50 Things About Gilligan’s Island Its Producers Never Wanted You To Dig Up

Just sit right back, and you’ll hear a tale... of strife behind the scenes of Gilligan’s Island. Yep, things weren’t always peachy on set – or after the director called cut. Who knew!? And even if you’ve laughed along with Lovey for decades, you won’t have heard some of these crazy secrets about the castaways and the stars who played them.

50. Jerry Van Dyke was the first choice to play Gilligan

Bob Denver may have made the Gilligan role his own, but he wasn’t the producers’ first choice. They wanted Jerry Van Dyke instead. But Dick’s younger bro turned the show down after claiming that the pilot script was “the worst thing [he’d] ever read.” Mind you, Van Dyke did go on to appear in the ridiculous My Mother the Car, so perhaps he didn’t have the best judgment.

49. Natalie Schafer really was a millionaire

Playing Lovey may not have been much of a stretch for Natalie Schafer. That’s because the actress was already a very wealthy woman when she landed the part of Thurston Howell III’s spoiled wife. Schafer and her husband had built their fortune in the post-war real estate market in Beverly Hills. No word on whether the couple got an oil company as a wedding present, though.

48. Gilligan’s first name remains a source of debate

Ever wondered what Gilligan’s first name is? Well, although there’s no official answer, Sherwood Schwartz, the show’s creator, did call the hero Willy in an press release. But hold up! Later, Schwartz revealed that the only characters to be called by their surnames on screen were the super-rich Howells. So, maybe Gilligan’s first name is... Gilligan?

47. Two major characters don’t appear in the opening season credits

When Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells saw the show’s opening credits for the first time, they may have been bummed. Why? Well, do you remember the words of that iconic theme tune? While the rest of the show’s characters are individually named in the lyrics, the Professor and Mary Ann are simply referred to as “the rest.” That’s the case in the first season, anyway, but thankfully it was corrected after Bob Denver spoke out.

46. The story continues with a dark satire

If you’re a Gilligan’s Island purist, get ready to grumble. In 2003 Esquire’s Tom Carson reimagined the characters’ backstories – and they make for pretty grim reading. Gilligan’s Wake sees Mary Ann embark on an affair, Lovey admit that her marriage was a front and the Professor play a part in creating the atomic bomb that rained down on Nagasaki. As for poor Gilligan? Well, he spends time in a psychiatric unit undergoing electroshock therapy.

45. There were plenty of tie-ins with other TV shows

Gilligan’s Island may have ended in 1967, but that didn’t stop its characters from popping up on other TV shows years later. In the 1980s, the Skipper, the Professor, Mary Ann and Gilligan all rocked up to ALF for an episode in which the extra-terrestrial becomes infatuated with the show. Several cast members also appeared in a scene in Roseanne. Oh, and Denver reprised his most famous role for a McDonald’s commercial. Yep, it’s Gilligan you see biting into some French fries!

44. Schafer did all her own stunts

Natalie Schafer proved that age wasn’t nothing but a number during her time as Lovey. Yes, even though the actress was in her 60s, she was still game to do her own stunts. Lovey plunging into quicksand or a lake? That really is Schafer risking life and limb. The star once claimed that swimming and eating ice cream helped keep her trim.

43. Several bloopers made it into the final cut

If you’ve watched Gilligan’s Island over and over again, you may just have caught one or two bloopers. In “The Friendly Physician,” for instance, parts of LA hover over the trees of the supposedly deserted island. The very single Gilligan can also be seen sporting Denver’s wedding ring in “They’re Off and Running.” Oops!

42. Schafer lied about her age

Natalie Schafer and her on-screen husband Jim Backus may have looked the same age, but we have some shocking news for you. The Lovey actress was actually a whole 12 years older than Backus during filming. Scandal! But Schafer did everything she could to make this less obvious. Even her contract makes that clear by demanding she was never shot too closely. That way, viewers were less likely to spot her wrinkles.

41. Jayne Mansfield nearly played Ginger

It’s hard to imagine anyone other than Tina Louise as Ginger. But, believe it or not, she very nearly lost out on the role to one of the era’s biggest sex symbols. Producers initially approached Jayne Mansfield to play the fictional movie star, but the blonde bombshell was advised by her third husband to pass on the opportunity.

40. It initially had to compete with a similar sitcom

CBS president Jim Aubrey wasn’t exactly the sitcom’s biggest fan. That whole island thing? He didn’t like it and thought the show would be better off set at a ritzy vacation spot. And to prove his point, Aubrey commissioned another sitcom with that exact premise. But The Baileys of Balboa was taken off the air after just one season. Following that flop, Aubrey also lost his job.

39. Wells wasn’t allowed to sing

Dawn Wells may have had many strings to her bow, but singing wasn’t one of them. The actress was so tone-deaf, in fact, that Jackie DeShannon was recruited to redub her parts in songs such as “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow.” The only time you heard Wells’ true singing voice was in an episode when Mary Ann’s caterwauling was part of the narrative. Yikes.

38. Russell Johnson was once a military man

Russell Johnson had quite the career before Gilligan’s Island. But, to begin with, it didn’t involve TV or the movies. Straight after high school, the star actually joined the U.S. Army Air Force as an aviation cadet. And in a neat twist, he used the money he received from the GI Bill to fund his acting classes – and find fame as the Professor.

37. The show appeared to confuse some of its viewers

Some of Gilligan’s Island viewers seemed to have trouble, well, separating fiction from fact. Yep, when the show first aired, the American Coast Guard was accosted by concerned citizens asking them to help the “stranded” Gilligan. One particular message reportedly read, “Why not send one U.S. destroyer to rescue those poor people before they starve to death?” Because it’s just a TV show, Karen?

36. Carroll O’Connor auditioned for The Skipper

Carroll O’Connor finally became a household name after bringing the grouchy Archie Bunker to life. He nearly got his big break several years earlier, though, when he auditioned to play the Skipper in Gilligan’s Island. And while O’Connor did make the shortlist, producers were concerned that the actor’s portrayal of the character wasn’t likeable enough. That’s just as well, as we can’t imagine the Skipper ever saying the word “groinacologist.”

35. John Williams composed the original theme tune

Now, John Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest Hollywood composers of all time. Back when he was just plain Johnny Williams, though? He was snubbed by the producers of Gilligan’s Island. Yes, the music legend actually provided the show’s theme tune for the pilot episode! His contribution was replaced, however, before the sitcom made it to air.

34. The coconut cups were real

Let’s be honest: authenticity wasn’t one of Gilligan’s Island’s strong points. But from time to time, what you saw on screen was the real thing. In the early episodes, for instance, producers used genuine hollowed-out coconuts for the characters to drink from. These homemade props soon started to look a little grubby, though, and so they were eventually substituted with something more artificial.

33. The Professor was nearly given a nephew

The Gilligan’s Island producers initially toyed with giving the Professor a young family member on the desert island – a nephew, to be exact. Uncle Professor? It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Luckily, the bigwigs dismissed the idea, as they already had a big kid in the cast in the shape of Gilligan himself.

32. Schafer only signed up for the free vacation

Schafer has admitted that she only signed up for the Gilligan’s Island pilot because she was getting a free Hawaii vacation. That’s a woman after our own hearts! But, sadly, the ploy backfired. Once the show got picked up for a full season, the New Yorker had to move to Los Angeles – and she wasn’t happy. She cried so much, in fact, that the folks around her at the time thought there had been a death in the family.

31. The characters represented the seven sins

Of all the inspirations for Gilligan’s Island, this one is definitely the strangest. You see, Sherwood Schwartz claimed that each character was intended to represent one of the seven deadly sins from the Bible. So, alongside the sloth-like Gilligan, the greed and gluttony of the Howells and lustful Ginger, there was also the envious Mary Ann, proud Professor and wrathful Skipper. Actually, that kind of makes sense...

30. Tina Louise believed that the show damaged her career

Apparently, Tina Louise’s agent told her that Gilligan’s Island was her very own star vehicle. The actress got quite the shock, then, when she realized she had to share equal screen time with six other cast members. Even worse, Louise is said to have repeatedly disagreed with producers over her character. And to top it all off? The screen legend later said that the show had destroyed her career. Oof.

29. And the actress wasn’t popular on set

Louise’s attempt to distance herself from the show kinda explains why she wasn’t exactly a popular figure during filming. According to Bob Denver, while the rest of the Gilligan’s Island cast used to laugh and joke together in between takes, Louise was far happier being on her own.

28. Jim Backus was a cheapskate

Jim Backus was far more popular on set than Louise, even though he had a reputation for being stingy. How stingy? Well, Dawn Wells claimed that the actor regularly took her and Natalie Schafer out for lunch. When the check came, though, Backus would oh-so-conveniently find that he’d forgotten his wallet.

27. The pilot shoot was interrupted by the death of JFK

Gilligan’s Island’s cast and crew were forced to take a break from filming the pilot after the shocking death of JFK. Following the tragic assassination, the Hawaii navy base the team were shooting at was shut down for 48 hours by the U.S. government. It’s why you see a half-mast flag flying at the beginning of those first season episodes.

26. Mary Ann was originally a secretary called Bunny

Castmembers weren’t the only thing to change when Gilligan’s Island finally got the green light. And we could have had a very different show if the producers had run with the initial plans for Mary Ann and Ginger. Both of them were originally meant to be secretaries, you see. Mary Ann even had another name. To begin with, she was called Bunny.

25. The Pacific Ocean lagoon was actually in California

That uncharted Pacific Ocean island? Not real, sadly! After the original plan to film in Malibu was nixed, CBS ended up constructing a set for the show on its Studio City lot in California. And if you were lucky enough to visit the location, you could have played castaway yourself. The set survived for over 30 years before becoming a parking lot.

24. Producers turned down an unknown Raquel Welch

Raquel Welch was one of several actresses who auditioned for the part of Mary Ann, but producers felt she wasn’t suitably wholesome. Welch had the last laugh, though. Just a year before Gilligan’s Island was canceled, she landed a major contract with 20th Century Fox – and the rest is movie history.

23. Dawn Wells made a savvy business deal

Dawn Wells not only saw off a future Hollywood legend to play Mary Ann, but she also ensured she would forever be paid for doing so. Yes, thanks to some shrewd business sense, the actress was the only cast member who asked for more than just a fee and short-lived royalties. And the money kept rolling in for Wells every time an episode aired.

22. Alan Hale Jr. once broke his arm on set

The cast may not have been stranded for real, but that didn’t stop them from getting the odd island-related injury. A case in point? Alan Hale Jr. once broke his arm when he plunged from a coconut tree. Ever the hero, though, the actor continued to finish the day’s filming before getting any medical assistance.

21. Bob Denver was nearly attacked by a lion

Mind you, Hale Jr. wasn’t the only cast member to risk life and limb on Gilligan’s Island. During one particularly risky scene, Gilligan himself was lunged at by a lion! But the quick-thinking of the on-set trainer saved Bob Denver’s bacon. Thankfully, the only injuries sustained were to a pair of ripped-apart twin beds.

20. Bob Denver once threatened to remove his name from the credits

As well as being the most daredevil cast member, Bob Denver was also the most loyal. The actor once demanded to be removed from the show’s opening titles unless the names of the Professor and Mary Ann – who were only credited as “the rest” in the first season – were added too.

19. CBS assured producers there would be a fourth season

Gilligan’s Island’s third season was, sadly, a bit of a bust in the ratings. Even so, CBS convinced Sherwood Schwartz that it would be renewing the show for a fourth run. The moral of this story? Nothing’s safe in the TV business. After being forced to surrender Gilligan’s Island’s timeslot to Gunsmoke, the network canceled the sitcom before season four was ever made.

18. The cast bought houses near the set

That cancelation was made all the more painful for some of the cast members, who were on vacation at the time they heard the news. And when the stars returned, they may have had a few choice words to say to Schwartz. He’d told them a fourth season was on the cards, you see, and a number of the actors had snapped up homes near the California studio upon that reassurance.

17. The S.S. Minnow was named after the creator’s arch-enemy

The charter boat that shipwrecks the crew and passengers? Well, that was named after Schwartz’s arch-enemy, Newton Minow. The former president of the Federal Communications Commission had incurred Schwartz’s wrath after describing television programming as “a vast wasteland.” We bet he was soon laughing on the other side of his face.

16. CBS needed to be convinced to make the show

CBS’ ruthless decision to drop Gilligan’s Island perhaps wasn’t too surprising. After all, the network was skeptical about the series from the offset. Jim Aubrey didn’t help, either, with his grumbles about having to keep the characters on the island. Aubrey was eventually won round, however, when it was decided that the castaways would be rescued if ratings fell.

15. Natalie Schafer didn’t think the show stood a chance

But to be fair, CBS executives weren’t the only ones with reservations about Gilligan’s Island. Natalie Schafer was a skeptic, too. Reportedly, she didn’t believe that a show with such a silly premise would last the course. We couldn’t imagine anyone else as Lovey, though, so we’re glad she stayed on board.

14. Gilligan nearly had a pet dinosaur

Gilligan’s Island may have turned into a mini Jurassic Park if Hunt Stromberg, Jr. had his way. Yes, really! The producer had the brainwave of giving Gilligan a pet dinosaur, of all things. Much to Schwartz’s relief, though, budget constraints ultimately put paid to that bizarre idea.

13. Alan Hale Jr. had to secretly audition for his role

Alan Hale Jr. really wanted his Gilligan’s Island role bad. How bad? Enough to sneak away from the western he was filming in Utah when he was banned from leaving for his audition. But after a horseback ride, hitchhike and a flight to Los Angeles, the actor was finally rewarded for his efforts.

12. Gilligan’s name was picked out of the blue

You’d expect plenty of thought to go into the name of a lead character – especially one that features in the title of the show. Not for Sherwood Schwartz! He just selected Gilligan from the phone book. We wonder if the show would have been a hit if his finger had fallen on Kowalczyk...

11. The premise was inspired by a Lucille Ball movie

If you’ve ever watched the Lucille Ball movie Five Came Back, then the premise of Gilligan’s Island probably seems a little familiar. Yep, the sitcom didn’t just take its cues from the Bible. It was also influenced by that 1939 movie, which sees a group of plane crash survivors left stranded in the Amazon rainforest.

10. Its original pilot wasn’t aired for almost 30 years

9. Tina Louise carried a parasol with her everywhere

8. Louise is the only surviving cast member

7. Its theme tune was at the center of a bizarre neighbor dispute

6. A musical launched in 2001

5. Alan Hale Jr. was renowned for his optimism

Alan Hale Jr. definitely appeared to be more of a glass half full kinda guy. The man best-known for playing Skipper on Gilligan’s Island was a constant source of optimism on set. And he once told Elmira newspaper Elmira Star-Gazette, “You’re not going to get much of an interview out of me. I’m not in the least controversial. I love people and, if I have any enemies, they haven’t told me about it yet.”

4. It crossed over to another classic 1960s sitcom

It took roughly 30 years but two of the most iconic sitcoms of the 1960s did eventually get a crossover moment. In the 1996 sequel to The Brady Bunch feature film, the identity of Carol’s estranged hubby is revealed. And it just so happens to be Gilligan’s Island’s The Professor!

3. There’s a reason Natalie Schafer always wore pants

You might have spotted that despite the desert island temperatures, Mrs Howell always wore pants. And according to Wells’ autobiography, A Guide to Life: What Would Mary Ann Do?, there was a perfectly rational explanation for this. Actress Natalie Schafer was insecure about her ankles and so always insisted that they were covered up on screen.

2. Russell Johnson spent most of his childhood in a boarding school for orphans

Russell Johnson’s background didn’t exactly suggest that a career in showbiz awaited. The actor had watched barely any films or plays while growing up having spent most of his childhood in a strict boarding school for orphans. The future star wasn’t actually parentless, though. Although his dad passed away when he was aged eight, he still had a mother. But she felt unable to provide for her son financially and so sent him off to Philadelphia’s Girard College.

1. Bob Denver’s fourth wife made a TV movie cameo

Bob Denver met his fourth wife Dreama when they appeared on stage together in a summer play. The pair later also got to share the screen in 1981 on The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island, one of the sitcom’s many TV movies. Dreama played a secretary to Mrs Howell, while her husband, of course, reprised the titular role.