MovieChat Forums > Gilligan's Island (1964) Discussion > Castaway encounters

Castaway encounters

posted 7 years ago by caladon
12 replies | jump to latest

Since we have some time before the message boards go sailing off into the sunset. I thought it would be fun for folks to share any stories about meeting or in anyway interacting with any of the cast members. Here's a story about my then 9 year old daughter Lea and Dawn Wells.

Every now and then, I'd take a day and spend it with one of my kids; just the two of us. For example, one time I took my son to a Nuke the Fridge event and he got to meet Lou Ferrigno. This day it was going to be a Daddy-daughter day. My daughter has always been a big GI fan and as it happened Dawn Wells was going to be attending the Hollywood Collector's Show in Burbank. Lea had painted a portrait of the Castaways (you can see it here: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=303208&highlight=daughter+lea ) she was excited because she could show Mary Ann a copy of it and get to meet her. When we arrived Ms. Wells was every bit as nice as you'd expect. She told Lea how adorable and pretty she looked which made Lea very happy. Lea gave her a gift and then showed her the copy of the painting she had made (the original hangs over my desk at work,) She must've liked it because she asked if she could get a copy which really brought a smile to Lea's face. We told her we'd be glad to mail her a copy. So she autographed the copy that we brought and then not only posed for two pictures with Lea, but gave her a free autographed picture as well. She was such a sweet person and really gave Lea a great memory.

Come Monday we made two extra copies and mailed it to her. One plain copy and one copy that Lea autographed and wrote "To my new best friend Dawn, Love Lea"

After that when I'd tease Lea and ask "What makes you think you're so cute and adorable?" she says "Because Dawn Wells said so and if anybody knows cute and adorable it's Mary Ann."

Next

Jesus is the Son of God and my Lord and savior. Pretty cool.

[–] ElRaisuli 7 years ago

Nice story, caladon.

I've never seen any of the Castaways in person, but I have seen a couple of the guest stars.

I saw Sterling Holloway ("The Pigeon") walking along Hollywood Blvd. in 1975.

In the summers of 1978 and 1979, I worked as an usher at a movie theater in Southern California. Sometimes celebrities would come by.

I took Kurt Russell's ("Jungle Boy") ticket once. I wish I could remember what he was going to see. This was around the time he was playing Elvis Presley in the TV movie "Elvis."

Another time, I was working behind the candy counter when who should step up but Strother Martin ("Take A Dare"). He was there to see the movie "Nightwing," which he was in. I actually managed to squeak out, "You're... You're Strother Martin!" Not surprisingly, he said, "Yes, I am." I mentioned something about knowing he was in "Nightwing," and that was it.

I probably could have talked to him more, but I was totally blanking out on his filmography. I'm sure he got asked about "Cool Hand Luke" all the time. It would have been funny if, instead, I'd had the presence of mind to have asked him about "Gilligan's Island."

So much for my "brushes with greatness." :)

[–] caladon 7 years ago

Cool stories ElRaisuli; it's a little surreal when you run into someone on the street that you've only seen on screen.

Jesus is the Son of God and my Lord and savior. Pretty cool.

[–] ElRaisuli 7 years ago

I just realized that I could win at "One Degree of Tina Louise."

I worked for her ex-husband, the late Les Crane, for a few years. This was long after they were divorced. She apparently came by the office one day... the day I was out sick! ARRRGGGG!!!

[–] caladon 7 years ago

Did you ever see this episode of Love American Style with Tina Louise and Les Crane playing husband and wife?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfVBJZ1KIc

Jesus is the Son of God and my Lord and savior. Pretty cool.

[–] ElRaisuli 7 years ago

I have seen that before. It's a little creepy in a way, since it culminates in him asking for a divorce - and two years later they actually would divorce.

On the trivia side, when Les did remarry, 16 years later, it was to a woman named "Ginger."

You have to wonder what Tina's reaction was to hearing that news. My money would be on, "You've got to be kidding me."

[–] benGsboat 7 years ago

Just curious, El...what did you do when you worked for Les?

[–] ElRaisuli 7 years ago

>>Just curious, El...what did you do when you worked for Les?

From the mid-80's to the mid-90's, Les was the head honcho of an entertainment software company called "The Software Toolworks," which was subsequently known as "Mindscape." The company made games and "edutainment" products like "Chessmaster," "Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing," "The Miracle Piano Teaching System" and "Mario is Missing." I was a game developer there for several years. Les had a gift for conceptualizing the "big picture" of a product in a way that captured the imagination and could be effectively marketed. I believe the company was a good success for him, and he retired around 1993.

Back in the early 70's, Les was not only the producer of the iconic, spoken word recording of "Desiderata," his was the voice actually heard on the record. The record was a big hit (#8 on Billboard), but, unfortunately, it turned out that the supposedly 300-year-old poem on which it was based was actually written in 1927, and was still under copyright. Legal battles ensued. I don't think it ended well for anybody.

Here's the recording. You may want to put some flowers in you hair before listening. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNq_DTmVCWs

I actually knew none of this, nor of his connection to Tina Louise, when he interviewed me for the job.

The job was sometimes a surreal experience. One day, early on, I turned a corner and walked straight into Dudley Moore. He had just been contracted to be an early spokesman for the "Miracle Piano Teaching System."

[–] benGsboat 7 years ago

♪♪ You are a child
of the universe ♪♪

[–] skipper 7 years ago

I have told this story before, so maybe some of you have heard it. I can't say that I have met any of the castaways but...

In January 2002, I came across Bob Denver's website and there was a function to message him so I did. At the time my last name was Gilligan. I had been a Gilligan's Island fan all of my life and I married someone with the last name Gilligan. I felt that I needed to say this in my message because my last name was in my e-mail address. His people messaged me back and said that Bob liked my story and wanted to send me an autographed picture of himself. So I now have a picture of Bob Denver, autographed to me! It is one of my most prized possessions!

I really wish that I still had our exchange. Alas, I do not.

[–] benGsboat 7 years ago

Stories like that are great, skipper. Sad to think he passed away only three years later.

[–] skipper 7 years ago

I often think that, Ben.

[–] millsey72 (9606) a year ago

Someone else probably signed his name and sent you that pic