Herbie
Encyclopedia
Herbie is an anthropomorphic
Volkswagen Beetle
, a character that is featured in several Disney
motion pictures starting with the 1968 feature film The Love Bug
. He has a mind of his own and is capable of driving himself, and is a serious contender in auto racing
competitions. Throughout most of the franchise, Herbie is distinguished by red, white and blue racing stripe
s from front to back bumper, a racing-style number "53" on the front trunk lid, doors, and engine lid, and a yellow-on-black '63 California
license plate that says, "OFP 857". One exception to this is his introduction in The Love Bug, where he initially appears as a nondescript white vehicle with a gray colored fabric sunroof (a.k.a. "ragtop"), the style of sunroof offered on VW Beetles made through 1963.
. Before being passed to down-on-his-luck race car driver Jim Douglas (Dean Jones
), Herbie was bought from Peter Thorndyke's showroom by San Francisco socialite Mrs. Van Luit for her upstairs maid. However, Herbie was returned shortly after due to "difficulties". Douglas has an earnest appreciation for what he deems "a decent piece of machinery" and eventually purchases the unassuming "little car." Tennessee, Jim's mechanic friend, names the car "Herbie" after his uncle Herb.
In Herbie Rides Again
, after several successful races with Herbie, Douglas decides to enter foreign racing circuits, while his mechanic friend Tennessee is residing in Tibet
to help his ailing guru
. Before Tennessee departs, he leaves Herbie in the care of his great aunt, the widowed Mrs. Steinmetz (Helen Hayes
).
By Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
, Douglas enters Herbie in the Trans-France Race
, stretching from Paris
to Monte Carlo
. This time around, Douglas recruits mechanic friend Wheeley Applegate (Don Knotts
) to assist, particularly when lovesick Herbie falls "hood over wheels" in love with a Lancia Scorpion named Giselle. Unfortunately, Giselle is driven by an attractive, yet competitive, female driver, Diane Darcy (Julie Sommars
). Herbie also finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time when the stolen Etoile de Joie diamond is stashed in his gas tank.
In Herbie Goes Bananas
, Douglas has decided to retire from racing after the Monte Carlo race and pass Herbie onto his nephew, Pete Stancheck (Stephen W. Burns
). Stancheck has plans to enter Herbie in the Brazil Grand Primeo, based in Mexico
. In the interim, Herbie befriends an orphan named Paco, and together, wreak havoc onboard cruise ship the Sun Princess, resulting in overzealous ship Captain Blythe (Harvey Korman
) to force Herbie to "walk the plank." Herbie is dropped into the sea, becomes a rustbucket as a result of immersion in the salt water, and is eventually rescued by Paco and disguised as a taxi. The two stop a gang of con artists from stealing ancient Inca gold. Paco gives Herbie the nickname "Ocho", the Spanish
word for the number 8 (purportedly because the digits 5 and 3 in Herbie's racing number, 53, were added together [5+3=8]. It also rhymes with "Vocho", the Beetle's name in Mexico). At the end of the film Paco says, "Five and three are eight, anyone knows that."
After the Mexico debacle, Douglas takes Herbie back and opens a driving school in Herbie the Matchmaker
.
Hank Cooper (Bruce Campbell
) becomes the owner of Herbie in the 1997 made-for-television movie The Love Bug
, named after the original movie. The movie reveals Herbie's true origins as it attempts to explain how Herbie's automaker actually designed him to be a "living machine." Herbie's maker is forced to build an "Evil Herbie" that is responsible for killing Herbie at one point in the film. Cooper, in respect for his beloved vehicle, buries Herbie, but the return of Jim Douglas sets Cooper on the path to rebuild the fallen Love Bug and sets him to race his evil doppelganger. At the end of the movie, the Evil Herbie uses a laser to cut Herbie in two, but much like his trick in the first film, Herbie splits and races to a successful finish.
Herbie is then passed down from owner to owner until he is bought by Maggie Peyton in Herbie: Fully Loaded
. Maggie takes Herbie to places he has never been before: such as a demolition derby
and NASCAR
racing. Also, Herbie falls in love again, this time with a female Volkswagen New Beetle
.
, was aired in 1982. Five episodes were made:
, the original racing stripes differ from those in later movies; the stripes do not cover the valances or louvers of the car and the blue is a lighter shade. Also, Herbie features color-keyed running boards, while in later films the running boards are standard black.
During the film, depending on the scene, the wheels change from standard VW wheels (although fitted with plain hubcaps with no VW logo) to specially widened wheels on the racing Herbies. During one scene (when Tennessee is hanging out of the window), the "53" logo (a.k.a. "gumball") on the passenger-side door is missing. The door is also cut along the lower edge at an angle to enable the car to tilt over to the right on two wheels.
One of the modified racing Herbies featured a Porsche 356
engine, brakes and KONI shock absorbers. All Herbies in The Love Bug had the VW badges removed from the hood and featured plain non-VW hubcaps. The hood-mounted VW logo was replaced with a plain disc of the same diameter, colored to match the body. All VWs logos were removed to avoid any trademark conflicts.
, Herbie features revised racing stripes, with the original blue switched to a dark navy. In addition, the stripes were applied over the valances and louvers, and would remain so until 1982's television series Herbie the Matchmaker. Herbie also received a hood-mounted spotlight, and his running boards were now the more conventional black.
Additionally, Herbie was running on standard wheels yet again. Volkswagen also promoted the film by having a Type 1 Beetle, complete with Herbie livery, in every showroom. There are various model errors in this film, such as the later "big window" (post-1964) Beetles being used. Also of note is the "cut-n-shut" engine cover after the warehouse break-in. The Beetle used was a late model, having a more bulbous flat-bottomed lid with an earlier rounded bottom edge welded on.
After the success of The Love Bug, the film was heavily endorsed by Volkswagen, whose sales of the Beetle were seriously lagging. As such, the company insisted that the VW logos appear on Herbie. Both the hub cap VW logo and hood-mounted VW logo were reinstated.
, the car is again fitted with wide racing wheels (Goodyear
GT radials), and also has an external fuel filler cap. Post-1968 Beetles did feature the fuel tank accessible on the right side behind the fender: the silver cap itself, however, was fake and added for the film's storyline. With the addition of the fuel filler, the antenna is now a retractable unit fitted on the front cowling, near the windshield wipers. Herbie still sports a hood-mounted spotlight, but this time it features a black "Carello" cover. Throughout this film, Herbie has a later asymmetrical-shaped door mirror. There were a total of nine VW's used in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. Many of these cars were recycled for use in Herbie Goes Bananas.
, the hood-mounted light and silver gas cap was removed. He still had his gray bucket seats, the Goodyear GT Radial tires and rims, and Herbie's sunroof was the original light gray rather than the dark gray from Monte Carlo. The rust seen on the car in this film is painted on. The car that "walks the plank" in the movie was never recovered from the sea. It was tossed overboard from the SS Cozumel ferry
ship (not The Sun Princess cruise ship). The car is somewhere between La Paz
and Baja California
.
Herbie Goes Bananas also featured the same later model door mirror as Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo. Herbie set a Guinness World Record
as the first car to go through the Panama Canal
during filming in 1979. Herbie's name is only mentioned once in the film by the garage owner.
One of the actual film cars used with its flip wheel chassis in the bullfighting scenes now resides in Sydney, Australia. Another one is displayed in the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum
.
It is important to remember that Volkswagen ceased the sale of Beetles in the USA one year before the film's release, making the acquisition of available Beetles more challenging.
film, The Love Bug
, there was some significant changes. The graphics used were copied from the 1974 Volkswagen of America decal kit, and the position on the front hood
53 is higher up. The racing stripes are different sizes, and the shade of blue reverts to the lighter version used in the original 1968 movie. The sunroof
is a solid white (vs. gray) and is missing the racing stripes. Herbie's wheels are standard Beetle wheels, instead of the wider racing tires used in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
and Herbie Goes Bananas
.
, Herbie went through several "costume changes" throughout the movie, changing his style dramatically from scene to scene.
More than 30 different Herbies were used during the shooting of this film. One is on display at the Volo Auto Museum
, and another one used during the NASCAR racing segment of the film is on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum.
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
, a character that is featured in several Disney
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
motion pictures starting with the 1968 feature film The Love Bug
The Love Bug
The Love Bug is the first in a series of comedy films made by Walt Disney Productions that starred an anthropomorphic pearl-white, fabric-sunroofed 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie...
. He has a mind of his own and is capable of driving himself, and is a serious contender in auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
competitions. Throughout most of the franchise, Herbie is distinguished by red, white and blue racing stripe
Racing stripe
The original racing stripes were stripes applied to the Cunningham team of racing cars to identify them in the field during races. Another purpose is to make it easier for a driver to align a spun out car with the circuit.- Cunningham racing stripes :...
s from front to back bumper, a racing-style number "53" on the front trunk lid, doors, and engine lid, and a yellow-on-black '63 California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
license plate that says, "OFP 857". One exception to this is his introduction in The Love Bug, where he initially appears as a nondescript white vehicle with a gray colored fabric sunroof (a.k.a. "ragtop"), the style of sunroof offered on VW Beetles made through 1963.
Story of Herbie
Herbie's origins are firmly established in The Love BugThe Love Bug
The Love Bug is the first in a series of comedy films made by Walt Disney Productions that starred an anthropomorphic pearl-white, fabric-sunroofed 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie...
. Before being passed to down-on-his-luck race car driver Jim Douglas (Dean Jones
Dean Jones (actor)
Dean Carroll Jones is an American actor. Jones is best known for his light-hearted leading roles in several Walt Disney movies between 1965 and 1977, most notably The Love Bug.-Early years:...
), Herbie was bought from Peter Thorndyke's showroom by San Francisco socialite Mrs. Van Luit for her upstairs maid. However, Herbie was returned shortly after due to "difficulties". Douglas has an earnest appreciation for what he deems "a decent piece of machinery" and eventually purchases the unassuming "little car." Tennessee, Jim's mechanic friend, names the car "Herbie" after his uncle Herb.
In Herbie Rides Again
Herbie Rides Again
Herbie Rides Again is a 1974 comedy film. It is the sequel to The Love Bug, released six years earlier, and the second in a series of movies made by Walt Disney Productions starring an anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie...
, after several successful races with Herbie, Douglas decides to enter foreign racing circuits, while his mechanic friend Tennessee is residing in Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
to help his ailing guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
. Before Tennessee departs, he leaves Herbie in the care of his great aunt, the widowed Mrs. Steinmetz (Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes Brown was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award...
).
By Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo is a 1977 film, the third of a series of films by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie – the white Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own.-Plot:...
, Douglas enters Herbie in the Trans-France Race
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
, stretching from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
. This time around, Douglas recruits mechanic friend Wheeley Applegate (Don Knotts
Don Knotts
Jesse Donald "Don" Knotts was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, a role which earned him five Emmy Awards...
) to assist, particularly when lovesick Herbie falls "hood over wheels" in love with a Lancia Scorpion named Giselle. Unfortunately, Giselle is driven by an attractive, yet competitive, female driver, Diane Darcy (Julie Sommars
Julie Sommars
Julie Sommars is an American actress. She played assistant District Attorney Julie March on the TV series, Matlock from 1987 to 1994...
). Herbie also finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time when the stolen Etoile de Joie diamond is stashed in his gas tank.
In Herbie Goes Bananas
Herbie Goes Bananas
Herbie Goes Bananas is the fourth of a series of films made by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie – the white Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own. The film stars former Mel Brooks collaborators Cloris Leachman and Harvey Korman....
, Douglas has decided to retire from racing after the Monte Carlo race and pass Herbie onto his nephew, Pete Stancheck (Stephen W. Burns
Stephen W. Burns
Stephen W. Burns was an American actor.-Career:Born in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, Burns is best known for playing 'Pete Stancheck' in Herbie Goes Bananas and 'Jack Cleary' in the The Thorn Birds mini-series...
). Stancheck has plans to enter Herbie in the Brazil Grand Primeo, based in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In the interim, Herbie befriends an orphan named Paco, and together, wreak havoc onboard cruise ship the Sun Princess, resulting in overzealous ship Captain Blythe (Harvey Korman
Harvey Korman
Harvey Herschel Korman was an American comedic actor who performed in television and movie productions beginning in 1960...
) to force Herbie to "walk the plank." Herbie is dropped into the sea, becomes a rustbucket as a result of immersion in the salt water, and is eventually rescued by Paco and disguised as a taxi. The two stop a gang of con artists from stealing ancient Inca gold. Paco gives Herbie the nickname "Ocho", the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
word for the number 8 (purportedly because the digits 5 and 3 in Herbie's racing number, 53, were added together [5+3=8]. It also rhymes with "Vocho", the Beetle's name in Mexico). At the end of the film Paco says, "Five and three are eight, anyone knows that."
After the Mexico debacle, Douglas takes Herbie back and opens a driving school in Herbie the Matchmaker
Herbie the Matchmaker
Herbie the Matchmaker, also known as Herbie, The Love Bug, was a short-lived situation comedy that aired on CBS in the spring of 1982. The series was based on Walt Disney Productions' popular Herbie film series, about a Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of its own...
.
Hank Cooper (Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Lorne Campbell is an American film and television actor. As a cult movie actor, Campbell starred as Ashley J. "Ash" Williams in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series of films and he has starred in many low-budget cult films such as Crimewave, Maniac Cop, Bubba Ho-tep, Escape From L.A. and Sundown:...
) becomes the owner of Herbie in the 1997 made-for-television movie The Love Bug
The Love Bug (1997 film)
The Love Bug is made-for-television film starring Bruce Campbell and a sequel to the original The Love Bug film. The sequel included a Dean Jones cameo, tying it to the previous films...
, named after the original movie. The movie reveals Herbie's true origins as it attempts to explain how Herbie's automaker actually designed him to be a "living machine." Herbie's maker is forced to build an "Evil Herbie" that is responsible for killing Herbie at one point in the film. Cooper, in respect for his beloved vehicle, buries Herbie, but the return of Jim Douglas sets Cooper on the path to rebuild the fallen Love Bug and sets him to race his evil doppelganger. At the end of the movie, the Evil Herbie uses a laser to cut Herbie in two, but much like his trick in the first film, Herbie splits and races to a successful finish.
Herbie is then passed down from owner to owner until he is bought by Maggie Peyton in Herbie: Fully Loaded
Herbie: Fully Loaded
Herbie: Fully Loaded is a 2005 American comedy film directed by Angela Robinson and produced by Robert Simonds for Walt Disney Pictures. It stars Lindsay Lohan as the youngest member of an automobile-racing family, Michael Keaton as her father, Matt Dillon as a competing racer, Breckin Meyer as...
. Maggie takes Herbie to places he has never been before: such as a demolition derby
Demolition derby
Demolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
and NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
racing. Also, Herbie falls in love again, this time with a female Volkswagen New Beetle
Volkswagen New Beetle
-Specifications:*Dimension:**Length: **Width: **Height: **Wheelbase: **Curb weight: *Max speed: 177–210 km/h *Acceleration : 6.5-13.2 sec-Body styles:-Engine choices:-Safety:...
.
Films
- The Love BugThe Love BugThe Love Bug is the first in a series of comedy films made by Walt Disney Productions that starred an anthropomorphic pearl-white, fabric-sunroofed 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie...
(1968) — Directed by Robert StevensonRobert Stevenson (director)Robert Stevenson was an English film writer and director. He was educated at Cambridge University where he became the president of both the Liberal Club and the Cambridge Union Society.... - Herbie Rides AgainHerbie Rides AgainHerbie Rides Again is a 1974 comedy film. It is the sequel to The Love Bug, released six years earlier, and the second in a series of movies made by Walt Disney Productions starring an anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie...
(1974) — Directed by Robert StevensonRobert Stevenson (director)Robert Stevenson was an English film writer and director. He was educated at Cambridge University where he became the president of both the Liberal Club and the Cambridge Union Society.... - Herbie Goes to Monte CarloHerbie Goes to Monte CarloHerbie Goes to Monte Carlo is a 1977 film, the third of a series of films by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie – the white Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own.-Plot:...
(1977) — Directed by Vincent McEveetyVincent McEveetyVincent Michael McEveety is an American director and producer.- Career :TelevisionVince McEveety has directed numerous Emmy Award winning television series, including The Untouchables, Gunsmoke, six Star Trek , Magnum, P.I., How the... - Herbie Goes BananasHerbie Goes BananasHerbie Goes Bananas is the fourth of a series of films made by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie – the white Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own. The film stars former Mel Brooks collaborators Cloris Leachman and Harvey Korman....
(1980) — Directed by Vincent McEveetyVincent McEveetyVincent Michael McEveety is an American director and producer.- Career :TelevisionVince McEveety has directed numerous Emmy Award winning television series, including The Untouchables, Gunsmoke, six Star Trek , Magnum, P.I., How the... - The Love BugThe Love Bug (1997 film)The Love Bug is made-for-television film starring Bruce Campbell and a sequel to the original The Love Bug film. The sequel included a Dean Jones cameo, tying it to the previous films...
(1997) made-for-TV movie — Directed by Peyton ReedPeyton ReedPeyton Reed is an American television and film director.Reed was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Reed directed the motion pictures Bring It On, Down with Love, and The Break-Up; all comedy films... - Herbie: Fully LoadedHerbie: Fully LoadedHerbie: Fully Loaded is a 2005 American comedy film directed by Angela Robinson and produced by Robert Simonds for Walt Disney Pictures. It stars Lindsay Lohan as the youngest member of an automobile-racing family, Michael Keaton as her father, Matt Dillon as a competing racer, Breckin Meyer as...
(2005) — Directed by Angela RobinsonAngela RobinsonAngela Robinson is an American film and television director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life:Robinson was born in San Francisco, California and later grew up in Los Angeles. Robinson completed a B.A...
Television series
A television series, Herbie, the Love Bug or Herbie the MatchmakerHerbie the Matchmaker
Herbie the Matchmaker, also known as Herbie, The Love Bug, was a short-lived situation comedy that aired on CBS in the spring of 1982. The series was based on Walt Disney Productions' popular Herbie film series, about a Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of its own...
, was aired in 1982. Five episodes were made:
- "Herbie the Matchmaker" — original air date: 17 March 1982 (also known as "The Love Bug")
- "Herbie to the Rescue" — original air date: 24 March 1982
- "My House Is Your House" — original air date: 31 March 1982
- "Herbie, the Best Man" — original air date: 7 April 1982
- "Calling Doctor Herbie" — original air date: 14 April 1982
- Herbie has also made a brief cameo in two episodes of House of Mouse.
Versions
Herbie's appearance remained consistent throughout the first four film entries as well as the 1982 television series (Herbie the Matchmaker). There were only minor, subtle changes. The 1997 TV movie and Herbie: Fully Loaded featured major overhauls in Herbie's appearance, as there were different production crews working for Disney by this time.The Love Bug (1968)
In the original film The Love BugThe Love Bug
The Love Bug is the first in a series of comedy films made by Walt Disney Productions that starred an anthropomorphic pearl-white, fabric-sunroofed 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie...
, the original racing stripes differ from those in later movies; the stripes do not cover the valances or louvers of the car and the blue is a lighter shade. Also, Herbie features color-keyed running boards, while in later films the running boards are standard black.
During the film, depending on the scene, the wheels change from standard VW wheels (although fitted with plain hubcaps with no VW logo) to specially widened wheels on the racing Herbies. During one scene (when Tennessee is hanging out of the window), the "53" logo (a.k.a. "gumball") on the passenger-side door is missing. The door is also cut along the lower edge at an angle to enable the car to tilt over to the right on two wheels.
One of the modified racing Herbies featured a Porsche 356
Porsche 356
The Porsche 356 was the company's first production automobile. It was a lightweight and nimble handling rear-engine rear-wheel-drive 2 door sports car available in hardtop coupe and open configurations. Design innovations continued during the years of manufacture, contributing to its motorsports...
engine, brakes and KONI shock absorbers. All Herbies in The Love Bug had the VW badges removed from the hood and featured plain non-VW hubcaps. The hood-mounted VW logo was replaced with a plain disc of the same diameter, colored to match the body. All VWs logos were removed to avoid any trademark conflicts.
Herbie Rides Again (1974)
In Herbie Rides AgainHerbie Rides Again
Herbie Rides Again is a 1974 comedy film. It is the sequel to The Love Bug, released six years earlier, and the second in a series of movies made by Walt Disney Productions starring an anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie...
, Herbie features revised racing stripes, with the original blue switched to a dark navy. In addition, the stripes were applied over the valances and louvers, and would remain so until 1982's television series Herbie the Matchmaker. Herbie also received a hood-mounted spotlight, and his running boards were now the more conventional black.
Additionally, Herbie was running on standard wheels yet again. Volkswagen also promoted the film by having a Type 1 Beetle, complete with Herbie livery, in every showroom. There are various model errors in this film, such as the later "big window" (post-1964) Beetles being used. Also of note is the "cut-n-shut" engine cover after the warehouse break-in. The Beetle used was a late model, having a more bulbous flat-bottomed lid with an earlier rounded bottom edge welded on.
After the success of The Love Bug, the film was heavily endorsed by Volkswagen, whose sales of the Beetle were seriously lagging. As such, the company insisted that the VW logos appear on Herbie. Both the hub cap VW logo and hood-mounted VW logo were reinstated.
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977)
In Herbie Goes to Monte CarloHerbie Goes to Monte Carlo
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo is a 1977 film, the third of a series of films by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie – the white Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own.-Plot:...
, the car is again fitted with wide racing wheels (Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
GT radials), and also has an external fuel filler cap. Post-1968 Beetles did feature the fuel tank accessible on the right side behind the fender: the silver cap itself, however, was fake and added for the film's storyline. With the addition of the fuel filler, the antenna is now a retractable unit fitted on the front cowling, near the windshield wipers. Herbie still sports a hood-mounted spotlight, but this time it features a black "Carello" cover. Throughout this film, Herbie has a later asymmetrical-shaped door mirror. There were a total of nine VW's used in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. Many of these cars were recycled for use in Herbie Goes Bananas.
Herbie Goes Bananas (1980)
In Herbie Goes BananasHerbie Goes Bananas
Herbie Goes Bananas is the fourth of a series of films made by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie – the white Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own. The film stars former Mel Brooks collaborators Cloris Leachman and Harvey Korman....
, the hood-mounted light and silver gas cap was removed. He still had his gray bucket seats, the Goodyear GT Radial tires and rims, and Herbie's sunroof was the original light gray rather than the dark gray from Monte Carlo. The rust seen on the car in this film is painted on. The car that "walks the plank" in the movie was never recovered from the sea. It was tossed overboard from the SS Cozumel ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
ship (not The Sun Princess cruise ship). The car is somewhere between La Paz
La Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
.
Herbie Goes Bananas also featured the same later model door mirror as Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo. Herbie set a Guinness World Record
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as the first car to go through the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
during filming in 1979. Herbie's name is only mentioned once in the film by the garage owner.
One of the actual film cars used with its flip wheel chassis in the bullfighting scenes now resides in Sydney, Australia. Another one is displayed in the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum
Cars of the Stars Motor Museum
The Cars of the Stars Motor Museum was in the English town of Keswick, Cumbria, and owned a collection of celebrity television and film vehicles...
.
It is important to remember that Volkswagen ceased the sale of Beetles in the USA one year before the film's release, making the acquisition of available Beetles more challenging.
The Love Bug (1997)
In the made-for-televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
film, The Love Bug
The Love Bug (1997 film)
The Love Bug is made-for-television film starring Bruce Campbell and a sequel to the original The Love Bug film. The sequel included a Dean Jones cameo, tying it to the previous films...
, there was some significant changes. The graphics used were copied from the 1974 Volkswagen of America decal kit, and the position on the front hood
Hood
-Apparel:* Hood , type of head covering** Article of Academic dress** Animal hood, something used in costume play or part of an animal transformation fantasy** Bondage hood, sex toy-Anatomy:* Hood , flap of skin behind the head of a cobra...
53 is higher up. The racing stripes are different sizes, and the shade of blue reverts to the lighter version used in the original 1968 movie. The sunroof
Sunroof
An automotive sunroof is a fixed or operable opening in an automobile roof which allows light and/or fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs may be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and styles...
is a solid white (vs. gray) and is missing the racing stripes. Herbie's wheels are standard Beetle wheels, instead of the wider racing tires used in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo is a 1977 film, the third of a series of films by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie – the white Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own.-Plot:...
and Herbie Goes Bananas
Herbie Goes Bananas
Herbie Goes Bananas is the fourth of a series of films made by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie – the white Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own. The film stars former Mel Brooks collaborators Cloris Leachman and Harvey Korman....
.
Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005)
In Herbie: Fully LoadedHerbie: Fully Loaded
Herbie: Fully Loaded is a 2005 American comedy film directed by Angela Robinson and produced by Robert Simonds for Walt Disney Pictures. It stars Lindsay Lohan as the youngest member of an automobile-racing family, Michael Keaton as her father, Matt Dillon as a competing racer, Breckin Meyer as...
, Herbie went through several "costume changes" throughout the movie, changing his style dramatically from scene to scene.
- Again, the font of the 53 is different, and it is slightly bigger and lower down on the front hoodHood (vehicle)The hood or bonnet is the hinged cover over the engine of motor vehicles that allows access to the engine compartment for maintenance and repair. In British terminology, hood refers to a fabric cover over the passenger compartment of the car...
. The racing stripe is also missing once more from the sunroof. - For the "street racer" look, Herbie has a brighter white paint, a whale-tail rear spoilerSpoiler (automotive)A spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion. Spoilers on the front of a vehicle are often called air dams, because in addition to directing air flow they also reduce the amount of air...
, intake vents ahead of the rear wheels, lowered suspension, wider tires and a windowed rear engine cover through which blue LEDLight-emitting diodeA light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
lighting shows (similar to modded PCPersonal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
cases). - During the demolition derbyDemolition derbyDemolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
, Herbie is stripped down with no interior panels, racing seats or special body parts. The sunroof cover has been removed, although the cutout remains to play important roles during the derby. - For the "NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
" look, Herbie gets a new, more off-white paint job, NASCAR sponsor decals, a different duck-tail rear spoiler, wider NASCAR tires and matching wheel wells.
More than 30 different Herbies were used during the shooting of this film. One is on display at the Volo Auto Museum
Volo Auto Museum
The Volo Auto Museum is an automobile museum in the Chicago suburb of Volo, Illinois, USA. It is part of a larger antique mall. The museum contains an exhibit of collectors' autos from vintage to modern classics, with the main focus being American cars of the 1950-1960 period. Unique to this...
, and another one used during the NASCAR racing segment of the film is on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum.