Gilligan's Island - Memories

Very sad news today about the passing of Dawn Wells , the beloved Mary Ann.

Haven't seen an episode of ' Gilligan's Island ' for a few years but that matters not as many episodes are burned into my memory after having watched them dozens of times.

I'm sure many here are in the same boat so to speak.

Join me on a three hour tour ( a three hour tour ) or longer...

 

Hard to believe that the show lasted for only a 3 season tour, a 3 season tour... Sorry, couldn't help myself.

My favorite episodes came from season 1 when it was filmed in black and white, although there were some good moments in later episodes as well.

A part of my childhood that will stick with me forever, and yeah, I was always a Mary Ann guy.

 

I put this back up this afternoon, it's the complete Alf episode featuring the Gilligan cast. Complete, uncut and with lovely foreign subtitles b/c that's the only complete version I have.
Alf 2x02 028 - The Ballad Of Gilligan's Island - video Dailymotion

 

I like the one with the Honeybees, and the one where Mary Ann hits her head and thinks she’s Ginger, so Ginger has to pretend she’s Mary Ann. There’s a scene where the Howells discuss this switcheroo, and it’s priceless.

 

So sad. I always favored Mary Ann over Ginger and I've always loved Gilligan's Island. I picked up the entire series on DVD a few years back. It's definitely been a while. Looks like I'll be breaking it out again in honor of Dawn Wells.

 

Mary Ann!

 

They showed the original pilot on tv once with the calypso theme music... that and Star Trek 'The Cage' are probably what got me going for wanting to see unaired pilots of things. Now I have both on DVD to watch, but at one time it was a huge thrill to get to see stuff like that on ye olde idiot box. Gilligan's Island as reruns along with Bewitched, Get Smart, The Munsters, I Dream Of Jeannie and The Monkees were like my main diet on tv for about half of the 1970s! The Rescue From Gilligan's Island tv special was another huge event, just too bad Tina Louise didn't want to do it. Dawn was always a great ambassador for the show even though they didn't get all they should've from making it. One of the greatest tv series casts of all time!

 

It was an after-school staple during its 70s syndication.

Just finished watching three episodes, including my favorite, "The Producer", guest starring Phil Silvers. Those Bizet and Offenbach melodies are burned into my brain with the silly Hamlet lyrics.

 

Loved the Beatles Band.....(Mosquitoes ?????)

And loved Mary Ann (RIP)

 

I watched "GI" as a really young kid, and maybe my earliest memory of a dream came from the show.

I dreamed that they offered me a role on the show but if I joined the cast, I had to brush my teeth with a butter knife, as that's what everyone there did.

For like a year afterward, I was convinced that toothbrushes were for babies and adults brushed their teeth with butter knives!

 

The thing with GI is that it’s dumb as hell, but there are a lot of old pros involved who give it their all. I was never a regular viewer (I preferred “The Brady Bunch,” another kinda dumb show with a solid cast). But when I saw it, I recognized the talent of the cast, and Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer as the Howells always made me laugh.

Phil Silvers appeared because he was a part owner of the series via his Gladasya Productions. I believe Phil’s daughters still have a financial interest in the show.

 

Steve Binder who directed the Elvis '68 Comeback directed The Second Ginger Grant episode where Mary-Ann believes she's Ginger.

 

It was like no other sitcom. The notion of being stranded on a warm tropical isle was pretty obvious genius. I think most folks fantasize about it or ponder the 'what if 'occasionally. Throw in being stranded with two beautiful women. As a kid Gilligans Island was like a visual version of a plate of cupcakes. Irresistable. The professor lived a few miles from me and I'd see him often enough but never bugged him. He was just a regular guy. One time I saw a guy come up to him and with genuine elation, gasped - hey! you're...you're the professor!! He smiled and in a friendly way said: yes, I am the professor. Class guy.

 

RIP< lvoed her the most. I have a all of those..!

 

I liked the episodes from dream sequences like the spies or vampires etc.

 

Pulu See Bagumba!

 

Relive classic moments from the show with incidental music carefully culled by YouTube's own:

MrJOHNNYLIGHTNING



Something about that Vampire theme and the set where Gilligan was hurled around the room on wires.. Claustrophobic? Color scheme a bit like a church/chapel or.. something. Gave me chills as a lil' one and, frankly, now gives me chills of silly delight!

My personal favorite bit of music is listed as cue #14, one that I refer to as Strolling Theme. I would love to have an album length version of that. Some of the Legend of Zelda music from Windwaker reminds me of that island vibe. Smooth, calm, warm, ocean-breezy and brilliant!

Just the short music cues, alone, bring back great memories of summer afternoons hangin' with the 7 stranded castaways.

Always imagined I'd be able to visit the lagoon set and jump right in. Was gutted when it got demolished. Gotta love that big parking garage that sits there now.

 

This photo belongs to user scottyferguson on flickr-- It's the lagoon, drained and waiting to be filled in:

Really wasn't very deep. Probably last seen full of water, dressed and overgrown in The Larry Sanders Show about 1991-ish? The photo above must've been about 1995.

 

I really don't remember many episodes.

One I recall is where Gilligan was adopted by the Howells.

 

Yeah, this is my main memory of the show. It was one of the thing always on in the afternoon. Brady Bunch, Partridge Family, Monkees, Gilligan...

 

I remember that nobody got laid on that show.

 

The dream sequence in the one Gilligan thinks he's murdered the other castaways I'd a work of genius.

 

John McGiver with the pussycat swallowtail