The Beverly Hillbillies (TV Series) The Gorilla (1966) User Reviews

TRIBUTE TO GEORGE BARROWS.

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 8 January 2023]

The late, great George Barrows, seen here playing Herbie, the gorilla is absolutely outrageous.

10 Stars for one of the best 60s sitcom episodes ever.

Barrows began his long career in bit parts, but had incredible luck in gorilla suits. He appeared in many classic films, best known for designing the robot-man costume in the cult classic ROBOT MONSTER (1953), which is on display at the Motion Picture Museum in Hollywood.

This episode is INSANE. Jethro wants a gorilla to do chores around the mansion --because Elly's pet monkey is too small? Enter slickster Mr. Drysdale who gets some guy to pretend he's a gorilla (in a suit) and plants him outside the Clampett's home. Enter Herbie! Best scenes (and perhaps the most famous of the entire series) finds Herbie dressed up as a farmer. You have to see this laugh out loud stuff. Not to miss him attempting to steal Miss Jane's car! Granny with a whoopin' stick goes right on after him. Creative writing 101 and then some.

Series writer Buddy Atkinson wrote this gem, and if you watch closely, borrowed some "fantasy" elements from GILLIGANS ISLAND and, even, the ADDAMS FAMILY. Very interesting. The Clampetts, you have to admit, are not your ordinary family.

And I will say again, I think when the series switched to color, the episodes became even more wild to maintain a large audience. They succeeeded.

Dedicated to all us devout fans.

SEASON 5 EPISODE 6 remastered color. 4 dvd box set. Released 2018. Catch the classic family portrait on the cover, a collectors item.

Heribie the Gorilla is the Funniest thing to ever hit TV

[jimguyer · 10/10 · 11 November 2008]

I have never laughed so hard as when I watched this episode and it holds up well to this day. The jokes are great and the episode is chock full of them The Calmpetts want a pet gorilla to help with the chores. Drysadale intervenes and promises to get them one. Realizing that a real gorilla is impractical, he hires Mr. Kelly to dress up as a gorilla, and terrorize them to scare them out of the idea.

The plan is set that Kelly will act fierce, pound his chest, then at a key moment, twist some bend away bars and escape, in order to frighten the Clampetts out of the idea.

It doesn't go quite as planned.

When the "gorilla" beats his chest, they think has heartburn. Granny gives him some soda water to south his stomach. The "wild gorilla" throws it on her. Granny becomes furious. She bends the give-away bars, and charges into the cage, chasing the man in the gorilla suit around the cage spanking him with a big wooden spoon.

Gethro explains that he is herbivore, so they dub their new pet as "Herbie" There is a moment of argument about what to feed Herbie. Gethro picks him a bunch of leaves. Ellie May cooks him a dinner. Granny says "Let's let Herbie decide" When offerers the leaves, the guy in the gorilla suit shakes his head no. Then he is offered a bowl of Ellie's cooking. Herbie takes one look and starts gobbling down leaves as fast as he can.

Herbie is reduced to house chores and dons a frilly maid apron to do the ironing.

Later, he is chopping wood, and Jed asks Gethor, "How you get him to work?" Gethro replies "Oh, that's easy" then hollers over to Herbie "He Herbie, you better hurry up or your going to have to eat Ellie's Possum stew" Then, the camera is filmed in fast motion as Herbie speedily chops wood and fills the bunker.

Eventually, Herbie runs away, and the Clampetts got the the zoo to get their own gorilla. This time it is a REAL gorilla. Gethro & Jed, are all tattered and beaten as they bring the real gorilla downstairs after finally getting some pants on him.

Granny is not impressed. She has taken enough flack from gorillas for one day. She hollers "let him go!!!" then punches him square in the snooze.

The wild gorilla is reeked back for a moment and his eyes roll around. Then, he growls, picks up Granny and throws her through the front door, splintering the wood as she bursts through.

This is funny funny stuff.

Herbie The Gorilla is awesome

[samcracc · 10/10 · 23 August 2007]

I have seen this episode and it was excellent. Herbie the Gorilla is a very nice fella (a man is wearing in this costume to make the Gorilla real like Herbie). This episode happens when they want a gorilla to get from the zoo but it was a man wearing a gorilla. So Milburn Drydsdale told a man to wear a gorilla suit and be in a cage because the Hillbillies want a gorilla. So there it was right to the entrance of the Hillbillie house it was a gorilla in a cage trying to come out. What happens that they named the gorilla Herbie. So then Herbie The Gorilla wears a farmers costume. This episode is excellent you will like this episode and so does the seasons. There are more to be continue and the next episode.