Tina Louise ( Blacker; born February 11, 1934) is an American actress widely known for her role as movie star
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 ment ...
in the
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
television situation comedy ''
Gilligan's Island
''Gilligan's Island'' is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells. It aired for thr ...
''. With the death of
Dawn Wells in 2020, Louise became the last surviving cast member of the TV series.
She began her career on stage in the mid-1950s before landing her breakthrough role in 1958 drama film ''
God's Little Acre
''God's Little Acre'' is a 1933 novel by Erskine Caldwell about a dysfunctional farming family in Georgia obsessed with sex and wealth. The novel's sexual themes were so controversial that the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice asked a ...
'' for which she received the
Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year.
Louise had starring roles in ''
The Trap'', ''
The Hangman'', ''
Day of the Outlaw
''Day of the Outlaw'' is a 1959 Western film starring Robert Ryan, Burl Ives, and Tina Louise. It was directed by Andre DeToth; this was DeToth's final Western feature film.
Plot
Blaise Starrett is a ruthless cattleman who helped found the smal ...
'', and ''
For Those Who Think Young''. She also appeared in ''
The Wrecking Crew'', ''
The Happy Ending
''The Happy Ending'' is a 1969 drama film written and directed by Richard Brooks, which tells the story of a repressed housewife who longs for liberation from her husband and daughter. It stars Jean Simmons (who received an Oscar nomination), ...
'', and ''
The Stepford Wives
''The Stepford Wives'' is a 1972 satirical "feminist horror" novel by Ira Levin. The story concerns Joanna Eberhart, a talented photographer, wife and young mother who suspects that something in Stepford's environment is changing the wives fr ...
'' (1975).
Early life
Born Tina Blacker on February 11, 1934 in New York City, by the time she was four years old her parents had divorced. She was an only child and was raised by her mother Sylvia (née Horn), later Myers, a fashion model. Tina's father, Joseph Blacker, was a candy store owner in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, and later an accountant.
The name "Louise" was reportedly added during her senior year in high school when she mentioned to her drama teacher that she was the only girl in the class without a middle name, and he suggested it. She attended
Miami University
Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 10 ...
in Ohio after high school.
Career
Early work
Louise got her first role at age two after being in an ad for her father's candy store. She began studying acting, singing, and dancing at age 17 under
Sanford Meisner at the
Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre
The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre is a full-time professional conservatory for actors in New York City. First operational from 1915 to 1927, the school re-opened in 1928 and has been active ever since. It is the birthplace of th ...
in Manhattan. She was offered modeling jobs, including the 1958
Frederick's of Hollywood
Frederick's of Hollywood is an American lingerie brand formerly with stores in shopping malls across the United States. In 2015, all 111 retail stores were closed in advance of a bankruptcy filing. The brand was acquired by Authentic Brands Gro ...
catalog, and she appeared on the cover of several pinup magazines such as ''Adam'', ''Sir!'', and ''Modern Man''. Her pictorials for ''
Playboy
''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother.
K ...
'' in May 1958 and April 1959 were arranged by Columbia Pictures studio in an effort to promote her.
![Tina Louise In The Happy Ending](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Tina_Louise_In_The_Happy_Ending.JPG)
Her acting debut came in 1952 in the
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her pe ...
musical revue ''
Two's Company'',
followed by roles in such other Broadway productions as ''
John Murray Anderson's Almanac
''John Murray Anderson's Almanac'' is a musical revue, featuring the music of the songwriting team of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, as well as other composers. It was conceived by John Murray Anderson.
Productions
''John Murray Anderson's Almanac ...
'', ''
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?
''Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?'' is a 1957 American satirical comedy film starring Jayne Mansfield and Tony Randall, with Betsy Drake, Joan Blondell, John Williams, Henry Jones, Lili Gentle, and Mickey Hargitay, and with a cameo by Groucho M ...
'', and the hit musical ''
Li'l Abner''.
She appeared in the live television dramas ''
Studio One'' and ''
Producers' Showcase
''Producers' Showcase'' is an American anthology television series that was telecast live during the 1950s in compatible color by NBC. With top talent, the 90-minute episodes, covering a wide variety of genres, aired under the title every fourth M ...
''.
Hollywood and ''Gilligan's Island''
Louise made her film debut in 1958 in ''
God's Little Acre
''God's Little Acre'' is a 1933 novel by Erskine Caldwell about a dysfunctional farming family in Georgia obsessed with sex and wealth. The novel's sexual themes were so controversial that the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice asked a ...
''. That same year, the National Art Council named her the "World's Most Beautiful Redhead." The next year, she starred in ''
Day of the Outlaw
''Day of the Outlaw'' is a 1959 Western film starring Robert Ryan, Burl Ives, and Tina Louise. It was directed by Andre DeToth; this was DeToth's final Western feature film.
Plot
Blaise Starrett is a ruthless cattleman who helped found the smal ...
'' with
Robert Ryan
Robert Bushnell Ryan (November 11, 1909 – July 11, 1973) was an American actor and activist. Known for his portrayals of hardened cops and ruthless villains, Ryan performed for over three decades. He was nominated for the Academy Award for ...
. She became a leading lady for stars such as
Robert Taylor and
Richard Widmark
Richard Weedt Widmark (December 26, 1914March 24, 2008) was an American film, stage, and television actor and producer.
He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, '' Kiss of Death'' (1947) ...
, often playing sombre roles. She turned down roles in the films of ''
Li'l Abner
''Li'l Abner'' is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbilly, hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written a ...
'' and ''
Operation Petticoat
''Operation Petticoat'' is a 1959 American World War II submarine comedy film in Eastmancolor from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur, directed by Blake Edwards, that stars Cary Grant and Tony Curtis.
The film tells in fla ...
'', taking roles on Broadway and in Italian cinema. Among her Italian film credits were
''The Siege of Syracuse'' and ''
Garibaldi
Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as ''Gioxeppe Gaibado''. In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as ''Jousé'' or ''Josep''. 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, patr ...
'' (both in 1960).
Louise returned to the United States, began studying with
Lee Strasberg
Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American theatre director, actor and acting teacher. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931 ...
, and became a member of the
Actors Studio
The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded ...
. In 1962, she guest-starred on the situation comedy ''
The Real McCoys
''The Real McCoys'' is an American situation comedy starring Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan. Co-produced by Danny Thomas's Marterto Productions in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's Westgate Company, it ...
'', portraying a country girl from
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
in the episode "Grandpa Pygmalion". She appeared with
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 Ma ...
two years later in the beach party film ''
For Those Who Think Young'' (1964). In 1964, she left the Broadway musical ''
Fade Out – Fade In
''Fade Out – Fade In'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne. The story involves the movie industry in the 1930s. It starred Carol Burnett, returning to the Broadway stage for the ...
'' to portray movie star
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 ment ...
on the situation comedy ''
Gilligan's Island
''Gilligan's Island'' is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells. It aired for thr ...
''. Over time, she became unhappy with the role and was worried that it would typecast her. Although she continued to work in film and made guest appearances on television, she claimed repeatedly that playing Ginger had ruined her movie career. She did not appear in any of the subsequent ''Gilligan's Island'' sequel movies: ''
Rescue from Gilligan's Island
''Rescue from Gilligan's Island'' is a 1978 made-for-television comedy film that continues the adventures of the shipwrecked castaways from the 1964–67 sitcom '' Gilligan's Island'', starring Bob Denver and Alan Hale, Jr., and featuring all th ...
'' (1978), ''
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
''The Castaways on Gilligan's Island'' is a 1979 made-for-television comedy film that continues the adventures of the shipwrecked castaways from the 1964–1967 sitcom ''Gilligan's Island'' and the first reunion movie, '' Rescue from Gilligan's ...
'' (1979), or ''
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island
''The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island'' is a 1981 made-for-television comedy film. It is the third of three movies that reunited the cast of the 1964–1967 sitcom ''Gilligan's Island''. The film aired on NBC on May 15, 1981.
Plot
The ...
'' (1981). Other actresses played the role, instead, in the sequels. She maintained a steady acting career after the series ended, going on to appear in the Matt Helm spy spoof ''
The Wrecking Crew'' (1969) with
Dean Martin
Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...
and in ''
The Stepford Wives
''The Stepford Wives'' is a 1972 satirical "feminist horror" novel by Ira Levin. The story concerns Joanna Eberhart, a talented photographer, wife and young mother who suspects that something in Stepford's environment is changing the wives fr ...
'' (1975).
Louise attempted to shed her comedic image by playing darker roles, such as a heroin addict in a 1974 episode of ''
Kojak
''Kojak'' is an American action crime drama television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theodopolis "Theo" Kojak. Taking the time slot of the popular ''Cannon'' series, it ...
'' and as a cruel corrections officer in the 1976 television movie ''
Nightmare in Badham County
''Nightmare in Badham County'' is a 1976 American women-in-prison television film directed by John Llewellyn Moxey and starring Chuck Connors, Deborah Raffin, and Lynne Moody. Its plot follows two female college students from California who, w ...
''. Other television appearances included supporting roles in ''
Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby
''Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby'' (also known as ''Rosemary's Baby Part II'') is a 1976 American television film, made-for-television horror film and a sequel to Roman Polanski's 1968 film ''Rosemary's Baby (film), Rosemary's Baby'' sta ...
'' (1976), ''
SST: Death Flight'' (1977), and the soap opera ''
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
'' during the 1978–1979 seasons. In the fall of 1984, she succeeded
Jo Ann Pflug
Jo Ann Pflug is an American film and television actress.
Early life
Jo Ann Pflug was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to J. Lynn and Kelly Pflug. She was raised in Winter Park, Florida, where her father was elected mayor in 1958, and she graduated fr ...
as Taylor Chapin on the syndicated soap opera ''
Rituals
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, ...
''.
Later work
Later film roles included a co-starring appearance in the
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and is considered an enduring figure from the New H ...
comedy ''
O.C. and Stiggs'' (1987) as well as the independently made satire ''
Johnny Suede
''Johnny Suede'' is a 1991 American film the directorial debut of Tom DiCillo, and stars Brad Pitt, Catherine Keener, Calvin Levels and Nick Cave.
Synopsis
Johnny Suede is a young man with an attitude and an immense pompadour, who aspires to be ...
'' (1992) starring
Brad Pitt
William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...
. She appeared in the situation comedy ''
Married... with Children'' as Miss Beck in episode "Kelly Bounces Back" (1990). In 2014, Louise starred in the spiritual drama ''Tapestry'' and the horror film ''
Late Phases
''Late Phases'' is a 2014 horror drama film by director Adrián García Bogliano and his first feature film in the English language. The film had its world premiere on March 9, 2014, at South by Southwest and stars Nick Damici as a blind war vet ...
''.
Although Louise declined to participate in any of three ''Gilligan's Island'' reunion television films, she made brief walk-on appearances on a few talk shows and specials for ''Gilligan's Island'' reunions, including ''
Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...
'' (1982), ''
The Late Show The Late Show may refer to:
Books
* ''The Late Show'' (book), a 2017 book by Michael Connelly
Film
* ''The Late Show'' (film), a 1977 film
* ''Late Show'', a 1999 German film by director Helmut Dietl
Music
* ''The Late Show'' (Eddie "Loc ...
'' (1988) and the 2004 TV Land award show with the other surviving cast members. In the 1990s, she was reunited with costars
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 Ma ...
,
Dawn Wells, and
Russell Johnson
Russell David Johnson (November 10, 1924 – January 16, 2014) was an American actor. He played Professor Roy Hinkley in ''Gilligan's Island'' and Marshal Gib Scott in '' Black Saddle''.
Early life
Johnson was born in Ashley, Pennsylvania, o ...
in an episode of ''
Roseanne
''Roseanne'' is an American sitcom television series created by Matt Williams and Roseanne Barr which aired on ABC from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May 22, 2018. The show stars Barr as Roseann ...
''.
She did not reunite with them for the television film ''
Surviving Gilligan's Island'' (2001), co-produced by Wells; Ginger was portrayed by
Kristen Dalton in the television film. Her relations with series star Denver were rumored to be strained, but in 2005, she wrote a brief, affectionate memorial to him in the year-end "farewell" issue of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' after his death.
Following the news of Dawn Wells' passing in December 2020, Louise denied any longtime rumors that she resented the role of Ginger Grant: "Never true – I loved doing my part, especially after they really started writing for my character, originally billed as a '
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
' type of character. A different director took over and really started to write for my character. I really loved my character." She also said that she was very grateful to the show's fans for their continued support, especially during the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
: "We were part of the wonderful show that everyone loves and has been a great source of comfort, especially during these times. We brought a lot of joy to people and still do. This show is an escape from so many things going on. Fathers share it with their children now. I get letters all the time about that."
Music
Louise made one record album, ''It's Time for Tina'', which was released originally on Concert Hall in 1957 (Concert Hall 1521), and later reissued on Urania Records (1958 and 1959 respectively). With arrangements by Jim Timmens and Buddy Weed's Orchestra, 12 tracks include "Tonight Is the Night" and "
I'm in the Mood for Love
"I'm in the Mood for Love" is a popular music, popular song published in 1935 in music, 1935. The music was written by Jimmy McHugh, with the lyrics by Dorothy Fields. The song was introduced by Frances Langford in the movie ''Every Night at Eigh ...
." Coleman Hawkins is featured on tenor sax. The album has been reissued on CD twice, most recently on the UK label Harkit Records. The album was released on iTunes in 2012. She also recorded for
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B.
History Genres
In 1959, ...
but recorded just one single for that label in 1958.
Personal life
From 1966 to 1971, Louise was married to radio and TV announcer/interviewer
Les Crane
Les Crane (born Lesley Stein; December 3, 1933 – July 13, 2008) was a radio announcer and television talk show host, a pioneer in interactive broadcasting who also scored a spoken word hit with his 1971 recording of the poem ''Desiderata'', w ...
, with whom she had one daughter,
Caprice
Caprice, from the Italian ''capriccio'', may refer to:
Art and entertainment
* ''Caprice'' (1913 film), a film starring Mary Pickford
* ''Caprices'' (film), a 1942 French comedy film
* ''Caprice'' (1967 film), a film starring Richard Harris ...
, who became an MTV producer and a novelist. Tina Louise and Les Crane appeared together as a married couple on a 1973 episode of ''
Love American Style
''Love, American Style'' is an anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a part of ABC's Friday primetime lineup ...
''. Caprice Crane's first novel, ''Stupid and Contagious'', was published in 2006, and was dedicated to her mother.
Louise is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and a lifetime member of the Actors Studio.
Louise has been a vocal advocate for improving child literacy. She donated a portion of the proceeds of her 2007 book, ''When I Grow Up'', to literacy programs and said in a 2013 interview that she had been volunteering at local public schools since 1996.
She has written three books including ''Sunday: A Memoir'' (1997) and ''When I Grow Up'' (2007).
[ The latter is a children's book that inspires children to believe they can become whatever they choose through creative and humorous comparisons of animal kingdom achievements. She also published a second children's book titled ''What Does a Bee Do?'' in 2009.
Louise is quoted as saying, "The best movie you'll ever be in is your own life because that's what matters in the end."
A ]Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
, she campaigned for John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
during the 1960 presidential election.
Filmography
Film
Television
Stage work
*'' Two's Company'' (1952)
*''The Fifth Season'' (1953)
*''John Murray Anderson's Almanac
''John Murray Anderson's Almanac'' is a musical revue, featuring the music of the songwriting team of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, as well as other composers. It was conceived by John Murray Anderson.
Productions
''John Murray Anderson's Almanac ...
'' (1953)
*''Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?
''Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?'' is a 1957 American satirical comedy film starring Jayne Mansfield and Tony Randall, with Betsy Drake, Joan Blondell, John Williams, Henry Jones, Lili Gentle, and Mickey Hargitay, and with a cameo by Groucho M ...
'' (1955)
*''Li'l Abner
''Li'l Abner'' is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbilly, hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written a ...
'' (1956)
*''Fade Out – Fade In
''Fade Out – Fade In'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne. The story involves the movie industry in the 1930s. It starred Carol Burnett, returning to the Broadway stage for the ...
'' (1964)
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Louise, Tina
1934 births
Living people
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Actresses from New York City
American women singers
American film actresses
American musical theatre actresses
American television actresses
New Star of the Year (Actress) Golden Globe winners
Miami University alumni
New York (state) Democrats
California Democrats