Herbie is a sentient, anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen Beetle, a character that is featured in several Disney motion pictures starting with the 1969 feature film The Love Bug. He has a mind of his own, is capable of racing himself and has been a serious contender in auto racing competitions.
Throughout most of the franchise, Herbie is disgusted by red, white and blue racing stripes that Herbie has, a racing-style number "53" on the front, the sides, and the rear.
Personality
Herbie is cheerful, energetic, has a sense of humor and likes to play practical jokes at people. No one knows exactly how he is alive, but he seems to run his best with the love that people give to him. Because of how he has been capable of honking horns while being so aggressive and competitive, there is apparent communication between him, Giselle who is a 1976 Lancia Scorpion and Honey who is a Volkswagen New Beetle or, at times, other humans and cars with good relationships.
He is, for the most part a good guy, but he won't also show a bad side, (Including Honey and Giselle who made the Love Triangle). Although positive and amazing, he is nevertheless sensitive to the feelings of the humans he drives and will not comply with them if being very kind. He is very soft-spoken to everybody and will make friends with them if being very respectful. Herbie was named by Tennessee's Uncle Herb after being reminded of him. As the nickname implies, he seems to have a knack for matchmaking. Lucien Reyes and Jennifer Ann Carla Perez from the Philippines known as Superman and Angelina Princess Reyes will soon be the current driver-passenger duo to take Herbie anywhere they go.
Behind The Scenes:
Before production of The Love Bug began, Herbie wasn't always going to be a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle to begin with. In order to find the right car to play Herbie, they had a casting of cars parked outside the studio, they had Toyotas, a TVR, a handful of Volvo, an MG, and a pearl white Volkswagen Beetle. At lunch the producers would come outside and watch people's reaction towards the cars. They would see them kick the tires or grab the steering wheel to see how it handle. but when they approached the Volkswagen, they reached out and flipped it off as if it was like a friend. So out of all the other cars, the Volkswagen Beetle was only car chosen to play the role of Herbie.
Herbie's racing number "53" was chosen by producer Bill Walsh, who was a fan of Los Angeles Dodgers baseball player Don Drysdale (Drysdale Jersey team, later retired by the team, was 53).
In these self driving sequences in Herbie Rides Again and Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, a camera disguised as a light was mounted onto Herbie's front hood. It was connected to the TV monitor inside the car, which was used by the stunt driver in the back seat to see where he was driving at.
The sounds that Herbie makes in The Love Bug were originally done by sound effects supervisor, Jimmy MacDonald. He came up with the sounds for Herbie's beeping horn and squirting oil. His 'Long, Crash Type Tire Skid' from The Tortoise and the Hare was also used for Herbie's tire skids when he was drifting.
Production/Aftermath
- A total of 26 VW Beetles were used during Herbie Goes Bananas, by the reason of the quantity of stunts and tricks.
- The only Herbie used in the 1997 TV remake and the NASCAR Herbie from Herbie: Fully Loaded are currently preserved and seen in person at the Peterson Automotive Museum where it will soon be undergoing great missions as if being piloted by both Lucien and Jennifer AKA Superman and Angelina, and under their controls.
- The Volkswagen Beetle 53 Edition pays homage to Herbie as if going by the name of 'Herbie Neo' who is the modern version of Herbie.
Movies:
The Love Bug (1969)
Television:
House of Mouse
Herbie only appeared in some of the episodes found in some TV shows.
Herbie also had his own television series in 1982 entitled Herbie the Matchmaker (aka Herbie the Love Bug), however, it was cancelled after five episodes.
Herbie also appears in the 1997 remake (The Love Bug 1997)
Herbie appears in the 2005 TV commercial to advertise Disneyland's 50th Anniversary, where he was driven by Mickey Mouse and Goofy, so they can join the other Disney characters to celebrate this marvelous event.
Herbie Also Appears In American Dad, In "Stan Smith as Keanu Reeves as Stanny Utah in Point Breakers", Herbie rescues Stan from a jellyfish, wolves and poachers, although Stan questions why he felt the need to kill the poachers. Herbie's response of his horn gets Stan to admit that everyone has to come to their own moral conclusions as he sends him back to his race.
Video Games:
Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005 videogame)
Herbie Rescue Rally (2007 videogame)