1 9 6 3 – 1 9 6 5 (USA)
42 x 30 minute episodes
Writer-comedian Bill Dana had a very successful career on records and in nightclubs with his character Jose Jiminez (which he originated on the Steve Allen Show) during the 50s and early 60s.
He brought the bewildered Latin American character to life for this series – an NBC spinoff of The Danny Thomas Show (aka Make Room For Daddy) in which Dana was a frequent guest star.
Jiminez (Dana) was a nasal-sounding Mexican immigrant who worked as a bellhop at the Park Central Hotel, a plush upscale hotel in New York City.
Jose lived in special bachelor quarters provided for hotel employees, ate in the hotel kitchen and had social contact only with employees and guests of the hotel.
In his good-hearted naivete, he only saw the good in the people around him (a sort of south-of-the-border Forrest Gump prototype).
His colleagues included fellow bellhop Eddie (Gary Crosby, son of Bing), who was constantly trying to get Jose to wise up but usually got him into trouble; coffee shop waitress Susie (Maggie Peterson Mancuso); strict and by-the-book hotel manager Mr Phillips (Jonathan Harris in an early version of his Dr Smith character in Lost In Space); and the bumbling hotel detective Byron Glick (Don Adams in his debut, portraying a character very similar to the one he would soon be playing in Get Smart).
Regular Walter Mitty-style daydream sequences gave the opportunity to see Jose away from the environs of the hotel.
Bill Dana received a great deal of criticism from the Latino community for his character.
Jose Jimenez
Bill Dana
Mr Phillips
Jonathan Harris
Eddie
Gary Crosby
Byron Glick
Don Adams
Susie
Maggie Peterson Mancuso
Babcock
Bill Idelson
Binky Bennington
Andrew Duncan
Episodes
You Got To Have Heart (Pilot) | The Hypnotist | Jose the Playboy | Jose the Opera Singer | Jose the Stockholder | The Bank Hold-Up | Honeymoon Suite | Jose the Agent | The Astronaut | Mr Phillips’ Watch | The Poker Game | Beauty and the Baby| The Brat | Jose’s Dream Girl | A Tip For Uncle Sam | The Masquerade Party | Jose’s Four Amigos | Eddie Gets Fired | Speak For Yourself, Jose | Jose the Manager | The Party In Suite 15 | Jose the Matchmaker | Jose’s Hot Dog Caper | The Hiring Of Jose | Master Of Disguise | Jose Resigns | Blood From Two Turnips | Danny Thomas, I Love You | Laughing Gas | The Essay | What Elephant? | Jose on the Ledge | Jose the Flower Thief | Jose’s Inheritance | The Suggestion Box | We’ll Get You For This | Phillips the Lover | Tonsils For Two | Glick the Strongman | Beauty and the Bellhop | Jose the Old Man | The Court Jester
