Lifestyle

Herbie: What's not to love? Merrimac family traverses red carpet with remake of famous Beetle

Mark Sofia of Merrimac grew up loving the Love Bug.

He long dreamed of owning his own Herbie, the "live" Volkswagen Beetle made famous by the 1969 Disney movie.

What the Lawrence chiropractor didn't dare imagine was that his dream would lead him and his car to a Hollywood red carpet premiere, on the same path walked by Lindsay Lohan, Michael Keaton, Matt Dillon and a host of other celebrities.

Like a fantastic scene from one of Disney's Herbie movies, Sofia and his family attended the recent Hollywood premiere of "Herbie: Fully Loaded," the latest Disney film about the Beetle race car with a mind of its own.

Lohan, Dillon and Keaton star in the movie, which opened nationwide June 22. The Sofias and other Beetle owners showed off their own little Love Bugs while mingling with the stars.

As a child, Sofia adored the first Herbie movie, "The Love Bug," starring Dean Jones. He always wanted to own the car and finally found a fully restored Herbie on eBay last summer.

"I never really grew up — I just got older," joked the 39-year-old Sofia, calling his Herbie one of his greatest toys ever.

"My kids think it's a big toy," said the father of Anthony Rocco, 2, and Erica, 6. "My 2-year-old, I have to bring him down to play with the car before bedtime or he'll cry."

Sofia bought the car and instantly became a center of attention in his hometown of Merrimac. He took the car to charity events, where adults and children delighted in posing with it. He even brought it to Erica's, school, where young fans could take a closer look.

Sofia and his family, who in addition to the car own "a ton" of Herbie merchandise and memorabilia, also became part of a Herbie lovers club, Lovebugfans.com. Disney found Sofia through the club, and invited him and his family to the premiere along with the other Herbie owners from across the country.

There Sofia met Dillon, Keaton, Jon Voight and former "Friends" star Lisa Kudrow. Sofia even got Dillon and Keaton to sign his car's glove compartment.

"It was amazing. Stuff like that doesn't happen to me," Sofia said

But probably one of his best moments came before the premiere. Sofia pulled up to his Hollywood hotel in the car, next to a slick, new Ferrari. Both car drivers exited their vehicles about the same time, but crowds and picture takers quickly surrounded Sofia, oohing and ahhing over his car. The Ferrari owner, on the other hand, got no attention at all.

Since his first starring role in "The Love Bug," Herbie's held a place in many hearts according to Lovebugfans.com administrator Kyle Sund.

"The impact of Herbie is still quite present," said Sund, whose club has about 50 active members. "The message is very basic: People and things shouldn't be taken for granted — and you get out of things what you put back into them."

Sofia learned this lesson well. A few months ago he realized that to attend a premiere, he'd have to forgo a charity event to which he promised to bring his car. Instead of missing the premiere or the event, Sofia bought another Volkswagen, which he completely restored with a $20,000 makeover in a matter of weeks, often working weeknights until 2 a.m.

While Sofia did most of the work, he credits his family, especially his wife, for being his own personal "pit" crew.

"Obviously she loves and tolerates me or this would be a very short story," he said.

While his original Herbie traveled home from Los Angeles, this understudy appeared at Chunky's recently.

"I wasn't even out of the car and people were pushing their kids up to take pictures," said Sofia.

Sofia and his family saw the movie again that night. Before and after the show, the family spent hours in the 90-degree weather posing with fans.

"The kids couldn't get enough," he said.

Sofia turned Herbie II over to the Lowell Spinners for help with all the charity work they do. At a recent game when Sofia drove the car for the last time, one young fan even asked him for his autograph.

As far as the latest movie and the newest fans, Sund thinks a new crop of Love Bug fans should be signing up for his site soon.

"The box office is doing well, and the director nailed the character," he said. "It's very obvious they did a lot of research. There are a lot of little tidbits. Almost every scene has a reference to a previous film. ... I saw adults at a G-rated movie that were choked up. It's worth going to see."

He long dreamed of owning his own Herbie, the &quotlive" Volkswagen Beetle made famous by the 1969 Disney movie.

What the Lawrence chiropractor didn't dare imagine was that his dream would lead him and his car to a Hollywood red carpet premiere, on the same path walked by Lindsay Lohan, Michael Keaton, Matt Dillon and a host of other celebrities.

Like a fantastic scene from one of Disney's Herbie movies, Sofia and his family attended the recent Hollywood premiere of &quotHerbie: Fully Loaded," the latest Disney film about the Beetle race car with a mind of its own.

Lohan, Dillon and Keaton star in the movie, which opened nationwide June 22. The Sofias and other Beetle owners showed off their own little Love Bugs while mingling with the stars.

As a child, Sofia adored the first Herbie movie, &quotThe Love Bug," starring Dean Jones. He always wanted to own the car and finally found a fully restored Herbie on eBay last summer.

&quotI never really grew up — I just got older," joked the 39-year-old Sofia, calling his Herbie one of his greatest toys ever.

&quotMy kids think it's a big toy," said the father of Anthony Rocco, 2, and Erica, 6. &quotMy 2-year-old, I have to bring him down to play with the car before bedtime or he'll cry."

Sofia bought the car and instantly became a center of attention in his hometown of Merrimac. He took the car to charity events, where adults and children delighted in posing with it. He even brought it to Erica's, school, where young fans could take a closer look.

Sofia and his family, who in addition to the car own &quota ton" of Herbie merchandise and memorabilia, also became part of a Herbie lovers club, Lovebugfans.com. Disney found Sofia through the club, and invited him and his family to the premiere along with the other Herbie owners from across the country.

There Sofia met Dillon, Keaton, Jon Voight and former &quotFriends" star Lisa Kudrow. Sofia even got Dillon and Keaton to sign his car's glove compartment.

&quotIt was amazing. Stuff like that doesn't happen to me," Sofia said

But probably one of his best moments came before the premiere. Sofia pulled up to his Hollywood hotel in the car, next to a slick, new Ferrari. Both car drivers exited their vehicles about the same time, but crowds and picture takers quickly surrounded Sofia, oohing and ahhing over his car. The Ferrari owner, on the other hand, got no attention at all.

Since his first starring role in &quotThe Love Bug," Herbie's held a place in many hearts according to Lovebugfans.com administrator Kyle Sund.

&quotThe impact of Herbie is still quite present," said Sund, whose club has about 50 active members. &quotThe message is very basic: People and things shouldn't be taken for granted — and you get out of things what you put back into them."

Sofia learned this lesson well. A few months ago he realized that to attend a premiere, he'd have to forgo a charity event to which he promised to bring his car. Instead of missing the premiere or the event, Sofia bought another Volkswagen, which he completely restored with a $20,000 makeover in a matter of weeks, often working weeknights until 2 a.m.

While Sofia did most of the work, he credits his family, especially his wife, for being his own personal &quotpit" crew.

&quotObviously she loves and tolerates me or this would be a very short story," he said.

While his original Herbie traveled home from Los Angeles, this understudy appeared at Chunky's recently.

&quotI wasn't even out of the car and people were pushing their kids up to take pictures," said Sofia.

Sofia and his family saw the movie again that night. Before and after the show, the family spent hours in the 90-degree weather posing with fans.

&quotThe kids couldn't get enough," he said.

Sofia turned Herbie II over to the Lowell Spinners for help with all the charity work they do. At a recent game when Sofia drove the car for the last time, one young fan even asked him for his autograph.

As far as the latest movie and the newest fans, Sund thinks a new crop of Love Bug fans should be signing up for his site soon.

&quotThe box office is doing well, and the director nailed the character," he said. &quotIt's very obvious they did a lot of research. There are a lot of little tidbits. Almost every scene has a reference to a previous film. ... I saw adults at a G-rated movie that were choked up. It's worth going to see."