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

13. Director Schwartz Described the Show as a “Social Microcosm”

Bet you never thought Gilligan’s Island had any deep roots. However, Sherwood Schwartz got the idea from a class at New York University when he was asked to prepare an impromptu speech on the topic “If you were stranded on a desert island, what one item would you like to have.” The idea stayed with him, and as his comedy writing career took off, he pitched an idea for a show exploring the interesting dynamic of a varied group stranded together who had to learn and work as a unit despite their dissimilarities. In the book Inside Gilligan’s Island: From Creation to Syndication, Schwartz described his idea that the island would be “a social microcosm and a metaphorical shaming of world politics in the sense that when necessary for survival, yes we can all get along.” Go watch a few reruns with that lofty concept in mind and maybe you’ll see the social commentary genius within.

14. Gilligan Got “The Rest” a Credit

It was revealed during the special Surviving Gilligan’s Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History that it was Bob Denver who advocated for the proper crediting of the Professor and Mary Ann. During season one, they were treated like second-class extras, namelessly tacked on as an afterthought with an “and the rest” in the opening theme song. An outrage! Gilligan himself threw down an ultimatum saying if his co-stars didn’t get a credit, then neither would he. Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells have been grateful ever since.