# Brain shakers from watching the Gilligan's Island marathon **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [July 10, 2023, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847 "2023-07-10T07:57:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/161 "2023-07-12T05:47:31Z")
Ginger (also a redhead) was the more “senior” of the two. Bunny was her sweet but kind of dumb gal-pal. Only a real hard-core GI fan would know the names of the actresses: Kit Smythe and Nancy McCarthy, respectively. … And there you have _the rest of the story_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/162 "2023-07-12T05:48:10Z")
Wow! Nice. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/163 "2023-07-12T05:50:43Z")
I do believe they kinda needed a farm girl type who could cook and sew and do stuff Ginger and Lovey wouldn’t mess their nails up with. You know for continuity🫡 or something. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/164 "2023-07-12T05:53:59Z")
Yeah, having two secretaries would have limited things quite a bit. What are they going to do, take dictation in every episode? Feel up to another question? From what musical genre was the original theme song, and (according to Schwartz) why? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/165 "2023-07-12T05:54:10Z")
They needed a farm girl type to wear the short shorts that made shows like The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction so popular with young boys. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/166 "2023-07-12T05:55:10Z")
Pop. To attract a younger viewer. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/167 "2023-07-12T05:55:37Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I do believe they kinda needed a farm girl type who could cook and sew and do stuff Ginger and Lovey wouldn’t mess their nails up with. You know for continuity🫡 or something. Mary Ann was needed, because of that reason. Yes, Ginger helped the Professor from time to time with sciencey stuff, while Lovey was clueless as to the world outside her social circle; but Mary Ann brought the down-home common-sense when it was needed. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/168 "2023-07-12T05:56:11Z")
What I want to know: Is it true or an urban legend that the Coast Guard has gotten letters/telegrams/calls from people imploring them to help those people stranded on an island? I’ve never been quite convinced, mainly because anyone who would think GI was real would probably not have the ability to get a message to the Coast Guard. **terentii** : Calypso, but I don’t know why. And as far as Ginger and Bunny, that was also too many people who already knew each other. Professor (also a different actor, who played the character differently) would have been the odd one out. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/169 "2023-07-12T05:56:47Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > From what musical genre was the original theme song, and (according to Schwartz) why? A sea chanty, of course, for obvious reasons. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/170 "2023-07-12T05:57:25Z")
Without trying to sound “unseemly,” it certainly worked in my case! 🥰 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/171 "2023-07-12T05:59:02Z")
Nope, not the original song. I guess you would have to have seen the unaired pilot to know. I have every episode on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/172 "2023-07-12T05:59:41Z")
You are quite the fan. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/173 "2023-07-12T06:00:00Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Is it true or an urban legend that the Coast Guard has gotten letters/telegrams/calls from people imploring them to help those people stranded on an island? Yes…all posted from the PR offices for CBS. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/174 "2023-07-12T06:01:00Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > **terentii** : Calypso, but I don’t know why. That’s it! Think of a very popular singer of the era who passed away in the last few years. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/175 "2023-07-12T06:01:38Z")
Harry Belafonte? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/176 "2023-07-12T06:05:30Z")
That’s it! Schwartz is on record saying the choice was inspired by Belafonte, who I see actually died just this April! If you haven’t seen the History of American Television interviews on YouTube, you should definitely take a look. Schwartz is one of the many people interviewed at length. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/177 "2023-07-12T06:09:35Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Lovey was clueless as to the world outside her social circle. According to Mr Howell, what posh college did Lovey attend? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/178 "2023-07-12T06:17:15Z")
He told Gilligan he attended ??MU…??money University. (Sorry, I have holes in my brain) She must’ve went to Barnard’s or Vanderbilt. Is in a real university? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/179 "2023-07-12T06:18:38Z")
Oh, it’s quite real. Not Vanderbilt, but … ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-shakers-from-watching-the-gilligans-island-marathon/986847/180 "2023-07-12T06:20:55Z")
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