Tina Louise facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tina Louise
Louise in 1964
Born	Tina Blacker (1934-02-11) February 11, 1934 (age 91) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	1952–present
Spouse(s)	Les Crane ​ ​ (m. 1966; div. 1971)​
Children	Caprice Crane

Tina Louise (born Tina Blacker on February 11, 1934) is an American actress. She is best known for playing the movie star Ginger Grant in the TV show Gilligan's Island. Tina Louise is the last living cast member from that show.

She started her acting career on stage in the mid-1950s. Her big break came in 1958 with the movie God's Little Acre. For this role, she won a Golden Globe Award.

Tina Louise also starred in films like The Trap, The Hangman, and Day of the Outlaw. Later, she appeared in The Stepford Wives. She also had a regular role on the TV show Dallas.

Early Life and Childhood

Tina Blacker was born on February 11, 1934, in New York City. Her parents divorced when she was four years old. She was an only child. Her mother, Sylvia Horn Blacker, was a fashion model. Tina's father, Joseph Blacker, owned a candy store in Brooklyn. He later became an accountant.

The name "Louise" was added during her last year of high school. Her drama teacher suggested it because she didn't have a middle name. After high school, she went to Miami University in Ohio.

Tina Louise's Career

Starting in Show Business

Tina Louise had her first role at age two in an advertisement for her father's candy store. When she was 17, she began studying acting, singing, and dancing. She trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in Manhattan.

She also took on modeling jobs. She appeared in catalogs and on the covers of magazines.

Tina Louise with Gene Barry from the TV show Burke's Law (1964)

Tina Louise in The Happy Ending (1969)

Her first acting role was in 1952 in a musical called Two's Company. She then appeared in other Broadway shows. These included John Murray Anderson's Almanac and Li'l Abner. She also acted in live TV dramas like Studio One.

Hollywood and Gilligan's Island

Tina Louise made her first movie in 1958, God's Little Acre. That same year, she was named the "World's Most Beautiful Redhead." In 1959, she starred with Robert Ryan in Day of the Outlaw. She often played serious roles.

She turned down roles in some movies to work on Broadway and in Italian films. Her Italian movies included The Siege of Syracuse (1960).

Tina Louise as Ginger Grant in 1966

In 1964, she left a Broadway musical to play Ginger Grant on Gilligan's Island. Ginger was a movie star character. Over time, Tina Louise became unhappy with the role. She worried it would make it hard for her to get other types of roles.

Even though she kept working in movies and TV, she often said that playing Ginger hurt her film career. She did not appear in any of the Gilligan's Island reunion movies. Other actresses played Ginger in those films.

After Gilligan's Island ended, she continued acting. She was in the movie The Wrecking Crew (1969) with Dean Martin. She also appeared in The Stepford Wives (1975). As of December 2020, she is the last surviving cast member of Gilligan’s Island.

She also appeared in TV movies like Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby (1976). She had a role on the soap opera Dallas from 1978 to 1979.

Later Acting Roles

Later, Tina Louise appeared in the comedy O.C. and Stiggs (1987). She also starred in Johnny Suede (1992) with Brad Pitt. In 1990, she was a guest star on the TV show Married... with Children. In 2014, she acted in the drama Tapestry and the horror film Late Phases.

Tina Louise did not join the full Gilligan's Island reunion TV films. However, she made short appearances on talk shows and specials for reunions. She was on Good Morning America (1982) and The Late Show (1988). In the 1990s, she reunited with her costars Bob Denver, Dawn Wells, and Russell Johnson on an episode of Roseanne.

After Dawn Wells passed away in 2020, Tina Louise said she never disliked playing Ginger Grant. She said she loved her character, especially when writers started making the role more interesting. She also thanked the show's fans for their support. She said the show brought a lot of joy to people.

Music Career

Tina Louise released one music album called It's Time for Tina. It came out in 1957. The album included songs like "Tonight Is the Night." It has been re-released on CD and iTunes. She also recorded one single for United Artists Records in 1958.

Personal Life

Tina Louise is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She is also a lifetime member of the Actors Studio.

She cares about helping children learn to read. She has volunteered at public schools since 1996. She also donated money from her 2007 book, When I Grow Up, to reading programs.

Tina Louise has written three books. These include Sunday: A Memoir (1997). When I Grow Up (2007) is a children's book. It encourages kids to believe they can be anything they want. She also published another children's book, What Does a Bee Do?, in 2009.

She was married to Les Crane, a radio and TV host, from 1966 to 1971. They had one daughter, Caprice Crane, born in 1970. Caprice became an MTV producer and a writer. Her first novel, Stupid and Contagious, was dedicated to her mother.

Tina Louise once said, "The best movie you'll ever be in is your own life because that's what matters in the end."

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage Work

• Two's Company (1952)
• The Fifth Season (1953)
• John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1953)
• Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1955)
• Li'l Abner (1956)
• Fade Out – Fade In (1964)

See Also

In Spanish: Tina Louise para niños