Posted on 04/05/2017 10:42:38 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
It was one of America's best-loved sitcoms at the height of the Cold War, but a new documentary claims "Gilligan's Island" was in fact a hymn to "communist" values.
In the last interview before he died in 2011, Sherwood Schwartz -- the television producer who also created "The Brady Bunch" -- said that the fictional utopia he invented for a group of castaways on a tropical island was meant as a light-hearted critique of capitalism.
Award-winning filmmaker Cevin Soling told AFP that Schwartz, a biologist who began his career writing jokes for Bob Hope, "affirmed to me what I had long suspected ... that Gilligan's Island was a communist paradise".
All property on the island was shared and the series' main heroes were its only two working-class characters -- the bumbling ship's mate Gilligan and salt-of-the-earth striver Mary Ann.
Although far from a communist himself, the left-leaning Schwartz told the documentary "The Gilligan Manifesto", which was presented at the MIPTV gathering at the French Riviera resort of Cannes this past weekend, that the comedy had a serious political side.
But he said he didn't want to force that down people's throats. "Sometimes those lessons are hammered into you, whereas doing it gently with comedy you achieve the same purpose and sometimes it's longer-lasting.
(Excerpt) Read more at ctvnews.ca ...
That’s right. There’s no ethnic diversity on Gilligan’s Island. For shame..........
now that you mention it.....Gilligan ALWAYS wore red!
Why would the Howells even be on a three hour tour with these other people?
Wouldn’t the Howells either own or at least charter a yacht to take them on a “three hour tour?”
On one episode, the Howells had a suitcase loaded with keys. It was stated that these keys were actually house keys to their 50 homes, on in each state. One would think they would have a yacht docked at their seaside home in Hawaii.
And why did Ginger have all those evening gowns with her for a “three hour tour?”
Yep. Communism.
Sometimes a silly comedy is just a silly comedy.
I always suspected Ginger of being a commie femme fatale subversive.
When I was doing a summer press tour of Hollywood as a newspaper TV columnist, I sat in on one of the show’s script readings. I confess I was much more interested in Tina Louise and Dawn Wells than any political leanings the show may have had.
For a lady of 77, Dawn Wells looks amazing.
Any red-blooded American guy, when asked the question, “Ginger or Mary Ann?” would answer, “BOTH!”
obviously the professor.
It is best that you don’t do too much thinking while watching Gilligan’s Island. Just enjoy Mary Ann and her shorts.
Mr Howell was banging Ginger and the Skipper was banging Mrs Howell. Gilligan and the prof were gay. Mary Ann couldn’t get any.
the actress who played Ginger was actually fairly pissed off with everyone on the show because her role when it was Pitched to her was said to be sort of a star.
instead she was more or less just another one of the cast so she was pretty pissed off.
I heard Gilligan it was a great guy who helped everyone get along.
In real life the actress who played lovey went on to marry some Hollywood big wheel.
She did rock a sort of Natasha vibe now that you mention it.
Yep. Today’s Gilligan Island would feature a black man as Skipper.
A rich black couple as the Howell’s.
A female Asian as the Professor.
A black/white beauty as Ginger. A Hispanic as Mary Ann.
And Lena Dunahm as Gilligan!
Perfect, right?
Excuse my ignorance, but is that a book? (Thanks).
The 'elite's remained elite -- the Howells had the best of everything, while the proletariat slept in hammocks. Ginger walked around looking good, while Mary Ann did most of the cooking & cleaning.
The proletariat (Gilligan and Skipper) were chiefly responsible for holding back the talented (Professor), and foiled every attempt to get off the island.
They were all trapped in this system with no way to "escape" and no way to leave it, even if they wanted to.
Yeah, they pretty well nipped Communism in the bud.
Lovey was awesome, very under-appreciated imho. Old school actress and it showed, seemed sort of old fashioned at the time and I suppose it was supposed to be, but with the passage of time it looks like quality. I get the same sort of impression watching the very early, black and white episodes of Dark Shadows, with Joan Bennett.
Here’s a movie by Dawn Wells about her time on the show. I like it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnjkfZ47w_M
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