John Dossett's Herbie
John Dossett's Herbie#1
Posted: 7/19/08 at 11:26am

How was his performance in general and also in comparison to Boyd's?
re: John Dossett's Herbie#2
Posted: 7/19/08 at 11:30amHe was a snooze-fest. Really, you barely noticed he was ontstage. Gaines is far superior, as was Hadary.
re: John Dossett's Herbie#2
Posted: 7/19/08 at 12:01pmBoyd Gaines really nailed it seems.
re: John Dossett's Herbie#3
Posted: 7/19/08 at 3:21pmHaving seen both, I can say both were very different and Boyd was far superior.
re: John Dossett's Herbie#4
Posted: 7/19/08 at 3:23pm
He was fine. Good chemistry with Peters.
My Herbie will always be Jack Klugman...
re: John Dossett's Herbie#5
Posted: 7/19/08 at 3:43pmHaving seen both, Boyd Gaine's was better - not to say that John Dossett's wasn't good too.
re: John Dossett's Herbie#6
Posted: 7/19/08 at 7:43pmJohn improved a lot throughout the run. The first time I saw him (May '03), he was bland. The second time (August '03), he was better. The third time (October '03), he was great.
re: John Dossett's Herbie#7
Posted: 7/19/08 at 9:10pmHe was enjoyable. I thought he was a good match for Peter's Rose.
re: John Dossett's Herbie#8
Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:10pmHe was fantastic, much better than Boyd Gains. A solid match of Peters.
re: John Dossett's Herbie#9
Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:14pmHe knew the lines and the blocking. That's about it.
re: John Dossett's Herbie#10
Posted: 7/20/08 at 11:02am
I feel like the Herbie' I've seen have gotten chronologically better. I remember liking Peter Riegert (Midler Herbie) better than I had Jonathan Hadary, John Dossett better than Riegert, Jack Willis (Ravnina Herbie) better than Dossett and now Boyd best of all.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
re: John Dossett's Herbie#11
Posted: 7/20/08 at 11:17amHow can anyone judge Dossett's Herbie? The direction was poor, his leading lady was miscast and the entire production was a mess. I just like to believe that that version of GYPSY never existed.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/21/06
re: John Dossett's Herbie#12
Posted: 7/20/08 at 12:04pm
I agree with Dollypop.
Looking back, I remember a capable actor, with a lovely singing voice uncommon to Herbies, and a real sexual chemistry between he and Peters.
But there was no real dramatic tension for him to play off because Peters' Rose wasn't really strong enough to ever suggest she put him through so much - as to give him an ulcer! Nope. No way. So, what was there for him to play?
That said, when I saw Boyd Gaines, I found him a revelation. During his walkout scene in the dressing room, I saw him grow two feet.
re: John Dossett's Herbie#13
Posted: 7/20/08 at 12:07pm
I agree with BobbyBubby: Jack Klugman stands out as THE best Herbie, even though he could barely sing. Ethel Merman liked Jack Klugman and their chemistry together was great.
During his audition for GYPSY, Klugman was extremely nervous. Merman told him, "You do the acting and I'll do the singing and we'll be just fine." And they were.
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