14 Things You Never Knew about ‘Gilligan’s Island’

12. No surprise, the “Movie Star” Didn’t Get Along with the Rest of the Cast

Like the diva she played on the show, Ginger actress Tina Louise was a bit of a diva too. She had studied under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio and considered herself a real thespian. She expected to be the star of the series, not part of an ensemble. Her agent apparently pitched the opportunity to her as a show about an actress stranded on a tropical island with a few other people. She never really warmed up to the other cast members and there was some on-set tension. A 1965 TV Guide article stated, “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. Between scenes, while the other six principals chat and tell jokes together, she sits off by herself.” She felt the role ruined her chances of being considered a serious actress, and has refused to take part in any of the reunion sequels.