Gilligan's Island (season 1)

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Gilligan's Island (season 1)
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Season-1-Cover-Front.jpg
Season 1 DVD Case Cover
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes36
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 26, 1964 (1964-09-26) –
June 12, 1965 (1965-06-12)
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Season 2
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The first season of the American comedy television series Gilligan's Island commenced airing in the United States on September 26, 1964 and concluded on June 12, 1965 on CBS. The season introduces the audience to the comic adventures of seven castaways as they attempted to survive and escape from an island on which they had been shipwrecked. Most episodes revolve around the dissimilar castaways' conflicts and their failed attempts—invariably Gilligan's fault—to escape their plight. The season originally aired on Saturdays at 8:30-9:00 pm (EST).

Production[edit]

Executive producers for the first season of Gilligan's Island included William Frough and series creator Sherwood Schwartz.[1] Filming of the season took place at the CBS Radford Studios complex in Studio City, Los Angeles California.[2] This complex contained 17 sound stages, as well as special effects and prop departments.[3] On one stage, a lagoon had been constructed by the production company "at great expense".[4] According to Bob Denver, the crew would spend half of their days filming scenes in the lagoon. Shots and sequences involving the characters' were filmed in a different soundstage.[4] After the series' cancellation, the show's lagoon was not dismantled, and it remained in place until 1995, when it was converted into a parking lot.[2][4]

Cast[edit]

The series employed an ensemble cast of seven main actors and actresses.[5] Denver played the role of the titular First Mate Gilligan, a bumbling, naive, and accident-prone crewman who often messes up the castaways chances of rescue. Alan Hale, Jr. portrayed The Skipper, captain of the S.S. Minnow and the older friend of Gilligan. Jim Backus appeared as Thurston Howell III, a millionaire, and Natalie Schafer played his wife, Eunice Lovelle Wentworth Howell. Tina Louise played the role Ginger Grant, a famous movie star. Russell Johnson portrayed Professor Roy Hinkley, Ph.D., a high school science teacher who often uses his scientific background to try to find ways to get the castaways off the island. Dawn Wells played Mary Ann Summers, wholesome farm girl from Kansas.[6] Charles Maxwell was the uncredited voice of the radio announcer, who the castaways would often listen to via their radio.[7]

Broadcast history[edit]

The season aired Saturdays from 8:30-9:00 pm (EST) on CBS. It was the only season filmed in black-and-white.

DVD release[edit]

The DVD was released by Warner Home Video.

Episodes[edit]

Screen
Shot
No.
overall
No. in
Season
Title Directed By Written By Original Air Date
Two on a Raft.jpg
01 01 Two on a Raft John Rich Lawrence J. Cohen & Fred Freeman

September 26, 1964 (1964-09-26)

Following a violent storm that maroons crew and passengers on an uncharted island, the Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.) and Gilligan (Bob Denver) sail for help on a raft, only to wind up back on the same island—an important fact of which they are unaware.


Home Sweet Hut.jpg
02 02 Home Sweet Hut Richard Donner Bill Davenport & Charles Tannen

October 3, 1964 (1964-10-03)

The castaways build a hut for all, but tensions mount and soon they all build their own huts.


Gilligan Chimp.jpg
03 03 Voodoo Something to Me John Rich Austin Kalish & Elroy Schwartz

October 10, 1964 (1964-10-10)

Skipper believes the island is under the spell of Voodoo and that Gilligan has been turned into a chimp.


Goodnight Sweet Skipper.jpg
04 04 Goodnight, Sweet Skipper Ida Lupino Dick Conway & Roland MacLane

October 17, 1964 (1964-10-17)

Skipper turns the radio into a transmitter. The catch is that he can only do it when he sleepwalks. With June Foray as the voice of aviatrix Alice McNeil.


Wrongway Fieldman 2.jpg
05 05 Wrongway Feldman (Episode) Ida Lupino Fred Freeman & Lawrence J. Cohen

October 24, 1964 (1964-10-24)

Famed aviator Wrongway Feldman is discovered living on the island. The castaways help him fix his plane so he can fly for help. Wrongway gets back to civilization after nearly 30 years, but his directions are so inexact that "Gilligan's Island" is located anywhere from the Bay of Naples to the Arctic Ocean!


Presidentgilligan.jpg
06 06 President Gilligan Richard Donner Roland Wolpert

October 31, 1964 (1964-10-31)

When Mr. Howell and the Skipper square off over who is in charge, the castaways decide they need to elect a leader.


Thesoundofquacking.jpg
07 07 The Sound of Quacking Thomas Montgomery Lawrence J. Cohen & Fred Freeman

November 7, 1964 (1964-11-07)

A duck lands on the island. Food is scarce, but Gilligan is determined to protect the duck. Mel Blanc voices the duck. Ironically, the dream sequence was filmed on the set of Gunsmoke, which replaced Gilligan's Island in its time slot for season 4, cancelling the show.


E0108.jpg
08 08 Goodbye Island John Rich Albert E. Lewin & Burt Styler

November 21, 1964 (1964-11-21)

Gilligan discovers the perfect, permanent glue when trying to make pancake syrup. His goofy glue, however, turns out to be temporary instead of permanent and the Minnow breaks apart.


Gold.jpg
09 09 The Big Gold Strike Stanley Z. Cherry Roland Wolpert

November 28, 1964 (1964-11-28)

Mr. Howell and Gilligan discover a gold mine on the island. Soon everyone has "gold fever".


Kona.jpg
10 10 Waiting for Watubi Jack Arnold Fred Freeman & Lawrence J. Cohen

December 5, 1964 (1964-12-05)

Skipper finds a tiki idol, a small statue of Kona, the god of evil. Skipper believes he is cursed. Only a visit from Watubi can lift the spell.


Epi AotI.jpg
11 11 Angel on the Island Jack Arnold Herbert Finn & Alan Dinehart

December 12, 1964 (1964-12-12)

Mr. Howell agrees to back Ginger's off-Broadway, on-island show. However, his wife soon believes that she should be the star of her husband's show.


E0112.jpg
12 12 Birds Gotta Fly, Fish Gotta Talk Rod Amateau Sherwood Schwartz and Austin Kalish and Elroy Schwartz

December 19, 1964 (1964-12-19)

It's the first Christmas on the island and the castaways remember their first days on the island. Soon Santa visits to remind them of what they have to be thankful for, but is he really Skipper in disguise?


Epi-TM$MoL.jpg
13 13 Three Million Dollars More or Less Thomas Montgomery Teleplay by: Bill Davenport & Charles Tannen
Story by: Sam Locke & Joel Rapp

December 26, 1964 (1964-12-26)

Gilligan wins $3 million from Mr. Howell in a putting contest.


Water epi.jpg
14 14 Water, Water Everywhere Stanley Z. Cherry Tom Waldman & Frank Waldman

January 2, 1965 (1965-01-02)

Drinking water is suddenly scarce. Gilligan doesn't seem to do anything right until he finds a frog that comes to the rescue. Mel Blanc voices Froggy.


Gi71.png
15 15 So Sorry, My Island Now Alan Crosland, Jr. David P. Harmon

January 9, 1965 (1965-01-09)

A Japanese sailor (Vito Scotti in his first of four guest appearances) captures everyone except Gilligan and the Skipper. They then try to use his submarine to return to civilization.


Chest epi-PYN,DYL.jpg
16 16 Plant You Now, Dig You Later Lawrence Dobkin Elroy Schwartz & Oliver Crawford

January 16, 1965 (1965-01-16)

Gilligan uncovers a treasure chest while digging a pit for Mr. Howell. A court is held, with the professor as the judge to decide rightful ownership.


Big-Gun.jpg
17 17 Little Island, Big Gun Abner Biberman Dick Conway & Roland MacLane

January 23, 1965 (1965-01-23)

Trying to evade the police after a heist, a gangster (Larry Storch) is dropped off on the island, planning to hide out for a while. Discovering that the island is occupied, he poses as a doctor. When he is found out, the castaways get a firsthand taste of gangster culture.


X-MtS epi.jpg
18 18 'X' Marks the Spot Jack Arnold Sherwood Schwartz & Elroy Schwartz

January 30, 1965 (1965-01-30)

The island is the target of a new Air Force missile, but it doesn't explode when it lands. Now Gilligan is the only one who can defuse it.


Epi GMJB.jpg
19 19 Gilligan Meets Jungle Boy Lawrence Dobkin Al Schwartz and Howard Merrill & Howard Harris

February 6, 1965 (1965-02-06)

Kurt Russell is the Jungle Boy, a lad found living in the jungle. They accidentally send him back to civilization alone in a homemade balloon before they get finished teaching him English.


St.Gill.jpg
20 20 St. Gilligan and the Dragon Richard Donner Arnold & Lois Peyser

February 13, 1965 (1965-02-13)

The women tire of being held subservient to the men and decide to separate and build their own camp. The men realize how much they need the women, and so they try to scare the women back.


Epi BMoaLS.jpg
21 21 Big Man on a Little Stick Tony Leader Charles Tannen & Lou Huston

February 20, 1965 (1965-02-20)

Super Surfer Duke Williams rides a tsunami onto the island, and off again.


Epi DAaABF.jpg
22 22 Diamonds Are an Ape's Best Friend Jack Arnold Elroy Schwartz

February 27, 1965 (1965-02-27)

A gorilla is loose on the island, and he likes Mrs. Howell because of her perfume.


Gi07.png
23 23 How to Be a Hero Tony Leader Herbert Finn & Alan Dinehart

March 6, 1965 (1965-03-06)

Gilligan has to be rescued while he is rescuing Mary Ann. This failure leaves him feeling down in the dumps so the other castaways devise ways to try to make him feel like a hero. However he has the chance to be a real hero when a headhunter arrives on the island.


WWF2.jpg
24 24 The Return of Wrongway Feldman Ida Lupino and Gene Nelson Lawrence J. Cohen & Fred Freeman

March 13, 1965 (1965-03-13)

Wrongway is back, this time trying to escape the hustle and bustle of the modern world. So now the castaways must convince him that civilization is better than life on the island. They try various schemes to get him to return to civilization and rescue them.


Matchmaker.jpg
25 25 The Matchmaker Tony Leader Joanna Lee

March 20, 1965 (1965-03-20)

Mrs. Howell misses the busy social season of civilization, so she tries to pair up Gilligan and Mary Ann. This ends up creating trouble in the family between Mr. and Mrs. Howell resulting in a temporary battle between all the group until the castaways decide to recreate the scene of Mr. Howell's proposal: a fancy French restaurant called the Tour D'Argent.


Gi53.png
26 26 Music Hath Charms Jack Arnold Al Schwartz & Howard Harris

March 27, 1965 (1965-03-27)

Mrs. Howell wants to civilize the island with an orchestra. But the sounds attract the wrong kind of audience.


Gi08.jpg
27 27 New Neighbor Sam Thomas Montgomery Charles Tannen & George O'Hanlon

April 3, 1965 (1965-04-03)

The castaways are hearing voices of gangsters, but it turns out to be a parrot. Mel Blanc voices the parrot.


Gi09.png
28 28 They're Off and Running Jack Arnold Walter Black

April 10, 1965 (1965-04-10)

The Skipper loses Gilligan to Mr. Howell wagering on turtle races.


Gi10.jpg
29 29 Three to Get Ready Jack Arnold David P. Harmon

April 17, 1965 (1965-04-17)

Gilligan finds a lucky stone, "The Eye of the Idol", that entitles him to three wishes before the end of the day. But, he loses it and they have to find it before sundown.


Gi13.png
30 30 Forget Me Not Jack Arnold Herbert Margolis

April 24, 1965 (1965-04-24)

The Skipper has amnesia and the Professor resorts to hypnosis to cure him. However, trouble ensues as he keeps missing the moment of memory at which the Skipper should be.


Gi06.png
31 31 Diogenes, Won't You Please Go Home? Christian Nyby David P. Harmon

May 1, 1965 (1965-05-01)

Gilligan is keeping a diary, and everyone wants to know what he has to say. When he refuses everyone writes their own diary. Everyone remembers the day the Japanese sailor came differently.


Gi05.jpg
32 32 Physical Fatness Gary Nelson Herbert Finn & Alan Dinehart

May 8, 1965 (1965-05-08)

When rescue looks imminent Gilligan helps the Skipper lose enough weight to get back into the navy once they are rescued. Also, they help Gilligan gain weight so he too can return to navy life.


Gi03.png
33 33 It's Magic Jack Arnold Al Schwartz & Bruce Howard

May 15, 1965 (1965-05-15)

A magician's trunk washes ashore and the castaways learn tricks to scare away natives. But after Gilligan caused trouble with a magic trick, he hides out in a cave and the castaways try to get him back.


Dubov Paing.jpg
34 34 Goodbye, Old Paint Jack Arnold David P. Harmon

May 22, 1965 (1965-05-22)

Dubov, a reclusive, snobbish painter, is found on the island. To convince him to return to civilization, they set up Gilligan as a rival avant-garde artist. (This episode was not broadcast in syndication during the 1970s)


G54.jpg
35 35 My Fair Gilligan Tony Leader Joanna Lee

June 5, 1965 (1965-06-05)

Gilligan saves Mrs. Howell's life and the Howells decide to adopt him, and change him into "Gilligan Thurston Howell IV"—an endeavor which results in problems for all concerned.


E0136.jpg
36 36 A Nose by Any Other Name Hal Cooper Elroy Schwartz

June 12, 1965 (1965-06-12)

Gilligan's nose swells and his ego fades after he falls out of a coconut tree. He insists that the professor perform plastic surgery on his now deformed nose.


Footnotes[edit]

  1. Berard and Englund (2009), p. 126.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "CBS Studio Center". Seeing-Stars.com. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  3. "CBS Buys Republic Lot". Broadcasting. February 27, 1967. Retrieved November 18, 2013. (subscription required)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Walstad, David (August 7, 1995). "Civilization Takes Over 'Gilligan's' Lagoon". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  5. Tucker (2010), p. 89.
  6. Schwartz (2009), pp. 49–64.
  7. Chance (2011), p. 546.

References[edit]

  • Berard, Jeanette; Englund, Klaudia (2009). Television Series and Specials Scripts, 1946-1992. McFarland]isbn=978-0786454372.
  • Chance, Norman (2010). Who Was Who on TV, Volume 1. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 978-1456821296.
  • Morowitz, Laura (2003). "From Ganguin to Gilligan's Island". In Morreale, Joanne (ed.). Critiquing the Sitcom: A Reader. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 978-0815629832.
  • Schwartz, Sherwood (1988). Inside Gilligan's Island. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0312104825.
  • Stoddard, Sylvia (1996). TV Treasures – A Companion Guide to Gilligan's Island. St Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0312957971.
  • Tucker, David (2010). Lost Laughs of '50S and '60S Television: Thirty Sitcoms That Faded Off Screen. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786455829.