Obit: Bob Denver {Little Buddy Passes On} Sep 05

Subject: Obit: Bob Dever { Little Buddy Passes On }
From: Wesley S
Date: 06 Sep 05 - 04:33 PM

Bob Dever has gone to that island in the sky.

LOS ANGELES -- Bob Denver, whose portrayal of goofy first mate Gilligan on the 1960s television show "Gilligan's Island," made him an iconic figure to generations of TV viewers, has died, his agent confirmed Tuesday. He was 70.

Denver died Friday at Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital in North Carolina of complications from treatment he was receiving for cancer, his agent, Mike Eisenstadt, told The Associated Press. Denver's death was first reported by "Entertainment Tonight."

Denver had also undergone quadruple heart bypass surgery earlier this year.

Denver's wife, Dreama, and his children Patrick, Megan, Emily and Colin were with him when he died.

"He was my everything and I will love him forever," Dreama Denver said in a statement.

Denver's signature role was Gilligan. But he was already known to TV audiences for another iconic character, that of Maynard G. Krebs, the bearded beatnik friend of Dwayne Hickman's Dobie in "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," which aired from 1959 to 1963.

"Gilligan's Island" lasted on CBS from 1964 to 1967, and it was revived in later seasons with three high-rated TV movies. It was a Robinson Crusoe story about seven disparate travelers who are marooned on a deserted Pacific Island after their small boat was wrecked in a storm.

The cast: Alan Hale Jr., as Skipper Jonas Grumby; Bob Denver, as his klutzy assistant Gilligan; Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer, as rich snobs Thurston and Lovey Howell; Tina Louise, as bosomy movie star Ginger Grant; Russell Johnson, as egghead science professor Roy Hinkley Jr.; and Dawn Wells, as sweet-natured farm girl Mary Ann Summers.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Dever { Little Buddy Passes On }
From: Wesley S
Date: 06 Sep 05 - 04:33 PM

Excuse me - That's Bob Denver

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Dever { Little Buddy Passes On }
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 06 Sep 05 - 04:34 PM

I'll wager he's glad just to be quit of that stupid hat!

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Dever { Little Buddy Passes On }
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Sep 05 - 04:58 PM

I got a lot of fun out of 'Gilligan's Island'. Not because of the story lines or even the characters but the premise of being stranded.

Below Newport Beach, California, is a copse of trees at the end of a stream leading into the ocean which is whence the illfated boat travelled on that last voyage. Travellers beware! :)

Tom Hanks said of 'Castaway' that at least in his film he/the producers didn't make a bicycle of bamboo to help him get around!

Subject: BS: Obit: Gilligan - Bob Denver
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Sep 05 - 05:27 PM

I was sorry to read this:

by Duane Byrge

Bob Denver, who starred as the loveably nutty castaway Gilligan on the hit TV comedy "Gilligan's Island," has died, his agent confirmed Tuesday. He was 70.

Denver died Friday at Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital in North Carolina of complications from treatment he was receiving for cancer, his agent, Mike Eisenstadt, told the Associated Press. Denver's death was first reported by "Entertainment Tonight."

Denver had also undergone quadruple heart bypass surgery earlier this year.

Denver's wife, Dreama, and his children Patrick, Megan, Emily and Colin were with him when he died.

"Bob is the finest human being I have ever known," Dreama Denver said in a statement released by Eisenstadt. "He was my everything and I will love him forever."

Although it ran for only three seasons, "Gilligan's Island" (1964-67), has thrived in re-runs. Its 98 episodes have attained a cult status as well as won new generations of fans and spawned a reality series.

Denver later reprised his loveably dingy Gilligan character in two animation series, as well as a sci-fi version of the same concept. He even played Gilligan in an episode of "Baywatch." He starred in three made-for-TV movies based on "Gilligan": "Rescue From Gilligan's Island," "The Castaways on Gilligan's Island" and "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island"

One of the great trivia quandaries of sit-com TV was the first name of Gilligan: Willy.

Although he appeared in movies and on stage, Denver's career was based in TV. In the late 1970s, Denver made his most auspicious transition from TV, succeeding Woody Allen as the lead in Allen's "Play It Again Sam" on Broadway.

In April, Denver underwent cancer surgery to remove his voice box, leaving him speechless. At the time, he was also diagnosed with artery blockage and underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery in May.

Denver first became recognizable to TV audiences with his portrayal of the beatnik-type Maynard G. Krebs on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" (1959-63). Maynard was Dobie's goofy friend who was "allergic" to work -- "What me, work?" he would shriek to Dobie's reproving father whenever it was suggested that Maynard do something useful. "The G. stands for Walter," he explained to queries about his middle initial. A loveable, hanger-on, Maynard's idea of a productive day was to "go downtown and watch them tear down the old Endicott Building."

Post "Gilligan's Island," Denver starred in the sitcom "The Good Guys," playing cabdriver Rufus Butterworth. On TV, Denver also starred in "Dusty's Trail" (1973), a "Gilligan"-styled sitcom, and a Saturday morning kids' show, "Far out Space Nuts" (1975).

After "Gilligan's Island," Denver performed in the Phyllis Diller-starring movie comedy "Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady?" (1968) but overall his film performances were scant. e did a turn as a bongo player in "Take Her, She's Mine" (1963). Denver also performed in such film fare as "Who's Minding the Mint?" (1967), "High School, USA" (1983) and "Back to the Beach" (1987)

Denver also participated in two attempted pilot revivals of "Dobie Gillis."

Denver was born Jan. 9, 1935 in New Rochelle, N.Y. He graduated from high school in Brownwood, Texas. While studying pre-law at Loyola University, he became interested in performing and joined up with the troupe, the Del-Ray Players. Prior to landing the role of Maynard, Denver worked as a mailman as well as history and math teacher in Pacific Palisades.

Since the 1980s, Denver had appeared on the lecture circuit, as well as such wide-ranging conventions as boat shows, occurrences that could be thematically tied-in to Gilligan.

Denver was married three times, most recently to Dreama Perry Denver, whom he married in 1976. The couple lived in Princeton, West Virginia where they co-hosted a syndicated radio show, "Weekend with Denver and Denver," wisecracking through selections of rock 'n' roll oldies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Gilligan - Bob Denver
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Sep 05 - 05:36 PM

Aw shit.......oh well.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Gilligan - Bob Denver
From: Kaleea
Date: 06 Sep 05 - 06:58 PM

I was just thinking of him last night! I happened to remember when he used to say, "Wo--rk!!" as the ever loveable beatnik, Maynard G. Krebbs. Alot of folks didn't realize that there was a great deal more to him than the bumbling characters we often saw him play. darn (trying to keep it clean) that old grim reaper.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Denver { Little Buddy Passes On }
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 06 Sep 05 - 10:51 PM

I hope he had a rewarding life after Maynard and Gilligan. Iconic is exactly right. But many icons don't have an easy time of it later.

Ebbie, Newport Beach may have the beginning of the fateful trip, but Hawaii has the end: there's an island off the coast of Oahu called Coconut Island (Moku O Lo'e). It's the site of a University of Hawaii Marine Biology laboratory. Coconut Island is best known, though, as the island that appeared every week in the opening sequence of Gilligan's Island. I was there once, in 2002, when I joined a group of volunteers counting baby hammerheads in Kaneohe Bay for an ongoing research project, so I guess I can say I've been on Gilligan's Island!   

Here is rather offbeat account of the island's history, as well as some of the colorful characters associated with it (not including Bob Denver), by the editor of the Hawaii Pacific University student newspaper.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Denver { Little Buddy Passes On }
From: Janie
Date: 06 Sep 05 - 11:35 PM

Kaleea,
      Maynard G. Krebs comes first to my mind also when I think of Bob Denver. "Dobie Gillis" was one of my favorite TV shows as a little girl. I was 5 or 6 years old when the series first began. My whole family was sad when it ended.
      
    As a nation, we were still naive enough to believe our government was honorable, and that we were the strongest, fairest and kindest nation in the world. It was a time when, at least in my part of rural and small town America, we thought we could trust our leaders. a time when we actually could trust our neighbors and our communities. My son is 2 generations behind me in age--I was 42 when he was born. I had so much more freedom to roam without direct supervision than does he---because it was safe then, and both our parents and we kids learned to trust our neighbors and ourselves. My son has had to learn to be cautious and suspicious in the absence of an already trusted adult. My Dad often stopped and picked up young soldiers hitchhiking to and from home on leave from the Korean War. He often stopped and picked hitchhikers, period! It was largely safe to do so then.
   
    Bob Denver is an icon of that era, which in hindsight at least, appears so much easier. But maybe it only looked that way to a child.

    Rest In Peace.

Janie

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Denver { Little Buddy Passes On }
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 06 Sep 05 - 11:56 PM

As this is a music discussion list, I'll pitch in with a musical ditty
that I more or less remember Maynard singing on Dobie Gillis:

Matilda is my dearest friend.
Happy hours we do spend.
Playing ball?
Not at all!
She's an owl on a perch.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Denver {Little Buddy Passes On} Sep 05
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 07 Sep 05 - 12:02 AM

So in the time it took me to read the other messages & post my own,
this thread got moved from above the line to below it - even though
it now actually contains some lyrics. Will it go back above the line if
someone types in the words to the Gilligan's Island theme song?

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Denver {Little Buddy Passes On} Sep
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 07 Sep 05 - 01:35 AM

No... casue it's an obit thread... and all obit threads are BS!

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Denver {Little Buddy Passes On} Sep
From: JJ
Date: 07 Sep 05 - 07:58 AM

I actually saw Bob Denver on Broadway in PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM. I was somewhat surprised to see that in the Woody Allen role, he was just as funny and appealing as ever.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Denver {Little Buddy Passes On} Sep 05
From: John Hardly
Date: 08 Sep 05 - 06:06 AM

One had to verify -- Bob Denver has been dead more times than Bob Hope. I think the first time I heard that Bob Denver had died was back in the early eighties.

Overheard:

"Hmmm. That's too bad. I wonder if they'll bury him in that cap?"

"Naw, that cap's way too small. I imagine they'll have to use a coffin."