The iconic ’60s sitcom Gilligan’s Island had a slew of characters that made an impression on the audience. Here are some facts about the islanders that you might not have known.
Bob Denver
Bob Denver, famous for his role as Gilligan, had a successful acting career beyond the show, but he couldn’t escape his iconic character.
Before Denver, this role was offered to Jerry Van Dyke, Dick Van Dyke’s brother. However, he turned the role down and it went to Bob Denver.
Alan Hale, Jr.
Alan Hale, Jr., who played the lovable Skipper, had a career rooted in cowboy roles in Western movies and TV shows.
It turns out that Alan Hale, Jr. was so dedicated to his role that once he even broke his wrist while shooting, deliberately did not inform anyone and insisted on keeping the cameras rolling!
Jim Backus
Jim Backus, a.k.a Thurston Howell III, was already a well-known radio star when he started the show. Following that, he appeared in a wide range of movies and TV shows.
Not only this, it seems as if even the teachers in Backus’ school were movie stars! Margaret Hamilton, who was his school teacher, had starred in the movie The Wizard of Oz!
Natalie Schafer
Natalie Schafer, known for her portrayal of Lovey Howell, enjoyed a vibrant Broadway career and appeared in several films before Gilligan’s Island.
Natalie was a bit secretive in her personal life and she had hidden her true age from many of her close friends, including her own husband.
Tina Louise
Although Tina Louise is known to many as the definitive incarnation of her character, the glamorous Ginger Grant, three other actresses also played the role.
Kit Smythe was initially involved in the pilot episode. Judith Baldwin and Constance Forslund followed in her wake, starring in subsequent television movies.
Russell Johnson
Russell Johnson played Professor Roy Hinkley, who was known for inventing various contraptions to get the castaways off the island.
The professor and the skipper had teamed up in the cinema long before Gilligan’s Island with the actors collaborating in the 1955 Western production Many Rivers To Cross.
Dawn Wells
Dawn Wells, who played the sweet girl next door, Mary Ann, made appearances on other popular TV shows like The Love Boat, Growing Pains, and Baywatch.
The actress had a fun time with the ongoing debate regarding the favorite female character from Gilligan’s Island. Wells even wore a t-shirt once with the phrase “Ginger or Mary Ann, the ultimate dilemma.”