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The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island

  • TV Movie
  • 1981
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
4.3/10
783
YOUR RATING
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981)
AdventureComedySport

The staff of the island resort need the aid of the Harlem Globetrotters to keep their island from a greedy millionaire.The staff of the island resort need the aid of the Harlem Globetrotters to keep their island from a greedy millionaire.The staff of the island resort need the aid of the Harlem Globetrotters to keep their island from a greedy millionaire.

  • Director
    • Peter Baldwin
  • Writers
    • Sherwood Schwartz
    • Al Schwartz
    • David P. Harmon
  • Stars
    • Bob Denver
    • Alan Hale Jr.
    • Jim Backus
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.3/10
    783
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Peter Baldwin
    • Writers
      • Sherwood Schwartz
      • Al Schwartz
      • David P. Harmon
    • Stars
      • Bob Denver
      • Alan Hale Jr.
      • Jim Backus
    • 15User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos7

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    Top Cast29

    Edit
    Bob Denver
    Bob Denver
    • Gilligan
    Alan Hale Jr.
    Alan Hale Jr.
    • Skipper Jonas Grumby
    Jim Backus
    Jim Backus
    • Thurston Howell III
    Natalie Schafer
    Natalie Schafer
    • Lovey Wentworth Howell
    Constance Forslund
    Constance Forslund
    • Ginger Grant
    Russell Johnson
    Russell Johnson
    • Prof. Roy Hinkley Jr.
    Dawn Wells
    Dawn Wells
    • Mary Ann Summers
    David Rupprecht
    • Thurston Howell IV
    • (as David Ruprecht)
    Martin Landau
    Martin Landau
    • J.J. Pierson
    Barbara Bain
    Barbara Bain
    • Dr. Olga Schmetner
    Scatman Crothers
    Scatman Crothers
    • Dewey Stevens
    Whitney Rydbeck
    Whitney Rydbeck
    • George (the robot)
    Dreama Perry Denver
    • The Howells' secretary
    Rosalind Chao
    Rosalind Chao
    • Hotel clerk
    Stu Nahan
    Stu Nahan
    • Sportscaster #1
    Chick Hearn
    Chick Hearn
    • Sportscaster #2
    Bruce Briggs
    • The referee
    Cindee Appleton
    • Linda
    • Director
      • Peter Baldwin
    • Writers
      • Sherwood Schwartz
      • Al Schwartz
      • David P. Harmon
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews15

    4.3783
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    Featured reviews

    1jonathanrspalding

    Worst Movie of all Time

    I really believe this is the worst movie of all time. I think the reason it does not make the lists of the worst films of all time is not many people have seen it. It may not be the worst movie of all time, but it is the worst one I have ever watched essentially through.

    I am a fan of the original show. The goofy satire of life and people in the vein of Get Smart or Green Acres is something I have always enjoyed. Without going into detail as to why, this movie had none of that and was just stupid. The thing with goofy comedy is that it either works or it does not. This was bad.

    Finally, the Howell's can't find a son they never mentioned and Tina Louise is Ginger
    Mennis65

    Wow !!!

    This movie was one of the few that are better than the book. I have been a big fan of Gilligan ever since he blew their chances of getting off of the island. Nice to see Thruston Howell the 4th as well as the Globetrotters.
    8aesgaard41

    It Almost Worked

    I am probably one of the few Gilligan fans who can say that they like this picture, but there are several things wrong with it. Ginger has regressed backward in age so that she looks like her own daughter. Lovely Constance Forslund, an actress who once played Marilyn Monroe, is obviously too young to play the role when she would be better off doing it in a remake. The Howells who once said they never had a son suddenly have one, so either they had lied way back then, or they adopted the oldest kid in the orphanage to avoid parental duties." Oh no, we meant we didn't have a son ON THE ISLAND." This was supposed to set off a new series with the castaways running a resort on their old island, such a series would have allowed them to close all the old plot points of the series and bring back their old guest stars, but instead there is a culture shock as the castaways meet the Harlem Globetrotters. An illogical bet is made just for the team to play and show off their magic on a ridiculous looking court that has to be seen to be believed. Husband and wife team Martin Landau and Barbera Bain play financial rivals of the Howells in order to bilk them out of a valuable new element on the island. The plot as well as the jokes are straight out of the series, as are the Skipper's and Gilligan's wardrobe. Couldn't they have got more new clothes by now ? Still, this movie to end all movies does follow the spirit as well as the craziness of the series. I can only assume the next movie will be called: "Return to Gilligan's Island: Balingkoff's Revenge."
    6jedi-jones

    A Buried Treasure

    The final and most obscure of the Gilligan's Island TV movies gets more right than the other two. While the previous two specials incorporated a lot of melodrama based on realistic situations that often made them feel more like the Brady Bunch than Gilligan's Island, this film goes for broad comedy, cartoonish antics, bold characterizations and sight gags that better capture the tone of the original series.

    Sci-fi aficionados may notice that this television film curiously foreshadows elements from more prominent sci-fi movies and shows that came out later:

    *The rare element supremium sounds a lot like Avatar's unobtanium and both are used as the MacGuffin in the plot.

    *A villain's henchman sneaks venomous spiders into the windows of the heroes' huts to attack them while they're sleeping just as a hired bounty hunter sneaks killer bugs into the window of Padme's bedroom in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

    *The villain manipulates Thurston Howell the 4th into doing things he shouldn't do by taunting him that he's chicken. Marty McFly is manipulated the exact same way in the Back to the Future sequels.

    *The supremium becomes unstable and destructive over a certain temperature just like the acid does in Superman III.

    *George the robot opens the front panel on his torso to retrieve items just like Bender does in Futurama.
    randycoates

    Even Better than the Novel!

    This movie is incredible! Amazing! It had everything! It is truly shocking that it was a made for TV production, it has epic blockbuster written all over it.

    Name it and this movie has it. The Harlem Globetrotters, greedy developers, Gilligan, Mary-Ann, The Professor, The Skipper, the millionaire and his wife, the rest, tourists, basketball in an exotic Caribbean location....... this movie has everything! EVERYTHING! ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!

    You should be grateful, very grateful, that we get entertainment such as this. The world is good.

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    Related interests

    Still frame
    Adventure
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in Moneyball (2011)
    Sport

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      At the time this movie was being made Jim Backus was suffering from Parkinson's disease thus preventing him from being in the movie. Originally his character was written out of the storyline but at the last minute Backus felt well enough to make a small cameo at the end of the movie.
    • Goofs
      In the series Season 1 Episode 35 Mr and Mrs Howell state they have no children and adopt Gilligan giving him the name "Gilligan Thurston Howell IV". But in this movie the Howells now have a son.
    • Quotes

      Skipper Jonas Grumby: Of course he did Gilligan. He made us all limited partners - only you're a little more limited than the rest of us.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #18.58 (2010)

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    FAQ1

    • What movies feature games of wacky basketball?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 15, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on Gilligan's Island
    • Production companies
      • Redwood Productions
      • Universal Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h(120 min)
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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