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Gilligan’s Island - the complete second season, starring Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schaefer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson, Dawn Wells

Gilligan's Island - the complete second season - DVD This is the second season of the classic television series, "Gilligan’s Island." Like the other two seasons, it contains some of the funniest television ever filmed. Some of the gems include the comedy team of the Skipper and his "little buddy" Gilligan (portrayed by Alan Hale Jr. and Bob Denver, one of the great TV comedy teams, in my opinion). Thirty years after having seen these episodes for the first time, I still remember vividly some of them, such as the Skipper developing an allergy to his "little buddy" (leading to much slapstick), the interaction between Mr. and Mrs. Howell when they find out (mistakenly) that their marriage was invalid, how the two individuals react very differently to the news, and how Mr. Howell has to "woo" Mrs. Howell all over again. One of the things that most stick out is the series’ ability to move from slapstick comedy to drama and pathos, such as when one of the castaways is suspected of having committed murder, and the suspicion starts to tear apart the bonds of comeraderie that had been formed, or with Gilligan being bitten by a supposedly deadly insect, and he is thought to be dead within 24 hours. In that particular episode, the ending is hilarious - I smile as I’m writing this - instead, the insect dies, 24 hours after having bit Gilligan.

Are there any caveats to the 3-disk DVD? No - the series is now in color, nicely restored. Extras on the DVD include season introduction by Russell "The Professor" Johnson and series producer and writer Sherwood Schwartz, a commentary by Sherwood Schwartz on his favorite episode "The Little Dictator" (episode 3, guest-starring Vito Scotti, the excellent character actor who also played the Mad Scientist in "The Friendly Physician" and the Japanese soldier in the previous season). Any reason for not buying the DVD? Only if you plan to get all three seasons - you can order the complete Gilligan’s Island series instead of season by season, and save a few dollars. Feel free to look at reviews of Gilligan’s Island Season 1 and Gilligan’s Island Season 3 as well.

Editorial Review of "Gilligan’s Island, the complete second season" courtesy of Amazon.com

Forget about a three-hour tour--Gilligan’s Island fans can sit right back and enjoy all 32 episodes of the much-loved television comedy and even a few extras with this three-disc set. GI aficionados will probably argue which episode deserves to be called the best in the series’ three-year history until the end of time, but few will disagree that its sophomore season (1965-66) contains some of its funniest and best-remembered episodes. For starters, season 2 marks the show’s debut in color, as well as the first time the Professor (Russell Johnson) and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) were mentioned in the opening theme song (all of this occurs in the season opener, "Gilligan’s Mother-in-Law"). But it also includes such classic episodes as "Hi Fi Gilligan" (Gilligan picks up radio signals in his mouth), "Don’t Bug the Mosquitos" (faux Brit rockers land on the island), "Mine Hero" (a WWII mine washes up on the beach), "Meet The Meteor" (space debris makes the castaways age prematurely), and "The Friendly Physician" (a mad scientist’s experiments cause the castaways to swap bodies), all of which have lost none of their laughs or pure entertainment value. The supplemental features, though slight, include an introduction by Johnson and series creator Sherwood Schwartz, as well as commentary by Schwartz on his favorite episode, "The Little Dictator." --Paul Gaita

Episode Synopsis of Gilligan’s Island, Season 2 DVD

Episode 1 - Gilligan’s Mother-in-Law: A native family from another island seeks a mate for their daughter. The mother, Henny Backus, is Jim Backus’s real-life wife.
Episode 2 - Beauty Is As Beauty Does: Gilligan is the judge of who will be "Ms. Castaway" in a not-so-friendly beauty contest among the three women.
Episode 3 - The Little Dictator: The exiled president from a revolution-torn country comes to the island. Guest-starring the versatile Vito Scotti - this is series creator and executive producer Sherwood Schwartz’ favorite episode
Episode 4 - Smile, You’re on Mars Camera: A camera from a NASA satellite lands on the island instead of Mars.
Episode 5 - The Sweepstakes: Gilligan has the winning ticket for a South American sweepstakes.
Episode 6 - Quick Before It Sinks: The Professor announces that the island is sinking.
Episode 7 - Castaways Pictures Presents: In an effort to be rescued, the castaways make a silent movie.
Episode 8 - Agonized Labor: The castaways try to help the Howells develop working skills after hearing of their financial problems on the radio.
Episode 9 Nyet, Nyet—Not Yet: Russian cosmonauts and their space capsule land on the island.
Episode 10 - Hi-Fi Gilligan: Radio broadcasts come from Gilligan’s mouth after a blow to his head
Episode 11 - The Chain of Command: Gilligan is left in charge when the Skipper disappears.
Episode 12 - Don’t Bug the Mosquitoes: An American rock group comes to the island looking for a quiet vacation. The fictional group, "The Mosquitoes" are played by "The Wellingtons," the group that played the theme song for the first season
Episode 13 - Gilligan Gets Bugged: Gilligan is bitten by a strange bug and thinks he is dying.
Episode 14 - Mine Hero: Gilligan fishes an old war mine out of the lagoon.
Episode 15 - Erika Tiffany Smith to the Rescue: A woman is looking for a new place for a resort. Guest starring: Zsa Zsa Gabor
Episode 16 - Not Guilty: An old newspaper that washes to shore in a crate says that one of the castaways is suspected of murder.
Episode 17 - You’ve Been Disconnected: The Professor taps into a trans-continental telephone cable to call for help.
Episode 18 - The Postman Cometh: The castaways hear on the radio that Mary Ann’s boyfriend is getting married.
Episode 19 - Seer Gilligan: The seeds of an island bush gives the ability to read minds.
Episode 20 - Love Me, Love My Skipper: The Howell’s lose the Skipper’s invitation to a party that they are planning.
Episode 21 - Gilligan’s Living Doll: An Air Force experiment results in a robot landing on the island.
Episode 22 - Forward March: The castaways are frightened at gunfire and explosions they hear.
Episode 23 - Ship Ahoax: When the castaways start to act a bit goofy, the Professor devises a plan to lift their spirits.
Episode 24 - Feed the Kitty: A caged lion washes up in the lagoon. Behind the scenes, Bob Denver (Gilligan) was almost injured by the lion during shooting.
Episode 25 - Operation: Steam Heat: The Professor is concerned that hot water coming from beneath the island is a precursor to volcanic activity.
Episode 26 - Will the Real Mr. Howell Please Stand Up?: Radio reports that Mr. Howell has been rescued makes the real Mr. Howell frantic over his money.
Episode 27 - Ghost a Go-Go: A ghost tries to scare off the castaways. Guest starring Richard Kiel
Episode 28 - Allergy Time: The skipper itches and sneezes when he is with Gilligan.
Episode 29 - The Friendly Physician: A scientist uses his latest experiment on the castaways, causing them to switch bodies with each other.
Episode 30 - "V" For Vitamins: The Professor decides that the castaways suffer from a lack of Vitamin C. Guest starring Patrick Denver, Bob Denver’s real-life four year old son as a young Gilligan in a dream sequence.
Episode 31 - Mr. and Mrs.???: A radio bulletin states that the minister who married Thurston and Lovey Howell (the Reverend Buckley Norris of Boston) was a fraud.
Episode 32 - Meet the Meteor: A huge meteor causes everything nearby to age rapidly.

Funny quotes from Gilligan's Island

Ginger Grant: Wahine wiki huki luki nu, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Gilligan (Bob Denver): That's beautiful. What's it mean?
Ginger Grant: It means this bar is off-limits to all military personnel.

The Skipper: You don't know anything about space.
Gilligan (Bob Denver): I do know one thing. You take up more of it than I do.

Gilligan (Bob Denver): Hiya, Professor. What are you doing?
The Professor: I'm making notes for a book. It's to be a chronicle of our adventures on the island... I think it's a book people will want to buy, don't you?
Gilligan (Bob Denver): Sure, I'll buy one. I'm dying to find out what happens to us.

Eunice Wentworth "Lovey" Howell: Anyone who says money can't buy happiness doesn't know where to shop. The Professor: Well, that glue is permanent! There's nothing on the island to dissolve it. Why do you know what it would take? It would take a polyester derivative of an organic hydroxide molecule.
Thurston Howell III: Watch your language! You're in the presence of a lady!

The Skipper: Ginger, I've got a problem... I've got a real problem... now you're a girl, right?
Ginger Grant: Well, if you're not sure about that, you have got a problem!

Gilligan's Island Photo
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The Skipper: Gilligan little buddy come with me.
Gilligan (Bob Denver): I'm not finished yet.
The Skipper: Gilligan come with me!
Gilligan (Bob Denver): I'm finished.

Thurston Howell III: The 'Wizard of Wall Street' strikes again!

The Skipper: I'm not gonna marry that native girl!

the castaways have set up a courtroom and are conducting a trial
Thurston Howell III: Your Honor, will you get another gavel?
The Professor: Why?
Thurston Howell III: That one's squirting milk all over me.
Later in the same courtroom sequence
The Skipper: Ginger's very damaging to us.
Gilligan (Bob Denver): Yeah, her testimony.
The Skipper: No, her legs.
And finally...
Thurston Howell III: I'd like to charge Mary Ann with murder.
The Professor: Murder?
Thurston Howell III: Her testimony's killing me.

Gilligan (Bob Denver): You're a big man with a big head and - -...
The Skipper: Gilligan!
Gilligan (Bob Denver): And a big heart.
The Skipper: Oh, thank you.

Thurston Howell III: What is this slop?
The Skipper: It's Gilligan's own creation, Mr. Howell, It's coconut pot pie.

Gilligan (Bob Denver): What was that stuff you just gave me?
Eunice Wentworth "Lovey" Howell: That will help you sleep, it's a setative.
Gilligan (Bob Denver): Thanks, Mrs. Howell, but you're wasting your time. Those things don't work on me. I remember once ...
falls asleep

Gilligan (Bob Denver): Skipper, should I pick the yellow bananas or the red bananas, because the yellow bananas are green.
The Skipper: Then pick the red ones.
Gilligan (Bob Denver): But the red ones are pink.
The Skipper: Gilligan, I don't care if you pick red white and blue bananas, just pick some bananas!
Gilligan (Bob Denver): Okay, Skipper... Blue bananas?

The Professor: I'll get Mr. Howell and we'll reconnoiter.
The Skipper: Alright, we'll get Mr. Howell and we'll reconnoiter. Come on.
Gilligan (Bob Denver): Okay, but I think we ought to scout around a bit first.

Gilligan (Bob Denver): Do those headhunters really collect heads, Professor? The Professor: Yes, Gilligan. They boil them... they shrink them... and then they mount them on sticks.
Gilligan (Bob Denver): Eeeeeeew, what a crazy cane!

Thurston Howell III: You goofed, didn't you?
Robot: I am not programmed for that information.
Thurston Howell III: I wonder what next year's models are gonna look like.
Robot: I am not...
Thurston Howell III: Oh shut up!

The Skipper: I guess it will be a long time before you'll eat another mushroom.
Mary Ann Summers: You can say that again.
laughs
Gilligan (Bob Denver): Don't worry about mushrooms anymore, I got a book that tells all about them.
The Skipper: You do?
Gilligan (Bob Denver): Huh huh. Yeah, and it's called, "'How to Tell A Mushroom From a Toadstool'" by the late Dr. Morton Kepstone.
The Skipper, Mary Ann Summers: Late?
Gilligan (Bob Denver): Late?

The Professor: Listen, Gilligan, how far down was she? How many feet?
Gilligan (Bob Denver): Professor, in navy circles, we don't say "feet". We say "fathoms".
The Professor: Alright, how many fathoms?
Gilligan: Oh I don't know, about 15 feet.

upon finding a robot
The Skipper: If I were ever seen talking to this refugee from a junk yard, they'd think the skipper lost all his marbles.
Robot: The skipper lost his marbles.

Trivia about Gilligan's Island

Jayne Mansfield turned down the role of "Ginger"; Carroll 'OConnor tested for the role of The Skipper; Dabney Coleman tested for the role of The Professor.
Raquel Welch auditioned for the role of Mary Anne.
Jerry Van Dyke turned down the role of Gilligan.
The first season had the cast using cups that were made from real coconuts. However, they found that the cups were porous and soaked through like they were sweating. Thus in the later seasons, the coconut cups were plastic replicas.
Natalie Schafer's contract stipulated that there be no close-ups of her in the show. The reason was producers knew her real age, which was 13 years older than Jim Backus, who played her character's husband. It was not until years after the series ended that her co-stars found out her actual age.
The characters' full names: - The Skipper: Jonas Grumby - The Professor: Roy Hinkley - Mr. Howell: Thurston Howell III - Mrs. Howell: Eunice Howell - Ginger: Ginger Grant - Mary Ann: Mary Ann Summers - Gilligan's first name: the subject of some debate ever since the series first aired.
The original pilot was filmed in November 1963 but not aired until October of 1992. In it, the characters of the Professor and Ginger were player by a different actor and actress. There was no character of Mary Ann. There was a character called Bunny, who was a buxom blond, and Ginger was a practical brunette. Ginger and Bunny were both secretaries. The music for the theme song was written by John Williams (then known as Johnny Williams). This music had a Latin sound and the lyrics were sung with a Spanish accent. In the pilot, it was a six-hour trip, not a three-hour tour.
The show was originally slated to return for the 1967-68 television season but cancelled at the last minute by CBS head William Paley, to make room for the long-running "Gunsmoke" (1955).
The three-man folk singing group The Wellingtons sang the theme song for the first season, but were replaced by a similar sounding group, The Eligibles, for the following seasons. The Wellingtons (plus one) also portrayed 'The Mosquitoes' in a classic episode of the series.
The opening credits for the first season were shot shortly after the assassination of U.S. president John F. Kennedy. A flag at half mast can be seen in the background.
The character of the Professor was supposedly a graduate from SMU, TCU and UCLA, Thurston Howell III went to Harvard. Howell would call an inferior a "Yale Man".
In the credits, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells were relegated to being simply "The Rest". That changed in the second season when Bob Denver demanded that they be given an equal share in the credits, thus changing the lyrics to "The Professor and Mary Ann." Sherwood Schwartz, who composed both themes, has said it didn't occur to him the Professor and Mary Ann would turn into prominent characters.
According to series creator Sherwood Schwartz, Gilligan's full name was Willy Gilligan. Bob Denver says he never heard the name Willy Gilligan until long after the show was off the air.
The lagoon set was located at the CBS lot in Studio City, CA. If sequences there were filmed too early or too late in the day, microphones would record rush hour traffic noise from a nearby freeway.
Phil Silvers was cast as a producer in a episode partly because his production company was actually producing the show.
Creator Sherwood Schwartz said that he dreamed up the idea of the show because he wanted the castaways to represent a microcosm of society and he wanted to show how they worked together to help each other when in trouble.
As the show progressed, producers planned to introduce a new character - a pet dinosaur - but decided against it because of the cost of special effects. The character, however, was incorporated into the animated "Gilligan's Planet" (1982).
The premise required that the characters use various devices that had to be constructed from only the various materials found on a tropical island. Thus the props had to be specially made and the prop department enjoyed the challenge which was a change of pace from simply bringing in the standard props from storage. The bamboo foot pedal-powered car used in one episode was a particular favorite with the cast queuing up to try it out.
The name of Mary-Ann's hometown was Horner's Corners, Kansas.
The Skipper served in the Pacific during World War II.
Gilligan saved the Skipper's life once when they were in the Navy. A depth charge had broken loose from it's mount and was rolling across the deck. Gilligan pushed Skipper out of the way. Skipper would later say that Gilligan didn't save his life, he only prolonged it.
The ship's name, S. S. Minnow, was not named for the fish but rather for Newton Minow, head of the FCC in 1961. Minow was the one who called television "America's vast wasteland". Sherwood Schwartz did not care for Minow so he named the soon-to-be shipwrecked ship after him.
"The radio" seen in virtually every episode was a Packard-Bell AM Radio, Model AR-851. The small silver handle and telescoping antenna were added by the prop department (despite the fact that AM radios do not use telescoping antennas). The antenna was likely added to lend credence to the castaways' ability to pick up radio signals so far from civilization.
Alan Hale Jr. was on location in Utah filming a movie when he got a call to come back to Los Angeles to do a screen test for "Gilligan's Island" (1964). Hale rode a horse to the highway, hitchhiked to Las Vegas and flew to L.A. to test with Bob Denver.

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Tom Raymond, aka. Raynbow the Clown, is a professional clown working out of Madison, Wisconsin, and is available for ministry events, conventions and conferences.

Posted by Tom Raymond, aka Raynbow on 11/16 at 05:37 AM
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