Kimmy Gibbler reminded classic TV fans of this Sixties character

Fans wondered, could the actors be related?

The Full House episode "Good News, Bad News" is a fun episode for Kimmy Gibbler fans.

The plot finds D.J. as school newspaper editor, hiring her best friend Kimmy as a columnist — even though there are other students who are more qualified.

When D.J. finally fires Kimmy for poor writing skills, the plot thickens when Kimmy launches a gossip column to rival D.J.’s newspaper.

There are plenty of Kimmy Gibbler nose scrunches and eyebrow wrinkles, as she makes mischief throughout the episode.

And it’s watching these mannerisms of Kimmy Gibbler that eventually led some classic TV fans to wonder if the actor who plays Kimmy, Andrea Barber, could possibly be related to another actor who played a similar nose-scrunching high school nuisance in the Sixties.

Sheila James was introduced to TV audiences as Zelda Gilroy on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

In that sitcom, Zelda Gilroy is depicted as a plain Jane who’s desperately in love with Dobie, but willing to help him scheme other romances, patiently waiting her turn.

When casting Zelda, producers wanted an actor who could play the character as having a "bushel of brains."

They ended up casting a university student named Sheila James, who was nearly as smart as Zelda Gilroy in real life. When she was in high school, she skipped two grades, but she said she didn’t have all of Zelda’s practical skills — like lacking a keen ability when working on cars.

James told the Los Angeles Evening Citizen News in 1962 that she saw Zelda as "just a girl in school. Rather intelligent, but with lots of go power."

For D.J. Tanner, Kimmy Gibbler was also "just a girl in school" who had "lots of go power," often responsible for the episode arcs that ended with D.J. getting a long lecture from Danny.

Barber’s character’s uncanny resemblance to Zelda Gilroy’s mannerisms, along with the actors’ matching physical resemblance, led at least one TV fan to wonder if the two could possibly be related.

"Is the girl who plays Kimmy Gibbler on Full House the offspring of the actress who played the role of Zelda on the Dobie Gillis series? Their voices, looks and mannerisms lead me to believe this might be the case" wrote R.R. in Delaware to a TV column syndicated in the Des Moines Register in 1994.

"There is a resemblance between the two supporting actresses, but no relationship that we can determine," the columnist responded.

Although it seems their resemblance is purely coincidental, like Sheila James, Andrea Barber excelled at school, becoming an honors student while juggling outside activities in dance, gymnastics, singing, piano and unicycling. She ended up majoring in English in college.

But James, like her character Zelda (best known for calling Dobie "Poopsie") is likely the nerdier of the two.

After James quit acting, she ended up becoming a professor of law at Loyola University. Dwayne Hickman told The Pittsburgh Press in 1988 that he had to be extremely persuasive to get her to agree to do the Dobie Gillis reunion movie that year. He needed her there so that Dobie could marry Zelda.

"It took some doing to get her to give up her classes," Hickman said.

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25 Comments

TheSentinel 29 months ago
If anything, Andrea Barber really bore more of a resemblance facially to Bob Saget when she was on Full House (enough so that when they appeared on screen together and I saw either before the other and she made the same kinds of expressions Danny did, I'd call Kimmy "Danny Tanner Face").
bobbycat14396 30 months ago
I am really surprised that no one mentioned:
"Sheila James Kuehl (born February 9, 1941) is an American politician and retired actress, serving as the member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for the 3rd District and as board chair pro tem. Kuehl was California's first openly gay state legislator, having previously served in the California State Senate and the California State Assembly, where she was the Assembly's first female speaker pro tem."-Wikipedia
Steve2021 30 months ago
I remember Zelda on the Doby Gilles show. There's one word that stuck in my head, The word I remember she use to say "That's the Ginchiest". Maynard G Krebs. Bob Denver played.
iloveromance 30 months ago
Ugh, I never could stand Kimmy Gibbler (she's even worse in Fuller House) and I love Zelda so this made me cringe a little. Interesting article though.
mcharris 30 months ago
Shelia James also ran for public office in Los Angeles many years ago.
cynkgreen 30 months ago
Full House really does belong on MeTV! Can't believe it took this long, but possibly the tragic death of Mr. Tanner actually brought it about. Because hey, look at all the times they joke about, mimic songs & voices of the very shows (& cartoons) that are currently being shown on the network. Who ever imagined back then that MeTV would happen & the characters of Full House would return to help with the fun & nostalgia that has become for some of us, an everyday joy!
DanDo77 30 months ago
Kimmy looks much better on the show than this picture depicts her. Zelda was definitely the nerdier of the two. I'm glad the Summer of ME schedule has kept Full House. I live in the San Francisco area and am a fan of Full House.
Billiam0401 30 months ago
Looking at Zelda's nose scrunch, I see Ben Shapiro or Jim Carrey.
RichLorn 30 months ago
Sheila's nose scrunch wasn't scripted. It developed for the same reason that Tuesday Weld's character was so aloof to Dobie. Dwayne Hickman suffered from pungent B.O. Bob Denver often confessed between scenes that he wished he could escape to an island somewhere to get away from Hickman. He got his wish. Later in Hickman's career, his costar in Cat Ballou, Lee Marvin, couldn't bear to do a scene with Dwayne unless Lee was actually drunk.
cynkgreen RichLorn 30 months ago
Funny dude! Is it really true? If so, why didn't someone tell him to take a shower & use some body hygiene products? Can't imagine any guy of his age in that era would risk making Tuesday Weld hate his presence!
McGillahooala 30 months ago
So, “fans wondered” turned into 1 person in Delaware. That sounds about right.
cynkgreen McGillahooala 30 months ago
Yep probably so. I see no resemblance. Some people can turn anything into potential for an article. Sheesh
Runeshaper 30 months ago
They definitely look A LOT alike!
ItalGal68 Runeshaper 30 months ago
Yes, they do, but I like to compare Kimmy Gibbler to Eddie Haskell on "Leave It To Beaver." She, like Eddie, used to refer to the younger sibling, (Stephanie in this case), as "squirt." She also irritated the parents (Danny, Joey and Jesse in this case) just like Haskell did.
Runeshaper ItalGal68 30 months ago
I actually call 1 feisty cat that I know a "squirt" LOL
Lantern 30 months ago
Sheila James has had a long career as a legislator in California. She is now a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and is known by her real name Sheila Kuehl.
cperrynaples Lantern 30 months ago
Yes, and it is well known that Kuehl is a lesbian, which makes being Andrea Barber's mother highly unlikely!
McGillahooala cperrynaples 30 months ago
But they both scrunched their nose and 1 person in Delaware saw a resemblance. How do you explain such incontrovertible evidence as that?
Dayna cperrynaples 30 months ago
Not really. Just because she's a lesbian doesn't mean she can't have kids. BTW That is the stupidest remark to make.
cynkgreen Dayna 30 months ago
Yeah & besides that "Zelda" was a lesbian also.
bobbycat14396 Lantern 30 months ago
See my post, above...
WordsmithWorks 30 months ago
Don't see it.
Michael WordsmithWorks 30 months ago
I think "Kimmy's" photo doesn't represent it well. I didn't think I watched Full House much, but I can picture her doing that and itwss more pronounced.
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