The Love Bug (1969) was the first of a series of movies made by Walt Disney Productions that starred a white Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie; a 'bug' with a mind of its own. The movie follows the ventures of Herbie, Herbie's driver - Jim Douglas (Dean Jones) and Jim's love interest - Carole (Michele Lee). It also starred Buddy Hacket as Jim's sidekick mechanic who likes to use car parts to make works of art, and David Lee Tomlinson as Peter Thorndyke, the man who sells Herbie to Jim and later becomes his racing rival. The movie itself inspired a franchise that lasted well into the 90's with at least a film a decade. The movie also helped along the Beetle craze, as people began to identify with the strange, rounded car that just seemed a bit different from most things on the road.
Three theatrical sequels followed: Herbie Rides Again (1974), Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977), and Herbie Goes Bananas (1980). A five-episode TV series ran on CBS in the US in the spring of 1982. In 1997, there was a made-for-television remake of "The Love Bug" which did include Dean Jones, but the lead role went to Bruce Campbell. Also, the movie introduces an evil dark-black Herbie named Horace (who gets destroyed at the end of the film). Another theatrical sequel, Herbie: Fully Loaded, was released on June 22, 2005 by Walt Disney Pictures.
At the Disney All-Stars Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, a whole hotel area is dedicated to Herbie and his first film "The Love Bug."
According to Answers.com, The Love Bug was the highest-grossing film of 1969.
See also
External link
- The Love Bug at IMDb
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