Sherwood Schwartz told us many entertaining tales during “Gilligan’s Island” run on network television, but the stories behind the scenes are quite remarkable. “Inside Gilligan’s Island” documents what really goes on in Hollywood, as he describes the many obstacles he would overcome to land the show on CBS’s fall schedule in 1964. The network initially rejected “Gilligan,” the executives didn’t understand the characters, but thanks to Schwartz, the S. S. Minnow would finally set sail.
One idea pitched to rework the show was to call it “Gilligan’s Travels,” as passengers would sail the S. S. Minnow, but return to the mainland in each episode. The higher ups couldn’t understand how the characters could remain shipwrecked on a deserted island in the Pacific. Finally, Schwartz developed the show’s iconic theme song, which explained how the castaways ended up on Gilligan’s Island.
Schwartz reveals how he came up the concept of the show, and developed the beloved characters that told each hilarious tale. Bob Denver, who played Gilligan, wasn’t even the first choice for the role. Schwartz wanted Dick Van Dyke’s brother, Jerry, who ultimately passed to star in a series that never came to be. The Skipper was apparently the hardest character to cast, and yet, Alan Hale became The Skipper on and off the set.
From the pages of Ripley’s Believe it or Not, and idea was pitched to Schwartz to have Gilligan discover a dinosaur on his island. Yet another wacky idea would have the Professor secretly be a bank robber, who would sabotage each rescue attempt to allude authorities. Yes, this was the environment that somehow wouldn’t detour a resilient and determined Schwartz, who years later created another TV juggernaut, The Brady Bunch.
Schwartz also reveals the answers every fan of Gilligan’s Island wants to know. Which star received the most fan mail? Why didn’t Tina Louise return for the Rescue movie? What was Mrs. Howell’s maiden name? Additionally, the author reveals that people wrote the Coast Guard encouraging them to rescue the cast of the show. I highly recommend this captivating audiobook!
By: Sherwood Schwartz
Narrated by: Mike Hennessy
Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
Publisher: McFarland