Here on Gilligan's Isle

by Russell Johnson, Steve Cox

Johnson (the Professor) provides revealing details, hilarious behind-the-scenes stories, and answers to the many riddles about life on Gilligan's Island. Features interviews with all the original cast members and a comprehensive episode guide. Photos.

Genres: Nonfiction, Tv, Memoir, Audiobook, Reference, Pop Culture

234 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1993

About the author

American actor, best known as "The Professor" on the situation comedy, "Gilligan's Island"

Reviews

[Tom Stamper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This show was off the air before I was born, but the syndicated re-runs played every day after school and it only took about six months to see all of the episodes. Except for a few friends who were forbidden to watch television, we all had seen all of the episodes and they were a cultural reference point in elementary school. Remember when Gilligan had super human strength. We could quote Hamlet via the lyrics from the musical. We knew the parody of the Beatles before we knew what the Beatles were. On and on. Russell Johnson will forever be known as the Professor, and he taught us that salt water can recharge batteries. I have never read further on that subject not wanting to deflate the balloon of my imagination.

Obviously the book was published because we know him from Gilligan, but Russell had a long career and you learn a lot here about being a young actor in a tough business.

*A personal note. My dad had a lot of stories that he never shared or that I don't fully remember and it's too late to go back and ask him. I hope that my kids will be able to remember me by the things I write. I take for granted that Goodreads outlives me.

Therefore, here is the long version of why I bought the book.

It was January of 1989 and I was in college. A girl I knew was a taking an acting course and her first assignment was auditioning for the college's winter play and she asked me to come along to relieve herself of boredom . I had never done any kind of theater in high school or college and I thought it might be interesting to see how they do it. We walk in about the same time with my friend Kevin who was tagging along with his girlfriend. Kevin asked me if I was going to audition and I said no. He coaxed me into it, saying we're here anyway so we might as well give it a shot. Alright, why not.

They'd call your name. Give you a page number and ask you to read a specific character. Three or four of us do a scene together. I didn't know the first thing about acting, but I have a good voice and I can enunciate, so they cast me as one of the men executed for adultery with Anne Boleyn. I might have turned the part down, but they also cast Kevin so we figured it might be fun. I immediately dropped a class and enrolled in an acting class. I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of the actual theater students.

On the first day of rehearsal we did a table read which was new to me. The director explained that one of the students was the under study for Henry VIII, but that the actual role was going to be played a professional actor, likely a TV personality that we would recognize. He had talked to the agents of Robert Reed (Brady Bunch), William Christopher (MASH) and Russell Johnson (Gilligan's Island) to see if anyone of them would be interested.

WHAT? I'm a kid that grew up in small town in Indiana and moved to a small town in Florida when I was in high school. It never occurred to me that I would ever meet anyone on TV. The idea of doing a play with someone famous seemed ludicrous. Kevin and I talked about how weird the whole thing was after the meeting. Why would any of these guys come to some obscure state college to do a play with a bunch of college kids? And yet, I was hoping it would be the Professor as I don't think I liked any sitcom more than Gilligan.

I don't remember how long we rehearsed before Russell Johnson said yes, but I remember we had blocked the whole play with the understudy. More new terminology, blocking. The student stage manager was writing every piece of blocking in her giant notebook and we were supposed to do the same thing in these tiny margins. Pencil please. He may change things. I don't think I had more than twenty lines. I was Henry Norris, the dance instructor played by an actor that can't dance.

When Dr. Long announced that Russell had accepted the part he told all of us that we could come to any rehearsal to watch, even when we weren't needed, but that we weren't allowed to bring any friends. He also reminded us that Russell has had a long career and it's much more than just one part we know him for. This must have been around the beginning of February, because we rehearsed with Russell on the evening that Lonesome Dove was showing on TV. I remember it because Kevin noticed in the TV guide that Russell was guesting on My Two Dads that same night. Kevin mentioned it and Russell's response was that he was anxious to see Robert Duvall, a man that he felt was the greatest living American actor.

Russell came to us without an ounce of pretense. He looked like any other guy in his 60s. He could likely spend a month in town and not be recognized unless he spoke. He hadn't been on stage in a long time and he thought he would enjoy doing the show, and from his behavior I think he wanted to mentor these young kids who would be actors. I only remember one acting moment with King Henry. His character is enamored by Anne Boleyn and he asks Mark Smeaton and me if we had any advice on wooing women. Russell sked the director if he could change the blocking here. He wanted to walk between Smeaton and me and put his arms around the both of us as he was asking this advice.

My line was something like, "Thomas Wyatt has an unfailing way (of wooing women), he writes them poems. "

Russell listened intently to my line and reacted as if writing poems may be the best idea he ever heard. I didn't understand the significance of the line in the script. It was scene that likely never happened in real life, but it was foreshadowing our eventual execution because we were known to woo women. His reaction was acting. Up until now we were just a bunch of kids waiting for our lines and reading our lines. Russell was in that moment and was saying to the audience that King Henry was not going to forget this conversation. He was just talking to me, but he was loud enough to be heard anywhere is the theater without seemingly to speak up. He had technique and instincts and presence and he could read the lines conversationally. Even now I think about how few theater actors do all of those things well. Of all the professional theater I have seen since, only Ned Beatty as Big Daddy and Brian Dennehey as Willy Loman matched what Russell did in those rehearsals.

During breaks in rehearsal we would congregate around the vending machines and Russell would chat with us about his career. He told Kevin and me that he did two Twilight Zones episodes. You could tell he thought that was a production of consequence. He played a time traveler trying to warn people about Lincoln's impending assassination in one famous episode. There was no pretense. It was a job that he liked and found satisfaction in. Either consciously ort subconsciously his message was acting is a noble profession and it's worthwhile if we wanted to pursue it.

Russell Johnson had one problem. He forgot a few lines. It didn't help that we had been rehearsing for 3 weeks and knew our lines. He expected to do the same thing after three rehearsals because he was able to do that when he was our age. "I'm getting too F---king old for this. I could memorize all my lines in one day when I was young" he admonished himself.

I can guarantee that he didn't have the technique, instincts, and presence when the lines came easy. He knew this character and he knew the dramatic points that he wanted to get across. Brando couldn't remember the words and it didn't bother Brando, but Russell was a pro and his frustrations at not knowing the words was a good lesson in how seriously a pro takes his vocation. None of us would have cared had read cue cards or paraphrased through every performance. We adored the guy.

I think it was a Sunday rehearsal when Dr. Long broke the news that Russell had dropped out and was heading back to his home in Seattle. The entire experience lasted about a week, I think. Dr. Long scrambled and convinced the student counsel to give us something like $5,000 to hire a replacement equity actor. He an actor (20 years younger) that had been on a soap opera and played bit parts on TV. He was tall and TV handsome, but when you were onstage with him, he would look right through you. He had no interest in mentoring any of us or chatting about the business. I think he just wanted the $5,000 which is good money for a working actor on the margins. We despised him. He was the reality of how hard it is to make a living as an actor. He didn't have the skillset of Russell and thus he lacked the confidence to be a mentor. He was a handsome guy that was aging out of the parts he could do. We represented the youngsters that would usurp him.

One of the stage hands played a funny prank on him during the run. There is a scene in which Anne Boleyn gives birth to the future Elizabeth I. The king is disappointed that it wasn't a boy, but he tempers his reaction figuring he will get another shot in the spring. The stage hand put what I think was an Alvin and the Chipmunks doll in the crib. The audience can't see it, but he can. When he looks into the crib, he reflexively laughs. It throws him a little. After the performance he has words with the director about our behavior. Dr. Long was a real veteran of showbiz and I think he understood better than any of us what a tough life an actor has. He met with us and said knock it off. Damn it was funny at the time. It was the kind of prank you'd hear Michael Landon or Mel Gibson would do on sets. But we were just one more thing the poor guy had to overcome to get his $5,000, which at the time seemed like a fortune to any of us. We couldn't imagine living in Tarzana and going without work for 6 months at a time. We hadn't seen enough of life yet to walk in his shoes. We saw the arrogance without understanding the fear. He wasn't a veteran stage actor that could keep his poise when confronted with Alvin, Simon, or Theodore. This was his life and it wasn't an easy life although it might seem so to us.

The main watering hole in town was a pub restaurant that we frequented. On the walls were autographed photos by the famous people that had dined there. Our soap star's photo showed up not long after we did the play. He had been a regular on Search for Tomorrow and Days of our Lives and that was probably enough to convince them to hang his photo. It was in a pretty good location in the bar area. With each passing year the photo was relocated to a less prominent spot. I remember still seeing it on my 2003 visit, but when we last visited town in 2018 it wasn't anywhere obvious. It may have been in one of the back dining rooms rather than the main thoroughfare or maybe nobody remembered why it was hung in the first place.

And on the final dress rehearsal, Dr. Long told us that we had to be on our A games. The town newspaper had sent someone to review the play, and it would be published the next day to coincide with opening night. I didn't know we would be under that kind of scrutiny. Then the unthinkable happened. Our King Henry couldn't remember what to say. He called out, "line" which had been something we all had done with the stage manager in the front row during rehearsals. But no stage manager was sitting out front. She was backstage making sure us knuckle heads wouldn't miss our entrances. There was a long pause on stage. This couldn't be a good look for the reviewer. Somebody somewhere, and it may have been the stage manager, called out the line and then things moved on. It turned out that he was as human as Russell Johnson and as forgetful.

I believe the week ended with a Sunday matinee and the students had to put in two or three hours demolishing the stage after the final performance. It was always the least favorite part of doing theater because the student put in charge would often fall in love with their power and bark orders at us. When we were sure we had seen the last of our King Henry he popped into the theater and said goodbye and wished luck or something. It was maybe the closest to cordiality he had gotten during our time together. I can see now he was relieved to be finished with it and he was trying to say that none of it was personal.

I see now that the poor guy died early in 2021 and although his credits more or less ended 20 years ago, someone thought enough to make a short Wikipedia entry. I wonder if he ever reconciled the struggle of the business and learned to be content for the achievements he had. He only outlived Russell Johnson by 7 years. Youth is fleeting and old age is relative.

I was never happy with my acting although I continued to do shows throughout college and improved enough to get some bigger parts later on. I made lifelong friends in theater and that changed my life for the better, and yet I never considered being a professional actor, thank the good lord. But what if in that first experience Russell Johnson had stayed with the show? What if we had had the great experience we all knew we were going to have? I bet at least one person from that show would have spent productive years trying to replicate the experience professionally. We unintentionally got to see both sides of being a professional actor and it was a better lesson than the one that was planned. Not every experience is Russell Johnson.

*Our stage director, Dr. Long, retired and moved to New York. He can be seen in Ron Howard's movie The Paper, a movie that coincidently features Robert Duvall. Dr. Long plays the mayor's spokesman and is seen speaking on the bar's TV. I think he is billed as "bureaucrat" or something similar. He was a pro too, although I took such things for granted at the time.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by the "The Professor" on Gilligan's Island, Russell Johnson covers his life as "Professor Roy Hinkley", his remembrances of the Gilligan's Island years, and thoughts about his fellow island castaways.

There are many fascinating stories of interest to hardcore fans, including a pilot featuring different actors as The Professor, Ginger and Mary Ann. In addition, most fans know that the show's theme song was re-recorded for the second season to include "The Professor and Mary Ann". But in this book we learn that the musical group that performed the second version, later appeared on the program as the rock group "The Mosquitoes".

Johnson covers an assortment of guest stars that visited the island, the issue of censorship, the post series years, and the events leading to the rescue movie, and other related Gilligan's Island projects.

The "Ship's Log", a brief summary of the 98 episodes, as well as photos.

My favorite were the stories of the characters in their real life. The Skipper seemed like such an amazing guy, I cried when reading about how he went to cheer a sick kid in the hospital (I hate being such a softee).

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

While looking for some nonfiction books to read or listen to for a challenge, I came across Here on Gilligan's Island by Russell Johnson, the professor. This was one of my favourite shows growing up, I never missed an episode, so I thought this would be interesting, to get an inside scoop on the cast and show. It was a quick listen, narrated by the author. It begins with some of his background leading up to being cast in this show about 7 castaways being shipwrecked on a deserted island. I found his background interesting because besides Gilligan's Island, I knew nothing else about his career. There were fun facts about the show itself, and he shared personal anecdotes about the various cast members. I loved those stories the most. I really would have liked more, as this book just wet my curiosity about the other cast members. If you are a Gilligan's Island fan, this is a short book that will bring a smile to your face while reliving some of your memorable Gilligan moments. Russsell Johnson narrated this book himself, which was a very enjoyable book to listen to.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook book which was read by The Professor himself, which was cool. He chatted about his former castmates, with special fondness for Alan Hale and Natalie Schaffer. Fun insiders view-pretty free of gossip and negativity, though i have a feeling that he was chomping at the bit to spill the tea on Ginger.

[Darrel Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I liked the candor with which he addresses the the making of the show and the other cast members. I loved the brief biographical backgrounds of the other actors and who they really were as people. This book gave me a new appreciation for the show and it's appeal to Americans across generations.

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I found each entry absorbing and relished the whole thing. Growing up watching Gilligan's Island, I remember alot of the episodes, so now it is nice to read some behind-the-scenes things as well, and get to know each of the actors a bit.

The only thing I can find wrong with this book, is that there wasn't enough of it! :)

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely, nostalgic step back in time. ❤️

[Beckie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a huge fan of Gilligan's Island, I was never the biggest fan of the Professor in particular (#TeamGilligan) and I came into this story already knowing a lot about the history of the show itself, since I've read other books by other cast and Sherwood. I was pleasantly surprised however, to see such an incorporation of Russell's life in and out of the show. It's a bit of a "never meet your heroes" disappointment to hear how many people hated being in the show at first, but Sherwood has the innate ability to create shows that both captivate audience and alienate the cast.

Russell was incredibly kind in the way he spoke of those who hated the show the most (looking at you,Tina Louise) and showed compassion in talking about other cast members who grew to love the show with time.

This book is surprisingly full of intense content despite its brevity and pay off me wishes the book were longer because Russell is a great and sincere storyteller, but equally, I feel he said all that needed to be said and to push for more would potentially leave fans feeling like witnesses of a disappointing encore. What warmed my heart the most though, was to learn that Gilligan's Island was actually and intentionally geared toward children. I remember being enamoured of the show when I was a kid, even though it was already on syndication, and as an adult, I often wondered why more people didn't find the show as fascinating. When the boxes set became available on DVD, I was quick to purchase it and had to laugh as I found myself returning the TV off after 5 episodes of screaming at the TV for Gilligan's insufferable ineptitude for which the entire island has to suffer. "THEY ALMOST GOT OFF THE ISLAND THIS TIME!" I screamed... knowing full well there were still another 93 episodes AND a TV movie before they actually reached civilization.

But that kind of associated nostalgia is what Russell lovingly speaks of when he tells stories of how all the cast members (except Tina) were so kind to their fans even if they were sometimes mistaken for being someone else.

My only real critique is that the audio quality of the audible version is noticeably dated and sounds a bit muffled, which makes it difficult to hear at times. That said, I highly recommend the audio version of this book because it's like sitting down for coffee with him and getting to chat with an old friend.

[Mediaman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basic book on the sitcom with some nice photos, but it's a blend of information found in Sherwood Schwartz's fantastic foundational history of Gilligan's Island and this co-author Steve Cox's previous book on the show. If you've read the other books then this doesn't add much to it beyond a few short recollections of Johnson; if you haven't read the other books you'll enjoy this nice unassuming summary and then I'd bump it to three stars.

Considering that Cox interviewed all seven castaway stars there are few quotes from most of the cast members in this book. And the episode guide at the end is thin.

Nothing special or original about it, this mostly repeats information from elsewhere and gives a couple strong opinions about castmates. Johnson also includes a bizarre and inaccurate rant against Ronald Reagan, condemning the actor's conservative politics in the 1950s when in truth the future president was a Democrat at that time. Totally unnecessary in this book. Johnson also includes his son's AIDS diagnosis, trying to turn it into a political point. Again inappropriate.

So if you're expecting a greatly detailed textbook about this great sitcom's history from the professor you'll be disappointed.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Russell Johnson who played the Professor on Gilligan's Island. There is some about his life but it is mostly about his remembrances of his time on the series (3 years, 98 episodes). It's amazing that a show which probably never should have been seen on TV ended up being one of the most iconic shows of all time and even 50+ years later is still being seen around the world. From what I could tell, Mr. Johnson treated his cast mates very even-handed and this didn't seem to be one of those tabloid "dish the dirt" type of books. He seems to be genuinely fond of all the cast mates. He even treated Tina Louise, who I've read and heard from many different sources was very difficult to work with, with grace and respect. If you're a Gilligan's Island fan, you're going to love this book and for a bonus, at the end is a listing of all 98 episodes with a brief synopsis of each.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of the audiobook 'Here on Gilligan's Isle'. This was VERY entertaining on a long drive. The narration is done by Russell Johnson himself, a nostalgic delightful surprise. I loved hearing his voice again, sharing his story with slight inflection and occasional laughter.

As a diehard G.I. fan, I do wish he had included a bit more detail about the idiosyncrasies of the cast (i.e. Tina Louise insisting she be filmed exclusively showing the left side of her face) but I suppose he was being respectful to his colleagues still living at the time. I also would have loved more mention of Sherwood Schwartz, a television pioneer I find so interesting.

All in all, this was a great listen. I really enjoyed it.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it's not Shakespeare, but not meant to be, and for that matter, neither was Gilligan's Island. Russell Johnson is a caring soul, and I can tell, so is Bob Denver, for the most part, and especially Alan Hale and Dawn Wells. It was the four of them who were the backbone of appearances after the show went off the air. Jim Bacus too, and even Natalie Shaffer to a certain extent. Tina Louise proved to be as difficult, however, as the network executives who always hated this harmless and very funny sitcom.

In the big game of life, don't be a Tina Louise, or stoic unwieldy network exec with no appreciation of humor, all business and money. Be a Dawn Wells, or an Alan Hale Jr. Your life will be all the better for it.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the abridged version of this audiobook on the library's Hoopla app.

As someone who grew up watching Gilligan's Island in syndication, I had a wonderful time listening to Johnson reminiscing about his life leading up to the show, some of the funny moments during filming, and how hard it was for him to get work after the show because he was typecast. Which I find funny because before Gilligan, he more often than not played the heavy.

Johnson was diplomatic, but you could tell he really wanted to spill the tea about Tina Louise, who thought she was too good for the show.

Great nostalgic listen!

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook, read by the familiar voice of the Professor himself. It was a lot of fun hearing about his experiences, and since I watched the show as kid, very nostalgic. With so many memoirs bent on airing grievances and/or dirty secrets, I was very happy that Russell related nothing but respect and affection for his fellow castaways -- he's a class act. If you're one of the countless millions that have ever watched this show, I bet you'll enjoy this little tour down memory lane as much as I did.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an audiobook, I appreciated that Russell Johnson read his own book. Pleasant reminiscing of some backstory of a show from my childhood. It ended in a rather odd way, however, as Russell adds his own children’s reminiscence of their father working on the show. And then Russell goes on to state how proud he is of his son for his work in early AIDS advocacy in LA, only for his son to later develop the same disease. With the passage of time, the ultimate conclusion is a near certainty, and you can’t help but wonder why he chose to add that to the conclusion of his book.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly entertaining but poorly written.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting insights into the TV show! A must read for fans of Gilligan's Island!

[Em Witteveen · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of these books are a delight. Getting to peek beyond the screen of favorite old-timey shows is a treat.

[Moe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers the basics but very little by way of anecdotes or behind the scenes.

[tyRonE hArDing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to listen to (audio)

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, lighthearted read about a fun, lighthearted show.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good. I'm such a fan!

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, not worth the read. This was written by "the professor". He was fairly "anti" Gilligan's Island.

[Rajesh Nayar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read and the nostalgia it conjures up makes me appreciate the series and actors even more.

[Cass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this quick read off of my own shelf and blew the dust off, intending to sell it. I've had it for at least ten years, but after flipping through and getting sucked in, decided to knock it out at last. It's a quick read but pretty entertaining/enlightening, especially for old TV/movie buffs, who probably know a lot more of the actors than I do.

To save some of you the trouble, here's the highlights.
1) Russell Johnson earned his Purple Heart in WW2.
2) Gilligan's first name is Willy, and Sherwood Schwartz (producer) originally wanted Jerry Van Dyke (known for his role in Coach) to play him.
3) The pilot had a different cast- a high school teacher, a blonde actress, and a secretary named Bunny. They appear in clips from the pilot during the "Birds Gotta fly, fish Gotta talk" Episode.
4) The skippers dad was an actor as well, known for his role as Little John in the Adventures of Robin Hood.
5) Bob Denver was a grade school teacher and football coach before an actor.
6) Lovey Howell (Natalie Schafer) was 90 when she died, and 70 when filming Gilligan, but no one knew her age.
7) The actual island is 25-acre Coconut Island, northeast of Oahu. In the 90's it sold for $8.75 million. The Island has hosted Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson.
8) None of the actors truly believed in their role (Tina Louise/Ginger resented it most), but it was a stable job that was fun, and they really liked dream sequences.
9) Other than natives and a ginger-look-alike, the only woman to visit the island was played by Zsa Zsa Gabor. Kurt Russell played a little Tarzan, and Bob Denver's son played little Gilligan in a dream sequence.
10) Rescue from Gilligan's Island is one of the highest rated TV movies of all time (as of 1993)
11) The radio voice, by Charles Maxwell, was never credited.
12) There was a 4th season planned, until some other producers threw a fit about Gunsmoke getting canceled, and they had to find a new spot for it in the line up, so Gilligan was canceled, it's set disassembled. The studio was eventually used for the Mary Tyler More show. And the lagoon outside of the studio where they did their filming stayed there for 15 years, and was used again to make the rescue movie.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not very well organized, and often the chapters don't feel so much like they conclude as they simply end. Not fine writing, but an interesting subject with some good tidbits. I can't be too hard on Johnson--we live in the same community, so I feel I should be charitable to a fellow "islander." He didn't write the book, just provided the material for the author. For those with fond memories of Gilligan (I remember playing "Gilligan's Island" with a huge afghan draped over an umbrella for a "hut" as a kid--I'm surprised the afghan didn't break the umbrella's spokes, frankly) this is a fun read.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here on Gilligan's Isle: The Professor's Behind the Scenes Look at Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Gilligan's Isle by Russell Johnson (Harper Perennial 1993 (791.45+/-). Here's a fan book, an insider's look, and an episode guide to the TV show and our favorite Castaways. I've personally always been partial to Mary-Anne myself! My rating: 7/10, finished 12/15/14.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not usually my type of book. My oldest daughter is a huge Gilligan fan, and picked up this book during a trip to the library. I picked it up one night and began reading. It's a short read and had many interesting tidbits about the show.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this show as a kid. An inside look at the making of the show from the actor who played the professor. And, for the record, I'm one of the few men who when asked, "Ginger or Mary Ann?" would answer "Ginger!"

[HeavyReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and I regret getting rid of it in a fit of downsizing my bookshelf.

Gilligan was my first love, so I've always enjoyed learning all I can about his island.