Surviving Gilligan's Island

Surviving Gilligan's Island is a 2001 made-for-television docudrama film based on the 1964–1967 CBS television sitcom "Gilligan's Island" with actors playing scenes in the making of the series. Airing on October 14, 2001, the film stars Bob Denver, Dawn Wells and Russell Johnson.

Synopsis
The plot of the film depicts the attempts of "Gilligan's Island" producer Sherwood Schwartz to make "Gilligan's Island." It portrays the networks turning him down as well as the filming of the pilot episode. It also portrays the changes the cast went through after the pilot episode received negative feedback. Bob Denver, Dawn Wells and Russell Johnson share stories about the show, and its status in pop culture and the question of whether Ginger or Mary Ann was more attractive. An informal poll of twenty-one people was conducted, in which Mary Ann won by a single vote.

Message

 * Coming up

Highlights

 * Recreation of the rescue scene from Rescue from Gilligan's Island with several thousand new extras.
 * Dawn Wells steps out from behind the scenes to create Mary Ann's curls.

Cast
Main Cast
 * Bob Denver as Himself (also archive footage)
 * Alan Hale, Jr. as The Skipper (archive footage)
 * Jim Backus as Mr. Howell (archive footage)
 * Natalie Schafer as Mrs. Howell (archive footage)
 * Tina Louise as Ginger (archive footage)
 * Russell Johnson as Himself (also archive footage)
 * Dawn Wells as Herself (also archive footage)

Guest Cast
 * Jon Wellner as Bob Denver and Gilligan
 * Eric Allan Kramer as Alan Hale, Jr. and The Skipper
 * Steve Vinovich as Jim Backus and Mr. Howell
 * E.J. Peaker as Natalie Schafer and Mrs. Howell
 * Kristen Dalton as Tina Louise and Ginger
 * Michael Wiseman as Russell Johnson and The Professor
 * Samantha Harris as Dawn Wells and Mary Ann
 * Aaron Lustig as Sherwood Schwartz
 * Gloria Grant as Henny Backus
 * Jerry Van Dyke as Himself
 * George Wyle as Himself

Trivia

 * The full title of the movie is "Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredible True Story of the Longest Three-Hour Tour in History."
 * Dawn Wells steps out from behind the scenes to help establish the Mary Ann pig-tails.
 * Cast member Tina Louise, who portrayed Ginger in the series, did not participate in the film.
 * Comedian Jerry Van Dyke appears in an interview segment. Van Dyke, Bob Denver and Alan Hale have all appeared on "The Andy Griffith Show."
 * Jerry Van Dyke makes a cameo in one of the host segments. He was the first choice to play Gilligan, but his agent had already signed on to another sitcom, My Mother the Car, believing it to be the superior series. Van Dyke joked that that was a move he would never forget as that sitcom ranked among TV Guide's "50 Worst Ideas for a TV show."
 * The film has been released on both VHS and DVD with special features including footage of the casting of the performers, a trivia game and other information about the behind-the-scenes look of scenes.

Quotes

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