singing sensation.
Three Million Coins in the Fountain
23. Three Million Coins in the Fountain
March 6, 1963
After the Osborne family loses its fortune, Chatsworth ropes Maynard and Duncan into a get rich quick scheme.
Thanks for the Memory
22. Thanks for the Memory
February 27, 1963
Dobie finally decides to give into Zelda but her ardor appears to have cooled off completely--or has it?
The Beast with Twenty Fingers
21. The Beast with Twenty Fingers
February 20, 1963
Maynard and Herbert get stuck together by a finger toy.
The Moon and No Pence
20. The Moon and No Pence
February 13, 1963
To impress a hot chick, Dobie gets Zelda to help him improve his grades without telling her the real reason.
Two for the Whipsaw
19. Two for the Whipsaw
February 6, 1963
Chatsworth pays Dobie to impersonate him on a date with a damsel whom he remembers as being quite ugly.
And Now a Word From Our Sponsor
18. And Now a Word From Our Sponsor
January 30, 1963
After Dobie gets hired as a disc jockey for the campus radio station, Zelda decides to cut an album and gets Maynard to be her producer.
All Right, Dobie, Drop the Gun
17. All Right, Dobie, Drop the Gun
January 23, 1963
A fugitive and his moll hold the Gillis family hostage in their grocery store. Then Maynard comes along and stumbles into things as well.
Vocal Boy Makes Good
16. Vocal Boy Makes Good
January 16, 1963
When the Lettermen appear on campus, they recruit Dobie to fill in when one of their members has to take an unexpected leave of absence.
Too Many Kooks Spoil the Broth
15. Too Many Kooks Spoil the Broth
January 9, 1963
This time Dobie falls for the daughter of a kitchenware king.
Who Did William Tell?
14. Who Did William Tell?
January 2, 1963
Cousin Duncan falls for a visiting opera diva who just came down from Quebec.
Will the Real Santa Claus Please Come Down the Chimmey?
13. Will the Real Santa Claus Please Come Down the Chimmey?
December 19, 1962
When Maynard announces that he still believes in Santa Claus, the Gilleses decide to cure him of his fantasy.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Gillis
12. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Gillis
December 12, 1962
In danger of flunking out of college, Maynard hears about a chemical that can change him into a genius--or a monster.
The Iceman Goeth
11. The Iceman Goeth
December 5, 1962
Dobie, Maynard, and Duncan accidentally lock Herbert in his own meat freezer. Then they mistakenly believe they've killed him.
Strictly for the Birds
10. Strictly for the Birds
November 28, 1962
Dobie and Maynard aren't doing too well in their history class so they train a mynah bird to help them with an exam.
Flow Gently, Sweet Money
9. Flow Gently, Sweet Money
November 21, 1962
Dobie and Duncan get involved with a greedy chick who played Dobie for money and now is getting her younger sister to play Duncan.
Where is Thy Sting?
8. Where is Thy Sting?
November 14, 1962
Dobie feigns illness in order to win the affections of a hot chick.
Like, Hi, Explosives
7. Like, Hi, Explosives
November 7, 1962
Dobie, Maynard, and cousin Duncan takes jobs as truck drivers. Their first cargo--nitroglycerine.
What Makes the Varsity Drag?
6. What Makes the Varsity Drag?
October 31, 1962
Dobie goes out for the college football team when he discovers that a hot chick adores athletes.
A Splinter Off the Old Block
5. A Splinter Off the Old Block
October 24, 1962
Uncle Tim arrives in town and wants Herbert and Winnie to look after son Duncan while he's away on business.
The Ugliest American
4. The Ugliest American
October 17, 1962
Dobie signs himself and Maynard up for an expedition to the Amazon in order to follow a hot chick. Once there, Maynard gets made chief of a tribe of cannibals.
Northern Comfort
3. Northern Comfort
October 10, 1962
Dobie's hillbilly cousin, Virgil, arrives in town determined to become the next Elvis and puts the bite on the Gilleses for financial backing.
What's a Little Murder Between Friends?
2. What's a Little Murder Between Friends?
October 3, 1962
The smokin' hot Thalia Menninger returns for a visit and Dobie decides to make her the beneficiary on his life insurance policy. Then he becomes paranoid that she's trying to kill him.
A Funny Thing Happened to Me on the Way to a Funny Thing
1. A Funny Thing Happened to Me on the Way to a Funny Thing
September 26, 1962
Maynard saves a suicidal jumper but ends up falling off the ledge himself and taken to a hospital psychiatric ward.
Description

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis is a classic American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1959 to 1963. The show is set in a fictional town called Central City and revolves around the life of Dobie Gillis, a young and restless high school student who constantly falls in love with different girls.

Dobie is portrayed by Dwayne Hickman, who delivers a charming and witty performance that captures the essence of the character. He is a smart yet lazy student who dreams of being rich and successful but lacks the motivation to achieve his goals. Dobie's best friend is Maynard G. Krebs, played by Bob Denver, who is his polar opposite. Maynard is a hippie-like character who is constantly in a daze and has an aversion to work.

Dobie's parents, Herbert T. Gillis and Winnie Gillis, are played by Frank Faylen and Florida Friebus, respectively. They are portrayed as a typical middle-class couple who are concerned about their son's future and often clash with his unconventional ideas.

The show is known for its many guest appearances by budding Hollywood stars who went on to become iconic actors. Tuesday Weld, who played Dobie's first love interest, Thalia Meninger, became a Hollywood legend, and the show also featured appearances from Warren Beatty and Sally Kellerman.

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis was one of the first sitcoms to incorporate social commentary and satire into its storylines. The show tackled issues like class, race, and gender, and was unafraid to challenge conventional norms and values. For example, the character of Zelda Gilroy, played by Sheila James Kuehl, was a strong and intelligent young woman who had a crush on Dobie and was not afraid to pursue him, despite his lack of interest.

The show was also innovatively shot, using unusual camera angles and visual effects to enhance the comedic and dramatic elements of the storylines. For example, the show used freeze frames and voice-overs to emphasize Dobie's inner thoughts and desires.

Despite its successes, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis was criticized for its portrayal of women, who were often reduced to love interests and objects of desire. However, the show's overall impact on television comedy cannot be denied. It paved the way for future sitcoms like The Brady Bunch and Happy Days, and its legacy continues to be felt today.

In conclusion, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis is a classic sitcom that broke new ground in the world of television comedy. With its charismatic cast, innovative storytelling, and incisive social commentary, the show remains a beloved and influential part of American pop culture.

The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis is a series that is currently running and has 4 seasons (147 episodes). The series first aired on September 29, 1959.

Where to Watch The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis

The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis is available for streaming on the CBS website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis on demand at Google Play, Tubi TV and Pluto TV.

  • Premiere Date
    September 29, 1959
  • IMDB Rating
    7.7  (1,934)