Remembering Dean Jones: The Disney Legend Who Stole Our Hearts

He was the mischievous inventor in That Darn Cat!, the lovable Volkswagen mechanic in the Herbie films, and the bumbling but determined dad in Beethoven. Dean Jones was a Disney legend who brought joy to generations of moviegoers.
Jones was born in Decatur, Alabama, in 1931. He began his acting career on television in the early 1950s, but it was his work with Disney that made him a star.
Jones's first Disney film was That Darn Cat! (1965), in which he played a young couple who adopt a Siamese cat that turns out to be a spy. The film was a huge success, and Jones followed it up with a string of other Disney hits, including The Ugly Dachshund (1966), Blackbeard's Ghost (1968), and The Love Bug (1968).
In the Herbie films, Jones played Jim Douglas, a widowed father who becomes the owner of a sentient Volkswagen Bug. The films were a critical and commercial success, and they helped to make Herbie one of the most iconic cars in film history.
Jones also starred in a number of other Disney films, including Beethoven (1992), The Shaggy DA (1976), and Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977).
Throughout his career, Jones was known for his warm personality and his ability to connect with audiences of all ages. He was a true Disney legend who brought joy to millions of people.
Jones passed away in 2015 at the age of 84. He is survived by his wife, Lory, and his four children.