The Castaways on Gilligan's Island

A sequel to Rescue from Gilligan's Island, The Castaways of Gilligan's Island is a made-for-TV Movie that followed up the series and movie and was intended to be a potential pilot to a new series. The second of three Gilligan's Island movies, it first aired May 3, 1979.

Synopsis
Twelve days since they were stranded on the same island, the Castaways learn from the Professor that the storm that washed them off the island to their rescue the year before has contaminated all of the underground freshwater springs on the island with saltwater. After annoying the Skipper and the Professor, Gilligan goes exploring and discovers that the storm has uncovered and exposed an old abandoned Army Air Corps hangar with planes once hidden from view by underbrush. The Professor believes that he can repair at least one of the planes with parts from the other to fly them all back home, creating a Frankenstein-like craft they dub the Minnow 3. Unfortunately, the unwieldy craft does not perform as expected and they have to jettison their supplies, Gilligan tumbling out with them. The Skipper requests they turn back to search for Gilligan's parachute, and almost right after landing, one engine then another falls off. Although they are still back to marooned on the island, they all realize going back to get Gilligan saved them from plummeting to their deaths. Shortly after finding Gilligan hanging in a tree, Navy officers arrive looking for the plane that appeared and vanished from radar, rescuing the castaways once more! Mr. Howell announces that in honor of the years spent on this island, he will build a vacation resort. Also, the location is pinpointed by the Navy and brought to the attention of geographers. The island is annexed as a United States territory, preventing any future castaway incidents.

Over the following year, Mr. Howell converts the island into a fully-functioning tropical resort linked to civilization, employing Gilligan, the Skipper and the others as silent partners in the hotel. They now live again on the island with all the comforts of civilization and a link to the mainland. With the Howells as hosts, Gilligan and the Skipper escort and bring in guests, Ginger and Mary Ann cater to the female guests, and the Professor conducts personal experiments between tours of the island. Among the guests, Gilligan notices a young boy running loose without his parents, and the Skipper and Mr. Howell meet and deal with a workaholic named Henry Elliot unable to relax and forget about work. Gilligan tries to help the boy make peace with his parents pressuring him into academic pursuits as Mr. Elliot learns to relax and trust his employees back home.

Message

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Highlights

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Credits
Main Cast
 * Bob Denver as Gilligan
 * Alan Hale Jr. as The Skipper
 * Jim Backus as Mr. Howell
 * Natalie Schafer as Mrs. Howell
 * Judith Baldwin as Ginger
 * Dawn Wells as Mary Ann
 * Russell Johnson as The Professor

Guest Cast
 * Tom Bosley as Henry Elliott
 * Marcia Wallace as Mrs. Elliott
 * Ronnie Scribner as Robbie Larsen
 * Rod Browning as Fred Sloan
 * Joan Roberts as Mrs. Sloan
 * Mokihana as Naheeti
 * Peter MacLean as Dr. Tom Larsen
 * Judith Searle as Laura Larsen
 * Natasha Ryan as a Little Girl

Trivia

 * Gilligan has long hair now; living on a tropical island would have encouraged him to cut his hair shorter.
 * Gilligan gets his finger stuck in the trigger of a gun turret of an WW2 fighter and sprays the Island with bullets. This is odd since over several years real bullets would have actually rusted inside the gun and become inoperable.
 * The Howells probably found the flight uniforms on the site.
 * The Professor must have taken flight training his year off the island or become presumptuous of his flying ability because in Wrongway Feldman he previously revealed he wasn't able to fly a plane. Ironically, Russell Johnson had been a World War II bomber air crewman whose plane crashed in the Philippines.
 * Mr. Howell mentions Wrongway Feldman
 * Robby's high bars for his gymnastics are hidden in the jungle foliage.
 * This movie has yet to be released on DVD.

Quotes

 * Henry Elliott - "Phone in a tree? It must be trunk line."

Mrs. Elliott - "And that's why you're here!"
 * Henry Elliott - "If I was there, I'd be there!"

Mr. Howell - "No, you threw it in, I dove in after it!"
 * Mrs. Howell - "You once threw a coin into a wishing well!"