John Dossett's Herbie

[esparza 333]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 11:26am

How was his performance in general and also in comparison to Boyd's?

Updated On: 7/19/08 at 11:26 AM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 11:30am

He was a snooze-fest. Really, you barely noticed he was ontstage. Gaines is far superior, as was Hadary.

[esparza 333]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 12:01pm

Boyd Gaines really nailed it seems.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 3:21pm

Having seen both, I can say both were very different and Boyd was far superior.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 3:23pm

He was fine. Good chemistry with Peters.

My Herbie will always be Jack Klugman...

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 3:43pm

Having seen both, Boyd Gaine's was better - not to say that John Dossett's wasn't good too.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 7:43pm

John 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.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 9:10pm

He was enjoyable. I thought he was a good match for Peter's Rose.

[sanda]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:10pm

He was fantastic, much better than Boyd Gains. A solid match of Peters.

[kissmeimirish]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:14pm

He knew the lines and the blocking. That's about it.

[Ad Lick It]

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.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/20/08 at 11:17am

How 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.

[Brick]

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.

[Gypsy9]

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.