Now Performing in the Red Skelton Tribute Theater 167 East Wears Valley Road Suite #17 (Shops of Pigeon Forge) Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island originally aired from 1964 to 1967. It was a Sherwood Schwartz creation, the same person who was a writer on the Red Skelton Show from 1956 to 1962.
Gilligan's Island was a popular television comedy series that begins with a tiny ship named the S.S. Minnow that goes on a three hour tour and ends up shipwrecked after a terrible storm. Gilligan, the Skipper, a millionaire and his wife, a movie-star, the Professor and Mary Ann are all stranded on the island.
The cast consisted of:
Gilligan, played by Bob Denver
Jonas 'The Skipper' Grumby, played by Alan Hale Jr.
Thurston Howell III, played by Jim Backus
Mrs. Lovey Howell, played by Natalie Schafer
Ginger Grant, played by Tina Louise
Professor Roy Hinkley, played by Russell Johnson
Mary Ann, played by Dawn Wells
Gilligan's Island ran for a total of 98 episodes, the first season was filmed in Black and White, the next two season were in Color. Getting solid ratings during its original run, the show grew in popularity during the next two decades of syndication, when many markets ran the show in the late afternoon after school, for the kids to enjoy.
The first episode actually broadcast, "Two on a Raft", and is sometimes wrongly referred to as the series pilot. This episode begins with the same scene of Gilligan and the Skipper awakening on the boat as in the pilot and continues with the characters sitting on the beach listening to a radio news report about their disappearance.
The shipwrecked castaways want to leave the remote island, and various opportunities present themselves. They typically fail to get off Gilligan's Island usually thanks to some bumbling error committed by Gilligan.
The boat was the main reason for being stranded. It had huge holes in it making it impossible to float. Did you know there were actually four S.S. Minnows used on the show. The first Minnow was purchased and towed out to Kauai and used in the beach scenes. The second one was a rental they used in the opening credits at the Honolulu Harbor. It showed the crew boarding and then showed it sailing out to sea. The third was filmed in the opening credits of the second season at Marina Del Rey in Los Angeles. The fourth one was built for CBS Studios and is shown at the Lagoon in the second season of Gilligans Island in the opening credits.
Are you a baby boomer and remember watching Gilligan's Island before it became a rerun? If so, then you probably watched the other show from the 60's that the entire family could watch, Red Skelton. Next time you visit Pigeon Forge or maybe you live here, be sure to take in the afternoon show.
CLICK HERE on Show Schedule link above and reserve your seats for Brian Hoffman's Remembering Red - A Tribute to Red Skelton, we thank you and may God bless.
