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.
"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.
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.
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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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.
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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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.
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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
No. 4 'The NASA Mars Orbital Probe'
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.
From 'Smile, You're on Mars Camera' the 4th episode in the second season. It first aired on October 7, 1965.
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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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.
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 Gilligan after accidentally being pushed into the castaway's fabricated washing machine by the XR-1000 Robot |
 |
| Pictured here is a "Fan Art" drawing of the XR-1000 Robot from the episode, 'Gilligan's Living Doll'. |
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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.
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.
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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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,
 |
| Add caption |
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!"
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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.
"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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
No. 10 'The USAF Hot-Air Weather Balloon
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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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.
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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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 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)
 |
| 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. |
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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.
- "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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
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
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 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.
 |
| 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 |
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.
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.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
