Even with a star-studded cast that included Dean Jones, David Tomlinson, Buddy Hackett, and Michele Lee, there was no misconception with audiences as to who the real star of The Love Bug was. That title belonged solely to Number 53, a sassy white Volkswagen Bug, complete with blue and red pinstripes and a whole lot of attitude.

Life for the Love Bug, affectionately known as “Herbie” isn’t going so swimmingly. The car is owned by a short-tempered English racer named Peter Thorndyke, whose combination of lead foot and short fuse are too much for the car to handle. Luckily, there is a better home for Herbie, that of mild-mannered race car driver, Jim Douglas, a man with a losing streak on the track that just won’t quite. Herbie decides to repay this newfound kindness with some speedy antics on the track, and soon Jim is a champion.

Of course, this winning streak catches the attention of Herbie’s former owner, who decides he wants the now-winning Bug back in his possession. A tug of war ensues between the two men, culminating in plenty of car chasing action, mixed with the Disney tradition of slapstick humor.

Directed by prolific Disney director, Robert Stevenson, 1968’s The Love Bug would accelerate Herbie into a very successful film franchise. Four sequels would follow, the most recent in 2005, giving Herbie a winning streak that would last for 37 years. Not to bad for a little ol’ bug.