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

Creator:

Sherwood Schwartz

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)

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:

In the very first shot of the opening credits, the American flag over the harbor can be seen flying at half-mast. Reason: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, shortly before the shot was filmed.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: On the episode with the Russian Cosmonauts, when they are drinking and Ivan is passed out on the table, the bottle in his hand is the one marked with the X which was to be the one with water in it. And then Igor asks to drink from the other bottle (because "theirs is empty"), which would then be the Vodka bottle that Gilligan is holding. But you can clearly see the X on the bottle that Ivan is holding while lying on the table.

Quotes:

Gilligan: Skipper, are you asleep?
Skipper Jonas Grumby: [sarcastically] Yes.
Gilligan: Oh, well when you wake up will you tell me if you've seen my rabbit's foot?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Magnolia (1999)

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!