I've been watching the first season and there seems to be a resemblance to Jack Benny in the way Dobie delivers his lines, particularly when he says "Now just a minute."
Has anyone else noticed this?
Yes, very much so! I hear Jack Benny every time Dobie says, "Now cut that out!"
I'm a big fan of Old Time Radio in addition to vintage TV, so listen to Jack's old shows relatively regularly. I suspect Dwayne Hickman is a fellow fan. Hickman had excellent comic timing just like Benny, doing those double takes and playing so well the exasperated bystander to the eccentric cast surrounding him.
I'm pretty sure he was just doing a Jack Benny impersonation. It's much more pronounced in the first season though.
shareBut his "now cut that out" was always in response to Zelda wrinkling her nose at him, right? (That's the way I remember it.)
Also the talking to the audience was a pretty big part of both Dobie's and Jack's shtick.
He said it to Maynard too, if I remember right. Possibly others, but yes, mainly to Zelda. Come season 4 he's dropped much of the Benny act though. Far fewer outbursts like that.
shareI read Hickman's autobiography ---very interesting in many ways--- he idolized Jack Benny and often pays homage to the elder comedian as Dobie.
I'm currently watching the show on DVD (I'm 1/2 way throguh season 2) and not only does he come of as a Jack Benny type, he also reminds me of Jack Lemmon as well. Mainly whne he panics about something.
I gotta say this, his character in Season 1 is waaay obnoxious. He may be playing a teen but just downright insulting his dad's intelligence, practically stealing money from the cash register, his horrible come on's to girls and practically being a 'mama's boy'.
Thankfully, in season 2 his character's written a bit more mature
& thoughtful and the more insane & meaner ideas of the show have vanished.
Even Mr. Gillis doesn't say "I gotta kill
that boy, I just gotta" after the start of Season 2.
Go for it or just be a gopher!
(MR.) happipuppi13 🐕 *arf,man!*
I gotta say this, his character in Season 1 is waaay obnoxious. He may be playing a teen but just downright insulting his dad's intelligence, practically stealing money from the cash register, his horrible come on's to girls and practically being a 'mama's boy'.
Thankfully, in season 2 his character's written a bit more mature
& thoughtful and the more insane & meaner ideas of the show have vanished.
ven Mr. Gillis doesn't say "I gotta kill
that boy, I just gotta" after the start of Season 2.
If anything the guy on the cover on the left side looks very much like Gilligan
share