Posted on September 26, 2013
A silly TV show about seven people shipwrecked on an island first aired on this date in 1964. The struggle to survive on a desert island, and to escape, doesn't sound all that funny, but somehow the 98 episodes of Gilligan's Island managed to nurse the theme for laughs for three seasons. The show was successful, but not a huge hit.
After it was cancelled, however, the show began to appear in re-runs, and it grew and grew in popularity.
After it was cancelled, however, the show began to appear in re-runs, and it grew and grew in popularity.
Now Gilligan is considered an American cultural icon. Apparently work has begun on Gilligan's Island, the Musical (a show meant for Broadway). A TV-movie featured the rescue of the castaways, and a big-screen movie was in the works for a while, too (and may still happen, who knows?). Gilligan's Island's long-lasting popularity has been discussed and analyzed and has even been the subject of a documentary!The funniest thing about the show, perhaps, never appeared on the screen. Apparently the United States Coast Guard got several telegrams from concerned viewers who begged the Coast Guard to rescue those poor people on the deserted island.
The Coast Guard just forwarded the mail to the show's producer!
The Coast Guard just forwarded the mail to the show's producer!
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| The first season was shot in black- and-white but has been colorized for syndication. |
Celebrate!
Listen to—and maybe learn—the catchy theme song.
Have a Gilligan's Island dinner! Check out what one family did here.
Enjoy some of the professor's inventions here. (Scroll down a bit.)
Check out the bite-sized bits of Gilligan videos here.
Also on this date:
Plan Ahead!
Check out my Pinterest pages on September holidays, September birthdays, and historical anniversaries in September.
And here are my Pinterest pages on October holidays, October birthdays, and historical anniversaries in October.