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For a situation comedy as derided by critics as Gilligan’s Island, there were a lot of actors vying to be shipwrecked among the castaways. Perhaps those grouchy TV reviewers would have enjoyed the sitcom better if ‘60s sex symbol Raquel Welch had won the part for which she auditioned.

Aha, you might be thinking, Welch would have been a natural for sultry movie star Ginger Grant. Except that’s not the role producers had in mind for Welch. Instead, she auditioned for farmgirl-next-door Mary Ann. While Welch was “a wonderful lady,” producer Sherwood Schwartz told Retrocrush, “she was just too sophisticated for the role.”

Gilligan’s Island’s history is littered with other casting what-ifs. For the show’s main character, Sherwood Schwartz had Dick Van Dyke’s brother, Jerry, in mind. “Jerry seemed just right as Gilligan,” Schwartz wrote in his book, Inside Gilligan’s Island. But Van Dyke’s...

Sherwood Schwartz's 1964 sitcom "Gilligan's Island" is a zany slapstick comedy series, yes, but there's something undeniably classical about it. Although its characters were trapped on an uncharted desert island, and there seemed to be little hope for escape, there was an undercurrent of oblivious optimism at the show's core. The seven stranded castaways were depressed by their plight yet chipper and upbeat on a daily basis. They resembled Voltaire's Candide in this regard. They are living in the best possible world.

One can also easily compare "Gilligan's Island" to "The Myth of Sisyphus," Albert Camus' treatise on the philosophical pleasures of futility. The castaways may be trapped in an unending loop of hope and despair, often poised to be rescued only to see the effort fail once again, but there is a whimsical joy to accepting the absurdity of their plight. One may also compare "Gilligan's Island" to the characters in Commedia Dell'Arte,...

Alan Hale, Jr., by all reports, loved playing the Skipper on "Gilligan's Island." He was always an entertainer at heart, having inherited his line of work from his father. Alan Hale, Sr. was already well-known in 1920s Hollywood and had made many famous friends. This will pertain to the headline in a moment.

Critics infamously panned Sherwood Schwartz's popular sitcom, but "Gilligan's Island" was widely celebrated by its many fans. The series was imminently unserious, never bothering to explore the horrifying trials of surviving on an uncharted desert isle, and focusing instead on broad characters and wacky slapstick antics. The cast of "Gilligan's Island" have posited that the show's popularity was due to its silliness. In a hectic world, "Gilligan's Island" was a balm of idiocy. Whatever the magical alchemy, the show became popular around the world, and it entrenched itself deep into the American consciousness. For a spell,...

"Gilligan's Island" isn't a show that deals in beginnings and ends. The iconic theme song explains perfectly well what's going on, and the sitcom's whole premise is that the central group of castaways is trapped in a perpetual limbo that they can never fully escape, no matter how much they try. Because of this, any episode of "Gilligan's Island" can be the quintessential one -- it's up to the viewer which particular mixture of the show's central elements is the best.

This makes any list of essential "Gilligan's Island" episodes subjective by default. One viewer might like the fantastical elements that can border on supernatural, while another might enjoy the pseudoscience represented by the Professor's (Russell Johnson) inventions and the various gadgets that inexplicably keep washing ashore. It's also perfectly possible to simply take the episodes' premises for what they ultimately are: Vehicles to showcase Gilligan's (Bob Denver) ineptitude,...

Before Sherwood Schwartz's sitcom "Gilligan's Island" took to the airwaves in 1964, Jim Backus was probably the cast's biggest star. Backus had already appeared in the moving 1955 James Dean flick "Rebel Without a Cause" and had been voicing the amusing animated character Mr. Magoo since 1949. He also had a prolific film career, having racked up dozens of high profile credits working for notable directors like William Castle, Jose Ferrer, and Stanley Kramer. "Gilligan's Island" needed Backus more than Backus needed "Gilligan's Island."

The rest of the cast all came from different career paths but had their share of experience. Bob Denver was remembered for playing Maynard Krebbs on the hit sitcom "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," while Alan Hale, Jr. had already snagged dozens and dozens of supporting roles in a bunch of B-comedies and genre pictures. Russell Johnson, in comparison, had mostly starred in Westerns and spy movies,...

Television was a whole different ball game when "Gilligan's Island" premiered on CBS in 1964. There were prestigious programs like "Playhouse 90" and "Kraft Television Theatre," but the medium was largely viewed as lesser than cinema. Movie stars wouldn't dare diminish their larger-than-life, big-screen stature by taking a role in an hour-long drama, let alone a sitcom. Television is where washed-up actors went to finish out their careers.

Sitcoms could be artfully done in the 1950s and 1960s, as evidenced by classics like "I Love Lucy," "The Honeymooners," and "The Dick Van Dyke Show." On the other hand, they could also result in things like "Mr. Ed," "Car 54, Where Are You?" and "My Favorite Martian." Network executives basically didn't care one way or the other as long as the shows were drawing eyeballs, but when it came to reviews, it's always worth remembering that there are human beings on the receiving end of harsh notices.

It may be common knowledge among TV historians that Sherwood Schwartz's 1964 sitcom "Gilligan's Island" wasn't beloved by critics when it debuted, but it was a big hit with audiences. Critics said that the show was fluffy, unrealistic, and insubstantial, and Schwartz likely agreed. Indeed, its insubstantiality may have been the main reason for its success. Over the years, the seven main cast members of "Gilligan's Island" have all cited the show's featherweight tone as a necessary relief for audiences who had been inundated with turbulent news of the outside world. It certainly didn't help that "Gilligan's Island" was also very kid-friendly, featuring no serious conflicts, no sex, no violence, and no adult themes. 

In the year 2025, "Gilligan's Island" isn't just accepted as popular, but has become something of a cultural institution. Its images, music, and characters are archetypal nearly to the point of becoming Jungian. Gilligan (Bob Denver) and...

"Gilligan's Island" only aired for three seasons on CBS, but it became a rerun sensation when it hit syndication after getting canceled in 1967. Kids in the market for a relentlessly silly sitcom to watch after school while they were neglecting their homework and chores couldn't do better than this aggressively formulaic show about seven castaways shipwrecked on an uncharted island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Just about every episode revolved around the characters' inevitably thwarted attempts to return to civilization, and this familiarity bred nary a hint of contempt.

The key reason the show never got old for its undemanding target audience was the cast. Bob Denver (Gilligan), Alan Hale Jr. (Skipper), Jim Backus (Thurston Howe), Natalie Schafer (Lovie Howe), Russell Johnson (Professor Roy Hinkley), Dawn Wells (Mary Ann), and Tina Louise (Ginger) formed a perfectly balanced ensemble that understood precisely what was expected of them. You couldn't imagine anyone else playing these roles.

In the United States, the last time any of the extant cast members of "Gilligan's Island" were united on screen, specifically to reprise their characters from the show, was for a 1992 episode of "Baywatch." The episode, titled "Now Sit Right Back and You'll Hear a Tale," saw some of the Baywatch lifeguards finding a small island off the coast of California where Gilligan (Bob Denver) and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) had been stranded for a few years. They explained that they left their original island in a daring escape, only to become equally stranded on another island. Sadly, by the end of "Now Sit Right Back," it was revealed that Gilligan and Mary Ann weren't real, and that the events of the episode were all a dream.

By 1992, Alan Hale, Jr., Jim Backus, and Natalie Schafer had already passed away, and it seems that Russell Johnson and Tina Louise didn't want to,...

In the "Alf" episode "Somewhere Over the Rerun," also alternately titled as "The Ballad of Gilligan's Island", the furry little alien Alf (voiced by Paul Fusco), becomes obsessed with watching reruns of "Gilligan's Island" on TV. Alf dreams of living with the castaways of Sherwood Schwartz's 1964 sitcom, feeling them to be delightfully funny and living in a tropical paradise. What could be better? He begins dressing in Hawaiian shirts and ordering bamboo furniture, hoping to turn the ordinarily unassuming Tanner household into something more interesting. 

Alf's obsession with "Gilligan's Island" leads him into the Tanners' backyard, where he begins digging up all the grass, hoping to create a tropical lagoon just like on his favorite show. This causes Willie (Max Wright) to become furious, and he demands that Alf fill in all the dirt he dug up. While filling the yard back in, Alf falls asleep and begins to dream.

"Gilligan's Island" isn't exactly known for its sophisticated humor. The show was a light-hearted sitcom about castaways who somehow never managed to escape their isolated locale despite multiple guests visiting them throughout their three-season run. "Gilligan's Island" was nonsense, but it knew what it was and fully embraced its silliness. As a result, it became a beloved TV classic, especially since it became widely syndicated after its final season wrapped up in 1967.

But for all its absurdity and campiness, the show did at least try to provide somewhat of a balance, most notably in the form of Jim Backus' Thurston Howell III and his wife, Natalie Schafer's Mrs. Thurston. The billionaire couple were envisioned as a way to break up the slapstick humor provided by Bob Denver's Gilligan and Alan Hale Jr.'s Skipper, and certainly brought an air of refinement to an otherwise ridiculous sitcom. Much of...

On a recent ranking of the seven main characters on "Gilligan's Island," /Film ranked Mary Ann at only #5. This is not to say that she was an insignificant character, though. Indeed, all seven of the characters on "Gilligan's Island" were invaluable members of the ensemble, and removing any one of them would irreparably damage the established comedic dynamic. Mary Ann ranked low merely because she was given so few stories of her own. Her function, however, was key. Mary Ann was something of an innocent character, and her happiness was a sign that all was well on the island. You knew things were bad when Mary Ann became upset. 

Also, actress Dawn Wells embodied the character perfectly. Indeed, the characters on "Gilligan's Island" have become comedic archetypes for the ages, so deeply ingrained in the American subconscious that they are practically Jungian. It would be hard to imagine "Gilligan's Island...

At the start of "Gilligan's Island," before the seven castaways-to-be took their fateful three-hour tour, there were only two pre-established inter-character relationships. There was, of course, the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Howell (Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer), a couple that had been married for years, but there was also the professional relationship between the Skipper and his first mate, Gilligan (Bob Denver). As audiences would eventually learn, Gilligan was kind of clumsy and innocent like a child, but he was clearly capable enough as a sailor to remain in the Skipper's employ. 

Also, the Skipper, although often wrathful enough to strike Gilligan with his hat, clearly had affection for the man; the Skipper often referred to Gilligan as his "little buddy," and the two men had no compunctions about sharing a cabin. It's never made an integral part of the show, but one might get the impression that the...

By the late '80s, "Gilligan's Island" had become a pop culture fixture. Though Sherwood Schwartz's sitcom only lasted for three seasons and 98 episodes from 1964 to 1967, it was heavily syndicated throughout the '70s and '80s, ensuring new generations became familiar with Gilligan and his fellow castaways. Not only that, the show produced two animated spin-offs with "The New Adventures of Gilligan" (1974-75) and "Gilligan's Planet" (1982-83). What's more, the original cast returned for three live-action TV movies: "Rescue From Gilligan's Island" (1978), "The Castaways on Gilligan's Island" (1979), and "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island" (1981). So, by the end of the 1980s, the "Gilligan's" universe was most certainly etched into the public's collective consciousness.

But you could also argue that it was waning in popularity. The last live-action TV movie, "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island" — which almost featured a different team entirely — was not a big ratings success...

Alan Hale, Jr. was a deeply committed and versatile character actor whose career stretches all the way back to the 1930s. He has appeared on stage, in movies, and on hundreds of TV shows. He played the lead role in the 1952 TV series "Biff Baker, U.S.A." and the 1957 series "Casey Jones." He was involved with comedy, drama, Westerns, superhero shows, romances, and legal thrillers. There didn't seem to be much Hale would say no to. 

Of course, most audiences know Hale as Jonas Grumby, a.k.a. The Skipper on the 1964 sitcom "Gilligan's Island." That show was an enormous hit when it debuted, and, entrenched itself deeply in the American consciousness. Also, thanks to sweet, sweet syndication deals, reruns of the three-season show managed to stay on the air continuously for decades. Gen-Xers grew up watching "Gilligan's Island" as late as the late '80s. Alan Hale became a broadly recognized archetype,...

To the eyes of this author, there are four perfect TV theme songs in the history of the medium. For instrumentals, the two best themes are Jack Marshall's surf-like monster music he composed for "The Munsters" and Danny Elfman's Platonic-ideal-of-a-haunted-house music for "Tales from the Crypt."

For theme songs with lyrics, the two best of all time were, not coincidentally, written by Sherwood Schwartz. He and Frank de Vol composed the handy, catchy theme for Schwartz's own sitcom "The Brady Bunch," while Schwartz teamed with George Wyle to compose "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle." These two theme songs, each only about 60 seconds, managed to explain -- in rhyme -- the premise of their respective shows succinctly while also introducing each of the characters. Additionally, the songs are catchy earworms that burrow deep into the brains of listeners, latching onto the memory and never letting go. When I'm in my 90s,...

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When Alan Hale Jr. made his "Gilligan's Island" debut as the Skipper, it wasn't the first time he'd gotten stranded somewhere. According to MeTV (which references a 1988 interview featuring the actor), Hale actually hitchhiked out of the Pine Valley Mountains in order to make it back to Hollywood for his casting meeting.

"I was in St. George, Utah, doing a picture with Audie Murphy and I get this call to come down," Hale, who died in 1990, explained. "Well, we had a small budget picture and there was kind of a difficulty as to how I was going to get there." The film in question was "Bullet for a Badman," a 1964 Western directed by R.G. Springsteen. It follows two brothers, both ex-Texas Rangers, who come into conflict when one marries the other's ex-wife while he's away in jail. Hale had...

60 years ago, "Gilligan's Island" blessed the world with an ensemble seemingly fashioned by the gods. Bob Denver as Gilligan, Alan Hale Jr. as the Skipper, Russell Johnson as the Professor, Jim Backus as Thurston Howell III, Natalie Schafer as Eunice Howell, Dawn Wells as Mary Ann, and Tina Louise as Ginger. They are immortalized in the theme song, and ironclad comedic types thanks to the reinforcement of syndication. "Gilligan's Island" was always meant to be, and we must consider ourselves fortunate that we lived to behold its goofball majesty.

So prepare to be shocked. When the "Gilligan's Island" pilot went before cameras, Sherwood Schwartz hadn't yet fully communed with the comedy gods. In terms of the castaways, he had five out of seven figured out. Where he'd yet to strike gold was with the young female characters. Schwartz had a very different notion of how to give the show the...

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The old axiom states that the show must go on, and if you've ever participated in even a school play, you probably know why it applies. When you're bopping around hastily crafted sets (or sturdily built backdrops), it's not uncommon to get a splinter or two. You might sustain a mild head injury by walking straight into a low-hanging metal girder or sprain your ankle by tripping up over a cable protector where someone forgot to place glow tape. (These aren't oddly specific because they happened to me -- so far as you know.) These are unfortunate occurrences, but unless you're fancy enough to have an understudy, you've got to suck it up and show up for the next performance.

Obviously, there are certain extreme maladies that can shut you down for a while. Harrison Ford was out of commission...

When it comes to classic sitcoms, few shows have had the staying power of CBSs Gilligans Island. Having survived cancellation and avoided being rebooted, the tale of the S.S. Minow and its iconic castaways continues to delight long-time fans while gaining new ones. The shows success can, in no small way, be attributed to its wonderful cast. From Gilligan himself (Bob Denver) to the Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.) and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) and Ginger (Tina Louise), the ensemble remains one of TVs best. However, one member didnt always share the same love for the show. Despite being one of the series most popular players, Tina Louises relationship with the beloved Ginger was complex.

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Every comedy team needs a straight man. Lou Costello had Bud Abbot. The Marx Brothers had Margaret Dumont. The Three Stooges had everyone they came in contact with. And while it may not sound like a good deal of fun to be the person setting up the funny folks for laughs, it does take a lot of skill to do it proficiently. And any comedian worth their weight in yuks knows the better the setup, the bigger the laugh.

This applies to many sitcoms, where the cast of zanies needs a steadily turning planet around which to wildly orbit. If you're really good at it, there could be multiple Primetime Emmys coming to you (e.g. Ed Asner won three for "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"). And if you happen to find yourself on "Gilligan's Island," while there might not...

There are some sitcoms that simply don't work if you're down so much as a single cast member. Could you imagine an episode of "Cheers" without Sam, Carla, Cliff and Norm? The series' producers and writers couldn't, which is why they never missed an episode. The same was true on a much larger scale for "The Brady Bunch," where every single member of the family (and their live-in housekeeper Alice) reported for duty on all 117 episodes.

This kind of consistency was evidently key to a successful Sherwood Schwartz sitcom. The writer/producer who created "The Brady Bunch" was also the mastermind behind "Gilligan's Island," the CBS joker about seven castaways who wash up on the shore of an uncharted island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The key to the show's success was its shamelessness: from the pilot to the series finale (which arrived a little sooner than expected thanks to...

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The writers of "Gilligan's Island" were typically careful to retain storytelling clarity by pairing two of seven stranded castaways for their stories. Most typically, the bumbling Gilligan (Bob Denver) was paired with the short-tempered Skipper and their explosive relationship would unfold naturally. Mr. and Mrs. Howell (Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer) tended to move as a unit, and many felt that there was romantic chemistry between Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) and the Professor (Russell Johnson). Mary Ann was also often paired with Ginger (Tina Louise) as they were the only two unmarried women on the island and they bunked together.

Seen less often was the pairing of Mary Ann and Gilligan, which is a bit of a head-scratcher. Gilligan was the slapstick buffoon, while Mary Ann was the optimistic farm girl, both possessed of a disarming friendliness and an appealing naïveté.

Sherwood Schwartz scored an unexpected television coup when his cartoony sitcom "Gilligan's Island" premiered on CBS 60 years ago. Though the show only lasted for three seasons, it turned into a syndication sensation with mostly teens and 20-somethings eager to avoid homework and chores around the house. Algebra assignments and the ever-growing grass on the front yard routinely took a backseat to the seven castaways from the S.S. Minnow. Yes, everyone knew they weren't getting off that confounded island, but every episode had a way of sparking false hope; between this and the Professor's fantastic inventions, the Howells' inexplicably lavish bamboo lodgings, and the eternal Mary Ann vs. Ginger debate, "Gilligan's Island" was shamefully irresistible.

The show's boundlessly silly situations and digressions also allowed for surprise guests (like the Harlem Globetrotters) and allusions to other hit series. Schwartz knew his show wasn't changing the face of television (even though it...

The overarching story of "Gilligan's Island" is, upon a moment of reflection, surprisingly nihilistic. Sherwood Schwartz's whimsical 1964 sitcom may take place in a cartoon-like universe where no one is really desperate, starving, or unclean, but it also takes place in a world where hope cannot thrive. At the beginning of every episode, the seven stranded castaways are presented with the opportunity to escape the island and return home. They become joyous and hopeful. Then a cataclysm occurs, usually at the bumbling hands of the clueless Gilligan (Bob Denver), and their opportunity is squandered. The castaways are stranded for another week, their prison sentence essentially extended. Hope becomes despair, again and again, creeping into this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time.

Sisyphus would relate.

"Gilligan's Island," however, offsets its despair with an unshakeable sense of whimsy. The show's characters may have eternally been pushing a boulder uphill,...

When Sherwood Schwartz was creating "Gilligan's Island" back in 1964, he designed the series as one might an animated show. It was meant to be a broad, unrealistic farce, so Schwartz had no issues with making "Gilligan's Island" into something colorful and artificial. The characters, for the most part, wore the same clothes every day, allowing Schwartz to color-code them. Gilligan (Bob Denver) always wore a long-sleeve red shirt and sailor's cap. The Skipper (Alan Hale) always wore blue and wore a captain's hat. The Professor (Russell Johnson) always wore slacks and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Ginger (Tina Louise) may have changed often, but she always wore something glamorous, and her red hair was always highlighted. 

What's more, Schwartz seemingly kept a close eye on characters' silhouettes. One of the reasons why The Skipper and Gilligan emerged as such an effective comedy duo was that Gilligan was...

Producer Sherwood Schwartz wasn't looking to make anyone a star when he began casting his 1960s sitcom "Gilligan's Island." The show was intended to be slapstick fun for the whole family, peppered with jokes that landed just as hard with parents as they did with their children. To get this across, he needed an ensemble that could remain in mellifluous orbit around Bob Denver's blundering Gilligan. (Denver himself was already a small screen star thanks to his portrayal of beatnik Maynard G. Krebs on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.") If the actors could get away with delivering Schwartz's groan-worthy banter without evoking groans from the undemanding folks at home, they were welcome on his uncharted desert island.

This isn't to say he hired a bunch of nobodies to fill out the cast of "Gilligan's Island." Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer were established, veteran performers, while Tina Louise...

Most actors are lucky to be remembered for one role once they've shuffled off this mortal coil, let alone a handful or more. Would you rather be consigned to dinner theater until you're too old to remember your lines, or would you prefer to have a few seasons in the sun as the main character on a ludicrous network sitcom that inexplicably turned into a syndication phenomenon?

The latter option should be a no-brainer, but some of the folks who found themselves stranded on "Gilligan's Island" spent most of their careers wishing they'd never taken that three-hour tour. Natalie Schafer was distraught before she even shot a single episode, weeping upon landing what a part that rescued her from small supporting turns in mostly unremarkable films.

As for Russell Johnson, who played the amiable Professor, he was of two minds. The World War II veteran, who survived getting shot down...

It's hard to think of a sitcom that typecast its actors more severely than "Gilligan's Island." Even though it only aired for three seasons, the slapstick comedy series about seven castaways marooned on a desert island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean proved inescapable professionally for its entire ensemble.

This was partly due to the albatross of syndication. After its cancellation, "Gilligan's Island" quickly became a favorite with undiscriminating couch potatoes, who got off on the show's laughably simple formula, inane gags, and colorful locale. They loved watching Bob Denver's blundering Gilligan repeatedly sabotage every single effort to get off the island, Ginger doing just about anything, and the Howells somehow living in the lap of bamboo luxury.

The show's enduring popularity was understandably bad news for the future endeavors of its younger performers, particularly Denver, Tina Louise, and Dawn Wells, all three of whom lacked a strong enough pre-...

In the "Gilligan's Island" episode "The Kidnapper", the castaways are found, but not in the most helpful way. A rogue kidnapper named Norbert Wiley (Don Rickles) has found his way to the island, and he begins to ply his trade immediately. He kidnaps Lovey Howell (Natalie Schafer) and demands the castaways pay $10,000. Mrs. Howell manages to give her kidnapper the slip, but he manages to kidnap Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) in exchange, now demanding $20,000. The cycle repeats itself again when Mary Ann escapes, and Norbert kidnaps Ginger (Tina Louise), demanding $30,000. 

Eventually, the castaways capture Norbert using Gilligan (Bob Denver) as the ultimate bait. In a bamboo cage, Norbert explains that kidnapping is a compulsion for him and that he cannot be reformed. Ginger takes it upon herself to psychoanalyze him and reform him, while the Skipper and the Professor (Russell Johnson) repair the boat that brought him to the island.

Alan Hale, Jr. became a performer as part of his family's legacy. His mother was actress Gretchen Hartman who appeared in dozens of films in the 1910s, while his father, Alan Hale (real name: Rufus Edward MacKahan) racked up hundreds of credits in the silent era, typically as a reliable sidekick to Errol Flynn. Hartman retired from acting in 1929, and Hale, Sr. continued to work until his death in 1950. Alan Hale, Jr. first appeared on the screen as an infant, "starring" opposite his mother. Hale made his Broadway debut in 1931, when he was only 10, appearing in a very, very short-lived show called "Caught Wet" (it opened and closed in the same month). In 1933, Hale played uncredited role in William Wellman's Depression-era drama "Wild Boys of the Road," and it may be the first movie a casual observer would recognize him in. 

Staring in 1941, Hale began his acting career in earnest,...

Alan Hale Jr. was a showbiz veteran before he could speak. The son of Alan Hale, a popular character actor best known for his portrayal of Little John in Michael Curtiz' classic "The Adventures of Robin Hood," Hale Jr. appeared in silent films as a baby and made a few war movies as a young man before serving in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. Once the war was over, Hale Jr. worked steadily in film and television, turning up on episodes of "Gunsmoke," "Mister Ed," and "Lassie" while landing supporting roles in movies starring John Wayne, Gregory Peck, and Randolph Scott.

Hale Jr. would be castigated as a nepobaby today, but while being literally born to the business didn't hurt his cause, he was a natural in front of the camera and a welcome presence in just about everything. So, it's no surprise that, after a difficult casting process,...

There is a general aesthetic rule in animation, often stressed in animation schools, called the silhouette principle. The idea is that an animator, when designing a character, should endeavor to create something that can instantly be recognized in silhouette. Think of a character like Bart Simpson. Even if presented completely in shadow, Bart is instantly recognizable. Same with Fred Flintstone, Speed Racer, or Invader Zim. 

When it comes to color, there is a similar principle one might learn in similar classes. If a character is associated with a certain color scheme, it's important to consistently repeat that color scheme. This is certainly a rule that pertains to superheroes; Superman always requires a blue suit, a red cape, red boots, and a yellow belt in the middle. The Hulk, when looked at standing up, is green on top and green on bottom, but always has purple pants in the middle. There...

Before "Gilligan's Island," comedian Alan Hale, Jr. had a prolific, decades-long career on stage and screen. He made his stage debut in 1931 at the age 10, began a very busy film career in 1941, and made multiple films a year throughout the 1950s. He played the title characters in both the 1953 adventure series "Biff Baker, U.S.A." and the 1957 Western "Casey Jones." He was a regular visitor of "The Gene Autry Show," and had guest spots in many of the more popular TV shows of the day. He was in "Maverick," "Bonanza," "The Untouchables," "Gunsmoke," and "Rawhide." There was, it seemed, nothing he couldn't do. 

Hale was reported always friendly and affable, and it was his affability that landed him the role of Jonas Grumby, aka The Skipper, on Sherwood Schwartz's 1964 sitcom "Gilligan's Island." The Skipper had to be the outraged, wrathful friend of the bumbling title character, but also...

Say what you will about "Gilligan's Island," but the critically derided 1960s sitcom knew its audience and pandered to them with buffoonish élan. Though that audience didn't fully materialize until after the series' cancellation in 1967, decades of successful syndication is all the proof you need to acknowledge that creator Sherwood Schwartz (who also brought together "The Brady Bunch") was some kind of low-aiming visionary.

Those of us who blew countless hours of our childhood hanging with the castaways on that uncharted desert isle somewhere in the Pacific Ocean owe Schwartz a debt of gratitude. Watching Bob Denver's Gilligan ineptly ensure that the Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.) and the passengers of the S.S. Minnow remain stranded on that tropical patch of earth made not doing chores and/or homework a brain-numbing joy. Yes, the jokes were awful and the plots shamelessly recycled, but there was something strangely compelling about Schwartz's dramatis personae.

"Gilligan's Island" wasn't the most sophisticated television series ever to beam into our living rooms. For three seasons between 1964 and 1967 (and over decades of syndication thereafter), viewers turned in to watch seven castaways stranded on an uncharted island somewhere far off the coast of Hawaii attempt and inevitably fail to find their way back to civilization. In just about every case, their endeavors were bungled by Gilligan (Bob Denver), an energetic young shipmate with a heart of gold and a headful of rocks.

The show never deviated from this stupidly simple setup (despite the network's initial efforts), but it was so good-naturedly silly and energetically performed that you excused the rigid repetition. Kids loved the broadly visual gags, while parents could appreciate the ensemble chemistry generated between old pros like Jim Backus, Alan Hale, Jr. and Natalie Schafer.

Ensemble dynamics are tricky things. When casting a sitcom this formulaic, creators...

In his 1992 piece "Reflections after 25 years at the movies," the late, great film critic Roger Ebert observed: "Look at a movie that a lot of people love, and you will find something profound, no matter how silly the film may seem." You can extend that sentiment to any other artistic medium, television included. Even a fluffy slapstick show like "Gilligan's Island" has an unspoken depth that's kept viewers coming back to it decades after it went off the air.

According to creator Sherwood Schwartz, who passed away in 2011 after a long, prolific TV career, people were quick to assume the '60s sitcom began as a comedic spin on the Robinson Crusoe story. However, he maintained that the series was really born out of his desire to make a show about what might happen if a group of people from different walks of life somehow found themselves stuck together and...

One needn't recount the premise of "Gilligan's Island." One only needs to listen to the theme song.

When Sherwood Schwartz was first casting his sitcom "Gilligan's Island" back in 1964, he knew that finding the right actor to play the Skipper -- Jonas Grumby, the captain of the S.S. Minnow -- was going to be a challenge. He had envisioned the title character as a shrimpy, thin man, and he knew that he wanted Bob Denver, previously the star of "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," in the role. To provide a physical contrast, Shwartz wanted the Skipper to be large, imposing, and capable of yelling in rage. But, and this was key, the Skipper also had to be lovable. In an interview with the Television Academy Foundation, Schwartz was explicit in saying he wanted a teddy bear of a man. Someone who was big and round, but also imminently cuddly.

Few pieces of human anatomy caused quite as much pearl-clutching among conservative media moralists in the 20th century as the uncovered belly button. Marilyn Monroe was barred from exposing her naked tummy up until George Cukor's never-finished 1962 film, "Something's Got to Give," while even Disney fan afoul of Hays Code era censors after threatening to reveal the titular character's navel in 1941's "The Reluctant Dragon." NBC similarly kept a close eye on Barbara Eden's unclothed midriff to ensure there was no funny business with Sidney Sheldon's '60s sitcom "I Dream of Jeannie" (although Eden later claimed it was a non-issue until members of the press made a fuss about it).

It would, of course, be more accurate to say that the exposed female waistline was responsible for most of this hand-wringing. William Shatner spent the '60s flaunting his abs to his heart's content on "Star Trek: The Original Series,...

Imagine watching Nick at Nite back when shows from the 1950s through to the '70s dominated the programming block. It just so happens that "Gilligan's Island" season 1, episode 19, "Gilligan Meets Jungle Boy," is on. By and large, you know what to expect: Gilligan (Bob Denver) getting up to slapstick mayhem; Jonas Grumby, aka "The Skipper" (Alan Hale Jr.), on the verge of blowing a fuse over his first mate's antics; and the shipwrecked passengers of the SS Minnow staging yet another comically failed attempt in their Sisyphean quest to escape the titular island. Sherwood Schwartz's supremely silly sitcom series was nothing if not consistent in its formula.

It's at this point that a 13-year-old Kurt Russell shows up with no shirt and a leopard loincloth on.

"Jungle Boy" does indeed hit all the anticipated beats for an episode of "Gilligan's Island." It also, in true to form fashion,...

It's no secret just how competitive the landscape of television is, especially in the current age of streaming where there are far too many shows across multiple channels and services. This sense of competition between other series and networks even dates back to the early years of TV, when classics like The Twilight Zone and I Love Lucy ruled the airwaves. Oddly enough, this even applies to two of what are considered to be the most classic CBS series of the 20th century: Gunsmoke and Gilligan's Island. While they couldn't be more different in genre or tone, they happen to share quite a controversial connection. Many may not know it, but it turns out that Gunsmoke had quite a significant role to play in the unexpected cancelation of Gilligan's Island.

Gunsmoke would go on to become one of the defining westerns and one of the longest-running live-action series of all time,...

Jim Backus' first major acting gig was playing a snotty millionaire named Dexter Hayes on the 1940 radio serial "Society Girl." This was to kick off a decades-long career in radio, film, and television, wherein Backus invented multiple indelible characters that remain a part of the pop fabric to this very day. He appeared on "The Jack Benny Program" and even briefly had his own TV show, "The Jim Backus Show" in 1957. He famously played the voice of Mr. Magoo from 1949 until his death in 1989, and starred in "Rebel Without a Cause." He was adept at playing clueless weirdos and self-absorbed egotists, although he had a great deal of comedic range. Be sure to listen to his hit comedy single "Delicious!" sometime. He elicits laughter without saying anything. I could list more credits, but we'd be here all day; Backus starred in over 100 films and shorts, and several dozen TV shows.

Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. Kirk and Spock. Joey and Chandler. Memorable TV pairings are a dime a dozen, but truly legendary combinations like these, in which the actors are operating at the peak of their powers and their shared chemistry is off the charts, are much harder to come by. One such couple (of the non-romantic variety) that has entered that hallowed pantheon is Gilligan and the Skipper from the classic 1960s sitcom "Gilligan's Island," where actors Bob Denver and Alan Hale Jr. became beloved stars playing two of the seven castaways who became stranded after a storm washed their characters up on an island during the fateful three-hour tour we hear about in the show's ear-wormy theme song.

Sherwood Schwartz, the show's creator and producer, knew how crucial it was to cast the right performers for these roles, and for him, the Skipper was actually the hardest part...

Alan Hale is probably best known for playing Jonas Grumby, a.k.a. The Skipper, on the 1964 sitcom "Gilligan's Island." He was, however, an experienced stage and TV performer prior to "Gilligan's," having made his Broadway debut in 1931 in a play called "Caught Wet." Hale also appeared in over 50 films before 1964, across all genres and budgets. He had a recurring role on "The Gene Autry Show" and played the title characters on "Biff Baker, U.S.A." and on "Casey Jones." He was in single episodes of most of the hit Western TV shows of the 1950s and '60s. When it came time to play The Skipper, Hale was wholly dedicated to the role, trying to be as funny as possible.In the world of adventure TV, Hale was a major presence and a consummate professional. 

Hale was so professional, in fact, that he once refused to report a...

Remember "Gilligan's Island?" Yes, the widely-loved American sitcom that earned massive popularity throughout its 98-episode run from 1978 to 1982, and featured an ensemble cast including Bob Denver, Natalie Schafer, Alan Hale Jr., and Russell Johnson. The show took the castaway trope and remolded it as a comedy in which seven castaways attempt to survive on an island after they're shipwrecked, which is further complicated by the shenanigans of the ship's first mate, Gilligan (Denver).

Among this cast of colorful characters is the Professor (Johnson) — the only level-headed person among the castaways, who uses his scientific background to create little devices to make their stay on the island more hospitable. While Johnson perfectly conveyed the subtle comedy inherent in his role (a running gag being his ability to create almost anything using bamboo and coconuts), the actor also embodied serious, dramatic roles in "The Twilight Zone," where he appeared in two separate...

After playing some of the most entertaining characters, some have been wondering where the cast of Gilligan's Island have gone. First airing from 1964 to 1967, the sitcom followed the passengers and crew of the SS Minnow after they were shipwrecked on a tropical island. Although the show was incredibly formulaic with most episodes pertaining to the castaways' attempt to escape the island, the series never failed to warm hearts and make audiences chuckle. Gilligan's Island's cast was a diverse mix of established actors and young stars, and all the main actors were forever known for their roles in the beloved show.

Across its 98-episode run, the lovable castaways usually found their escape attempts accidentally ruined by the bumbling Gilligan, and there were a host of unexpected TV crossover episodes as well. Even after it was canceled following season 3, Gilligan's Island only grew in reputation, and it became a syndication powerhouse...

John M. Stahl’s superior melodrama is a focus point for the study of African-Americans in Hollywood. Businesswoman Claudette Colbert a housekeeper Louise Beavers raise their daughters together for a story that expresses the racial divide in simple terms. Determined to pass for white, Beavers’ daughter Fredi Washington rejects her mother outright. The tale of motherly sacrifice is in some ways more honest than later ‘social justice’ films about race, yet it sticks closely to Hollywood’s segregationist rules.

Imitation of Life

Blu-ray

The Criterion Collection 1167

1934 / B&W / 1:37 Academy / 110 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date January 10, 2023 / 39.95

Starring: Claudette Colbert, Warren William, Louise Beavers, Fredi Washington, Rochelle Hudson, Ned Sparks, Juanita Quigley, Alan Hale, Henry Armetta, Hattie McDaniel, Paul Porcasi, Teru Shimada, Madame Sul-Te-Wan, Jane Withers, Dorothy Black.

Cinematography: Merrit Gerstad

Costumes: Travis Banton

Art Director: Charles D. Hall

Film Editor: Philip Cahn, Maurice Wright

Original Music: Heinz Roemheld...

Do you know when the first movie premiere in Hollywood history was held?

On Oct. 18. 1922 Sid Grauman opened his movie palace the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. with superstar Douglas Fairbank’s latest swashbuckler “Robin Hood.” The red carpet was rolled out for Fairbanks, his wife Mary Pickford and their good friend (and partner in United Artists) Charlie Chaplin. It cost 5 to attend the premiere. And the movie, which was the top box office draw, played there exclusively for several months. The Egyptian cost 800,000 to build and took 18 months to complete for Grauman and real estate developer Charles E. Toberman. It is currently being renovated by Netflix in cooperation with the American Cinematheque.

“Robin Hood,” directed by Allan Dwan, was one of the most expensive movies of the silent era, costing just under 1 million. The castle was the biggest set ever made for a silent movie. Some scenes feature over 1,200 extras.

This dubious mix of war combat and faith-based inspiration is as well directed as any of Douglas Sirk’s films, even if literally every scene seems to be saying the wrong thing. Combat pilot Col. Dean Hess helped found and publicize a major orphanage in South Korea, but as personified by a pious Rock Hudson his story comes off as a public relations gambit. A fine cast empowers the grandstanding bid for sainthood, where ‘Killer Hess’ channels his guilt into good works. The aerial footage is outstanding — Sirk really loved his airplanes.

Battle Hymn

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1957 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 108 min. / Street Date April 27, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95

Starring: Rock Hudson, Dan Duryea, Anna Kashfi, James Edwards, Martha Hyer, Philip Ahn, James Hong, Don DeFore, Jock Mahoney, Carl Benton Reid, Alan Hale Jr., Bartlett Robinson, Carleton Young, William Hudson.

Cinematography: Russell Metty

Film Editor: Russel F. Schoengarth

Art Directors: Alexander Golitzen,...

Dawn Wells, the “Gilligan’s Island” star who died Dec. 30 at the age of 82, was always considerate of the show’s super fans, as she demonstrated on an episode of Netflix 2019 dating show “Love on the Spectrum.”

The series focuses on young adults on the autism spectrum as they navigate the dating world.

In the episode, Michael, a young man from Wollongong, Australia, calls Wells his “dream woman.” On “Gilligan’s Island,” a sitcom farce involving a motley group of people who wind up stranded on an island, Wells played Mary Ann, a girl-next-door character who was a contrast to the movie star character of Ginger, played by Tina Louise.

At the end of “Love on the Spectrum’s” second episode, Michael meets Wells at a comic convention. He chats with and hugs his idol, appearing visibly giddy at the experience and documenting it with a photo.

“You’d make a good Skipper,...