The Kidnapper

King of the insults, Don Rickles is the whole show here, playing a rascally kidnapper who somehow, someway lands on the island and his first victim is Mrs. Howell? Quite naturally. He wants ten thousand bucks for her safe return, followed by Maryann and Ginger. Actually Ginger has a higher price, set at $30,000!

Note, Ginger is back to wearing her famous leopard skin dress. The writers always had ulterior motives, if not to set the standard for new fashions?

Finally.... we get to see Rickles (called Norbett Wiley) who confesses he just can't help himself. He's an addicted kidnapper, and a bit on the charming side, gaining some sympathy?

By the way, Mr. Howell is carrying $100,000 bills? Often wonder if this wasn't inspired by THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES? Jed Clampett usually carried $200,000 in spare change! Good trivia question. The wardrobe department is, once again, working overtime and catch Mr. Howell's yellow spotted underwear.

Wait for the finale, and with a classy "we forgive you" party. You have to admit, the set decorators had a blast. Where did all the furniture come from? The castaways actually had a million dollar idea, because they designed and built some the coolest bamboo furniture. Fo' sure.

Salute to Don Rickles, who began his career as a dramatic actor, in classic films like RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP, starring Clark Gable. But comedy was his destiny, and the rest is history.

SEASON 3 EPISODE 12 remastered CBS dvd box set. The color restoration both for tv and dvd is beautiful. Thank you to the tech folks.

"The Kidnapper" opens with a ransom note demanding $10,000 for the safe return of a missing Mrs. Howell, which her husband willingly parts with. Next he demands $20,000 for Mary Ann, then $30,000 for Ginger. The Skipper proves too big to kidnap, the culprit revealed to be Norbett Wiley (Don Rickles), who confesses to a life of crime because he's unable to resist the temptation. The Professor remains wary of his many stories, though the others succumb to his outward charm. Eventually he gains his freedom, only to steal everyone blind during his welcome back to society party. Masterful comedian Don Rickles, also a fine actor, was the perfect choice for the kidnapper, but the laughs aren't so plentiful.

It's strange how the episode starts out with the skipper reading a letter from the kidnapper that doesn't really tell us how Mrs Howell was kidnapped in the first place. And we are to believe Don Wrinkles could actually kidnap anyone especially somebody as big and tall as Ginger. Mr Howe really has that much cash he always carries around? I mean it's very rare for someone to have a $100,000 bill and yet he has three of them he gives Gilligan? And then we see Mr and Mrs with trench coats and leather gloves? Yes we know they brought multiple suitcases with them when they came but why would they need trench coats and leather gloves and a warm climate? And the log should have fell on Gilligan when he picked it up and we really think it was light enough for him to do that? So much stupid slapstick humor in this episode.