 He chose instead to play the lead in "My Mother the Car", which premiered the following year and was canceled after one season.The producers looked to Bob Denver, the actor who had played Maynard G. Krebs, the goofy but lovable beatnik in "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis".Natalie Schafer had it written into her contract that no close-ups would be made of her, but after a while in the series it was forgotten.