Just like many of us had to do for our English class essay at one time or another, Sherwood Schwartz, then a student at a public speaking class at New York University, was asked by his professor to write a speech answering the simple question — “If you were stranded on a deserted island, what one item would you like to have?”
Schwartz let that question sink deep into his mind. Years later, after becoming a successful writer on various TV shows, he pitched the idea to CBS, and the show got greenlit. The idea that a show like this would develop from such an unexpected place just goes to show that you never know where inspiration might strike!
The tastes of the island
Long after the show ended — 1993 — Dawn Wells penned “Mary Ann's Gilligan's Island Cookbook,” which features food that the characters might have eaten while stranded on the island. Expect lots of coconut dishes. There is also “Gilligan's Stew,” “Ginger's Snaps,” and something called a “Shipwreck Sandwich.”
A few other people joined in the writing, including Ken Beck and Jim Clark, and Bob Denver, Gilligan's actor, even wrote the foreword. In case you're wondering, yes, there is a recipe for the coconut pies that Mary Ann cooks for Gilligan during the show. There are also stories, photos, and anecdotes from Wells's time on the show.
Everything had to be made from wood and coconuts
Since the entire premise of the show was that the cast had to survive on a deserted island, all props had to be made from either wood or coconuts. This posed a major challenge, as everything from the chairs and up to the foot pedal-powered car had to be made from only these 2 materials.
This has become a trend on eBay where you can actually get many “Gilligan’s Island Props,” which are basically regular everyday objects that are made of wood and coconuts. It sounds like a great investment for anyone who wants to star in his own Gilligan’s Island fan show.
Not everyone got along during the show
There other difficult cast members too. It was reported in the Jan. 23, 1965 edition of TV Guide that Tina Louise, who played Ginger “I’m a movie star” Grant, had many problems with the cast. The article even stated that “Denver will not say why he and the glamorous Tina [Louise] do not get along, nor will any of the castaways, they just ignore her, and she ignores them.”
The article continues, “Between scenes, while the other six principals chat and tell jokes together, she sits off by herself. And recently when Denver was asked to pose for pictures with her, he adamantly refused. Part of Louise’s dissatisfaction with the series was that she had expected to be the star of the show.” (Maybe she was just a really good method actress and was preparing for filming between sets?)
Ever heard of Jonas Grumby?
Most people think that Skipper’s name was just “Skipper,” but during the first episode, most of us missed the one time that he actually revealed his real name. Skipper’s real name is... are you ready for it? Jonas Grumby. Yup, just watch the episode carefully, and you’ll spot it.
For some odd reason, probably the same one that kept Willy Gilligan’s name confined to only “Gilligan,” Skipper’s real name was never ever said again. Perhaps it’s better to remember these 2 as their nicknames since they seem to stick much better and, at this point, would be almost impossible to forget.