Question About Hobie

[Hobie Hartkins]

I had a question about Hobie....I forgot who played Hobie and I also ( and this is what really bugs me!) can't remember....WHERE HAVE I SEEN HIM BEFORE??? He used to be on something before the Dukes! I think he MAY have played a drunk then to....???

[Roth Potter]

According to www.imdb.com Hobie Harkins was played by A.P. Smith and was only in the episode 'Goodbye General Lee' which was in 1981. I thought he was also in one other episode where he was driving drunk in a red car?

The only other credit for A.P. Smith is Arthur in the episode 'Tommy's T.K.O.' of the TV show Alice. Which was a year before his Dukes appearance.

Alice was also the series where Boss and Enos appeared on as Boss wanted to buy the diner for some reason. I can't find any video's or pictures about that though.

[HossC]

This seemed like such a simple question ...

Just to remind everyone, here's Hobie as the car salesman from 'Goodbye, General Lee' in season 4.

As Roth says, the credits just give the actor's name "A. P. Smith", and the only other acting credit for A P Smith on IMDb.com is for an episode of 'Alice'.

NB. IMDb lists the character's name as "Hobie Harkins", although the subtitles spell it "Hobie Hartkins".

Roth is also right about Hobie appearing in another episode, although the car he was driving was gray, not red. Hobie's first appearance was in 'Bye, Bye Boss' in season 3 (below). In that episode he's credited as "A. Paul Smith", which leads to a completely different IMDb page. Other credits under this name include another episode of 'Alice', and episodes of 'The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo' and an episode of 'Little House on the Prairie'. The dates only range from 1979 to 1982.

I carried on searching, and found the Wikipedia entry for Boss Hogg mentions Hobie in connection with Boss' car lot (which would be 'Goodbye, General Lee'), but lists him as "portrayed by actor A. Paul Smith" (the credit name from 'Bye, Bye Boss'). This is when things get confusing, because clicking on the link they provide leads to a page about Paul Smith (American comedy actor), but it lists his years active as 1951-1976. It's worth noting that Wikipedia also says that Paul Smith sometimes gets confused with another American actor, Paul L. Smith, who is clearly not the person we're looking for. So, now we have a third name to lookup - "Paul Smith". Paul Smith's IMDb page lists a load of acting credits (constistent with the Wikipedia page), including the 1957 Elvis movie 'Loving You', 17 episodes of 'Mr. Terrific' (where he played Harley Trent), various single-episode appearances in shows like 'The Andy Griffith Show', 'Ironside', 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' and 'Gomer Pyle: USMC', recurring roles (mainly as cops) in 'Bewitched', and 36 episodes of 'The Doris Day Show' where he played Ron Harvey (below).

I don't know why I haven't found any websites that associate "A. P. Smith", "A. Paul Smith" and "Paul Smith" as the same person. The Wikipedia page does mention some of his 'Bewitched' parts were credited to "A. Paul Smith", but these show up on IMDb's page for "Paul Smith". The Wikipedia page also suggests that he retired in 1976, so maybe that adds to the confusion.

One of Paul Smith's later credits was for a 1975 appearance in the sitcom 'On The Rocks'. I'm pretty sure the series was never shown on this side of the Atlantic, although the UK show on which it's based, 'Porridge', still continues to be one of the most-loved British sitcoms ever. When I checked out 'On The Rocks', I came across some familiar names. One of the lead roles was played by Rick Hurst, while Sorrell Booke played a judge in two episodes and Patrick Crenshaw (Doc Petticord) was in another. Here's a picture of the cast which I found on www.sitcomsonline.com. Paul Smith isn't in it, but Rick is in the center of the back row.

BTW, according to IMDb, Paul Smith was born on February 5, 1929 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which makes him 85 years old. Maybe 'shine isn't bad for you after all .

[Roth Potter]

So to make a long story short, if you want to see everything the actor of Hobie did check A.P. Smith and A. Paul Smith?

Very confusing... Hobie was a fun character and should have been more on the show. Same goes for Emery Potter really.

[HossC]

Here's another picture of Paul Smith (on the right) in 'Sam's Witchcraft Blows a Fuse', the penultimate episode of 'Bewitched' from 1972. The episode also featured Bernard Fox ('Iggins from 'Southern Comfurts') in one of his many appearances as Dr Bombay.

[Roth Potter]

I don't want to go off-topic but who is the guy on the left? I think I seen him in a Herbie movie.

[HossC]

He's Richard X Slattery, and you're right, he played the Traffic Commissioner in 'Herbie Rides Again' (the scene where Alonzo Hawk causes a traffic jam after stealing Herbie).

By a strange coincidence, the police sergeant from the same 'Bewitched' episode was played by Herb Vigran ...

... who was the window washer in 'Herbie Rides Again'.

Of course, 'Herbie Rides Again' also featured Don Pedro Colley (aka Sheriff Little). It looks like someone's updated IMDb since my original post.

[Roth Potter]

I updated it.

I remembered that guy was a little mad one someone, now it falls into place with Alonzo

[HossC]

I've just spotted another weird (off-topic) connection. Assuming that IMDb is correct, Paul Smith and Richard X Slattery both played a character called Officer McMacMac in different episodes of the mid-70s show 'Monster Squad'.

While I was talking about 'Bewitched' earlier, I suppose I should have mentioned that it was one of the later episodes where Darrin was played by Dick Sargent, aka Sheriff Grady Byrd.

[Hobie Hartkins]

So to make a long story short, if you want to see everything the actor of Hobie did check A.P. Smith and A. Paul Smith?

Very confusing... Hobie was a fun character and should have been more on the show. Same goes for Emery Potter really.

My thoughts exactly! Hey, who is the black guy in the above picture? I've seen him somewhere before!

[HossC]

Hey, who is the black guy in the above picture? I've seen him somewhere before!

I assume you're asking about the cast picture from 'On The Rocks'. It's Hal Williams who played Jonas Jones in 'Cooter's Confession'. He also played Officer 'Smitty' Smith in 'Sanford and Son' (another US remake of a classic British sitcom), Harley Foster in seven episodes of 'The Waltons', Sgt. Ted Ross in the TV series of 'Private Benjamin', and he has had guest roles on many TV shows from the '70s to 2013 (his last role currently listed). You can see his complete filmography here.

[Hobie Hartkins]

Thanks! YES!! I KNEW I had seen him before!! I remember him from both! ( And of course I have Cooter's Confession!)

[Skipper Duke]

On 8/27/2014 at 1:45 PM, HossC said:

Here's another picture of Paul Smith (on the right) in 'Sam's Witchcraft Blows a Fuse', the penultimate episode of 'Bewitched' from 1972. The episode also featured Bernard Fox ('Iggins from 'Southern Comfurts') in one of his many appearances as Dr Bombay.

Hoss... I think the cop on the left is from some color episodes of T. A. G. S. the ones when Barney lived in Raleigh and worked as a Detective for the Raleigh P. D. And he had sent Barney for coffee in one of those episodes. Can you check for me?

[HossC]

23 minutes ago, Skipper Duke said:

Hoss... I think the cop on the left is from some color episodes of T. A. G. S. the ones when Barney lived in Raleigh and worked as a Detective for the Raleigh P. D. And he had sent Barney for coffee in one of those episodes. Can you check for me?

Richard X. Slattery (the cop on the left) played Capt. Dewhurst in two season 8 episodes of T.A.G.S.: "A Visit to Barney Fife" and "Barney Hosts a Summit Meeting". He played quite a few police/military parts over the years.

[Skipper Duke]

1 minute ago, HossC said:

Richard X. Slattery (the cop on the left) played Capt. Dewhurst in two season 8 episodes of T.A.G.S.: "A Visit to Barney Fife" and "Barney Hosts a Summit Meeting". He played quite a few police/military parts over the years.

Thanks Hoss. I knew he looked familiar to me. As always you come thru when we need you "Awesome Hossome" as Roger calls you.

[HossC]

On 8/27/2014 at 3:31 PM, HossC said:

BTW, according to IMDb, Paul Smith was born on February 5, 1929 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which makes him 85 years old. Maybe 'shine isn't bad for you after all .

IMDb must've been updated since I wrote this, because it now says that Paul Smith died on March 3, 2006 aged 77.

[Skipper Duke]

4 minutes ago, HossC said:

IMDb must've been updated since I wrote this, because it now says that Paul Smith died on March 3, 2006 aged 77.

Awe poor Hobie R. I. P. 

[RogerDuke]

Ole Hobie looks funny in a police uniform! 

[Hobie Hartkins]

I was wondering...no I don't really wonder, especially not with Hoss here, which episodes did Hobi ( Paul Smith), Hartkins play on? I thought I would edit his page on IMDB and wanted to make sure I've got my facts straight!

Edited December 20, 2021 by Hobie Hartkins
mistake

[HossC]

As far as I remember, Hobie was only in 'Bye, Bye Boss' in season 3 and 'Goodbye, General Lee' in season 4.

I've only just noticed that they both have farewells in their titles - there's a coincidence.

[Hobie Hartkins]

I'm losing my mind! ....I just scrolled up a few and saw all the info I was looking for! I'm 56 going on 98.... and my mind is older than that!!  

[Skipper Duke]

On 9/11/2020 at 11:02 PM, RogerDuke said:

Ole Hobie looks funny in a police uniform! 

Cousin Roger... Do they give him the hives?

[RogerDuke]

4 hours ago, HossC said:

As far as I remember, Hobie was only in 'Bye, Bye Boss' in season 3 and 'Goodbye, General Lee' in season 4.

I've only just noticed that they both have farewells in their titles - there's a coincidence.

That sounds right to me. Who was the guy who sold the boys the black Charger in "Happy Birthday General Lee?" 

[RogerDuke]

On 9/11/2020 at 2:41 PM, Skipper Duke said:

Thanks Hoss. I knew he looked familiar to me. As always you come thru when we need you "Awesome Hossome" as Roger calls you.

Haven't called him that for awhile but awesome is certainly a well deserved adjective. 

[Skipper Duke]

11 minutes ago, RogerDuke said:

That sounds right to me. Who was the guy who sold the boys the black Charger in "Happy Birthday General Lee?" 

Will Hare