Gilligan's TRUE Thoughts on Ginger (Tina Louise)-Gilligan's Island Revealed! 

Ginger's behavior highlighted Maryann's sweetness.

I didn't really care for the character of Ginger, but she did add to the diversity of characters in the cast. After all, we are all different and they did a good job of representing that.

The show had a lot of juxtaposition going on and Ginger was a part of that. There was 'dumb' Gilligan juxtaposed with the professor, the rich Howells against the working class skipper and Gilligan, and the innocent 'country girl' Mary Ann to the 'experienced' urbane city dweller, the sexy Ginger. Ginger was integral to the premise of the show. IMHO

I love that line Sherwood Shwartz had when she said she was tricked. "What Is The Title Of The Show On The Script?" 😂😂😂😂 I really never thought she added anything to the show except being hot.

Ginger did add a nice twist to the plots because they would use her sexiness to lure others that got dropped on the island to do things to "help escape." With only "Gilligan" it would have been boring.

I loved Gilligans Island! I think I’ve watched every episode 10 times and I knew some of the lines by heart. Ginger added diversity to the characters. It was a great show!

It was a good move for Tina. If not for GI she probably wouldn't be known by anyone today.

Saw a Foundations interview with Russell Johnson and he (being a pro and a gentleman) said Tina could be "problematic at times" and sometimes it took a phone call to Sherwood with a "it's Tina again" and Sherwood would have to come down from the office to smooth things out. He said she was a professional, though. He also said that she had "supposedly" been told that she was going to be the lead character in the series.

I like the character Ginger. She was and still is one of my favorites and I believe she does add to the show. Great that Sherwood Schwartz listened to her comments but it was his show after all. Happy that the show didn't continue without her. It never would have been the same.

Most surveys I have seen showed that Marianne, not Ginger, was the heartthrob of American males.

Unfortunately all of my favorite castaways have passed on...

Anyone remember the name of that Broadway play you were in when offered Gilligan's Island, Tina? That's what I thought.

I was 7 years old watching Gilligan’s Island reruns after school. Tina Louise/Ginger Grant was the first female I had really noticed. I’ve been crazy about her ever since.

Ginger added an element that rounded out the demographic of the island’s small population. They needed this full diversity to have new twists within episodes that were mostly limited to this small group on a small island. There is nothing new about friction among a show’s cast members that is rooted in egos. At least they kept things professional, and viewers could not notice any hostility.

Yay! More GI!! Great work, as always. Ginger as “Lucy” obviously never happened. That would have been different, but then it’s not Ginger’s Island. The cast-written books over the years have been a great resource for stories. Sherwood’s tale of his visit from the Coast Guard is a classic.

I really enjoy your videos. Have a great day.

A great video Rick. I always felt like Ginger Grant gave off a Marilyn Monroe vibe more so than a Lucy Ricardo persona. I don't think her character hurt the show in any way. What I was always fascinated by was how a show from the 60's showed how people who had such differences could all manage to live together, work together, and most of the time get along. That was part of the show that I really liked in that they became like a small family caring for each other. James

I think what made the show good was the diversity of characters. There was a lot of polar opposites. So much so, you'd wonder how they'd ever get along, but somehow they'd always manage. Maryanne was a very basic "girl-next-door" type and Ginger's self centered character made Maryanne shine.

Great video! First off, I think it’s ironically funny how Bob D. was against “sexiness” being portrayed in the show, but in another show Bob starred in “The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis” , he portrayed a beatnick who implied at times drug use and as such being both afraid of the police and of working for a living. The role of Ginger was needed for balance of the castaways in this show and (as was the time period of the show) her sexiness and allure did come in handy for some of the help they needed to accomplish their collective goal of fleeing the island. And if we really want to dive deeper, Ginger was what Mary Ann needed as a guide to understanding her own personal understanding and growth into womanhood. Unfortunately a lot of baggage goes along with Hollywood ego trips and both Bob and Tina had their fair share. The entire cast made the show and to me, no one individual was above the rest in making the show the success it was.

My husband went to Scarsdale high school with her son. He told me she was just a normal Mom.

You be hopeful too, Rick ❤

Imagine taking all those evening gowns on a 'three hour cruise"...LOL LOL!!!

I never cared for the blatant sexuality of Ginger. She was just a tease to the male characters without any real substance.

Ginger wasn’t necessary but she was a good part 😅f the show. As a young girl I always liked to see her clothes and the friendship between her and Maryann.

I wished she would have embraced the popularity of the show and of her character,later on ,because she nailed it. We all love ginger on Gilligans island.She did it funny 😆 perfect❤

I liked the ginger character they brought a marylin Monroe side to the character Tina Louise was great as ginger

Tina Louise was a great asset to the show.

It’s really interesting to hear what Bob Denver thought about Tina Louise, as a lot has been said about her relationship with Gilligan’s Island and how she thought about the show, though we don’t always hear what some of the others thought about her overall, such as Bob Denver in this instance. I can definitely see where he’s coming from being the show is quite innocent, though I do like the interactions Gilligan and Ginger have on the show. Clearly whatever disagreements they had didn’t effect the show which is always a good thing. Plus, this video being out on my birthday makes it even better. Thank you for the video Rick, I hope you’re doing well and have a great day. Keep up the great work and take care!

I never thought about this as an issue. I just thought the Ginger character was just another castaway that just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. This show provided characters very diverse. The Professor to Mary Ann and everyone in between. I personally liked all the characters for their own special "quirks" if you will. Thanks Rick for bringing this topic to light! 👍👍 👍

It's kind of ironic that despite her negative feelings regarding the show, it is the number one platform responsible for sustaining her as an international star and creating her widespread celebrity - much more than her film roles ever did - not a bad result for her career overall.

Tina Louise has to know that NO ONE could be another Lucille Ball.

I cant imagine Gilligan's Island done any other way than how it was done.

I loved Ginger’s death scene portrayal, it was overacted-hilarious!

I grew up watching this show and others from the era as a kid.

I always thought it was ridiculous that a movie star going out on a ship only brought formal gowns. It just didn’t fit realistically.

I’ve always loved this show ! Even named one of my dogs Gilligan. Haha. Had the advantage to have met Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells prior to their passing. I will add that I never had a yearning to meet Tina at all. I am disappointed that I never got to meet the rest of the cast. Great videos Rick !

Gilligan's Island was the best job Tina Louise ever had and she pissed it off.

How about the time Ginger and Mary Ann whistles the theme song in an episode. That was so cool.

Back in the 90s, I remember hearing an interview on the radio with Bob and Dawn where Bob made fun of Tina and how difficult she was to work with. It was definitely an unfriendly poke at Tina.

"no place for a sexy image" heavens above, have they not seen how incredibly sexy Mary-Ann was!

LOuise was actually a very good and serious actress. She thought Ginger would be a role to help expand her range and make her name better known to the fans.

It's too bad that Tina was disappointed in her role, but she did a great job of it. She definitely had elements of Marilyn and Lucy. It would be pretty hard to find any TV show, movie, or play where the cast got along perfectly. I don't get along too well with some people where I work.

Laurel & Hardy on an island with a cast of characters, I loved it. Fun fantasy show. Maryanne was more sexy and Ginger was like Marilyn stuck on an island too.

...the presence of Ginger in the group of castaways is funny by contrast... ...the Hollywood glamour against the primative tropical background is a conceptual pun; -a "fish out of water" comedy trope...

Hi Rick.I don’t remember seeing any friction between Bob Denver and Tina Louise. I actually think that the character of Ginger was a good addition to all the other characters. Tina Louise will always be remembered for this role and I think it’s a good thing for her. As far as seeing anything like Lucy in her character I didn’t see it. She and Maryann played off each other well. Loved them all. That kind of sexiness wasn’t like it is today. TV was so much better then. Thanks for another fun video!😊

They were all great, the show would not be the same without Ginger, but the best was Mrs. Howell, she was so perfect for the part she played.

Thanks

Watching the show when it was on we liked the contrast between the more sophisticated ginger and the more girl next door Marianne in the way they would both flirt a little bit with Gilligan and may be the professor.

I watched Gilligan's Island as a kid, I didn't think Tina's looks distracted any more than Mary -Anne's. It would have been way ahead of its time to have a female professor. I loved the show.

I always thought the Ginger character added to the mix. Would I have preferred a different actress play that role, but still the same role? I suppose so, but I didn't even think about it back then, being about ten years old when the series premiered. A good character, adding to the dynamic between the two younger women, the tall redhead actress and the sweet and innocent farm girl type Mary Ann. When you think about it, it was a cast of opposites. Everyone was so different from everyone else, with the exception of the Howells from each other, the only married couple.

Your videos are so fun and I always learn something new, thank you! I never had a problem with Ginger, and she actually did remind me of Marylin Monroe. I'm sorry she was unhappy in her role.

Just kind of smiling and brooding on the idea that the great existential question of my childhood, "Ginger or Maryann?" might instead have been.... "Mary Ann or.... Mrs. Howell?"

A neighbor gal in my class named Kris enjoyed Giligans Island but her mom thought that the show was stupid so she didn’t let Kris watch it. I suggest that people watch interviews of Bob Denver as his personality is very different than the character of Giligan and he seemed like a very smart man.

It was a great show and the ensemble cast made it so. It never would have been as good if any of them were missing.

They could have changed the script were Ginger was Gilligan and the Skippers "Little Buddie ".

Tina Louise is the last surviving castaway as foreshadowed in the season 1 intro of Gilligans Island because she was credited last! Yes I know this was due to Tina Louise not wanting anyone else to be credited after her. By season 2 Bob Denver requested that Sherwood Schwartz add Dawn Wells and Russell Johnson names to the intro if not then he would want to be credited last. So the change was made and Dawn Wells and Russell Johnsons names were added to the opening sequence. Gingers character in the script was more sardonic, Eve Arden-Nish character and Tina refused to portray her that way. And made Ginger more like Marilyn Monroe. Jayne Mansfield was first offered the role as Ginger but she turned it down. Tina felt she was typecast hence why she didn't return to reprise her character in any of the Gilligans Island reunion tv movies. Well she did appear alongside Bob Denver, Dawn Wells and Russell Johnson with Sherwood Schwartz on the post credits of Roseanne back in 1995. 🏝🎥🥥🛥

Always wondered how the series would have turned out if Kit Smythe from the pilot would have been kept.

Bob could’ve taken his coconut creamed pie and floated to a rescue boat and that would’ve fine with me. More Ginger & Mary Ann

To be honest, certainly by todays standards and even by the tamer standards of 60’s television, I never saw anything that was truly sexual on the show. Yes Ginger was a tall beautiful woman with a great figure, which means she was sexy, but I never saw much of anything in the show that could be considered a truly sexual circumstance. Ginger’s outfits were never as revealing as the clothes Dawn Wells wore, Ginger was usually fully covered in a floor length dress, whereas Mary Ann often was in short shorts with a bare midriff. The only sexuality the show ever portrayed was when Ginger was trying to seduce a male character but these scenes were always played for laughs, never amounted to more than her running her fingers through the guys hair, and usually didn’t get her what she was after anyway. Ginger’s figure was only commented on in a joking way (one visitor looked at her and said, “Like you said, Ginger’s a girl.”). But when the character was in every day circumstances nothing was made about her sexually, and she was usually dressed more conservatively than Mary Ann. So no, I don’t agree that the character was too sexy for the show. I think each of the 7 characters was essential to the show and I can’t imagine it without any one of them. Having said that, I can sympathize with Tina Louise in that her character really did seem to be the least used character in the scripts. In many shows, she had only a few minutes on screen, one or two scenes, and I can understand her frustration to a point.

I know a lot of people preferred Mary Ann over Ginger but I thought both of them were hot. And I liked both characters. Tina did a good job as Ginger and the Ginger character fit in well with the ensemble cast. It gave the writers a lot of material. The fact that they had Ginger in this beautiful gown and perfect hair 90+ percent of the time was both hilarious and strange at the same time. The character I enjoyed most in the cast was The Skipper. Alan Hale was very good at the role he played. And his father was one of the great character actors in Hollywood history. I’ll bet he had a million Errol Flynn stories.

I didn't mind her, as a youngling. There are some good points raised about her character, but I enjoyed seeing her. That aside, I think that she did add a lot of diversity to the cast, and obviously that was always part of the original idea of the show. There was always going to be a movie star, and as far as that was concerned, she played it well & it might as well have been her. The fact that she asked for more influence is kinda appropriate to her character, in a way. There was an innocence to the show, and Ginger provided a good contrast to that. Perhaps, it provided some good tension for Gilligan. In spite of her attempts to exert influence over him at times, he always remained himself. I liked them together, but I think he had the best chemistry with Mary Ann. She was genuine & balanced Ginger out.

Tina claimed in a reunion show that Ginger never kissed any men on the show, which the average fan knows is completely false. She kissed the Professor in the episode where the castaways made the silent movie, as one example.

I felt Tina was hotter in God's Little Acre than in Gilligan's Island. And she won an Emmy for her role in that film.

Would not have been the same without Ginger ! Ginger and Marianne! They were a team! Like sisters. They were competitive, but loved each other. Opposites, but still beautiful!

Bob was right about Ginger cause for a long time fans would ask how can you be on an island with 2 beautiful women and not wanna do anything? We brought that up in a restaurant in the 80s and the waitress heard us and smiled cause I know she agreed

The professor Gilligan and Maryanne were my favorites.

In the past it seemed like Tina was vilified for wanting to be the star of the show. I appreciate that this channel covers the fact that she was misled into thinking that. I hit puberty during this show. So, I have to disagree with Bob Denver about sex not belonging. I was wild for Maryanne. Looking at them now, I am wilder for Ginger. What an amazing form. I didn't appreciate Mrs. Howell when I was a boy, but now I can see what a pretty lady she was. You have to look past the dowdy clothes they put her in. The rest of the show was great, silly fun!

Each and every one of the cast was integral to the shows' success. I don't think the show would've been successful without that exact cast. Personality conflicts are inevitable with actors and actresses!

There was a lot of Veronica in Tina Louise, and a lot of Jughead in Bob Denver. Most guys when asked say they preferred Mary Ann, but to me, Ginger was the bomb. Between the characters of Maynard Krebs and Gilligan, Bob Denver was a big star with a lot of likeability.

I’m old enough that I went through all of the phases at 13 to 20 I thought Maryann was super cute, than my 20’s through my 40’s Ginger was the true Hottie!…than something weird happened to me and Mrs Lovey Howel, started looking pretty good too me! I loved them all ❤

I loved the show but I honestly didn’t really notice Tina that much! As a yiu g teenager I thought The Professor was a heart throb but never could figure out how he could I vent all those cool items but figure out how to make a raft or boat…

I love this show. Both Gilligan and Ginger were great. The show was not too sexy otherwise my parents would not let us watch it. Thanks for the information Rick.

Good thing she packed all those gowns for the three-hour tour.

Great tv series

I thought she played the egotist moviestar, believed her character.

everyday there's a full Gilligan's cast reunion of the surviving members when Tina wakes up in the morning until she retires for the evening.

The Castaways all represented the "Seven Deadly Sins." The Professor was Pride. Thurston was Greed. Ginger was Lust. Mary Ann was Envy. Gilligan was Gluttony. Skipper was Wrath. Mrs. Howel was Sloth. Ginger had to be sexy.

As a Teenager, Ginger was the only reason I watched the show.

I believe that the Ginger character was an integral part of the series and that Tina Louise played the part well.I often though refered to the Ginger character as a bimbo because I believe that's the way the production staff wanted her played, but she was a drop dead gorgeous bimbo!

So she thought that Ginger was the main character of "Gilligan's Island." Just like Aunt Bea was the main character of "The Andy Griffith Show." And Buddy Sorrel was the main character of "The Dick Van Dyke Show." and of course Fred Mertz was the main character of "I love Lucy."

i think the creator was a genius; the show is totally crazy which makes it so entertaining like ginger has a different fancy hair do and all the howels outfits and how can this be if they are stranded🤣😂

I wish this show would have lasted at least 6 years.

As I child, I always thought Ginger felt out of place in the show and at times made it a bit uncomfortable. She also seemed a bit redundant. She was rich and pampered, but so were the Howell's. She was a young attractive woman, but so was Mary Ann. So the sexiness was her only unique attribute, but the only payoff for that was to make Gilligan feel uncomfortable.

I think all 7 characters added to the show's comedy.

The only friction I saw was when Ginger would approach any guy in a seductive way

It seems to me that any objections Louise had should have been directed at her agent exclusively, that is if her story was true. And she was free to leave a lot earlier than she did (at the show's cancellation).

Great Character, looking back ,it would not be the same without Ginger.

I always thought the movie star (Tina Louise) was a joke in the show. She wasn't a comedian, so the writers tended to use her as part of the set.

It seems sherwood didn't communicate well with Bob with What the show was specifically in getting opinions on what he thought, being he was the main character. And even at the start of the video with Tina, it seemed sherwood was not up front with Tina/ginger, and I can't say I disagree with her for a true actress to have gotten suckered into this. Someone misinformed her

I think Ginger and Mary Ann provided the show with an interesting contrast

Hope you're doing well, Rick.

it was based on the 7 deadly sins. You needed Ginger

The character of Ginger was a bad example to little girls. She constantly had to be sexy instead of being a person. Lucy never added sex to her characters and she was amazing. Tina Louise would also flirt with the crew while showering. Sex was her forte. That didn’t work for a comedic, children’s show.

This is fun to know, but none of it is important

I grew up watching Gilligan’s Island. It was always one of my favorites. Honestly, those 7 characters are what I think of when someone mentions Gilligan’s Island. So, if someone made a new version of the show today but didn’t include Ginger, it just wouldn’t feel like Gilligan’s Island. What I always wondered though, was why did Ginger, Maryanne and the Howell’s have so many changes of clothes for a 3-hour boat ride? 😂

Who cares about Ginger...when there's Mary Ann?

Ginger definitely had the Marilyn Monroe going on, never noticed any Lucy. I disagree with Bob Denver though (heheh) I think the movie star persona on the shipwrecked island worked perfectly with the whole suspension of reality that made the show entertaining..... and Ginger and Gilligan even played well together on the set.

If you watch God's Little Acre [1958], you get the sense that Tina Louise was trapped between wanting to be a serious actress, and the fact that, because she was hot, people always wanted her to play sexpot kind of roles. And what I think happened here is the way her role was described to her, and the basis on which she decided to take the role, didn't match. People always ask this dumb question, "Ginger or Mary Ann?" and nearly everyone answers "Mary Ann," and they do with this tone like they're the lone dissident or something, when nearly everyone answers that. "Mary Ann" is actually the more boring answer. I always answer "Ginger" just to give people the pleasure of disagreeing with me and feeling like they have better taste in women or something, even though I don't care. I think Tina Louise is actually a really smart person, and I think Ginger was pretty far away not only from who she was in real life, but was also a dud in terms of an acting challenge. The character was written in one dimension, and as you indicate she herself said, "they could have gotten anyone for this." Her talent was wasted in the role. She must have gotten sick of talking about it over the years. Fondly though many of us remember this show, most of us watched it as small children. Ultimately, it's a really dumb, low-brow television show which doesn't hold up very well. Maybe this goes to Bob Denver's point: it was a show for children, really.

I liked /like Ginger. I do think sometimes her seductive style in certain scenes didn’t have to be so much of it. I overall thought she worked very well. I never notice any friction between Bob and Tina playing their characters. They did their jobs. It is interesting originally that the two young women were both super to be secretaries named Ginger and Bunny ( I think) . Instead they recast both and changed their roles to a movie star and a farm girl . The professor was recast too to a more sincere and earnest character. Maybe that’s what Bob Denver was thinking that the original characters didn’t have such a glamorous character and the original professor was a little less guileless and the changes only partially made sense to him.

Mary Ann is the best but it was good for her to have a female buddy/companion to work with in scenes & it might have drawn more censorship problems having a single female living 'alone'..... Tina was perfect for the part but Dawn was the one we fell in love with...Tina also had the most serious 'role/storyline' of the series playing her doppleganger which is in my top 5 favorite episodes....