Bob Denver
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bob Denver | |
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| Born | Robert Osbourne Denver January 9, 1935 New Rochelle, New York, USA |
| Died | September 2, 2005 (aged 70) Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
| Spouse(s) | Maggie Ryan (1960-1966) 2 children Jean Webber (1967-1970) Carole Abrahams (1972-?) 1 child Dreama Perry (1979-2005) 1 child |
Robert Osbourne "Bob" Denver (January 9, 1935 – September 2, 2005) was an American comedic actor best known for his role as Gilligan on the television series Gilligan's Island. Prior to Gilligan's Island, he took on the role of Maynard G. Krebs, a beatnik on the 1959-1963 TV series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. This character had a strong resemblance to the character of Gilligan he would later play.
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[edit] Early life and television career
Denver was born in New Rochelle, New York, and reared in Brownwood in central Texas. He graduated from Loyola University (predecessor to today's Loyola Marymount University) in Los Angeles, California. He first found work as a mailman. He would later coach physical education and teach mathematics at Corpus Christi School, a Roman Catholic elementary school in Pacific Palisades.
He costarred with Dwayne Hickman on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis in 1959. Denver played the role of Maynard G. Krebs, while Hickman played Dobie Gillis. Hickman was also a Loyola graduate. Also in the series was Steven Franken, who played the dilettante playboy Chatsworth Osborne, Jr.
Credited as "Robert Denver," he landed a small role in the 1963 Jimmy Stewart film, Take Her, She's Mine, playing a beatnik poet working at a coffee shop named "The Sleeping Pill." Denver appeared in the 1964 beach movie For Those Who Think Young with Tina Louise prior to the development of Gilligan's Island.
Though remembered primarily as a comic actor, Denver appeared in one dramatic role on television, as a physician (Dr. Paul Garrett) in one episode of Dr. Kildare. Telecast on October 10, 1963, the episode, "If You Can't Handle the Truth" also featured Barbara Eden and Ken Berry.
When Dobie Gillis ended in 1963, Denver landed the role of Gilligan on Gilligan's Island.
[edit] Later career
After the conclusion of Gilligan's Island, he performed in other shows such as The Good Guys (1968–1970), Love American Style and Dusty's Trail (1973) (a facsimile of Gilligan's Island, with the basis of a lost wagon train). He also starred in a children's program, Far Out Space Nuts (1975), which was essentially Gilligan in space. Although appreciated by Bob Denver fans, none of these shows matched the wider audience success of his earlier roles.
In 1998, Denver was arrested for having a parcel of marijuana delivered to his home. He originally said that the parcel had come from Dawn Wells (who had played "Mary Ann" on Gilligan's Island) but later refused to name her in court, and testified that "some crazy fan must have sent it". The police reportedly found more of the drug and related paraphernalia in Denver's home. He pleaded no contest and received six months probation.[1]
Later on in his life, Denver returned to his adopted home of Princeton, West Virginia. He became an FM radio personality. Along with his wife Dreama, they ran a small "oldies format" station, WGAG-LP. He also earned a small income making public appearances, often costumed as Gilligan.
In May 2005, Denver underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery, and was subsequently diagnosed with throat cancer. He died September 2, from pneumonia and squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx[2] at Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the age of 70, surrounded by his family — his last wife (of 28 years), the former Dreama Peery; and his children from 3 of his 4 different marriages; Patrick, Megan, Emily, and Colin.
[edit] References
- ^ Gilligan's Dreams Dana Stevens at slate.msn.com, September 6, 2005
- ^ North Carolina Death Certificate (September 7, 2005) via Find A Grave.
[edit] External links
- Bob Denver at the Internet Movie Database
- Bob Denver at the Internet Broadway Database
- Bob Denver at TV.com
- Gilligan's Minnow no longer lost
- Bob Denver's Gilligan Fan club
- Find-A-Grave profile for Bob Denver
- Bob Denver Halloween Pumpkin Carving
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| Persondata | |
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| NAME | Denver, Bob |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Denver, Robert Osbourne |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 9, 1935 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | New Rochelle, New York, USA |
| DATE OF DEATH | 2005-9-2 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
