The Many Faces of Ginger Grant

Who is Ginger Grant?

Ginger Grant, one of the main characters on the CBS-TV series "Gilligan's Island," was also on that 3-hour Tour, she is a famous actress, it is said throughout the show that she has met many famous old stars like Cary Grant.

Ginger Grant is a "movie star", and would casually mention names of some of the biggest movie stars of the day, as co-stars or acquaintances, suggesting that she too was a great star. She also mentions her roommate and fellow actress, Debbie Dawson, several times. In the series' Season 1 Episode 1 "Two on a Raft", Ginger is also "singing in a club in Waikiki", possibly the same gig mentioned by the radio announcer where she was "still wearing the evening gown from her last performance". "When I first broke into show business, I used to work with a magician", Ginger confesses in Season 1 Episode 33 "It's Magic". In Gilligan's Island's pilot episode ‘Marooned’, actress Kit Smythe, was hired to portray Ginger; who was then a secretary.

Ginger was sometimes seen helping the Professor with his experiments, dressed in a lab coat and spectacle frames, and they conspired together in the episode 'Ship Ahoax' to make it appear as though she were fortune-telling. They also shared romantic scenes, although these were usually in the form of a "lesson in love", such as in the episodes 'Erica Tiffany-Smith to the Rescue' and 'The Postman Cometh'. It is possible the creator of the show intended to develop a relationship between the pair, but this never eventuated on screen.

She also appears to have been the object of desire of The Skipper (Alan Hale, Jr.) in several episodes. The Skipper chooses Ginger as his preferred contestant in the "Miss Castaway Pageant" held on the island (Season 2 Episode 2 "Beauty Is As Beauty Does"). In addition, when Skipper loses his memory in the first season Episode 30 "Forget Me Not", he is much more attracted to Ginger than Mary Ann, asking Ginger, "Hi, beautiful what's your name?" while leering at her with delight. Ginger's response, not knowing of the Skipper's memory loss answers, with appropriate Hollywood pique, "Ginger, big boy, what's yours?"

Ginger sides with Thurston Howell, III, on many occasions, acting as a witness during a trial over treasure, serving as a sort of spy to divulge information from Gilligan by scratching his back and allowing herself to be bribed by Howell, such as during the "election" of who was to be President of the island. It should also be noted that her secret agent code name and her measurements were both 36-25-36.

Being around the same age as her, Ginger is also close friends with Mary Ann.

Ginger Grant, due to many prior film roles in Hollywood, spent her time on the island occasionally taking on the roles of chanteuse, barefoot fortune-teller, lab assistant, hair stylist, and psychoanalyst – as well as fronting the hastily formed island musical trio: The Honeybees. She also had to deal with a doppelganger, a plain mousy girl named Eva Grubb (also played by Tina Louise).

Unlike the other female castaways who appeared in more than one set of clothes, Ginger initially appeared only in her evening gown until later episodes also included changes in apparel for her as well.

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Casting

Jayne Mansfield, a late-1950s sex symbol, was offered the role of Ginger after the departure of Kit Smythe, who played Ginger as a secretary in the pilot episode, ‘Marooned’. When Ginger was converted to a movie star, the producers swapped the actresses, and asked Mansfield, who was a Marilyn Monroe-esque, to portray the character.  Notwithstanding, she turned it down and was replaced by Tina Louise. 

Tina Louise was a perfect fit, despite the fact that she disliked the character and for years felt it had ruined her career as being a "serious" actress.  Judith Baldwin, played her in the first and second reunion film, ‘Rescue from Gilligan's Island’ and ‘The Castaways on Gilligan's Island’.  However, Baldwin didn't return for the third sequel, The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island; therefore, Constance Forslund, played her in the third and final reunion film to date. 

The actress Kristen Dalton played Ginger in Surviving Gilligan's Island.

Tina Louise didn't reprise her role in the animated-spinoffs either, in The New Adventures of Gilligan Jane Webb voiced her, while in Gilligan's Planet she was replaced by her co-star Dawn Wells. Roseanne Barr portrayed the role of Ginger in a parody episode of Roseanne.

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Kit Smythe

Kit Smythe, the original Ginger Grant

Kit Smythe. Born in 1940, she originated the role of Ginger Grant in the unaired pilot episode of the CBS-TV series "Gilligan's Island," before getting replaced in the role by Tina Louise, who assumed the role on the series. She would go on to appear in TV series such as 'Bewitched," "The Farmer's Daughter," "Burke's Law" and "Gunsmoke." her final television acting performance was in an episode of "Police Woman" in 1976.

 

As of 2005, Smythe was still performing as a showgirl in "The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies' in Palm Springs, California.

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Tina Louise

Born February 11, 1934, Tina Louise Blacker is an American actress, singer, and author, best known for "Gilligan's Island." She was born an only child in New York City to a Jewish family. The name "Louise" was allegedly added during her senior year in high school when she mentioned to her drama teacher that she was the only girl in the class without a middle name. He selected the name "Louise" and it stuck.

She attended Miami University in Ohio where she began studying acting, singing and dancing, taking acting classes under Sanford Meisner at the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse in Manhattan. She also dabbled in modeling between acting roles, appearing on the covers of several pin-up magazines such as Adam, Sir! and Modern Man with later pictorials presented to Playboy by Columbia Pictures studio in an effort to further promote her career.

Her acting debut came in 1952 in the musical revue, Two's Company, followed by roles in other Broadway productions, such as "John Murray Anderson's Almanac" "The Fifth Season," and "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?". During the 1950's, she appeared in such early live television dramas as "Studio One," "Producers' Showcase" and "Appointment with Adventure" while concurrently appearing on Broadway. As a singer, she released one album, "It's Time for Tina," which was released originally on Concert Hall in 1957 and later reissued on Urania Records in 1958, the same year as her Hollywood film debut was in "God's Little Acre."

The National Art Council named her the "World's Most Beautiful Redhead." She became an in-demand leading lady for major stars like Robert Taylor, Richard Widmark and Robert Ryan, later turning down roles in the film versions of "Li'l Abner" and "Operation Petticoat" to take roles on Broadway and in Italian cinema. When she returned to the United States, she began studying with Lee Strasberg and became a member of the Actors Studio. She appeared in the TV show, "The Real McCoys," and the 1964 beach party film, "For Those Who Think Young" with Bob Denver, prior to the development of "Gilligan's Island."

While she was staring in the Broadway musical, "Fade Out, Fade In," she was called to star as the role of Ginger Grant in Gilligan's Island, after the part was turned down by Jayne Mansfield. It is believed her agent at the time might have lied to her about the importance of her role to get her to take the job. She also reportedly said in a magazine interview that working on TV was nothing compared to real acting. Publically, it became known she was unhappy with the role and worried that it would typecast her, but she remained cordial to her co-stars. The character did make her a pop icon of the era, and after the series ended in 1967, Louise continued to work in film, such as "The Wrecking Crew" in 1969 with Dean Martin and the original TV movie, "Stepford Wives," in 1975.

 

After the show ended, Tina Louise gradually began to dislike her role as Ginger Grant, and after the series ended, tried to distance herself from the role as much as possible. Considering herself more as a serious actress, she preferred portraying more dramatic roles in movies and television. She fervently believed that the show hurt her career as a dramatic actress and consequently refused to participate in future Gilligan projects, including the animated spin-offs and television specials.

During her time on "Gilligan's Island," she was romanced by and ultimately married radio and TV announcer/interviewer Les Crane, whom she divorced in 1974. They had one daughter, Caprice Crane in 1970, who became an MTV producer and a novelist. Tina went on to make numerous guest appearances in various television series, including "Kojak" "Dallas" and "Married With Children," as well as the TV films, "Nightmare in Badham County," "Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby," "SST: Death Flight" and "Friendships, Secrets and Lies.'

In 1978, Tina was asked to reprise her role as Ginger in Rescue from Gilligan's Island and turned it down, reportedly changing her mind to reunite with the cast only to decide against it once more. The role was recast with actress Judith Baldwin, who reportedly beat out actress Cassandra Peterson, TV's "Elvira, The Mistress of the Dark." Tina publicly never spoke of "Gilligan's Island" except to say it was a fun series to work on, but her supporters point out that she always speaks very little on her old acting projects.

She did make brief walk-on appearances on a few talk shows and specials for "Gilligan's Island" reunions, such as "Good Morning America" in 1982, "The Late Show" in 1988 and the 2004 TV Land Awards. In the Nineties, she was reunited with costars Bob Denver, Dawn Wells, and Russell Johnson in an episode of Roseanne, later choosing not to reunite with them for the television film Surviving Gilligan's Island, co-produced by Dawn Wells, where she was portrayed by actress Kristen Dalton.

With Denver's passing in 2005, Louise wrote a brief, affectionate memorial to him in the year-end "farewell" issue of Entertainment Weekly. She went on to star in the syndicated serial "Rituals," in 1985, "O.C. and Stiggs" and the independent "Johnny Suede" with Brad Pitt. Now living in New York City, Louise became a volunteer teacher at Learning Leaders, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing tutoring to New York City school children. It has been her passion to help young students gain not only literary skills, but also confidence, self-determination and proof of their own potential. She has written two books, "Sunday: A Memoir" and "When I Grow Up," a children's book that inspires children to believe they can become whatever they choose. She published a second children's book, "What Does a Bee Do?" She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and a lifetime member of the Actors Studio.

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Judith Baldwin

Born March 26, 1946, Judith Lee Baldwin is an American actress who replaced Tina Louise in the role of Ginger Grant in Rescue from Gilligan's Island and TheCastaways on Gilligan's Island.

A life member of the Actors Studio, Baldwin amassed 46 screen credits between 1969 and her leading role in 2005's "Every Secret Thing." When she was unable to return to the role of Ginger, the role was recast for the film, The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island by Constance Forslund.

In 1987, Judith created the role of Beth Logan on the CBS-TV daytime soap opera "The Bold and the Beautiful," but she was soon replaced by Nancy Barrett from "Dark Shadows," who became more closely identified in the role. Baldwin has an impressive TV resume which includes guest starring in many television series, including "Police Story," "The Dukes of Hazzard," "The Fall Guy," "Hill Street Blues," "CHiPs," "Matlock," "Freddy's Nightmares," "Tales from the Crypt," "Cybil" and "Six Feet Under." She has also appeared in the movies, "The Stepford Wives," "I Was a Mail Order Bride," "Deal of the Century," "The Stepford Children," "Beaches," "Pretty Woman," "Exit to Eden," "The Princess Diaries" and "Every Secret Thing."

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Constance Forslund

Born June 19, 1950 in San Diego, California, USA, Constance Forslund is an American actress who played the role of Ginger Grant in TheHarlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island, replacing Judith Baldwin who appeared in the two previous TV films, Rescue from Gilligan's Island and The Castaways on Gilligan's Island.

She also portrayed the late actress Marilyn Monroe in "This Year's Blonde," one of a series of three movie specials under the "Moviola" name. She has also made guest appearancs on such TV shows as "Fantasy Island," "Taxi," "Trapper John, M.D.," "CHiPs," "Magnum, P.I.," "The Love Boat," "Murder, She Wrote," and "ER."

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Kristen Dalton

Born Kristen V. Hocking on February 14, 1966, Kristen Dalton is an American actress from San Diego, California. Dalton got her big break when she played a small role in Tango & Cash with Kurt Russell. She also played a small role in A Night at the Roxbury, starring Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan. She appeared as Jack Nicholson's character Frank Costello's girlfriend Gwen in The Departed.  She has since starred in several other movies, such as Danielle Steel's "Family Album," "They Nest" and Surviving Gilligan's Island in 2001 where she portrayed the dual roles of Ginger Grant and actress Tina Louise.

Dalton has guest starred in many television shows, but she is perhaps best known for her role as reporter Dana Bright in USA Network's The Dead Zone, starring Anthony Michael Hall.

Dalton's other television appearances include roles in Beverly Hills, 90210, Murder, She Wrote, Diagnosis Murder, Sliders, Stargate SG-1, and CSI: NY. She has also appeared in TV movies, such as Danielle Steel's Family Album, They Nest, Babysitter Wanted and Gleason.

 


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Eva Grubb

Eva Grubb is a visitor to the island who came seeking isolation from others because of her looks. Rejected by potential boyfriends and suffering from an inferiority complex, she saved her money and bought the boat to live by herself in exile, but whether she found the island on purpose or chanced upon it is unrevealed.

When docking on shore, she is met by the Skipper and Gilligan, who plead for her to rescue them. Instead, Eva tells Gilligan and Skipper they can have her boat, provided they do not reveal the island to anyone. The Professor considers Eva irrational and wants to get her help, but hearing these plans, she attempts to hold everyone hostage on the island, as well as sabotaging the boat by removing the spark plugs. Ginger resolves to help Eva's opinion of herself by improving her looks, possibly making Eva look just like herself. Buoyed by her looks, Eva vamps Gilligan, but realizing she'd be over-shadowed by Ginger her whole life, she tries to replace her. She ties up Ginger and poses as her at a party the Howells give in her honor, rushing back and forth to cover both her identity and Ginger, who frees her and exposes her. Convinced she could still replace Ginger, Eva sneaks away under cover of dark to return to civilization, take back her boat and leave the island. Her whereabouts are unknown.

‘All About Eva’ is the 82nd episode of Gilligan's Island and the 14th episode of the third season. It is best known as the one where Tina Louise plays two characters. It aired December 12, 1966.

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Some Various Animated Images of  Ginger Grant

 

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Machinery, Mechanisms and Other Technologies That Visited Gilligan’s Island

No 1 ‘The Spirit of the Bronx’[Kreidner Reisner 21 aircraft]

From episodes 'Wrongway Feldman' S1E05/ October 24, 1964, and 'The Return Of Wrongway Feldman' S1E24/ March 13, 1965.

The ‘Spirit of the Bronx’ is the 1930s biplane that belonged to Wrongway Feldman. It was a Kreidner Reisner 21 which was manufactured between 1929 and 1930. It had a 22'7" wingspan, and a 125 hp, 372-cubic inch, 5-cylinder Kinner B5 (R-440) radial engine. 

Not many of these planes were made. After World War One, Wrongway departed in it on an around the world flight and seemingly vanished. In reality, he had retired into anonymity on an island to retire, missing World War Two in the process. He was living on the island when he met Gilligan and The Castaways, flying back to civilization as a promise to rescue them. The plane, meanwhile, ended up in a museum until Wrongway flew it out to return to the island. The plane actually ended up eventually in another idyllic island setting, most likely Hawaii.

 "Wrongway Feldman" introduced Hans Conreid in the title role, the series' very first guest star, in only the fifth episode. Gilligan discovers a biplane among the jungle foliage, the 'Spirit of the Bronx,' which everyone recognizes as Wrongway Feldman's plane, so named for his penchant for never ending up at his intended destination. According to Mr. Howell, he took off from Chicago and landed in New Orleans; unfortunately, he was supposed to be in Minneapolis! Even more shocking is to see Feldman alive and well, and eager to know what's happened in the last 33 years 

 The castaways help ready the old plane for takeoff, but a curious series of mishaps demonstrate that someone doesn't want the plane to leave the island. It's not hard to guess the culprit, and by the end Wrongway makes it to the sky, with Gilligan telling the Skipper that Feldman is the bravest man he's ever known: "next to you." Moments like that explain why the series continues to grow in popularity with each new generation, for despite his awesome ineptitude Gilligan is all heart, and Bob Denver's sincerity shines through. 

 The castaways help ready the old plane for takeoff, but a curious series of mishaps demonstrate that someone doesn't want the plane to leave the island. It's not hard to guess the culprit, and by the end Wrongway makes it to the sky, with Gilligan telling the Skipper that Feldman is the bravest man he's ever known: "next to you." Moments like that explain why the series continues to grow in popularity with each new generation, for despite his awesome ineptitude Gilligan is all heart, and Bob Denver's sincerity shines through.

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No. 2 'The Scorpio EX-1 Space Capsule'

From ‘Splashdown’ the 90th episode of Gilligan's Island and the 22th episode of the Third Season. It aired on February 20, 1967.

The Scorpio EX-1 Space Capsule

The Professor tries contacting a manned space capsule in orbit over the Island the get them rescued. Their initial plan to contact the capsule with a makeshift transmitter fails because their signal isn't strong enough, but their second plan to contact the astronauts with an SOS formed out of tree trunks almost works until Gilligan sets himself on fire and accidentally skews the SOS into "SOL."


Astronaut Sol Tobias merely thinks it's a message to him. On the last trajectory, however, the experimental space capsule drops out of orbit and lands on the Island. The Castaways decide to use it to float to safety, but they don't know is that the capsule is set to self destruct by NASA to conceal its records. The Howells and the girls both try to stowaway in it with Gilligan and the Skipper going off to get help, but they get discovered, delaying the rescue attempt. As the Professor chides them for their selfishness and dangerous stunt, the capsules floats off into the lagoon where it finally explodes, showering the island and the castaways with wreckage. Mr. Howell, however, fails to take the failed rescues with grace. After losing money and brandy in the botched rescue attempts, he has a temper tantrum and starts tearing apart his hut, stopping just short of destroying his teddy bear.

"Splashdown" finds the Professor hoping to communicate with orbiting astronauts as they pass directly over the island, but the attempt at broadcasting a signal fails. Hearing that the astronauts can see Mexico City from the sky inspires an SOS signal lit by Mr. Howell's brandy, only for Gilligan to shift the logs to spell out SOL instead. All seems hopeless until the astronauts' rendezvous capsule splashes down in the lagoon, unmanned and its radio equipment useless. A search for the capsule has the castaways bickering over who gets to go inside, unaware that NASA has decided to blow it up rather than allow it to fall into enemy hands. Another example of how to wring laughs out of a serious situation, with Gilligan's ineptitude for once saving all their lives.

Astronauts Ryan and Tobias fly miles above Gilligan's Island in the Scorpio 6 space capsule.

TRIVIA!

The same prop of the Scorpio E-X-1 was re-used for the situation comedy 'IT'S ABOUT TIME'/CBS/1966-67. Scorpio (ID No. E-X-1) was manned by Air Force astronauts Captain Mac Mackenzie (Frank Aletter) and Lieutenant Hector "Hec" Canfield (Jack Mullaney).

Scorpio - American spaceship seen on the situation comedy IT'S ABOUT TIME/CBS/1966-67. 

While returning from a NASA mission (that exceeded speeds of 60,000 miles per second), the crew of the Scorpio land in a remote jungle which they feel is the terrain of another planet. But after seeing a cave man and a Tyrannosaurus Rex, they quickly conclude they have broken the time barrier and are now existing in the year 1 million B.C.

 

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No. 3 'The ‘HOΓO CBTA II’ Soviet Space Capsule'

From "Nyet, Nyet, Not Yet', the 45th Episode in the series and Ninth Episode in the Scond Season. It first aired on November 18, 1965

Two Soviet cosmonauts land on the island, way off course from their target. The castaways hope to leave the island with them when they call their submarine, but the cosmonauts have other ideas.

It does a wonderful parody of what was then a real, current event: the intense competition of the Space Race, with "US" vs the Russians. One of the best lines, towards the end, is when the Soviet news service, in discussing the capsule that mistakenly landed half the world away from its intended site, claimed that it was "only 18 inches from it's intended target".

One technical problem with the episode (not that GI should be held to a high technicality standard) is the capsule is very American looking. The Soviet capsules of that era not only looked completely different, they landed on dry land, not water. 

One particularly bothersome plot hole in this episode is the ploy to use alcohol (Vodka) to intoxicate the Americans. Then we find out the women aren't included... so what's the use of just intoxicating the men? Then the men excuse themselves one at a time as reasons they can't participate in the drinking party. Next thing we know, they're doing it, albeit with switched bottles.

The suspicious dialog, in Russian (translated with subtitles) adds a delightful dimension of humor to this episode, and also serves as a more serious reminder of just how tense relations with the USSR was in those times.

"Nyet, Nyet, Not Yet" touches upon Cold War relations between Russia and America, with two cosmonauts landing on the island, a long way from the Black Sea. Vincent Beck was a familiar fixture on television at the time (LOST IN SPACE, THE MONKEES), having just made his debut in the infamous "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians," while Czech-born Danny Klega only garnered little more than a dozen credits. It's interesting to hear the Soviets consider Gilligan to be too clever to be so stupid, and he ends up making more sense at times than the Skipper, very much in the spirit of Laurel and Hardy. Ginger has a good line about the 'Russian wolfhound,' and Mr. Howell gets in his jabs but it's just not one of the funnier episodes.

Arguably, this is the most timely of all Gilligan Island episodes as it reveals much about the Cold War effect on the country. Mr. Howell's attitude towards them in particular is reflective on many Americans at the time.

Highlights include Igor's "wolf" tendencies towards Ginger, the Howell's first encounter with the cosmonauts, Gilligan's first attempt to pull the capsule to the shore, the male castaways and the cosmonauts have their separate secret meetings, the suitcase gag with the girls, and finally the switching of water for vodka. 

Overall, this is a very entertaining episode that is well paced with two interesting cosmonauts to say the least. However, some of the plot contrivances, particularly in getting the men drunk but not the women so they can leave the island secretly is frankly absurd. But overall, this is a very good episode that reveals much about the Cold War mindset at the time.

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No. 4 'The NASA Mars Orbital Probe'

From 'Smile, You're on Mars Camera'  the 4th episode in the second season. It first aired on October 7, 1965.

The NASA Mars Probe is an orbital unmanned camera satellite sent by NASA from Cape Kennedy to land on the planet Mars to capture surface photos of the planet.

Unfortunately, the rocket taking it into orbit malfunctioned, and the probe instead near the lagoon of the Island that received the Castaways of the S.S. Minnow. Unfortunately, on impact, the lens came loose and was lost in the proximity of the crash site.

Despite the crash, the probe did manage to catch brief images of the island to convince the scientists that Mars had an Earth-like atmosphere in addition to a brief glimpse of a hut.

 

However, shortly after discovering it, the Skipper and the Professor partially dismantled it to study it. Radio reports, however, began reporting on the scenery caught on the probe, and the Professor felt the probe was a very good chance to get them rescued. Gilligan turned out to be in possession of the missing lens which is broken and restored before the probe started working again. by time the probe is activated, the Castaways have unavoidably been covered in feathers which the NASA scientists believe are a Martian life-form. However, the probe is shattered once more as Gilligan trips over its leg trying to retrieve the Castaways signs. it is unrevealed as to what happened to the probe afterward.

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No. 5 'The ‘XR-1000’ Experimental Air Force Drone' 

(AKA the Robot)

From ‘Gilligan's Living Doll’, the 21st episode of the Second Season. It aired February 10, 1966.

Launched from Hickam Field in Hawaii, XR-1000 (AKA the Robot) is an experimental Air Force drone sent on a radiation detection flight on its way to Vandenberg Airfield Base in California. After pending engine trouble, it ejected from a plane by parachute over the island. Although its power source is unidentified, it weighed about 1000 pounds (1/2 ton) and was programmed for multiple jobs, including data retrieval, computation and physical labor.

Pictured here is Gilligan after accidentally being pushed into the castaway's fabricated washing machine by the XR-1000 Robot  

Equipped with radar, sonar and automatic pilot, it tended to emit smoke when it became over-heated

and initially only repeated what others told it until the Professor altered its commands. The only job it couldn't perform was swim as the limited speed and maneuverability couldn't keep it afloat. It was water resistant; its electrical parts apparently protected from saltwater. He was recovered by Gilligan, who made him into a friend while the Professor saw huge potential in seeing the robot as help to get everyone rescued. However, Ginger, Mr. Howell and the Skipper, who once called him a tin fugitive from "The Wizard Of Oz," used him as cheap manual labor.

Ginger even tried seducing him to get her rescued. Eventually, after several experiments, the Professor realized their best choice was to have the robot walk the sea floor to Hawaii to deliver their message. Unfortunately, Gilligan's rabbit foot got stuck in the robot and completely ruined the recording that the Air Force had no hope of retrieving it.

Pictured here is a "Fan Art" drawing of the XR-1000 Robot from the episode, 'Gilligan's Living Doll'.

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No. 6 "The ‘X-1401-A’ Missile'

From ‘X Marks The Spot’ the 18th episode of the First Season. It aired January 30, 1965

At the Pentagon, the military gives the go-ahead on Operation: Powder Keg which involves launching an experimental nuclear warhead in the vicinity of the small uninhabited islands in the Pacific, one of which is the island on which the Castaways are. 

Meanwhile, Gilligan and Skipper are planning on building a playroom on the island since they might be there for a long time. The Skipper soon goes on a search for the radio and finds it at the Girl's Hut, reaching in through the radio and turning it off to tease them by imitating their exercise program. When Ginger and Mary Ann discover the deception, they are not amused. They try turning the radio back on, but it's not working. The Professor discovers that the batteries have gone bad, robbing them of their only access to the outside world. This irks Mr. Howell until Lovey shows him the batteries came from his company. Fortunately, the Skipper has fresh batteries he has never used, but have gone bad in the interim. However, they are rechargeable, and he shows the castaways a high school science trick to recharge them.

The process works just in time to hear on the radio that the military is launching a missile which the Skipper realizes is right into their area.

Meanwhile, the military has unarmed the missile to test by itself, but they don't release the news. Still believing the impact will wipe them out, the Castaways are still making amends. Mary Ann makes pies for the Skipper and Gilligan, and as the Professor reviews his academic career to Ginger, he realizes they could be rescued as the military would send out a scout plane to search for natives and charter crafts in the flight range. As it comes, he tries signaling for it with a mirror made for the Howells, but Gilligan smashes through it on a vine as the plane passes overhead.

Everyone listens helplessly as the radio announces the missile launch unaware it's been unarmed. It's announced as a perfect shot, and minutes later, it comes down in the lagoon with its after-thrusters propelling it onto the beach and into camp.The Professor thinks he can deactivate it, but Gilligan is the only one thin enough to crawl inside of it. Analyzing its schematics from a hatch, the Professor relays Gilligan the instructions on how to deactivate the non-existent explosives.

 

 All goes well until Gilligan's screwdriver completes a circuit, reactivating the after-thrusters and sending Gilligan in the missile on a trip through the jungle and then out to sea.

Believing he's been lost, everyone is grieving his sacrifice. The Howells want to rename one of their homes after Gilligan, and Ginger wants to make a movie about him. Swimming back to shore, Gilligan thinks it all sounds so good that he turns around to drown himself before everyone rushes back to stop him and drag him back home. The next day, Gilligan reveals that he found the will Mr. Howell made when he thought he was going to be blown up, but when he tosses it back, Mr. Howell dives into the lagoon to get it back.

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No. 7 'The Balinkoff Mind-Transference Machine'

A scientist named Dr. Boris Balinkoff living on an island nearby spots The Castaways smoke signal and rescues the castaways by taking them back to his island. Both Gilligan and the Skipper are spooked by the spooky décor of his home and start having reservations about what his motives really are. 

Pictured here is Doctor Boris Balinkoff, the “Mad” Scientist.

Doctor Balinkoff’s Island Lair 

They explore the dungeon and find a dog that sounds like a cat and a cat that sounds like a dog in the dining room. When Balinkoff describes his mind-exchange experiments to the boys and his plan to use them in his experiments, he has his manservant Igor take them hostage. The others meanwhile have no idea what is happening, and after Balinkoff tries to indict Mr. Howell as his partner and accomplice, they're all taken captive. Gilligan and Mr. Howell are swapped for each others bodies as are the Skipper and Mrs. Howell and the Professor with Mary Ann. However, behind Balingkoff's back, Igor swaps bodies with Ginger, and she uses his incredible strength to free the others.

The Professor restores everyone's true identities, but by now, Balingkoff shows back up and realizes what has happened. The Skipper jumps Balingkoff and holds him as the Professor restores Ginger to normal. The castaways then trap Balingkoff and Igor in the machine as Gilligan puckishly flips the switch. As they're leaving, Balingkoff as the cat leads Igor as the dog out of the castle while as Dog-Igor chases Cat-Balingkoff through the house.

Back at the Island, the Professor realizes they can use the rowboat to reach the shipping lanes, but as the others gather supplies, the Skipper and Gilligan try tying it off, only to watch the tired and worn craft sink exhaustively into The Lagoon.

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No. 8 'The Balinkoff Mind Control Device'

The Balinkoff Mind Control Device is the creation of Dr. Boris Balinkoff, an invention that allows him to control and manipulate the higher brain functions of other individuals. While its exact workings are unknown, it is known that it sends its signals through a series of rings worn by the subject being manipulated

 The remote control for Mind Control Device that activates the rings

and that the main unit is controlled by a smaller remote control Balinkoff wields from his boat. Furthermore, Balinkoff operates it in a cave without any discernible power supply, suggesting it runs on rechargeable batteries or some other power source. His main subject is originally Gilligan, who shares the ring he found with the Skipper and Ginger. Balinkoff sends further rings to Gilligan to pass among the Castaways, 

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and with the device, he has the castaways rehearse a mock robbery of Fort Knox using coconuts posing as gold bars. However, when a stray coconut smashes the remote control, Balinkoff flees to keep from getting pelted by coconuts, abandoning the rings and his main unit in a cave on the island.

One of the mind control rings

The Mind Control Device Main Processor

"Ring Around Gilligan" was the second and final appearance of Vito Scotti as Dr. Boris Balinkoff, previously seen in "The Friendly Physician," still accompanied by Igor (now a tiny monkey rather than hulking Mike Mazurki, actually wearing the same clothes!). Instead of mind transference, the doctor has now created a ring that, when worn on the finger, makes the wearer a mindless robot slave to the mad scientist's will ("scientist yes, mad no!"). Gilligan makes for an easy first subject, but once Ginger dons the ring Balinkoff heartily approves of her form fitting bathing suit: "our robots are getting better every time!" The most incredible sight is Gilligan acting under Igor's instructions, hanging from trees and behaving like the monkey he is. With all seven castaways under his control the doctor's goal is to rob Fort Knox of all its gold, only to be foiled by an assault of coconuts, crushing his mechanical control device. With a total of four episodes, Vito Scotti proved the most prolific guest star on the show, twice as Dr. Balinkoff, twice as the Japanese sailor from the first season. The expressive monkey would be back in the penultimate episode, "Bang! Bang! Bang!"

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No. 9 'The X-JP Experimental Jet Pack'

From, ‘It's a Bird, It's a Plane’, is the 95th episode of Gilligan's Island and the 27th episode of the Third Season. It aired on March 27, 1967..

The U.S. Air Force Jetpack X-JP is an experimental jet pack developed by the United States Air Force. Considered to make all other packs obsolete, it was a compact, lightweight pack with simple controls that anyone could operate. It had a range of 500 miles.

After it washed up on the island, the Professor learned its fuel had a limited shelf life, resulting in it losing potency as it got older. Both Mr. Howell and Ginger conspired to trick Gilligan in using it to getting them rescued, and ironically, Gilligan became the best choice to pilot it, flying it once over the island before losing it somewhere over the island.

"It's a Bird, It's a Plane" features a military jet pack lost at sea, the kind already seen on LOST IN SPACE, most famously in the 1965 James Bond feature "Thunderball," offering another chance of rescue for the castaways. At first a dummy with a note is set up to fly to Hawaii, only for Gilligan to use up nearly all the fuel on an unintended ride through the jungle.

The knowledge that a Navy search for the jet pack ensures that Gilligan's wiry frame will be headed straight up in the air, high enough to be spotted. Of course, he hears about a UFO and flies right into a cloud, creating a monsoon that calls off the search. It's amusing to see 'Super Gilligan' identified as a UFO.

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No. 10 'The USAF Hot-Air Weather Balloon

From the 20th episode of the first season of Gilligan's Island. It aired February 13, 1965.

Tired of the construction of their hut being delayed, Ginger and Mary Ann go on strike, joined by Mrs. Howell upset that she and Mr. Howell don't have their own hut yet either. As a result, the men and women split into two different camps. The men try to proceed as usual, but Ginger keeps returning to camp to distract Gilligan in his chores. They try to scare the women back to camp with a fake monster played by the Skipper and Gilligan, but Ginger gets wind of the stunt. Instead, Gilligan and Skipper get beaten up by the girls and sent away humiliated. That night, the men are tired of the menial chores not getting done and have dreams of getting their own way with the girls. The Skipper dreams he's an Arabian sheik, Mr. Howell thinks of himself as getting constantly pampered, the Professor pictures himself as a famous actor and Gilligan is a world-famous matador. Waking up, they head back to try and make peace with the girls, each of them failing miserably except Mr. Howell who sent them ahead to watch their progress. The girls by now peek out to see what the men are planning next and notice what looks like a huge monster.

As they're marveling at how large and spooky it is, Ginger looks back and sees the men elsewhere. The monster isn't theirs, and they head to the men for protection, but the Professor takes a second look and realizes that the "monster" is actually a weather balloon that can help them get rescued. By now, Gilligan has attacked it and smashed the sensitive electronic equipment, rendering it inoperative. In the morning, the Professor thinks there might still be a chance of using the balloon to get help, but by now, Gilligan has shred it even more into scrap.

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No. 11 'The World War II Contact Mine' 

From ‘Mine Hero’ the 14th Episode of the Second Season - aired December 23, 1965.

The World War Two Mine was an old contact mine so-called because it was required to be touching its target before detonating, limiting the damage to the direct effects of the explosion and usually affecting only the single vessel that triggered them. Many of these type of mines were deposited in the deep waters of the North Atlantic and the South Pacific, suggesting the one in the lagoon was carried in by storms and ocean currents. The mine was caught by Gilligan while fishing and dragged on to shore, but it was activated by his fishing pole sliding over and falling to the ground. The Professor discovered it was ticking and feared that if it exploded that it would set off a series of explosions in the subterranean gases of the island, devastating it. Unable to disarm it due to its deterioration, the Professor and the Skipper drew straws to tow the mine out to sea. However, Gilligan eavesdropped and tries dragging it out to sea himself, just barely losing it as it drifts out of the lagoon. Unfortunately, the mine soon drifts back in to the lagoon on the tide, exploding just far enough out that it spares the island of any effects.

A Synopsis of the Gilligan’s Island Episode, ‘Mine Hero’ which is the 14th Episode of Season Two, It aired December 23, 1965. (From gilligan.wikia.com)

The Professor and the Skipper are building a raft with a time-release anchor to get them rescued, and everyone is donating all unnecessary metal to melt down for it. While fishing in the lagoon, Gilligan catches and reels in an old World War Two Mine He tries to tell the Skipper, who doesn't have time to listen to him. However, when he tells the Howells, Mr. Howell misunderstands and thinks Gilligan has found an iron ore mine, going into a partnership with him over it. Meanwhile, the Professor is running out of metal to make the anchor for the raft. Ginger has a gold mesh pocketbook to donate and Mary Ann has a gold slave bracelet that turned her wrist green. When she checks on Gilligan, he has surrendered all of his unnecessary metal except his prized heirloom solid gold lucky charm, which he refuses to relinquish to her. When Mary Ann tells Ginger, she tries to sneak it off him, but Gilligan magically gets it back. Meanwhile, the Professor still doesn't have enough metal for the anchor, and Gilligan tells him about the mine. No one believes him so he takes them to see the mine in the lagoon. Once they realize what it is, the Professor discovers its ticking, panicking Gilligan who runs screaming through the island. The Professor reveals that because the island is built of coral and volcanic ash that the mine could set off a chain reaction through the subterranean underground gases that could blow up the island. The Professor tries deactivating the mine, but its interior is so rusted that it can't be deactivated. Their only recourse is to carry it out to sea and away from the island. As they're drawing straws, Gilligan eavesdrops, and believing it's his entire fault, he runs to the lagoon to take the mine out to sea, but he forgets about the metal on the raft to which the mine is attracted. The Skipper and Professor find him paddling at forty knots through the lagoon with the mine following behind him, eventually losing it at the last second as the mine drifts out of the lagoon. Several moments later, everyone is cheering Gilligan's bravery, but the tide brings the mine back into the lagoon where it explodes, sending a shower of fish over everyone and allowing Gilligan to catch a swordfish for dinner.

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No. 12 'The Spy Pocket Knife' 

From the 70th episode of Gilligan's Island and the second episode of the third season. It aired September 19, 1966.

The Knife has over 200 functions!

The Gold Spy Pocket Knife belongs to Gilligan's double, Agent 222 who carries it as part of his standard equipment. 

The Knife has over 200 functions of which only a few are known, such as a tape recorder, radio transmitter, laser and the knife blade. (It's possible the "death ray" is the laser at a higher setting.)

 The knife was seen in the episode, "Gilligan vs. Gilligan" Following the cosmonauts landing on the island, Russian intelligence hires Agent 222 to land on the island and try to get intelligence on the Castaway’s purpose on the island. He is given plastic surgery to look like Gilligan and dressed like the First Mate, he studies Gilligan in covert footage and decides the easiest way to imitate Gilligan is by saying the first dumb things that come to mind. His mission as assigned by his commandant has four phases: Phase One - Arrival, Phase Two - Observe, Phase Three - Infiltrate and Phase Four - Reconnaissance.

The episode opens with our hero finding an empty pie tin, only to be accused of eating the entire pie without asking. Determined to prove his innocence, Gilligan is shocked to see on the other side of a stream his own duplicate licking his lips and carrying a gold pocket knife. No one will believe his fantastic story, while the impostor is revealed to be a Soviet agent transformed by plastic surgery, his 48 hour mission to determine what kind of plot the castaways are hatching. There's less to enjoy than one might think, with the famous mirror routine from The Marx Brothers' 1933 "Duck Soup" recreated in the Howell hut, far more difficult to pull off with the same actor on both sides! Bob Denver's dual performance isn't as much of a stretch as it could have been, with the uncredited voice of Henry Corden as the Soviet Commandant: "you better do better!"

The Synopsis (taken from gilligan.wikia.com)

One of Mary Ann's coconut cream pies disappears, and the Skipper and the Professor accuse Gilligan after he has found the empty pie plate. Trying to prove his innocence, Gilligan discovers there's a foreign spy on the island. He's a Russian agent, given Gilligan's face to run reconnaissance on the castaways, but no one believes Gilligan when he tries to warn them. The spy eventually takes Gilligan captive,

and ends up alienating the others trying to get answers. He accuses Mr. Howell of cheating at chess, upsets Ginger by coming on to her and accuses the Skipper of being the cause of the wreck of the Minnow. The Professor just believes Gilligan is having a nervous breakdown, so when he finally escapes back to the compound, no one believes him when he says he was taken captive.

This leaves Gilligan to try and confront the impostor in the Howells' hut, but the spy escapes for his boat hidden in the lagoon. He stops briefly to threaten Gilligan with a death ray from his gold pocket knife, but Gilligan tells him his boat is floating off and he swims after it. By evening, the Skipper tries to convince Gilligan the spy was just a figment of his imagination, just as the Professor wanders by with the spy's lost gold pocket knife.

~Gilligan VS Gilligan Episode Music~ 

(click link below)

https://youtu.be/z0bdxwuAFrc

the Professor's discovery of the pocketknife proved that Gilligan wasn't lying, but Gilligan would prefer to believe that it had all been a hallucination, because now it means that he came very close to being laser beamed to a crisp.

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No. 13 'Silent Movie Camera and Other Equipment' 

From ‘Castaway Pictures Presents’, the Seventh Episode of the Second Season of "Gilligan's Island." It aired November 4. 1965.

Synopsis

While floating on a raft on the lagoon, Gilligan comes rushing back to shore calling that he's seen a ship. Unfortunately, he's seen it fifteen feet underwater and very wrecked, which makes it hard to raise and sail back to Hawaii.

Fortunately, while diving on the wreck, the Skipper notices a few crates that they might be able to salvage so the Professor comes up with a bellows to help Gilligan and the Skipper to dive to the wreck. Raising the crates, the Castaways find a Silent Movie camera

The Skipper accesses the damage to the sunken boat

The salvage process begins

The crates are opened to reveale old film equipment

Inside is film equipment that once belonged to South Sea Film Productions

and other equipment that once belonged to South Sea Film Productions. Mr. Howell recalls the company belonged to Ricardo Laughingwell and his wife Fifi LeFrance who had vanished on a honeymoon cruise.

The equipment included a box of film

A silent film camera

A film projector

The Professor believes they should be able to use the equipment to help them get rescued by filming a recreation of the shipwreck and sending the film on a raft to the mainland. Mr. Howell directs the scenes with Gilligan and the Professor on camera, including a scene between Ginger and the Professor and Gilligan playing a native who takes Mary Ann prisoner.

When they try to show the position of the island, everyone jumps into the frame to give their own point of reference except Mrs. Howell showing off her wardrobe to the camera. However, during their review of the result, the film turns out to be a badly edited hodgepodge of scenes printed upside down, sped up, slowed down, overlapping and even a segment over-exposed by Gilligan opening the door to the dark room. 

Although the result isn't pleasant to watch, the Professor reminds them the film is only to help them get rescued. Several days later, the Castaways hear a report on the radio about a strange film that won first prize submitted anonymously at the Cannes film festival. Although everyone is upset that the film didn't get them rescued, Gilligan is hopeful that the prize is a motorcycle.

The following is a review of ‘Castaway Pictures Presents’ that is from IMDB…

Gilligan discovers a sunken yacht in the lagoon. Gilligan and the Skipper manage to fish out two large crates which contain costumes and an old fashioned film projector with plenty of new film to shoot. Seeing this as their chance to be rescued, our castaways make a film that turns out to be far less clear than it is funny.

Silly? Of course! But this particular episode manages to overcome that aspect by being a little clever and the silent gags fit right in with the sense of humor that Gilligan's Island is all about.

Highlights include Gilligan describing the location of the ship he found, the Skipper being embarrassed at being seen in his underwear, Mr. Howell not being quite so home on a raft. Gilligan have a bit of an issue with his scuba suit, Ginger, Mary Ann and Gilligan having fun with the costumes, any scene with Mr. Howell as director of the picture, and the shooting and showing of the picture which are the real highlights of the episode.

Funny, silly and sometimes hilarious, this is one of the better episodes of the season. Well worth viewing and can serve as an introduction to Gilligan's Island for the one or two people who have not seen any of the episodes yet.

Tidbits  & Trivia

- So, where did the scuba suit come from? Well, If I'm going to ask that, I might as well ask just how they made the air hoses out of bamboo.

- The famous goof mentioned in the "Goof" section of seeing a car in the background is actually more pronounced than that. You can actually see a wall and other equipment lying around as well. This appears to be near the entrance to the set itself.

- The fate of Fifi La France and Ricardo Laughingwell, the husband and wife owners of South Seas Film Productions remains unknown. Although it may be fair to say that they did not survive whatever wrecked their boat.

- The Skipper's line, "...we are not here to have fun, we are here to get off the island." always cracks me up.

- The very idea of shooting a film as the story of how they were shipwrecked and got the idea to get off the island is certainly bizarre to say the least, but somehow it fits in with the crazy logic that our castaways have demonstrated since the beginning.

- "Cecil B. Howell" is a marvelous, almost different character than Jim Backus normally plays. His continued yelling of "Quiet!! You Birds!" before each scene is particular funny, especially because its a silent picture with no sound required at all.

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