The Herbie franchise is a series of films that center around Herbie, a sentient anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of his own. 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.
Based on a story titled "Car, Boy, Girl", the first film proved to be a critical and financial success, leading to fire more movies (including a television movie) and a short-lived five episode television series.
Background[]
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.
Film series[]
The Love Bug (1968)[]
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.
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.
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.
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 peruse the youngster in an attempt to retrieve the location of a source of ancient Inca gold.
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. Released as a made-for-television movie, as a part of The Magical World of Walt Disney, this instalment was marketed as a remake. Events of the film reveal it is a sequel to the previous films.
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.
Television[]
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. The series was released as a mid-season replacement to a cancelled show. 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.
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.
Trivia[]
- The Love Bug was the final live-action film produced under the supervision of Walt Disney prior to his death.
- In the 1970s, there was a German film series that started a anthropomorphic Volkswagen Beetle called Superbug. Each film followed the adventures of a sentient Beetle and his driver companion. The films, and its protagonist, was essentially similar to Herbie which also concerned the exploits of a seemingly intelligent car, but unlike Herbie which uses magic to show off anthropomorphism, the Superbug instead uses modern technology to display signs of sentience.
- It was reported in 2017 that a new Herbie series was in development at Disney XD. The plot revolved around a child named Lili or Landon Reed, "part scientist, part entrepreneur, part daredevil" who realizes, "when his/her parents go missing, that they've secretly been working on a government project: a talking car named Herbie. He is the key to helping the kid reunite with his or her parents, but a gang of criminals also wants to get its paws on the state-of-the-art vehicle." The concept of this planned series was later developed into Fast Layne.
