Gilligan's Island Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Gilligan's Island

Created by	Sherwood Schwartz
Directed by	Rod Amateau Ida Lupino Stanley Z. Cherry
Starring	Bob Denver Alan Hale Jr. Jim Backus Natalie Schafer Tina Louise Russell Johnson Dawn Wells
Opening theme	"The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle"
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	98 plus a 1963 pilot (first broadcast in 1964) (list of episodes)
Production
Camera setup	Film; Single-camera
Running time	25 minutes
Production company(s)	Gladasya Productions CBS Productions United Artists Television
Distributor	United Artists Television (1968-1969) Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Release
Original network	CBS
Picture format	Black and white (1964–1965) Color (1965–1967)
Audio format	Monaural
Original release	September 26, 1964 (1964-09-26) – April 17, 1967 (1967-04-17)
Chronology
Followed by	The New Adventures of Gilligan

Gilligan's Island is a fun American TV show that first aired in 1964. It's about seven people who go on a short boat trip from Hawaii. Their boat, the S.S. Minnow, gets caught in a big storm. They end up shipwrecked on a mysterious, uncharted island! The show follows their funny adventures as they try to survive and find a way back home.

The show ran for 98 episodes. The first season, with 36 episodes, was filmed in black and white. Later, these episodes were given color for reruns. The second and third seasons, along with three TV movies made later, were filmed in color from the start.

Gilligan's Island was popular when it first aired. It became even more famous over the years, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, the main character, Gilligan, is a well-known symbol in American culture.

The Story of the Shipwreck
Meet the Castaways
Images for kids
See also

The Story of the Shipwreck

The show begins with a small boat, the SS Minnow, leaving Honolulu for a "three-hour tour." On board are two crew members and five passengers. Suddenly, a big tropical storm hits! The boat is tossed around and eventually crashes onto a deserted island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.

Now, the seven castaways are stuck. They have to learn how to live on the island. Most episodes show them trying to solve problems, build things, or find a way to signal for help. They often come up with clever, but sometimes silly, plans to get rescued.

Meet the Castaways

There are seven main characters on Gilligan's Island. Each one is very different, which leads to many funny situations.

Bob Denver as Gilligan

Gilligan (Bob Denver) - He's the clumsy first mate of the SS Minnow. Gilligan often causes trouble by accident, but he also sometimes helps save the day. He's known for his special hat.
Jonas "The Skipper" Grumby (Alan Hale, Jr.) - He's the captain of the boat and Gilligan's best friend. The Skipper is a big, strong man who often gets frustrated with Gilligan, but he cares about him a lot.

Alan Hale Jr. as the Skipper

Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus) - A very rich millionaire. Even though he's stuck on an island, he still tries to live a fancy life.
"Lovey" Howell (Natalie Schafer) - Thurston's kind and elegant wife. She tries to keep things proper, even in the jungle.
Ginger Grant (Tina Louise) - A glamorous movie star. She often uses her acting skills to try and get what she wants.
Roy "The Professor" Hinkley (Russell Johnson) - A very smart high school teacher and inventor. He can build amazing things from coconuts and bamboo, but he can't figure out how to fix the boat!