Herbie (franchise)

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Herbie
Herbie - collection boxset artwork.jpg
Official home video release, boxset collection artwork. The design is based on Herbie: Fully Loaded
Created by Bill Walsh
Don DaGradi
Original work The Love Bug (1968)
Owner The Walt Disney Company
Years1968–2005
Based on"Car, Boy, Girl" by Gordon Buford

The Herbie franchise consists of American sports adventure comedy theatrical feature films, one television film, a television series, and other multimedia releases. [1] The overall story centers around the titular Herbie, a sentient anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of his own and capable of driving himself. The vehicle is oftentimes a legitimate contender, though the underdog contestant in competitive races, but to a greater degree assists his human owners in bettering their lives.

Contents

The first film, notable for being the final live-action film produced under the supervision by Walt Disney prior to his death, was released in 1969. Based on a story titled "Car, Boy, Girl", the feature proved to be a critical and financial success for Walt Disney Productions. Upon its release, the movie was the second-highest-grossing film for the company, second only to Mary Poppins (1964). Its performance placed it fourth highest on box office returns, and spawned a franchise. [2] [3] Each of the subsequent releases were successes in their own right, but none received as much universal praise as the original.

The second film was met with generally positive reception from critics. [4] [5] [6] The third film was met with mixed reception, [7] while the fourth film was poorly received and is often classified as the weakest Herbie film. [8] [9] The television series was panned by critics, resulting in a cancellation following five episodes, with reviews calling it "domesticated", "mild", and "boring". [10] The fifth film was met with negative reviews, citing its inferiority to the original.[ citation needed ] The sixth film was met with mixed reception, and garnered the highest box-office returns out of all of the installments. Though the film was criticized for various aspects including the plot, it was seen as a return to form for the franchise. [11] [12]

Origin

In 1961, a short story titled "Car, Boy, Girl" was written by Gordon Buford. In an interview with a United States publication for Volkswagen owners titled Small World Magazine, Buford stated that the idea for his story came from growing up on a Colorado farm, where he witnessed how his parents treated their vehicles with a similar manner as they did their horses. As the story was not published, it is believed that it was presented directly to Walt Disney and had its film rights purchased by Walt Disney Productions shortly thereafter. The Love Bug was the last live-action film produced by Disney before Walt Disney's death. [2]

Films

FilmU.S.
release date
DirectorScreenwriter(s)Story byProducer(s)
The Love Bug December 24, 1968 Robert Stevenson Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi Bill Walsh
Herbie Rides Again June 6, 1974Bill Walsh
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo June 24, 1977 Vincent McEveety Arthur Alsberg & Don Nelson Ron Miller
Herbie Goes Bananas June 25, 1980Don Tait
Disney's The Love Bug November 30, 1997 Peyton Reed Ryan RoweJoan Van Horn and Irwin Marcus
Herbie: Fully Loaded June 22, 2005 Angela Robinson Thomas Lennon & Robert Ben Garant
and Alfred Gough & Miles Millar
Thomas Lennon & Robert Ben Garant
and Mark Perez
Robert Simonds

The Love Bug (1969)

Has-been professional race car driver Jim Douglas and his philosophical mechanic Tennessee Steinmetz find themselves in possession of a white Volkswagen Beetle that seems to have a mind and spirit of its own. Naming the car Herbie, Jim and Tennessee become the talk of the California racing circuit. Sports-car dealer and circuit contestant Peter Thorndyke tries to use his assistant to come between the friends and their car. [13] [14]

Herbie Rides Again (1974)

Alonzo P. Hawk is a mean-spirited property developer who has bought several blocks of land in the downtown district in order to build a gigantic shopping mall. There is one problem however; an elderly widow named Mrs. Steinmetz who won't sell the one remaining lot that Hawk needs to proceed with his scheme. So he resorts to all manner of chicanery, legal or otherwise, to get it. After they discover Alonzo's plans, it's up to Herbie to save the day and save Mrs. Steinmetz's home. [15]

Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977)

Jim Douglas, reunited with Herbie, finds himself once again hitting the roads in a race car event. This time, Jim and Herbie, along with goofy mechanic Wheely Applegate compete in a French competition. Also involved in the automotive adventure are Quincey and Max, a pair of jewel thieves, and Diane Darcy, the beautiful woman who drives Giselle, a sporty female car and Herbie's love interest. [16]

Herbie Goes Bananas (1980)

Jim's nephew, Pete and his friend D.J., board a cruise ship called the Sun Princess to Panama to enter Herbie in the Brazil Grand Primero. Unknown to them, a young pickpocket named Paco has stowed away in Herbie's trunk, as a trio of gold counterfeiters pursue the youngster in an attempt to retrieve the location of a source of ancient Inca gold. [17]

Disney's The Love Bug (1997)

Herbie, the inimitable VW Beetle is destined for the scrap heap, until down-on-his-luck mechanic Hank Cooper takes him over and gives him a new lease of life, much to the fury of his previous owner, who builds a menacing, evil, black Beetle to challenge Herbie and Hank to a one-on-one race. [18]

Released as a made-for-television movie, as a part of The Magical World of Walt Disney , this installment was marketed as a remake. Events of the film reveal it is in fact a sequel to the previous films. [19]

Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005)

Maggie Peyton wants to become a NASCAR driver but her overprotective father, Ray Peyton Sr. won't hear of it. A former racer himself, Ray wants Maggie to take a lucrative television sportscasting job and leave the dangers of driving to her crash-prone brother. When Ray Sr. takes Maggie to a junkyard to pick out a car, she has no idea that the little Volkswagen Beetle, named Herbie, she takes home will change her life. [20]

Television

Official promotional poster for the short-lived television series. The All-New Adventures of Herbie the Love Bug - TV series poster.jpg
Official promotional poster for the short-lived television series.

Live action

Herbie, the Love Bug (1982)

A television series based on, and a continuation of, the film series was developed and released from March 17 – April 14, 1982. [21] The series was released as a mid-season replacement to a cancelled show, and was given the 8:00 P.M. time slot. Developed and executive produced by William Robert Yates, the television show was written by Arthur Alsberg, Don Nelson, and Don Tait. The production was produced by Walt Disney Productions, and distributed by Buena Vista Television. The series, which aired on the Columbia Broadcasting System, did not receive a second season. [22]

Episodes
TitleU.S.
airdate
DirectorWritten byProducers
1"Herbie the Matchmaker"March 17, 1982 Charles S. Dubin Arthur Alsberg & Don Nelson William Robert Yates and Kevin Corcoran
2"Herbie to the Rescue"March 24, 1982 Vincent McEveety
3"My House is Your House"March 31, 1982 Bill Bixby Don Tait
4"Herbie, the Best Man"April 7, 1982Vincent McEveetyArthur Alsberg & Don Nelson
5"Calling Dr. Herbie"April 14, 1982Bill Bixby

Jim Douglas, a former racing driver, owns and runs a driving school, along with his sentient VW Beetle, Herbie. Jim stumbles upon an attempted bank robbery, and with Herbie's help rescues a hostage. Later, the driving school is closed down after Herbie interferes with a motor vehicle inspection. Jim begins a relationship with a divorcee named Susan MacLane. Together with her daughter and two sons, Jim and Susan begin to build a family unit, to the disdain and envy of her ex-boyfriend/fiancé Randy.

When the pair become engaged, Randy attempts to sabotage the relationship. Jim's ex-girlfriend shows up to his bachelor party, while Randy kidnaps Herbie and replaces him with a look-alike vehicle. After his plans to ruin the wedding are stopped, with the assistance of Herbie, Jim and Susan are married. Together, they sell her vehicle and purchase a family-sized station wagon. Herbie joyfully gains a larger family, with the new additions of Susan, Julie, Robbie, and Matthew.

  • In 1990, Herbie made an appearance in the second season of the 1980s/90s revival of The Mickey Mouse Club. The character appears briefly in a spoof skit titled, "Herbie the Love Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup". [23]
  • One of the versions of Herbie, that appeared in the Disney Parade, also briefly appears in the comedy skit titled "Clown College". The character is redesigned as a clown car for the routine. [24]

Animation

Main cast and characters

List indicators

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in franchise.

CharacterFilm seriesTelevision series
The Love Bug Herbie
Rides Again
Herbie
Goes to Monte Carlo
Herbie
Goes Bananas
Disney's The Love Bug Herbie:
Fully Loaded
Herbie, the Love Bug
Herbie Appeared
Jim Douglas Dean Jones  Dean Jones Dean Jones Dean Jones
Tennessee Steinmetz Buddy Hackett  
Carole Bennet-Douglas Michele Lee  
Peter Thorndyke David Tomlinson  
Havershaw Joe Flynn  
Mrs. "Grandma" Steinmetz  Helen Hayes  
Willoughby Whitfield  Ken Berry  
Nicole Harris-Whitefield  Stefanie Powers  
Alonzo Hawk  Keenan Wynn  
Wheely Applegate  Don Knotts  
Giselle Appeared Flashback
Diane Darcy  Julie Sommars  
Bruno Von Stickle  Eric Braeden  
Claude Gilbert Mike Kulcsar 
Inspector Bouchet  Jacques Marin  
Detective Fontenoy  Xavier Saint-Macary  
Pete Stancheck  Stephen W. Burns  
Davy "D.J." Johns  Charles Martin Smith  
Paco  Joaquin Garay III  
Melissa Trends  Elyssa Davalos  
Aunt Louise Trends  Cloris Leachman  
Prindle  John Vernon  
Quinn  Alex Rocco  
Shepard  Richard Jaeckel  
Hank Cooper  Bruce Campbell  
Roddy Martel  Kevin J. O'Connor  
Alex Davis  Alexandra Wentworth  
Horace Appeared 
Simon Moore III  John Hannah  
Rupert  Dana Gould  
Dr. Gustav Stumpfel  Harold Gould  
Peter Spears Y
Maggie Peyton  Lindsay Lohan  
Ray Peyton, Sr.  Michael Keaton  
Ray Peyton, Jr.  Breckin Meyer  
Kevin  Justin Long  
Trip Murphy  Matt Dillon  
Crash  Jimmi Simpson  
Susan MacLane-Douglas  Patricia Harty
Julie MacLane  Claudia Wells
Robbie MacLane  Douglas Emerson
Matthew MacLane  Nicky Katt
Bo Phillips  Richard Paul
Randy Bigelow  Larry Linville

Additional crew and production details

FilmCrew/Detail
Composer(s)Cinematographer(s)Editor(s)Production
companies
Distributing
company
Running time
The Love Bug George Bruns Edward Colman Cotton Warburton Walt Disney Productions Buena Vista Distribution 1hr 48mins
Herbie Rides Again Frank Phillips1hr 28mins
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo Frank De Vol 1hr 44mins
Herbie Goes Bananas Gordon D. BrennerLeonard J. South1hr 38mins
Herbie, the Love Bug Frank De Vol & Tom WorrallJack A. Whitman Jr.
& Jack Swain
Gordon Brenner,
Marsh Hendry & Ron Honthaner
Buena Vista Television,
Columbia Broadcasting System
2hrs 40mins
Disney's The Love Bug Shirley Walker Russ AlsobrookChip Masamitsu Walt Disney Television Disney–ABC Domestic Television 1hr 28mins
Herbie: Fully Loaded Mark Mothersbaugh Greg Gardiner Wendy Greene Bricmont Walt Disney Pictures,
Robert Simonds Productions
Buena Vista Pictures 1hr 41mins

Reception

Box office performance

FilmBox office grossBox office rankingRef.
North AmericaOther territoriesWorldwideAdjusted for inflationAll-time
North America
All-time
worldwide
The Love Bug $51,264,000Information unavailable$51,264,000$439,558,563#1,733#2,757 [28] [29] [30]
Herbie Rides Again $38,229,000Information unavailable$38,229,000$243,742,119#2,689#3,778 [31] [32]
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo $29,000,000Information unavailable$29,000,000$148,748,039#2,944#4,092 [33] [34]
Herbie Goes Bananas $18,000,000Information unavailable$18,000,000$68,334,648#4,004#5,426 [35] [36]
Herbie: Fully Loaded $66,023,816$78,123,000$144,146,816$232,074,163#1,263#1,225 [37] [38]
Totals$201,516,816$78,123,000$279,639,816$1,132,457,533

Critical response

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
The Love Bug76% (17 reviews) [39] 48/100 (7 reviews) [40]
Herbie Rides Again80% (5 reviews) [6] 49/100 (5 reviews) [41]
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo60% (10 reviews) [7] 38/100 (4 reviews) [42]
Herbie Goes Bananas40% (5 reviews) [43] 55/100 (4 reviews) [44]
Herbie, the Love Bug— (0 reviews) [45]
Disney's The Love Bug— (2 reviews) [46]
Herbie: Fully Loaded40% (144 reviews) [47] 47/100 (31 reviews) [48]

Audience survey company CinemaScore polled opening weekend audiences for Herbie: Fully Loaded and they gave the film a grade "A" on scale of A to F. [49] The other films in the series were not polled upon their release by CinemaScore.

Notes

    Keenan Wynn appears as the primary antagonist in Herbie Rides Again (1974), named Alonzo P. Hawk. Wynn previously portrayed the same character in The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and Son of Flubber (1963). Hawk is a villainous, dishonest, and scheming businessman character in each respective film. [50]

    FilmU.S.
    release date
    DirectorScreenwriter(s)Story byProducer(s)
    The Absent-Minded Professor March 16, 1961Robert StevensonBill Walsh Walt Disney
    Son of Flubber January 16, 1963Bill Walsh & Don DaGradi

    In other media

    Themepark events and attractions

    Productions

    Marketing

    Herbie appears in Disneyland's 50th Anniversary television commercial, where he is driven by Mickey Mouse and Goofy as they take a roadtrip get to Disneyland. [66]

    Video games

    References

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