Tina Louise as Ginger Grant
Tina Louise played Ginger Grant in the American TV show Gilligan’s Island. Her role in the show was a beautiful posh movie star expecting to get some well-needed relaxation on a cruise. Suddenly she found herself stranded on an island with random strangers. She did not enjoy being there but did help her fellow castaways frequently and even made a best friend- Mary Ann. She was known for her bold fashion statements, hair always perfectly intact and as stylish as ever.
Of course, ball gowns are absolutely perfect for a hot, deserted island. They may not be practical, but Ginger definitely brought the sass and allure.
Tina Louise Now
Tina was best known for her part in the show Gilligan’s Island as Ginger but did take on other passion projects. She acted in several shows and movies since her iconic role, recorded a solo album, wrote several books, and even volunteered to tutor kids in New York City with their literacy skills. At eighty-eight years old, Tina Louise is alive and well, most recently putting her original paintings on display at the Patterson Museum of Art.
Though her character, Ginger, was best friends with Mary Ann, played by Dawn Wells, in the show, they happened to be close in real life too. Tina is still thriving, but where is Dawn Wells today? Continue to read where Ginger’s on-screen best friend is today.
Larry Storch As Jackson Farrell
Larry Storch played Jackson Farrell, a criminal hiding from the police on the deserted island. He robbed a few banks and was on the run from the police; but tried to convince the other people stranded on the island that he was a good guy, even a doctor by profession. When his cover eventually gets blown, he holds the others hostage! Though in real life, Larry was a good guy, best known for his voiceovers.
Interestingly, he grew up during the Great Depression and never finished high school, so he found work as a comic for only twelve dollars a week!
Larry Storch Now
Larry appeared on so many famous shows like Sonny and Cher, The Ed Sullivan Show, and The Tonight Show. He was known for being charismatic, hilarious, and extremely talented. Though his part on Gilligan’s Island was one of a criminal, he couldn’t be further from that in his own life. He was incredibly well-versed in the entertainment world, racking up hundreds of credits. His final appearance on screen was in a show called, Medium Rare, back in 2010.
Sadly, he passed away at the age of 99 in his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, reportedly from natural causes, but some speculated from Alzheimer’s complications.
Dawn Wells As Mary Ann Summers
Dawn Wells played the sweetheart Mary Ann Summers in Gilligan’s Island. She was the crush of many viewers, radiating beauty. She was known to care for the other castaways and did most chores on the show. Cooking, cleaning, and keeping things in order were her forte. It became a running gag on the show that she could whip up a meal out of any random ingredients the castaways found on the island.
Mary Ann’s sweetness and generosity could sometimes be mistaken for weakness which unfortunately meant she was taken advantage of sometimes. But for the most part, the other castaways appreciated her and were always gracious for her presence.
Dawn Wells Now
Dawn Wells was on fire in the 1960s, frequenting many tv shows with new roles and being seen as America’s latest sweetheart for that time. Though it didn’t last very long, as the 1970s approached, her career had already quieted down. Eventually, she slowly stopped acting and encountered many financial struggles. This resulted in her fans starting a GoFundMe page for her that raised over $200,000, a sad twist of fate. From fame and attention to relying on the generosity of strangers.
Dawn sadly passed away in 2020 from COVID-19 -related causes; however, she will live on in people’s hearts as a favorite character on the show.
Natalie Schafer As Lovey Howell
Natalie’s famous character, Mrs. Lovely Howell, in Gilligan’s Island, was a high-class woman endowed with riches, nice clothes, and jewels. Lovely Howell didn’t seem to be the person who would survive ship wreckage and scavenging for food. How could she possibly cope when her one love in life was money? However, the way Natalie brought this character to life was magnificent. She conveyed that even though she was used to the finer things in life, she could handle and even find joy in her new island life.
Her character brought such a great comedic relief to the show, and of course, her beauty and fashion were bold and always entertaining to witness on screen.
Natalie Schafer Now
Long before Natalie Schafer’s time on Gilligan’s Island, she took on roles in which she played characters of high society. She was very successful and became known for playing posh women. She could encapsulate the mannerisms and characteristics so well that people questioned if she was really acting. After the show ended, she continued as Lovely Howell in a few spin-offs. Her last role on the big screen was in the movie I’m Dangerous Tonight.
Apparently she was a breast cancer survivor, which she withheld from her fans and friends. Sadly the character that generations of Gilligan’s Island fans loved so much passed away in 1991 from liver cancer.
Kurt Russell As Jungle Boy
Kurt Russell played the famous Jungle Boy that the gang of castaways encountered on the deserted island early in the first season. He was very young then, but his dedication to playing the part was magnificent. He was supposed to help and provide the other castmates with a way to get off the island. But he was sneaky and stole their means of escaping as soon as they took him in.
This was ultimately a fun yet intricate role for such a young boy to play; he was around eleven years old at the time. However, this was precisely why it was very impressive.
Kurt Russell Now
When Kurt was a young boy, he got his big break with multiple minor guest appearances on various TV shows; but went on to become a big movie star. He married Goldie Hawn and birthed a daughter who surpassed him in fame, Kate Hudson. Though his part on Gilligan’s Island was relatively short-lived, his career continues to grow. He started his career with a more wholesome image and now mostly plays hard-edged tough guys.
As of lately, he’s starred in films like The Hateful Eight, The Fate of the Furious, and Guardians of the Galaxy, continuing to wow audiences and flex his acting skills.
Michael Forest As Ugundi
Michael Forest was first introduced as Ugundi in one of the series’ final episodes. Another character, Gilligan, rescued a native woman on the island from drowning, and she told Gilligan that this now meant she was indebted to him and would do whatever he wanted. However, the girl’s ex-boyfriend, Ugundi, found out and threatened to fight Gilligan. Ugundi was a very macho character, ready to fight and assert his dominance.
Michael was able to transport his character’s emotions so well from the script to on-screen that you could feel the rage and intimidation. He was incredibly talented and brought this fun character to life.
Michael Forest Now
In real life, Michael wasn’t as scary as his character. He continued his acting career after his time on Gilligan’s Island and charmed his way through many different characters. He even did a ton of voice acting for TV and video games. In fact, people now would probably recognize him more by his voice than by his looks. Today he is approaching 94 years old; though he doesn’t act much, he is alive and healthy.
Though he was relatively successful, he did share once, “I don’t think there’s anything terribly memorable in what I did. I would like to have had a big role in some film that was a little more important, but that never happened.”
Don Rickles As Norbert Wiley
The crew on the island were having a rough time; it was season three, and they still didn’t escape and continued to struggle. That’s when Don’s character, Norbert Riley, joined in on the fun. He showed up and immediately held several people captive, demanding money for their release. Though Don might be clever, his character was not. He was eventually beaten at his own game, and the castaways escaped, even capturing him.
Don played a sly but impressive character on Gilligan’s Island and definitely contributed to the show’s impact, even if he joined the cast only in season three.
Don Rickles Now
Don Rickles experienced his breakthrough in the entertainment world in the 1950s and joined the cast of Gilligan’s Island soon after. He went on to act in iconic roles throughout the next few decades and was primarily known for his insult comedy. Out of all his many achievements, he shared that his family was indeed most impressed with him being the voice behind the famous Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story franchise.
He died at the age of 90 and afterward, dozens of celebrities held tributes for him to honor and respect the legacy he left behind.