Heading back to more familiar territory, the 1980s, with one from “the vaults” of older caps. Always nice to be reminded what a truly spectacular decade that was. With any luck, the fashion cycle will replay it sooner rather than later. I’m filing this under “television” and not film because it was a TV movie, and that “Furs on Television” category is looking a little anemic. Move over Alfredo, someone Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis.

Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis – The Film

From 1959 to 1963, there was a sitcom called The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. In so far as it wasn’t something I caught very often on the “nostalgia” networks (I was more a Green Acres man, Lisa Douglas FTW), I’m not very familiar with it. In 1988, someone created a reunion movie before it showed up on Nick-At-Night. The film’s plot was lifted from a 1956 tragicomedy by Swiss dramatist Friedrich Dürrenmatt, as the IMDb’s film pundits are literally dying to tell you about. The upshot is an old girlfriend who blows into town to snag Dobie away from his happy home life by bribing the economically down-on-its-luck town.

Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis – The Furs

That old girlfriend is played by Connie Stevens, and her wardrobe was pure 1980’s, rich lady. Yes, Connie, as Thalia Menninger, blows into town on Air Force One with her well-stocked closet, and it’s brimming with fox furs.

In “great entrance” territory, Connie walks off Air Force One wearing a full-length lynx coat.

It is probably belly lynx, though it could be a lynx-dyed fox, either way, it’s a spectacular, thick ankle-length fur.

On to the bribery, Connie announces while beautifully accessorized in this dyed fox stole and muff. I believe the color has been referred to as “glacier” in other places, which, admittedly, has a bit more panache than “light blue.”

I “confess” to a deep adoration for a brightly dyed fox. Though pink is a particular favorite, this one is quite nice indeed. I remain confused by Hollywood’s costume designers’ unceasing desire to break up such lovely muffs with metal broaches. This one is slightly less annoying than the one in Lady of Burlesque.

Next up, this large red fox is another magnificent specimen from the 80’s mega fox line. Not quite as long as her entrance fur, but quite the coat nonetheless.

Connie does the “imperious” look while wearing the fox perfectly.

There are massively full pelts on this coat, and we get a quick glimpse from behind.

To wrap up, we see a final red fox, different from the previous one, as evidenced by the horizontal pattern of the pelts. This appears to be a very long cape, worn while riding a horse, by Thalia in one of Dobie’s dream sequences.

Basically, this is just one of the finer examples of why I really liked growing up during the ’80s. Sadly things got a little rough after that. If I had to nitpick, I’m afraid Miss Stevens, while lovely, may have been a little past her prime at this point in her career. I admit it was appropriate casting considering the show’s original air date, but that would have been a great Morgan Fairchild role. Perhaps most tellingly, it would be a great role for 2009 Morgan Fairchild.

Fur Runtime: approx 5 minutes
Film Runtime: 100 minutes
On-Screen Fur Ratio: 5%