Posted on 04/08/2025 2:29:14 PM PDT by DallasBiff
You would think a hit show like Gilligan's Island would rake in the dough. Across three seasons, they received a ton of prestige and audiences still love it. The show currently resides at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, impressive for a show that's over 60 years old. However, according to Tina Louise, the legacy of the show doesn't exactly reflect the kind of pay they were getting at the time.
Recently, she spoke with Forbes to go over her illustrious career, particularly her time on Gilligan's Island. There, Tina says that across all 98 episodes, she didn't bring in much money, "like $1,500 an episode," as she puts it. Moreover, the streaming availability and cable reruns doesn't do Louise any favors either. You would think residuals would hold her over once she settled down from an acting career. Instead, it's quite the opposite. ""Nothing! Not a cent," she exclaims
(Excerpt) Read more at wideopencountry.com ...
Most of the 60’s and 70’s actors barely made anything.
Marian Ross, Mrs Cunningham, equipped that their memorabilia, like t-shirts and lunch boxes, made hundreds of millions for somebody. Just not the actors.
It's too bad the producers didn't go with their first choice for Mary Ann...
“$1500 in 1965 amounts to $15,127.19 today, according to my search”
So about a half million per season. Not chump change, but probably B list acting money now days. And of course 33 episodes seasons are LOOOONNNGGG gone. 22 - 24 episodes for a series is it these days. Canada and the UK produced shows are more like 10 -14 episodes per season / series.
What about the Bradley Girls?
you hearing stuff is not the way to educate others.
Your a misinformation volcanoe!
Residuals were not part of television contracts until the late 60’s when they started rolling when established stars from film began being drawn into TV series, like Doris Day.
If you want to look at creative artists who got screwed - people who put out a valuable creative product and were very much undercompensated - it’s hard to top The Three Stooges. They were paid modestly for the Columbia shorts they did for years, and that series of short films is still running in some form somewhere, and their estates receive nothing for it. Could have been bad negotiating skills, lack of foresight (television?) at the time, or whatever, considering the entertainment they provided, they were severely undercompensated.
You Are Kidding!?!
I ran into Dawn Wells once in , around 1999-2000, just me and her in an elevator, I was giving her an eye as best I could without being obvious(”is it really Mary Ann”). It seems she was doing the same to me. Still attractive at 62 at the time, and single since the late 1960’s.This was in Newport Beach, CA area.
Oh, to be stranded on an island with them was a young man’s dream in the 1960’s.
Reagan as union president.
“”” Ronald Reagan staged a showdown with studio executives—and won the creation of the residual payment system that lives today.”””
She went from the glamourous movie star to the creature of the black lagoon. What happened?
You misspelled volcano.
Similar situation in WKRP: why would anybody NOT choose Bailey Quarters over Jennifer/Loni?
I’m a Betty Jo Fan, but I liked the first Billie Jo, and Bobbi Jo best.
I replaced the RHYTHM - TREBLE switch plate on my Les Paul
guitar to read GINGER - MARYANNE. It still works every time. )))
I’d be bitter too if I worked on a show that’s been showing on TV everywhere on planet Earth for 60 years and haven’t made a dime. That’s show biz I guess, but it’s got to suck.
It’s Chinatown Jake
You know how it is here
Cranky lol
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.