Dwayne Hickman Dies: ‘The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis’ Star Was 87
deadline.comDwayne Hickman, whose turn as eternal romantic Dobie Gillis made him a teen idol in the 1960s, has died this morning at age 87 in his Los Angeles home of complications from Parkinson’s Disease.An actor, producer, director and artist, Hickman starred in the hit TV series The Bob Cummings Show and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.
He died on the birthday of his dearest friend and former “Dobie …” cast member Bob Denver, whom he again costarred opposite in the CBS, movie of the week, Surviving Gilligan’s Island, playing a CBS network executive.Born Dwayne Bernard Hickman on May 18, 1934 in Los Angeles, Hickma’s earliest screen appearances included began at age six, making his film debut, as an extra in The Grapes of Wrath.As a teen he starred in his first television series opposite Bob Cummings, where he honed his comedic skills under the watchful eyes of comedy greats George Burns and Jack Benny.
Five years later, he would land the starring role in his own series, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” During the years following Dobie Gillis, Hickman attended Loyola University, where he earned a B.S.
in Economics, resuming his film career in several teen movies for A.I.P. which have become cult classics, including How to Stuff a Wild Bikini with Annette Funicello, and Ski Party with Frankie Avalon.He also starred in the Academy Award-winning comedy western classic Cat Ballou with Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin.
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