Private Duane Doberman (Maurice Gosfield)

Ernie Bilko gives his opinion on Duane to Joy Landers; "What does he look like? What does Doberman look like? How, how can I describe him to you? First you must forget all your middle class ideas of beauty, which is rapidly losing favour with the continental set. To describe him we must take a leaf from the orient. They who have mastered the arts of love, beauty as they only can. Short! With that, pulse-quickening plumpness. A Buddha…..and his face, glistening as if rubbed with the mysterious oils of the East. Swarthy, greasy, if you will, but with that inscrutable air about him."

Private Doberman was the regular dimwit in the series forever falling for schemes & scams.

Duane was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. Educated at Forsyth High School..........

He has appeared in many guises - An old soldier, film star 'Tex Doberman'. Crown Prince, Spaceman from Mars etc........................

A very clever man if allowed to answer questions on his favourite subject of comic books!

He can actually sing as well as Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby - although he must have a cold to do so!!

Duane was picked to be King Rex for the motor pool Mardi Gras. His sister, Diane, even allowing for Muscleman's Law and Theory of Family Equalisation' is just as ugly as him!!

He actually gets to be the army face on their recruiting poster - although he has to wear a gas mask to do so!!

Ran for Mayor of Roseville, with slogans like 'If you like Ike, you'll love Doberman' and 'I'm insane about Duane.'

Hates taking a shower at any time!! He wanted to get married to millionaires’ daughter Lillian Middleton.

His military decorations include; eight Campaign ribbons and two Battle Stars. During World War II, he drove Sherman tanks. in battle.

Played by Maurice Lionel Gosfield

Maurice was born in New York, January 28 1913, but raised in Philadelphia and later Evanston, Illinois. He began acting with the Ralph Bellamy and Melvyn Douglas Players in Chicago. He joined the Summer Stock theatre circuit in 1930. During World War II, "Maury," as his closest friends called him, made sergeant in the 8th Armoured Division. While he served mostly stateside, he risked his life as well --- playing Shakespeare, for example, for GI audiences.

He considered changing his name only to be told by a fellow actor (Dick Barthelmess) "You think you've got a tough name! If you get good enough, everybody'll remember your name whatever it is." And he was right because today everybody can remember Doberman.

Long after the war when he was back acting, he did radio for Milton Berle, who fired him. He and Phil Silvers worked together on a promising radio show that lasted only two months. But he still attracted the attention of writer Nat Hiken.

In the mid 1950s, Maurice went to an open casting call for a new comedy show, written by Nat and starring Phil Silvers. When Phil looked at him he cried out, "no, no --- not you! What are you trying to do ruin me? You want this show to be cancelled too!!" Maurice claimed credits on over 2000 radio shows and over a 100 television appearances - But he was hired anyway and was eventually cast as Private Duane Doberman in the comedy called You'll Never Get Rich (later changed to The Phil Silvers Show)

Years later, Phil Silvers said this, about Maurice, when he appeared on the Michael Parkinson television show; "He didn’t know what he was, he thought he was Cary Grant playing the role of a fat fellow. He lived the way people thought I lived; he never missed a cocktail party. If we had to do a benefit or charity show he was the safest to take. We would make the plane trips, get to the place and the next night would be the show and in would walk Duane, with one of the stewardesses. I don’t know, some women did distortion. I mean I was out rehearsing and he was out swinging…………..In Las Vegas, he thought everyone should faint when they saw him. In the show, the only one who missed cues was Doberman. We protected him, you don’t know this but he never did too much, long speeches he couldn’t handle. We had excuses when he blew a scene. He was once late for rehearsal and he said a priest had short hopped him for a cab. What did you mean Doberman?" (Looks up to the heavens)

Maurice starred on the Bilko show for the whole 4 years of its lifespan - At the time he said, "A private's pay is good. I've been soldiering for Phil's army longer than in Uncle Sam's...........................and I like it better. After 24 years in show business, you wind up being named after a dog."

At this time he was 5ft 4 inches tall, and weighed 200 pounds. "I went on a reducing diet last week," he said. "and gained four pounds."

At the 1959 Emmy Awards he was nominated in the category 'Best Supporting Actor (Continuing Character) in a Comedy Series' for: The Phil Silvers Show

Because of his popular and likable supporting role, he became one of the few actors to get his own comic book, based on the Private Doberman character, published by DC comics in 11 issues, from 1957 to 1960.

1960: After the Bilko show ended, Maurice stated that Doberman is no more and he will go back to being Maurice Gosfield - "When I took the job I was the first actor in history to be named after a dog...........while it was good for the pocketbook it was terrible for the ego."

Once again got the call from Nat Hiken, to appear with Phil Silvers, this time in a one-off television special called The Phil Silvers Special - Summer In New York - He also appeared in The Jim Backus Show (show called Hot off the Wire) as Private Dilly Dillingham and The Jack Benny Show where he plays an amateur talent "master of ceremonies".