"Gilligan's Island" (1964) TV series 1964-1967

Creator:

Sherwood Schwartz
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

26 September 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

Seven men and women are stranded on an uncharted island following a torrential storm.

Plot Keywords:

Island | Castaway | Professor | Movie Star | Millionaire

Awards:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Bob Denver	...	Gilligan (99 episodes, 1964-1992)
Alan Hale Jr.	...	Jonas 'The Skipper' Grumby (99 episodes, 1964-1992)
Jim Backus	...	Thurston Howell III (99 episodes, 1964-1992)
Natalie Schafer	...	Mrs. Lovey Howell (99 episodes, 1964-1992)
Tina Louise	...	Ginger Grant / ... (98 episodes, 1964-1967)
Russell Johnson	...	Professor Roy Hinkley / ... (98 episodes, 1964-1967)
Dawn Wells	...	Mary Ann Summers (98 episodes, 1964-1967)

Series Directed by
Jack Arnold		(26 episodes, 1964-1966)
Leslie Goodwins		(11 episodes, 1965-1967)
Gary Nelson		(8 episodes, 1965-1967)
Jerry Hopper		(7 episodes, 1966-1967)
Anton Leader		(6 episodes, 1965-1966)
Stanley Z. Cherry		(5 episodes, 1964-1967)
Ida Lupino		(4 episodes, 1964-1966)
John Rich		(4 episodes, 1964)
Richard Donner		(3 episodes, 1964-1965)
Tom Montgomery		(3 episodes, 1964-1965)
George Cahan		(3 episodes, 1965-1966)
Steve Binder		(2 episodes, 1965-1967)
Hal Cooper		(2 episodes, 1965-1967)
Wilbur D'Arcy		(2 episodes, 1965-1967)
Lawrence Dobkin		(2 episodes, 1965)
Charles Norton		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
David Orrick McDearmon		(2 episodes, 1967)

Series Writing credits
Sherwood Schwartz		(37 episodes, 1964-1992)
Elroy Schwartz		(13 episodes, 1964-1992)
Alan Dinehart		(8 episodes, 1964-1967)
Herbert Finn		(8 episodes, 1964-1967)
Roland MacLane		(7 episodes, 1964-1967)
Charles Tannen		(5 episodes, 1964-1966)
Lawrence J. Cohen		(5 episodes, 1964-1965)
Fred Freeman		(5 episodes, 1964-1965)
Bruce Howard		(5 episodes, 1965-1967)
Joanna Lee		(5 episodes, 1965-1966)
David P. Harmon		(5 episodes, 1965)
Brad Radnitz		(4 episodes, 1965-1967)
Budd Grossman		(4 episodes, 1965-1966)
Al Schwartz		(4 episodes, 1965)
Austin Kalish		(3 episodes, 1964-1992)
Sam Locke		(3 episodes, 1964-1967)
Joel Rapp		(3 episodes, 1964-1967)
Sidney A. Mandel		(3 episodes, 1965-1967)
Ron Friedman		(3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Dick Conway		(2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Bill Davenport		(2 episodes, 1964)
Roland Wolpert		(2 episodes, 1964)
Bob Rodgers		(2 episodes, 1965-1967)
Jack Gross Jr.		(2 episodes, 1965-1966)
George O'Hanlon		(2 episodes, 1965-1966)
Michael R. Stein		(2 episodes, 1965-1966)
Walter Black		(2 episodes, 1965)
Howard Harris		(2 episodes, 1965)
Arnold Peyser		(2 episodes, 1965)
Lois Peyser		(2 episodes, 1965)
Roy Kammerman		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
John Fenton Murray		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
Jack Raymond		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Produced by
Sherwood Schwartz	....	executive producer / producer (99 episodes, 1964-1992)
William Froug	....	executive producer (36 episodes, 1964-1965)
Robert L. Rosen	....	associate producer (35 episodes, 1965-1966)
Jack Arnold	....	producer (23 episodes, 1964-1965)
Cy Brooskin	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
John Williams		(20 episodes, 1964-1992)
Gerald Fried		(12 episodes, 1965-1966)
Frank Comstock		(3 episodes, 1964)

Series Cinematography by
Richard L. Rawlings		(39 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Film Editing by
Larry Heath		(21 episodes, 1964-1966)
Everett Sutherland		(16 episodes, 1964-1965)
Donald W. Ernst		(unknown episodes)
Gene Fowler Jr.		(unknown episodes)
Lester Orlebeck		(unknown episodes)
Howard A. Smith		(unknown episodes)
Robert B. Warwick Jr.		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
James Lister		(2 episodes, 1965)

Series Art Direction by
William Craig Smith		(39 episodes, 1964-1966)
Malcolm C. Bert		(2 episodes, 1965)

Series Set Decoration by
Herman N. Schoenbrun		(35 episodes, 1965-1966)
James Crowe		(20 episodes, 1964-1965)
Ray Molyneaux		(10 episodes, 1965)
Hal Gausman		(5 episodes, 1965)

Series Makeup Department
Lillian Shore	....	head hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Keester Sweeney	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Robert L. Rosen	....	unit production manager (25 episodes, 1964-1965)
Cy Brooskin	....	unit production manager (10 episodes, 1965)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wilbur D'Arcy	....	assistant director (39 episodes, 1964-1966)
Christopher N. Seiter	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1967)

Series Sound Department
Richard Sperber	....	sound effects supervisor (1 episode, 1992)
Nicholas James	....	sound restoration supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Richard M. Rawlings Jr.	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Tony Van Renterghem	....	assistant camera: IATSE (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Pam Polifroni	....	casting (3 episodes, 1966)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frank Delmar	....	wardrobe (unknown episodes)
Robert Fuca	....	costume supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Sherwood Schwartz	....	composer: theme music / composer: theme song "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle" (98 episodes, 1964-1967)
George Wyle	....	composer: theme music / composer: theme song "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle" (98 episodes, 1964-1967)
Herschel Burke Gilbert	....	music supervisor (32 episodes, 1964-1965)

Series Transportation Department
Frank Khoury	....	driver (37 episodes, 1964-1992)

Series Other crew
William Froug	....	creative consultant / script consultant (11 episodes, 1964-1965)
Charles Tannen	....	script consultant (8 episodes, 1964-1965)
Bill Davenport	....	script consultant (5 episodes, 1964)
David P. Harmon	....	script consultant (3 episodes, 1966)

Production Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Gladysya Productions
• United Artists Television

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1964-1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Estate of Phil Silvers
• MGM/UA Television
• Telepictures Distribution
• Turner Entertainment
• Turner Program Services (TPS)
• United Artists Television
• Warner Bros. Television
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• CBS Studio Center  filming location
• Kellogg's  original sponsor
• Philip Morris Cigarettes  original sponsor
• Phillips  original sponsor
• Procter & Gamble  original sponsor (Jif peanut butter, Zest soap and Crest toothpaste)

Also Known As:

Gilligan's Travels (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (98 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1964-1965) | Color (1965-1967)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-G | New Zealand:G (season 1) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

Partly inspired by the 1939 film Five Came Back (1939) starring Lucille Ball. The characters in that film included a wayward pilot and co-pilot, a botanist and his wife, a sultry woman with a shady past, and a rich playboy and his homespun wife.

Goofs:

Continuity: In "Love Me. Love My Skipper.", when Gilligan comes swinging into the party as Tarzan, the first shot has him in control as he starts his swing, but the second shot of him has him out of control and on the upswing as he crashes into whatever was on the table, then in the third shot of him he's in control and on the downswing when he swings between the Skipper and Professor and into the hut's wall.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Skipper Jonas Grumby: Oh, Gilligan, not again!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "House M.D.: Control (#1.14)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle

Full of Fun

All right, so "Gilligan's Island" may not be "The Dick Van Dyke Show," or any other sophisticated physical comedy show-but all in all it is just pure fun to watch. I remember when I was little watching the reruns on TNT and TBS, and now own the complete first season on DVD. I don't know why it is, but I've always had a special place for "Gilligan's Island," it's one of my favorites. True, you can't take too many clothes on a 3-hour tour realistically, or how in the world can you do everything from build a hut to a lie detector, but can't make a fail-safe raft?

The ratings, in all its three seasons, shone high above many shows; despite the network's attempt of changing the time slot a few times. It beat Bonanza in its first season, and by the end of the third season, it had beat Star Treck, The Monkees, etc. If William Paley's wife hadn't loved Gunsmoke, "Gilligan's Island" would have easily gained at least two more seasons by ratings alone.

If you're looking for sophisticated humor, this show isn't it. It's silly, corny, but the cast is just a lovable one. You can't help but like the series (which is more than I can say for "Green Acres"; which gets annoying after a few episodes). The cast is brilliant in their roles, and the chemistry between Alan Hale Jr. and Bob Denver and Jim Backus' chemistry with Natalie Shcaffer is perfect. All in all, "Gilligan's Island" is just pure clean fun, which is more than I can say for shows on today. Watch it, give it a chance, and enjoy!