Nurith NupurGilligan’s Island was an extremely popular American sitcom that aired on CBS for three seasons, between 1964 and 1967, with three television movies to its name. The story follows seven castaways who are left shipwrecked on a deserted island after their boat encounters a typhoon. After receiving fairly good ratings initially the show slowly became more of a hit in the 70s and 80s when it was shown in the afternoons; typically around after school timings.
Wardrobe Woes
Mary Ann and Ginger have never been seen wearing the same thing twice. While they were only meant to have gone on a three-hour boating trip, there was no conceivable way to have as many clothes to never be seen wearing the same thing twice; but that’s what ended up happening.
What’s in a name?
The Skipper was only known as the Skipper, during the entirety of the show. His full name is never revealed, or was it? If you listen closely, the Skipper gave us his name during the pilot episode that aired in 1964. His full name was Jonas Grumby.
The fourth wall
The fourth wall is the space between an actor and his camera crew or audience. It denotes a character becoming self – aware. The Skipper would often break the fourth wall by looking directly at the camera and making a face as a reaction to what someone said.
Vocal tic
Alan Hale Jr. who played the role of The Skipper had a bit of a vocal tic where he would call people ‘little buddy’. This was a recurring incident on set and is the main reason behind why his character, would call Bob Denver’s character, Gilligan, ‘little buddy’.
Jerry Van Dyke
Jerry Van Dyke was initially offered the role of Gilligan, but turned it down, “But that’s the joke: I turned it down and took My Mother the Car. But, again, it was really good, because I’d [have] been forever known as Gilligan. So that worked out, too.”
A solemn beginning
In the first scene of the opening credits of the show, the US flags are seen hanging at half mast. This was due to the fact that President John F. Kennedy was shot, which had occurred right before filming started. Specifically, the show’s pilot episode’s filming coincided with the day President Kennedy was shot.