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

Just sit right back and you’ll hear some tales about what went on behind the scenes of Gilligan’s Island. The beloved sitcom only ran for three seasons from 1964 to 1967, but it has lived on in rerun syndication for decades. Generations of fans have been amused by the silly antics of this motley group of castaways on an uncharted island, and the show has become a cultural icon of American television. Here’s some Gilligan trivia you never knew you wanted to know.

1. How it Got the Name Gilligan’s Island

We wish we could tell you that the name had a significance, like an homage to the producer’s dog or something. Nope, nothing deep or meaningful here. The show’s creator, Sherwood Schwartz, simply picked the name out of the phone book at random. A few pages over and it could easily have been Grover’s Island.

2. We can’t imagine anyone else but Bob Denver wearing that little white hat and red shirt

However, he wasn’t the first choice to play everyone’s favorite bumbling little buddy. Jerry Van Dyke (Dick’s little brother) had that honor, but he passed on the opportunity. He said the pilot was “the worst thing I’d ever read.” He later found success on Coach and today makes an occasional appearance on The Middle alongside his famous real life bro.

3. The S.S. Minnow Was Named as a Personal Dig

You would be forgiven if you thought the wrecked ship was named for a small fish often used as bait. However it was apparently named for Newton Minow, the Federal Communications Commission president who once famously referred to television as a “vast wasteland.” Schwartz wasn’t a big fan of this guy so he made him part of the vast wasteland of the show.