It was a dumb show really, but we all loved it back then. Despite the silly stories, there was a charm in the characters that made Gilligan's Island such a fan favourite to this day.
Bob Denver was not the first choice to play Gilligan; actor Jerry Van Dyke was offered the role, but he turned it down, believing that the show would never be successful. He chose instead to play the lead in My Mother the Car, which premiered the following year and was cancelled after one season. The producers looked to Bob Denver, the actor who had played lovable beatnik Maynard G. Krebs in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. None of the show's episodes ever specified Gilligan's full name or clearly indicated whether "Gilligan" was the character's first name or his last. In the DVD collection, Sherwood Schwartz states that he preferred the full name of "Willie Gilligan" for the character.
The Skipper is the title and nickname of Jonas Grumby. Played by Alan Hale, Jr., the Skipper (his actual name was rarely used after the show's pilot episode) was the captain of the S.S. Minnow on its "three hour tour" in Hawaii when he, first mate Gilligan and their tourist passengers were caught in a violent storm and stranded on a deserted island.
Alan Hale was a jovial, popular guy who loved playing the Skipper. Like Jim Backus, he was an experienced actor with a long track of movies behind him.
Alan Hale was a jovial, popular guy who loved playing the Skipper. Like Jim Backus, he was an experienced actor with a long track of movies behind him.
Thurston B. Howell III, portrayed by veteran character actor Jim Backus, is so wealthy that he took tens of thousands of dollars in cash and several changes of clothing with him for what was intended to be only a three-hour boat tour in Hawaii, one of the sillier premises of the show. One of the implied humorous points of the show is that Thurston continually fails to realize that all of the Howells' money is essentially useless to them on the island. On the other hand, the other castaways apparently tolerate the fact that he refuses to do any work. One of the most unusual aspects of his character is that, even though he is married, he sleeps with a teddy bear that he calls "Teddy".
He is sneaky, untrustworthy, conniving, greedy and corrupt. Yet, when it comes to the lives of his fellow castaways, he's always exceptionally generous and caring. He refuses to do manual labor, preferring instead to hire Gilligan to work for him.
Jim Backus is also known for playing one of the most famous cartoon characters, Mister Magoo.
He is sneaky, untrustworthy, conniving, greedy and corrupt. Yet, when it comes to the lives of his fellow castaways, he's always exceptionally generous and caring. He refuses to do manual labor, preferring instead to hire Gilligan to work for him.
Jim Backus is also known for playing one of the most famous cartoon characters, Mister Magoo.
While her husband always called her "Lovey," the other castaways always called her Mrs. Howell. There are only two times someone besides Thurston calls her Lovey: in the pilot, when the radio is announcing the missing people, the announcer says "Thurston Howell, III, and his wife, Lovey;" and in the episode in which Gilligan thinks he wins the lottery and invites all the people into the Howells' club, the Professor refers to Mr. and Mrs. Howell as Thurston and Lovey.
Although she was spoiled and preoccupied with social status, Mrs. Howell was also kind and genuinely cared about the well-being of her fellow castaways. She frequently served as something of a mother figure to the two younger female castaways.
Natalie Schafer is best known for this role, but she was determined to avoid typecasting so after the end of the series she went back to the theatre and took on gritty roles including playing a lesbian murderer. Lovey would never approve!
Although she was spoiled and preoccupied with social status, Mrs. Howell was also kind and genuinely cared about the well-being of her fellow castaways. She frequently served as something of a mother figure to the two younger female castaways.
Natalie Schafer is best known for this role, but she was determined to avoid typecasting so after the end of the series she went back to the theatre and took on gritty roles including playing a lesbian murderer. Lovey would never approve!
Ginger Grant was portrayed by actress Tina Louise on the original television series and Judith Baldwin and Constance Forslund in the later TV-movies. The character name was taken from two stars of Hollywood's "Golden Era", Ginger Rogers and Cary Grant.
Louise has stated that the character as originally written was somewhat abrasive and sarcastic, however she argued that such a character would be out of place. She suggested the final characterisation which she described as a blend of Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball, and with a visual style inspired by Myrna Loy.
Tina Louise, for many years, regarded her casting as Ginger Grant as having adversely affected her subsequent career through typecasting her solely as a retro glamour queen. She refused to take part in the subsequent Gilligan's Island movies Rescue From Gilligan's Island (1978) and The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979) and was replaced by 12-years younger Judith Baldwin as Ginger. 31-year-old actress Constance Forslund played Ginger in the 1981 NBC-TV Movie The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island.
Louise has stated that the character as originally written was somewhat abrasive and sarcastic, however she argued that such a character would be out of place. She suggested the final characterisation which she described as a blend of Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball, and with a visual style inspired by Myrna Loy.
Tina Louise, for many years, regarded her casting as Ginger Grant as having adversely affected her subsequent career through typecasting her solely as a retro glamour queen. She refused to take part in the subsequent Gilligan's Island movies Rescue From Gilligan's Island (1978) and The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979) and was replaced by 12-years younger Judith Baldwin as Ginger. 31-year-old actress Constance Forslund played Ginger in the 1981 NBC-TV Movie The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island.
Roy Hinkley, M.A., B.S., Ph.D., usually referred to as The Professor, is one of the seven castaways from the television series Gilligan's Island. He was played by Russell Johnson.
The Professor's backstory identifies him as a high school science teacher. His main function on the show was to devise many ways for the castaways to live more comfortably on the island. Many of his inventions (including a method for recharging the batteries in the ubiquitous radio) utilized coconuts and bamboo, both of which were in plentiful supply.
A running joke about the Professor was his ability to build anything from coconuts and bamboo, yet he was somehow unable to create a raft or other means to leave the island. This was parodied in the sitcom Roseanne, when one of the characters playing The Professor stated after they crashed, "This hole on the boat defies all of my advanced knowledge. To fix it would be impossible...now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go create explosive fillings out of sand." In the parody movie Back to the Beach, a character played by Bob Denver and obviously based on Gilligan mentions knowing "a guy who could build a nuclear reactor out of coconuts but couldn't fix a two-foot hole in a boat."
The Professor's backstory identifies him as a high school science teacher. His main function on the show was to devise many ways for the castaways to live more comfortably on the island. Many of his inventions (including a method for recharging the batteries in the ubiquitous radio) utilized coconuts and bamboo, both of which were in plentiful supply.
A running joke about the Professor was his ability to build anything from coconuts and bamboo, yet he was somehow unable to create a raft or other means to leave the island. This was parodied in the sitcom Roseanne, when one of the characters playing The Professor stated after they crashed, "This hole on the boat defies all of my advanced knowledge. To fix it would be impossible...now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go create explosive fillings out of sand." In the parody movie Back to the Beach, a character played by Bob Denver and obviously based on Gilligan mentions knowing "a guy who could build a nuclear reactor out of coconuts but couldn't fix a two-foot hole in a boat."
Mary Ann was portrayed by actress Dawn Wells. She was an ingenue and a foil, as well as a friend, to glamorous Hollywood star Ginger Grant, played by Tina Louise. She is apparently regarded with some desire by both the title character Gilligan (Bob Denver) and The Professor (Russell Johnson), but this is never allowed to develop into anything beyond mild flirtation. In addition, her practical domestic skills make her an indispensable member of the group.
Among her favourite episodes, Dawn Wells has said: .... it was fun being hit on the head and imagining I was Ginger in one episode ("The Second Ginger Grant"). Tina was a great sport to allow me to mimic her voice. That experience also came in handy several years later when I got to furnish the voices of both Mary Ann and Ginger in the "Gilligan's Planet" cartoon series.
Dawn Wells remained a close friend to Bob Denver throughout his life. In an amusing controversy, a few years ago she was busted for possession of marijuana.
Among her favourite episodes, Dawn Wells has said: .... it was fun being hit on the head and imagining I was Ginger in one episode ("The Second Ginger Grant"). Tina was a great sport to allow me to mimic her voice. That experience also came in handy several years later when I got to furnish the voices of both Mary Ann and Ginger in the "Gilligan's Planet" cartoon series.
Dawn Wells remained a close friend to Bob Denver throughout his life. In an amusing controversy, a few years ago she was busted for possession of marijuana.