Obituaries

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Early TV-era star Dwayne Hickman:

Dwayne Bernard Hickman[1] (May 18, 1934 – January 9, 2022) was an American actor and television executive, producer and director, who worked as an executive at CBS and has also briefly recorded as a vocalist. Hickman portrayed Chuck MacDonald, Bob Collins' girl-crazy teenaged nephew, in the 1950s The Bob Cummings Show and the title character in the 1960s sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. He was the younger brother of actor Darryl Hickman, with whom he has appeared on screen. In retirement, he devoted his time to painting.[2]

Hickman's first screen appearances were as an extra in The Grapes of Wrath (1939) and Men of Boys Town (1941), in which his brother Darryl was featured. Other early screen appearances were in the 1942 Our Gang comedy Melodies Old and New, Captain Eddie (1945), The Hoodlum Saint (1946), and Faithful in My Fashion (1946).

In 1946, Hickman played young Chase in the movie The Secret Heart which starred Claudette Colbert, Walter Pidgeon, Lionel Barrymore, and June Allyson.

Hickman played different small roles in some of Columbia Pictures' eight-film "Rusty" series, about a boy and his valiant German Shepherd: The Return of Rusty (1946), For the Love of Rusty (1947), The Son of Rusty (1947), My Dog Rusty (1948), Rusty Leads the Way (1948), Rusty's Birthday (1949), and Rusty Saves a Life (1949).[7][8] Heaven Only Knows (1947), in which he appeared, starred Bob Cummings, who would play a major role in Hickman's career. Hickman also appeared in Her Husband's Affairs (1948), The Boy with Green Hair (1948), The Sun Comes Up (1949), Mighty Joe Young (1949), and The Happy Years (1950), which starred Darryl. As a teen, Dwayne and Darryl guest-starred in a 1950 episode of The Lone Ranger titled "Two Gold Lockets."[9]

Hickman focused on his studies for a few more years, then returned to acting with appearances in Public Defender, The Loretta Young Show, Lux Video Theatre, and Waterfront. In 1955, Dwayne appeared in another Lone Ranger episode, titled "Sunstroke Mesa".

The Bob Cummings Show

Hickman gained wide notice as Chuck on The Bob Cummings Show from 1955 to 1959. At the time, he was studying at Loyola. Hickman was one of the early stars to have a breakout character in the series.

Hickman considered Cummings a childhood television hero and has said that Cummings taught him everything he knows about acting. He worked with and was friends with Cummings throughout five seasons.[9]

While still on the Bob Cummings Show, Hickman guest-starred on other shows, such as The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and Men of Annapolis (alongside his brother). He also had a sizable film role in Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys! (1958).

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

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Hickman with co-stars [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Denver]Bob Denver and Danielle De Metz in a 1960 publicity shot for Dobie Gillis

In 1958, Hickman was cast as the lead of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, which aired from 1959 to 1963. At the show's debut, the Dobie character was a teenager in high school, and Hickman was then 25 years old.

He played Dobie for four years (with fellow former Loyola student Bob Denver as his sidekick Maynard G. Krebs).
During the series' run, Hickman did the voice for Aladdin in 1001 Arabian Nights (1959). On June 23, 1960, Hickman appeared on The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.