Surviving Gilligan's Island
''Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three-Hour Tour in History'' is a 2001 American made-for-television docudrama film based on the 1964–1967 television sitcom '' Gilligan's Island''. Originally airing on CBS on October 14, 2001, the film stars three of the four cast members from the 1960s series who were still alive at the time: Bob Denver, Dawn Wells, and Russell Johnson. These performers tell their stories, while other actors re-enact old scenes from the series and dramatize behind-the-scenes moments. Plot The plot of this docudrama depicts the attempts of ''Gilligan's Island'' producer Sherwood Schwartz to make ''Gilligan's Island'' a hit television series. It portrays the network's initial rejection of the series as well as the filming of the pilot episode. This film also reveals the changes which each cast member went through after the pilot episode received negative feedback. Denver (who played Gilligan), Wells (who played Mary ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bob Denver
Robert Osbourne Denver (January 9, 1935 – September 2, 2005) was an American comedic actor who portrayed Gilligan on the 1964–1967 television series ''Gilligan's Island'', and beatnik Maynard G. Krebs on the 1959–1963 series ''The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis''. Early life Denver was born on January 9, 1935, in New Rochelle, New York, and raised in Brownwood, Texas. He graduated from Loyola University in Los Angeles, California, with a degree in political science. He acted in college productions at Loyola and met fellow student Dwayne Hickman, with whom he later co-starred in ''The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis''. After graduation, he coached physical education and taught mathematics and history at Corpus Christi School, a Catholic elementary school in Pacific Palisades, California. Career Most of Denver's acting career was in television, though he also appeared in several films and on Broadway. He was widely associated with the title character that he played in the 1960 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Professor (Gilligan's Island)
Roy Hinkley, referred to as the Professor, is one of the seven castaways from the television series ''Gilligan's Island'' (1964–67); he was played by Russell Johnson. The character was originally played by John Gabriel (actor), John Gabriel in the Television pilot, pilot episode, but the network thought he looked too young to have all the degrees attributed to the Professor. Character summary The Professor's backstory identifies him as Roy Hinkley (though his actual name is rarely mentioned during the series), a high-school science teacher who was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His principal expertise was as a botanist, whose purpose in joining the ill-fated voyage that stranded the castaways was to write a book to be titled ''Fun With Ferns''. His main function on the show was to devise many ways for the castaways to live more comfortably on the island. Many of his inventions (including a method for recharging the batteries in the ubiquitous radio) used coconuts and bamboo, both ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jerry Van Dyke
Jerry McCord Van Dyke (July 27, 1931 – January 5, 2018) was an American actor and comedian. He was the younger brother of Dick Van Dyke. Van Dyke had a long and successful career mostly as a character actor in supporting and guest roles on popular television series. He made his television acting debut on ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' with several guest appearances as Rob Petrie's brother, Stacey. From 1989 to 1997, he played Luther Van Dam on the popular series ''Coach''. Early life Jerry McCord Van Dyke was born in Danville, Illinois on July 27, 1931, to Hazel Victoria (née McCord), a stenographer, and Loren Wayne "Cookie" Van Dyke, a salesman. He was of Dutch, English, Irish, and Scottish descent. Career Early career Van Dyke pursued a stand-up comedy career while still in Danville High School and was already a veteran of strip joints and nightclubs when he joined the United States Air Force Tops In Blue in 1954 and 1955. During the mid-1950s, Van Dyke worked at WTHI-TV in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Michael Wiseman
Michael Wiseman (born April 12, 1967) is an American television and film actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Johnny Rizzo in the 2012 CBS series ''Vegas''. Early life and career Wiseman grew up in Lafayette, California. He knew as a boy that he wanted to be an actor; the caption of his eighth grade yearbook picture said, "Career Goal: football player or famous actor". He graduated from Saint Mary's College High School in Berkeley, California, in 1985. Wiseman spent two decades working in Hollywood before landing the part of Rizzo, during which he played an outspoken student in the PBS series French in Action, performed supporting roles in Tim Burton's remake of ''Planet of the Apes'' and '' Surviving Gilligan's Island''. He has acted in over 65 television series, including ''Cheers'', '' ER'', ''Melrose Place'', ''NYPD Blue'', NCIS and ''The X-Files''. Personal life Wiseman is married to Caroline Keenan-Wiseman, an Emmy-nominated hairstylist and makeup artist. The cou ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Thurston Howell III
Thurston Howell III (mentioned in the opening credits as: "The Millionaire") is a character on the CBS television sitcom ''Gilligan's Island'', which ran from 1964 to 1967, and later in syndication. Portrayal Howell, portrayed by veteran character actor Jim Backus, is so wealthy that he took hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and several changes of clothing with him for what was intended to be only a three-hour boat tour in Hawaii. Speaking with a Locust Valley lockjaw accent, Howell is a stereotypical member of the New England Yankee elite — a resident of Newport, Rhode Island, a graduate of Harvard University and a Republican. He is a member of the Newport Country Club, Oyster Bay Yacht Club, and the Union League Club where he has a "window seat". His wife, Lovey, portrayed by Natalie Schafer, is conscious of social strata, yet seems to be a good-hearted woman with a deep sense of ''noblesse oblige'', allowing her to interact with the other passengers and crew, though ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jim Backus
James Gilmore Backus (February 25, 1913 – July 3, 1989) was an American actor. Among his most famous roles were Thurston Howell III on the 1960s sitcom '' Gilligan's Island,'' the father of James Dean's character in ''Rebel Without a Cause,'' the voice of the nearsighted cartoon character '' Mr. Magoo'', the rich Hubert Updike III on the radio version of '' The Alan Young Show'', and Joan Davis' character's husband (a domestic court judge) on TV's ''I Married Joan''. He also starred in his own show of one season, ''The Jim Backus Show'', also known as ''Hot Off the Wire''. An avid golfer, Backus made the 36-hole cut at the 1964 Bing Crosby Pro-Am tournament. He was inducted to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Early life Backus was born February 25, 1913, in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Bratenahl, Ohio, an East Side suburb of Cleveland located on the Lake Erie shore, surrounded by the city on three sides. He was the son of Russell Gould Backus and Daisy Taylor (née ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lovey Howell
Lovey Howell (née Wentworth), is a fictional character from the 1964 television show ''Gilligan's Island'' played by Natalie Schafer. The character is a rich socialite married to millionaire businessman Thurston Howell III. Character summary While Mr. Howell always calls her "Lovey", she is almost always otherwise referred to as "Mrs. Howell". In the pilot, a radio announcer says that among the missing people are "Thurston Howell III and his wife, international hostess Lovey Howell". When Gilligan believes he has won a lottery and invites all the people into the Howells' club, The Professor greets Mr. and Mrs. Howell as "Thurston" and "Lovey". In episode 31 of season 2, "Mr. and Mrs. ??", a radio announcer states that her maiden name was Wentworth. Not much information was revealed about her life before being marooned with her fellow castaways, but she introduced herself in episode 6 of season 2 ("Quick Before It Sinks") as "Mrs. Thurston Howell III, from New York, Palm Beach a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Natalie Schafer
Natalie Schafer (November 5, 1900 – April 10, 1991) was an American actress, known for her role as Lovey Howell on the sitcom ''Gilligan's Island'' (1964–1967). Early life and career Natalie Schafer was born on November 5, 1900, in Manhattan. the eldest of the three children of Jennie (née Tim; family name originally ''Tein'')Family Profile ; accessed August 8, 2017. and Charles Emanual Schafer, both of German-Jewish descent. Schafer began her career as an actress on [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Skipper
The Skipper is the title and nickname of Jonas Grumby, a fictional character from the 1960s situation comedy '' Gilligan's Island''. Played by Alan Hale Jr., the Skipper (the character's actual name was rarely mentioned after the show's pilot episode) was the owner and captain of the S. S. ''Minnow'' on its "three-hour tour" from Hawaii when he, first mate Gilligan (portrayed by Bob Denver), and their tourist passengers were caught in a violent storm and stranded on a deserted island. He acts often in his legal role as the group's leader, albeit with a decidedly collegial and democratic bent; the only individual whom he routinely orders about is Gilligan. In times of crisis, the Skipper tends to defer to the more level-headed and educated passenger, Professor Roy Hinkley (portrayed by Russell Johnson). He does most of the physical work on the island or makes Gilligan do it. He is also the most superstitious castaway, sometimes putting him in conflict with the Professor's ration ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Alan Hale Jr
Alan Hale Jr. (born Alan Hale MacKahan; (March 8, 1921 - January 2, 1990) was an American actor and restaurateur. He was the son of actor Alan Hale Sr. His television career spanned four decades, but he was best known for his secondary lead role as Captain Jonas Grumby, better known as The Skipper, on the 1960s CBS comedy series ''Gilligan's Island'' (1964–1967), a role he reprised in three ''Gilligan's Island'' television films and two spin-off cartoon series. Hale appeared in more than 200 films and television roles from 1941. He appeared primarily in Westerns, portraying the Sundance Kid in ''The Three Outlaws'' (1956) opposite Neville Brand as Butch Cassidy, performing with Kirk Douglas in ''The Big Trees'' (1952), Audie Murphy in '' Destry'' (1954), Ray Milland in '' A Man Alone'' (1955), Robert Wagner in ''The True Story of Jesse James'' (1957), and Hugh Marlowe in '' The Long Rope'' (1961). He also appeared in musical comedies opposite Don DeFore in ''It Happened on Fi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ginger Grant
Ginger Grant is a fictional character portrayed by actress Tina Louise in the 1964 to 1967 television sitcom ''Gilligan's Island''. Character summary Born in New York City on September 1, 1937, Grant is a "movie star" and would casually mention names of some of the biggest movie stars of the day as her co-stars or acquaintances to the Castaways, suggesting that she too was a great star. In season 1 episode 1, "Two on a Raft", Ginger is singing in a club in Waikiki, the same gig mentioned by the radio announcer, after which she was seen boarding the tour boat still wearing the evening gown from her performance. "When I first broke into show business, I used to work with a magician", Ginger confesses in Season 1 Episode 33 "It's Magic". In the ''Gilligan's Island'''s pilot, actress Kit Smythe portrayed Ginger, who was then a secretary. Ginger was sometimes seen helping the Professor with his experiments, dressed in a lab coat and spectacle frames and they conspired together in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gilligan
Gilligan is a fictional character played by Bob Denver on the 1960s TV show '' Gilligan's Island'' and its many sequels. Gilligan, affectionately called "little buddy" by the "Skipper", is the bumbling, dimwitted, accident-prone first mate of the . His first name, given in the pilot episode, is Willie. He wears a trademark red shirt, pale trousers, white sneakers, and white navy cap. During a storm, he throws an anchor overboard without a rope attached, which leaves the ''Minnow'' shipwrecked on an "uncharted desert isle" with its seven passengers and crew, establishing the underlying premise of the franchise. The enduring popularity of the series has made him a cultural icon. Background Gilligan served in the United States Navy with Jonas Grumby (the Skipper) during an unspecified war and saved him from being killed by a runaway depth charge. Upon retirement, Grumby, described as "an old salt in these waters", used his savings to buy the ''Minnow'', and as the captain (or ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |