Will the Real Mr. Howell Please Stand Up?

Will the Real Mr. Howell Please Stand Up? is the Twenty-Sixth episode of the second season. It aired March 17, 1966.

Synopsis
Listening to the radio, Mr. Howell hears that he is about to be interviewed, but soon begins to realize that it is an impostor impersonating him. The impostor claims that he alone of the seven castaways had survived the sinking of the SS Minnow. The impostor's intentions is obvious. He intends to spend Mr.Howell's fortunes. The real Mr.Howell wants to stop the impostor. Every time he hears of the phony Howell spending, or selling some property of his, Mr.Howell goes berserk. He runs to the Lagoon as if he was going to swim back to the mainland. The Skipper and Gilligan stop him each time. However his worries are dispelled as the radio reports of the phony Howell falling overboard from a boat while sailing and is reported lost. A search is on the way for the man still believed to be Thurston Howell the third. By the following day, the impostor manages to make his way and swim ashore on the island. He walks around to find the real Thurston Howell sitting in his chair. He renders the real Howell unconscious and drags him into the jungle, changing clothes with him in an attempt to fool the other castaways. The real Mr. Howell regains consciousness and, seeing the impostor, calls to everyone. Only Gilligan, the Skipper, and Lovey Howell come on the scene. Each tries to convince the others that he is the real Thurston Howell. The impostor even has a mole like Mr.Howell. However the real Howell asks some questions that only the real Thurston Howell knows. He answers each question correctly still leaving the crew and Lovey Howell confused. Fortunately, the Professor shows up with the radio about the latest update on the impostor. The radio report states that the man thought to have been Thurston Howell the third is an impostor. It was the impostor's signature that had given him away. Having found himself exposed, the phony Howell makes a retreat to the Lagoon. The Castaways pursue him, but they decide not to swim after him. Now that he has been exposed, the phony Howell can't spend anymore of the real Howells' money. Mr. Howell differs on that however, as the phony is wearing his clothes and Howell's wallet full of cash is in the back pocket. So, it is into the Lagoon one more time for Thurston Howell, and one more time for the Skipper, and Gilligan to stop him. Some time later, they hear on the radio that the impostor was picked up by a fishing boat and then disappeared. His whereabouts and his real name are unknown.

Trivia

 * Jim Backus plays the Imposter.
 * The odds that the imposter would actually end up on the island with the real Mr. Howell is quite a stretch.
 * Supposedly, the Impostor leaves the Island with Mr. Howell's wallet, but he actually still has it in later episodes unless it floated back to him.