Who does not know about Gilligan and the rest of the S.S. Minnow castaways? The show Gilligan’s Island is so popular it has managed to rake awards even years after the final episode was released on television. You might have watched all the reruns. But do you know every behind the scenes details about it?
Gilligan’s Island
For three years, the cast of the hit sitcom Gilligan’s Island has made a TV history together. Though shorter than other TV series, the show has become of a household name due to decades of reruns. For a long time, the crew has kept delicious secrets under wraps during the filming. However, we have dug these secrets. Find them out here! Some of them will really surprise you.
Gilligan’s Island
No Outfit Repeats
We all know that Ginger and Mary Ann were only taking a three-hour tour around the S.S. Minnow before it was shipwrecked, and they were stranded on an island. However, in every episode, both of them always seemed to wear a different outfit. Where did all the clothes come from? Had they actually packed lots of clothing? Did they borrow from Wentworth Howell? Or had the creators just hoped we won’t notice this flaw?
No Outfit Repeats
Name That Skipper!
You rarely hear the real name of Skipper mentioned in Gilligan’s Island that you might forget he even has one. But he does! In Gilligan’s Island pilot episode, his name was said to be Jonas Grumby. However, nobody has ever called him by that name.
Name That Skipper
Breaking The Fourth Wall
It’s not always that a character breaks the fourth wall and engages with the audience or crew directly. However, in the Gilligan’s Island, you’ll see the Skipper looking directly at the camera and making a face multiple times. This isn’t something commonly done, especially not back then.
Breaking The Fourth Wall
Influencing His Character
Ever wondered why others would refer to Bob Denver’s character as Gilligan but the Skipper would always call him “little buddy”? Well, it’s actually something the crew did to make things interesting. Actor Alan Hale Jr., who played the Skipper, was known to address other people as “little buddy”. The crew saw that this name calling was fitting for the Skipper’s character as well.
Influencing His Character
Equal Credit
Bob Denver, the star of the show, was a known promoter of equality. When he saw that Dawn Wells and Russell Johnson was not named in the credits, it was said that he did everything in order to change it. That’s something we can all relate to in today’s current climate.
Equal Credit
Reason For Half Mast
You may or may not have noticed the half mast flag in the opening credits of Gilligan’s Island. It turns out that this was a tribute to John F. Kennedy. The crew just finished filming the pilot episode on the same day JFK was shot.
Reason For Half Mast
Inside Joke
Sherwood Schwartz, creator of the Gilligan’s Island confessed that he hated Newton Minow, the head of the Federal Communications Commission or FCC. As a joke, he named the shipwreck after him, thus the S.S. Minnow. Quite the joke, eh?
Inside Joke
Not So Practical
In the first season of Gilligan’s Island, the characters drank from real coconut cups. However, these proved to be impractical as they break quickly. In the next seasons, the crew decided to switch to ceramic cups that look like coconuts. But could you really tell the difference in the end?
Not So Practical
Ginger’s Bottomless Bag
Okay, so we’ve mentioned Ginger and Mary Ann’s seemingly bottomless bag before. However, not only had Ginger packed swimsuits, she also had evening gowns, workout clothes, and dresses. It makes you wonder just what she was initially planning to do in the boat.
Ginger’s Bottomless Bag
Custom Outfit
Not one to be overshadowed, Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann, knew she would be compared to Tina Louise, who played Ginger. To make up for her short height, she would wear short shorts and display her legs. And she was brave for doing so as the sitcom was released at a time when it was not even allowed to show the navel on television.
Custom Outfit
Aging Cast
Gilligan’s Island first aired in 1963. So much time has passed since then. Much of the cast and crew, including the creator Sherwood Shwartz, have already died. Tina Louise and Dawn Wells are the only surviving casts.
Aging Cast
She Didn’t Tell A Soul
Actress Natalie Schafer, who played Mrs. Howell in Gilligan’s Island, was greatly secretive about her age. She told no member of the cast or the crew about her real age. She just left everyone wondering. However, it turned out that she was 13 years older than Jim Backus, who played Mr. Howell. Well, there’s not much anyone can do about it now.
She Didn’t Tell A Soul
Special Mention In Her Contract
Not only did Natalie Schafer hide her real age, she also requested a special clause in her contract. She refused to be filmed up close. Maybe, she didn’t want anyone to see her wrinkles. In any case, it was an odd request. However, in the later episodes, this agreement seemed to have been forgotten as we could see close-up shots of her face.
Special Mention In Her Contract
Radio Transmissions
To receive radio transmissions, the cast of Gilligan’s Island used a Packard Bell AM radio. Of course, the original radio didn’t have a telescoping antenna. This detail had been added by the crew to help audience believe that long distance messages was really possible.
Radio Transmissions
Inventive Prop Team
The prop team of Gilligan’s Island had undoubtedly faced a great challenge in creating outrageous technology from scraps they could find around the island. This creativeness and inventiveness had become one of the things people loved about the show.
Inventive Prop Team
Next Big Idea
When the ratings of Gilligan’s Island began to decline, the producers started thinking about spicing things up. They thought a new character do the trick. However, it would not be a normal character. They had an idea of adding a dinosaur, following the idea that it could become Gilligan’s pet. However, this proved to be too expensive, and the idea was never put into action.
Next Big Idea
A Wild Ride
It turned out that Alan Hale Jr. had gone through a long and rough journey just to arrive at Los Angeles for an audition. It was said that he jumped onto a horse whilst on a set in Utah. Then, he hitchhiked to reach Las Vegas. Then, he flew to Los Angeles. Of course, the end of journey proved to be fulfilling. He played Skipper so well we couldn’t image anyone taking his place.
A Wild Ride
First or Last Name?
Do you know the full name of Gilligan? Probably not. Is Gilligan his first name or his last name? Even the creator Schwartz and actor Bob Denver can’t reach an agreement. Schwartz said that he once revealed to Bob that the character’s full name is Willy Gilligan. However, the actor refused to believe or discuss it.
First Or Last Name?
A $20K Skirt
If you didn’t love Mary Ann, then you don’t have a heart. How could you not? She’s beautiful, talented, and adorable. Every man had a crush on her, and every woman adored her personality. In fact, they loved the character so much that one of skirts was sold for $20,000! That’s a very high price for a skirt.
A 20K Skirt
Too Memorable
Tina Louise had played Ginger Grant so perfectly that no one could see her playing any other role. Really, it was admirable how she fitted into the role like a glove. However, Tina had failed to get any other role after Gilligan’s Island, and she blamed the show for ruining her career. Her grudge was so deep that she refused to take part in the movie installations of the show.
Too Memorable
All 99 Episodes
Only a few dedicated fans know full well how the actors took their roles seriously. For three seasons, Mr. and Mrs, Howells, Gilligan, and Skipper appeared in all 99 episodes. Meanwhile, the Professor, Ginger, and Mary Ann appeared in 98 episodes. This is remarkable considering that they might have other projects and a life.
All 99 Episodes
Everyone’s Least Favorite Thing
Who likes traffic? Perhaps, no one. I mean that question might as well be rhetorical. For the crew of Gilligan’s Island, the traffic specifically gave them a serious problem. When they filmed the lagoon scenes in L.A., they had to do them quickly enough so as not to record traffic noises. You can imagine how much trouble they were in!
Everyones Least Favorite Thing
Tone Deaf
Dawn Wells was, unfortunately, not blessed with a singing voice. When the entire cast was asked to sing together in one episode, she had to improvise quickly so that she would not ruin the harmony of the group. She simply lip synced, and it worked well for everyone.
Tone Deaf
Choice For Gilligan
There was once a rumor that Schwartz originally wanted Alan Young, best known for his role on Mister Ed, to play Gilligan’s role. However, the creator cleared the issue by saying he never considered Alan Young to be part of the show.
Choice For Gilligan
Worldwide Acclaim
Gilligan’s Island only lasted for three seasons, so you might argue that the show was not as successful as others. However, Dawn Wells was happily surprised when she found that it was not the case. When she visited Solomon Islands, a tribe quickly recognized her as Mary Ann. She even got to meet the chief of the tribe!
Worldwide Acclaim
Dramatically Different Pilot
The pilot episode of Gilligan’s Island was too different from how the show had ended up that the producers didn’t re-broadcast it for many years. In fact, in the pilot episode, Mary Ann and the Professors were just extras. Ginger had a different character. It was only in 1992 that the producers finally decided that the fans would be able to handle these discrepancies.
Dramatically Different Pilot
Contract Clause
Out of the whole Gilligan’s Island crew, Dawn Wells was the only one to finish financially well off from the entire show franchise. And she has her then-husband to thank for that. He worked as a TV agent and counseled her to include a special clause, in fine print, to her contract. The clause stated she would receive royalties for every single syndication that Gilligan’s Island earned from that moment on. And considering how many reruns there are today, she’s still getting checks for her role as Mary Ann!
Contract Clause
Original Mary Ann
It’s no secret that creators have a special vision for who should play a certain role, but their number one choice for part may turn it down. Therefore you have to choose the runner up, per-say. The role of Mary Ann went to Dawn Wells, but she wasn’t the firsst pick for the part. Instead, Raquel Welch, the 60’s icon was top pick. And we think she made the right choice because many of the stars of Gilligan’s Island didn’t get any new acting roles, they were far too associated with the ones from the show for anyone to take them on.
Original Mary Ann
On-Set Diva
Tina Louise demanded that the cast and crew allowed for special exceptions when it came to her. She acted like a diva because she was misled about Ginger’s role on Gilligan’s Island. According to Louise, her agent claimed the show was about a movie star that got stuck on a castaway island. She just never realized that the show didn’t actually revolve around her character alone.
On Set Diva
Miss Nevada
You’re looking at the Miss Nevada 1959 winner, folks. Winning that title helped Dawn Wells land a scholarship at the University of Washington, where she studied theater. After graduating, Wells moved to L.A. to pursue an acting career. However Wells was set on acting and not just becoming another pretty face. So even though she is wildly attractive, Wells was committed to working hard to reach fame. Not just using her looks to her advantage and that’s pretty remarkable.
Miss Nevada
Starstruck
Fans everywhere debated who their favorite character on the show was, Mary Ann or Ginger? Despite the constant fan oogling, these two Hollywood stars were good friends off set. Wells was initially intimated by Louise as she was a huge star and at the time, Wells wasn’t well known. Once Wells finally got over her fears, she and Tina became very close. In fact, Wells is also friends with Louise’s daughter now!
Starstruck
Favorite Episode
Out of all the Gilligan’s Island episodes, Louise says that “All About Eva” is her favorite. This episode featured a woman by the name of Eva washing up on shore. At first, she is a total mess but Ginger gives her a makeover and Eva escapes the island only to steal Ginger’s identity in Hollywood! The battle of the red-heads we suppose!
Favorite Episode
Not A Dime
Many of the Gilligan’s Island stars didn’t walk away with loaded pockets, including Bob Denver. Until 1968, the cast only retained residual rights. However, truth be told, a lot of the cast members didn’t that the series would be very successful. They thought of it as a fun way to fill their resume. Only Dawn Wells, as we mentioned before, walked away with a huge chunk of the pie.
Not A Dime
Tina Didn’t Hang
Now here’s a fact that is slightly difficult to digest. Tina Louise didn’t really enjoy hanging out off set with her costars. In addition, she was rarely around for group interviews too. Maybe it had something to do with her not wanting to be typecast as her chracter or maybe it was something else. Louise has never explained herself.
Tina Didn’t Hang
Final Cut
This is a question fans have desperately wanted answers to. Why was Gilligan’s Island taken off the air after just three seasons? Fret not, we’ve got the answer. At the time, the series had pretty poor ratings therefore the network decided that it could work in a less expensive time slot instead. However the executives made the final decision that it was best to take the series off air completely once they chose to run the series Gunsmoke.
Final Cut
The Real Lagoon
In 1964 at a lot in the CBS Studio City, the famous lagoon was built especially for the Gilligan’s Island team. The crew thought they would film twice in Malibu however due to fog, they had plenty of leisure time. During the winter months, the water was a cool 40 degrees, yikes! Explains why Bob Denver wore a wet suit under his Gilligan’s Island costume. In the summer months, however, the lagoon water stunk and was stagnant. Fast forward to 1995 because that’s when CBS drained the water and turned into an employee parking lot.
The Real Lagoon
Well, That’s Rude
If you can recall the original theme song and opening of Gilligan’s Island then you might remember that the Professor and Mary Ann were referred to as “the rest.” Thankfully thatt changed in the next seasons going forward. Seasons two and three meant the song was updated and they were officially known by their names.
Well That’s Rude
Origin Of Ginger’s Name
As we already know, the name Gilligan for Bob Denver’s chracter was a random selection, however the same can’t be said for Tina Louise’s character, Ginger. Her name was inspired by two Hollywood legends from the Golden Era. The great Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers. Additionally, the series often referenced Cary Grant.
The Origin Of Ginger’s Name
Free Vacation
Who wouldn’t want a free trip to Hawaii? Actually, actress Natalie Schafer was inspired by that very thought when she signed on to the Gilligan’s Island pilot. Even though they shot the pilot in that paradise…they ended up changing the location to Los Angeles when CBS picked up the show. Well, that must have been a let down!
Free Vacation
Alf Crossover
Think back to the shows around the time of Gilligan’s Island. Do you recall a show about an alien called Alf? Now, here’s the real test…do you remember their crossover episode? Yes, Alf really got stranded on the island with the whole cast. What an episode that was!
Alf Crossover
Two Cartoons
Something shows back in the 60s and 70s did was use cartoon versions to stay relevant. For Gilligan’s Island, they had both the regular cartoon and also an outer space themed show called Gilligan’s Planet.
Two Cartoons
Money On And Off-Set
Next up, we’re going to let you in on a bit of info about Mrs. Howell. Well, in actuality it’s about actress Natalie Schafer who played Mrs. Howell. On Gilligan’s Island, she played the woman married to a millionaire. Most never knew this, but she was a millionaire in real life too! Back when Rodeo Drive properties cost as much as a cheaper car, she bought up a bunch of them. After the value shot up, she flipped them and made a fortune.
Money On And Off-Set
So Many Gingers
Hearing Ginger and Gilligan’s Island, you probably picture Tina Louise automatically. Turns out, six different people played the role of Ginger, when you count movies and cartoon versions of Gilligan’s Island. Even Dawn Wells, known as Mary Ann, voiced both Mary Ann and Ginger for Gilligan’s Planet.
So Many Gingers
Pushing For The Show
Sherwood Schwartz, working for United Artists Television, was making quite the name for himself in the industry. However, he needed to pitch Gilligan’s Island to CBS president, Jim Aubrey. Aubrey was worried that fans might get annoyed that the cast members never escaped the island. Thankfully, Sherwood Schwartz kept at it, and Gilligan’s Island was a hit!
Pushing For The Show
Stunt Woman
Now, back to our favorite millionaire Natalie Schafer. Even though she was a real life millionaire, that didn’t stop her from fully committing to her role. She was around 65 years old but performed all of her own stunts. Yes, that included everything from sinking in quicksand to falling in the lagoon! What a champ!
Stunt Woman
Tough Guy
As a former military man, it wasn’t a surprise that Alan Hale Jr. became known as a tough guy on the set. Indeed, he lived up to his reputation. Once he even fell from a tree while filming a scene. Well that part was supposed to happen. However, he missed the soft landing spot and broke his arm from falling on the concrete. Actually, he didn’t even tell anyone for weeks that he broke his arm. Afterwards, everyone asked how he pulled that off and he replied, “It wasn’t easy.”
Tough Guy
Everything But That
Lots of fans picked up on this one quickly. Turns out, something just wasn’t quite right about the Professor’s characterization. Indeed, he was very handy. Everyone knew he built the most impressive things with odd objects found on the island. Despite this, he couldn’t fix the S.S. Minnow! Well, naturally if he did then the show would just end. So, everyone had to accept this.
Everything But That
No Need For Kids
Here’s something fans of the show never knew. Back during the early stages of developing Gilligan’s Island, they thought about bringing on a kid to play the Professor’s nephew. However, they decided against this in the end because of a key element on the show. Since Gilligan was so childlike, they couldn’t bring on a real child!
No Need For Kids
Marriage
Hey, we aren’t making any judgement calls here, but lots of people noticed the three female leads were all married for less than 10 years. Some speculated their intense filming schedules affected their personal lives. Some claimed, they have tons of men waiting to marry them. Regardless, we should remember them for their outstanding performances first!
Marriage
A True Hero
Since Gilligan was such a goofy character, most people didn’t truly get why the Skipper kept him around. Despite being a pest, Gilligan actually earned his spot with the Skipper, according to the backstory, While the two were serving in the Navy during World War II, Gilligan saved the Skipper’s life when they got hit by a depth charge! No wonder, the Skipper kept him around…he owed him his life.
A True Hero
Professor’s Backstory
Speaking of backstories, what’s the Professor’s deal? How did he get on the island? Well, he went for a relaxing three hour boat tour. He intended to write his book, Fun with Ferns, afterwards. Tragic.
Professor’s Backstory
Lobster Barrel
Of course, you know Alan Hale Jr. as the beloved Skipper. However, he was also a restaurant owner! Yes, he owned and ran the famous “Alan Hale’s Lobster Barrel” in LA! Leave it to him to dress up as the Skipper and greet his lucky guests. However, he eventually shut it down and started a travel agency, which he ran until his death in 1990.
Lobster Barrel
Eenie Meanie Minie Mo
When people come up with character names there’s usually some significance to what they pick. With Gilligan’s Island, that wasn’t the case. In fact, they just picked Bob Denver’s character name by choosing randomly from a phone book. Well, that’s one way to do it!
Eenie Meanie Minie Mo
The Beatles Parody
For the first version of the Gilligan’s Island theme song, the Wellingtons sang it. Even though the show didn’t go with their version, the band got to appear on the show. Actually, they played the Mosquitoes, if you recall. The Mosquitoes were created to be a parody of none other than The Beatles.
The Beatles Parody
Theme Song
The real original theme song was a calypso tune sung by the show’s creator in a Caribbean patois. Actually, John Williams, known as Johnny Williams then, composed the tune. Perhaps, you know this composer’s other work from Star Wars and numerous Steven Spielberg films.
Theme Song
The City Of Denver
Another interesting fact about Bob Denver relates to Colorado’s capital city. Indeed, Denver, Colorado was named for Bob Denver’s great-great grandfather. His name was James William Denver. Though Bob Denver is related to him, he is not realted to John Denver, the singer. Actually, John Denver’s real name is Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.
The City Of Denver
Skipper During Hospice
During Alan Hale Jr.’s battle with cancer, he met a special young cancer patient in the same hospital. Over time, they grew close. Turns out, the young patient loved his show, Gilligan’s Island! So, with that, Hale dressed up as the Skipper to comfort the kid and cheer him up. How sweet!
Skipper During Hospice
Confusing Addition
During the final reunion movie, people were a bit confused by Thurston Howell IV, played by David Ruprecht. In The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island, Howell had a son. However, on all other Gilligan’s Island shows and movies, the Howells didn’t have kids. However, actor Jim Backus was very ill from Parkinson’s during the filming. Thus, he tried his best for a cameo, but this is why they ultimately introduced his son.
Confusing Addition