Posted on 09/26/2014 8:50:48 PM PDT by iowamark
In thee 1960s, Americans were faced with civil unrest, a growing war in Vietnam and the potential threat of nuclear annihilation from the Russians.
Perhaps it's no surprise then that "Gilligan's Island" -- with its trippy and light-hearted plotlines each week -- was a big hit with viewers, who may have wanted a diversion from the world around them.
The sitcom first landed on the airwaves on Sept. 26, 1964 on CBS, airing for three seasons for a total of 98 episodes.
It might have had a brief initial run, but the series remains one of the most syndicated shows on TV today. A half-century since its debut, fans of the show are as passionate as ever, although the series almost didn't come to fruition.
Series creator Sherwood Schwartz (who would later go on to create "The Brady Bunch") has said that he was met with a great deal of opposition while pitching his idea for the series the executives at CBS, who considered the premise too unrealistic and boring.
Alas, the execs relented, and a pilot episode was commissioned, to be shot on location in Hawaii.
Schwartz was interested in having Jerry Van Dyke (brother of Dick Van Dyke) star as the goofy first mate Gilligan, who causes the accident that lands himself and his Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.) and five passengers aboard the Minnow stranded on a remote deserted isle in the Pacific.
Like the studio heads, Van Dyke also didn't believe that the series had a chance of making it and instead agreed to star in another series, "My Mother the Car," which ended up only lasting for one season.
Bob Denver, at the time famous for his role as Maynard G. Krebs on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," soon accepted the title role.
During filming of what would become the first pilot episode, cast and crew were notified in Hawaii of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Despite the shocking news, production eventually resumed.
For the entire series run, the opening credit sequence shows the S.S. Minnow (named as a joke after FCC chairman Newton S. Minnow, who actually hated TV) sailing out of a dock that has flags at half-mast because of JFK's death.
The first pilot was initially rejected by CBS, but a new episode was commissioned by the network in the hopes of saving the series.
Several original cast members and characters were replaced, including Bunny (Nancy McCarthy) -- who would later be known as Mary-Ann and played by Dawn Wells.
"I wanted to create a 'social microcosm'," Schwartz, who died in 2011 at 94, said in a 2001 interview when asked about the diverse characters on the series, including a very wealthy couple, an academic (The Professor, played by Russell Johnson), a movie star (Ginger, portrayed by Tina Louise) and a country girl (Mary-Ann).
With the cast now solidified, Schwartz was tasked with coming up with a new theme song (the first pilot had used a calypso-style number from composer John Williams).
"The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle," co-written by Schwartz and his friend George Wyle, still stands as one of the most popular and recognizable TV themes in history.
"We now had the cast, we had the song and off we went to Hawaii to do the show," said Schwartz.
Fifty years later, the three-hour tour continues.
Mary Ann and Ginger are the only surviving cast members left
Nope. Ginger hands down.
First, everyone on the island treated Mary-Ann as a sister. I was 11 years old when the show started and I always thought it was more than a little creepy to go for your sister.
Second, while Ginger is obviously a high maintenance woman, how high can you maintain her on a desert island? Pretty shells? No problem.
Third, Ginger has been around, unlike Mary-Ann. Nuff said.
There will be answers, won’t there?
p.s. Mary Ann for the win.
The way it’s basically explained is Ginger is high maintenance but Mary Ann is forever.
1. What did Gilligan tell the Koupakai head hunters so they would free the rest of the hostages?
Poolo see bugumbee (this one is probably wrong)
2. What was the Skipper’s name. Not the actors real name, the character’s name?
Jonas Grumby
3. And now an easy one...When the radioactive seeds washed up on shore, what vegetable did Mary-Ann eat?
Carrots
4. Bonus question: What did they have to eat to neutralize the radioactivity in the vegetables from the radioactive seeds?
Soap
I was more of a Mrs. Howell type, Hubba Hubba!
Gilligan’s Island was not canceled due to low ratings.
Russell Johnson was a bombardier for 44 pacific theater missions in a B25 during WWII.
He was hurt when he had to bail out or crashed.
She has not aged well.
I remember Johnson was in several “B” science fiction movies.
If you ever want to see Bob Denver in a western he did one with Forest Tucker {Sarge on F-Troop}The Wackiest Wagon Train in the West. He pretty much continued the Gilligan character in it. LOL.
You really can’t expect someone to look too good at 90 or whatever she is now.
BTW, the reruns are on every night on ME TV. I will have to say that Mary Ann almost has too much of the right stuff.
Close enough on the first one to get credit. Poolo see bugumba, not bugumbee.
I was at a meeting where I had to go around and ask a question of each person at the table. Everyone in suits. I asked a guy, he buried his head in his face and then said I know this answer. He got it right.
The rest of your answers indicate that like me you can tell what episode it will be from the first shot of the lagoon.
See post 26.
As if there was any question.
Gold digger! :-)
I remember Johnson was in several “B” science fiction movies.
Right. I think he was a telephone repair man and an alien got him in one movie. I like those old movies.
BTW, the reruns are on every night on ME TV. I will have to say that Mary Ann almost has too much of the right stuff.
I tune in sometimes. You’re right.....the right stuff.
I remember wondering why they didn’t patch that hole. I was about 14.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.