Next Big Idea
The producers of the show tried to bring a new character to remedy the decline of the series just before it ended. They were hoping that this character would change the direction and heat things up. They thought of a friendly dinosaur but it was too expensive. Sherwood Schwartz remembered what Hunt Stromberg Jr., the TV programming executive of CBS TV said, “Gilligan and his pet dinosaur will be our answer.”
Next Big Idea
A Wild Ride
The audition of Alan Hale Jr. for his character in “Gilligan’s Island” is something worth looking at. It started with hopping on a horse in Utah followed by a hitchhike to Las Vegas and then a flight to Los Angeles. This was all done so that he could audition for Jonas ‘The Skipper’ Grumby. That long trip is something we have to thank him for because he makes a great ‘Skipper’ character.
A Wild Ride