Bob Denver facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Denver
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Denver on the set of Gilligan's Island
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| Born | January 9, 1935 New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
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| Died | September 2, 2005 (aged 70) |
| Alma mater | Loyola University (Loyola Marymount University) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1959–2001 |
| Known for | Gilligan's Island The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Rescue from Gilligan's Island The Castaways on Gilligan's Island The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island |
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| Children | 4 |
Robert Osbourne Denver (born January 9, 1935 – died September 2, 2005) was a funny American actor. He was best known for playing Gilligan in the TV show Gilligan's Island from 1964 to 1967. He also played Maynard G. Krebs, a cool beatnik character, in the series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis from 1959 to 1963.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bob Denver was born in New Rochelle, New York, on January 9, 1935. He grew up in Brownwood, Texas. He finished high school in Long Beach, California, in 1953.
He later went to Loyola University in Los Angeles. There, he studied political science. He also acted in plays at college. He met Dwayne Hickman there, who later starred with him in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. After college, Bob taught physical education, math, and history at a Catholic school in California.
Acting Career Highlights
Most of Bob Denver's acting was on television. He also appeared in movies and on Broadway. People mostly remember him as Gilligan from the 1960s TV show. He played Gilligan in several movies and other TV shows. He also voiced Gilligan in animated cartoons.
Starting in Television
Bob Denver first appeared on TV in 1957 in a show called The Silent Service. In 1958, while still teaching, he got to try out for a role in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. He got the part and left teaching to become a regular actor on the show.
From 1959 to 1963, he played Maynard G. Krebs. Maynard was the teenage beatnik best friend of Dobie Gillis. Bob Denver later played Maynard again in TV movies like Whatever Happened to Dobie Gillis? (1977) and Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis (1988).
In 1963, Bob Denver took on a serious role in an episode of Dr. Kildare. He played a doctor in that show. Before Gilligan's Island started, he also appeared in The Farmer's Daughter and The Andy Griffith Show. These appearances helped more people recognize him.
Life on Gilligan's Island
After Dobie Gillis ended, Bob Denver got the main role in Gilligan's Island. This comedy show ran for three seasons, from 1964 to 1967, on CBS. His role as the kind but clumsy first mate on a deserted island became his most famous part.
Bob Denver was known for being very supportive of his co-stars. He made sure that Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells were included in the show's opening credits. He also insisted that Dawn Wells get as much attention as Tina Louise from the show's publicity.
Years after the show ended, Bob Denver played Gilligan again in TV reunion movies. These included Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978), The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979), and The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981). He also voiced Gilligan in the cartoon series The New Adventures of Gilligan and Gilligan's Planet. He made many guest appearances as Gilligan in other shows like ALF and Baywatch.
Other TV Shows and Movies
After Gilligan's Island, Bob Denver starred in other TV comedies. These included The Good Guys (1968–1970) and Dusty's Trail (1973-1974). Dusty's Trail was similar to Gilligan's Island, but it was about a lost wagon train. He also starred in the children's show Far Out Space Nuts (1975).
Bob Denver also made guest appearances on shows like Love, American Style, The Love Boat, and Fantasy Island. In 1983, he was in a TV pilot called The Invisible Woman. He played a funny scientist in that show.
Bob Denver's first movie role was in A Private's Affair (1959). He also had a small part in the Jimmy Stewart film Take Her, She's Mine (1963). He appeared in the beach movie For Those Who Think Young (1964) with Tina Louise. Other movies he was in include Who's Minding the Mint? (1967) and Back to the Beach (1987).
Work on Stage
In 1970, Bob Denver took over a role in a Broadway play called Play It Again, Sam. Critics praised his performance, saying he brought a special charm to the role.
Personal Life and Later Years
Bob Denver was married four times. His wives were Maggie Ryan, Jean Webber, Carole Abrahams, and Dreama Perry. He had four children: two sons, Patrick and Colin, and two daughters, Megan and Emily.
Later in his life, Bob Denver moved back to Princeton, West Virginia. He became a radio personality there. He and his wife Dreama ran a small radio station that played "oldies" music. He also made public appearances, often dressed as Gilligan. In 1992, he played Gilligan at a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in West Virginia.
Bob Denver passed away on September 2, 2005, at the age of 70. He had been treated for cancer and had heart surgery earlier that year. He died from complications, including pneumonia, after throat cancer surgery.
Images for kids
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Bob Denver on the set of Gilligan's Island
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Bob Denver in 1977
See also
In Spanish: Bob Denver para niños
