Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
What better way to follow up a book by the guy who played Dobie Gillis than with one written by the guy who played Maynard G. Krebs?
Unlike Dwayne Hickman’s Forever Dobie, Bob Denver’s Gilligan, Maynard & Me is less a life story and more a reflection on his career in television. Bob recalls his time working on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and Gilligan’s Island, including funny stories about shooting the episodes and the many practical jokes that went on behind the scenes. Bob’s upbeat, friendly nature really comes through in his writing. He has nothing but nice things about just about everyone he met, with the one exception being Tina Louise. He really didn’t seem to care for Tina Louse.
The most surprising thing about the book is how much Bob seemed to be involved in developing his characters and the two shows for which he’s famous. He says he had free rein to create the character of Maynard because no one else involved with Dobie knew what a beatnik was. He was also heavily involved in the making of Gilligan’s Island along with creator Sherwood Schwartz. Far from just the star of the show, Bob had input on casting, wardrobe, and special effects, and he did many of his own stunts.
In addition to discussing his career, Bob lists his favorite episodes of both Dobie and Gilligan. These sections are fun walks down memory lane with a few comments from him about what he liked best about each episode. He also lists all of his co-stars and talks about how much he liked them (except, of course, Tina Louise).
Bob comes off as a sweet, loveable guy who never had a harsh word to say about anyone (even his comments about Tina Louise were tame and tactful), much like Maynard and Gilligan. In his brief, 183-page book, he expresses strong respect and affection for his fellow actors, members of the crew, writers, directors, producers, and everyone else. My Grandmom D’Amico would’ve called him “such a love.” He makes you wanna smile and give him a hug.
If you were a fan of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and/or Gilligan’s Island, or you just want to read something that makes you happy, you’ll love this fun, light-hearted read. Buy it on Amazon!