Had not the fab seven been available for GI, who would you have cast in the parts? Keeping in mind that you can chose anyone from the talent pool in 1963; so, cast away.

It's not easy, but here's my contribution:

Gilligan: Jerry Van Dyke or perhaps Mickey Manners.

The Skipper: Jackie Coogan

Mr. Howell: Jonathan Harris

Mrs. Howell: Penny Singleton

The Professor: Leonard Nimoy

Ginger: Ann-Margret

Mary Ann: Yvonne Craig

Good list except for Johnathon Harris. I think he might have been to young for Mr Howell.

Thanks GF. Actually I wondered about the age difference too; but then I checked imdb.com and found out that Jim Backus was younger than Jonathan Harris by just under two years.

oh wow, I didn't know that. Jim Backus looks a lot older than him.

Just as a side not, both are in It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. I don't remember them being in the same scenes though.

oh wow, I didn't know that. Jim Backus looks a lot older than him.

Just as a side not, both are in It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. I don't remember them being in the same scenes though.
Jonathan Harris does not appear in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." You're
thinking of someone else. The entire cast credits are: Spencer Tracy, Milton
Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn,
Phil Silvers, Terry-Thomas, Jonathan Winters, Edie Adams, Dorothy Provine,
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Jim Backus, Ben Blue, Alan Carney, Barrie Chase,
William Demarest, Peter Falk, Paul Ford, Leo Gorcey, Edward Everett Horton,
Buster Keaton, Don Knotts, Carl Reiner, Joe E. Brown, Andy Devine, Sterling
Holloway, Marvin Kaplan, Charles Lane, Charles McGraw, ZaSu Pitts, Madlyn
Rhue, Arnold Stang, Jesse White, Lloyd Corrigan, Stan Freberg, Jimmy
Durante, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis and The Three Stooges (Moe Howard,
Larry Fine & Curly-Joe DeRita).

Had not the fab seven been available for GI, who would you have cast in the parts? Keeping in mind that you can chose anyone from the talent pool in 1963; so, cast away.

It's not easy, but here's my contribution:

Gilligan: Jerry Van Dyke or perhaps Mickey Manners.

The Skipper: Jackie Coogan

Mr. Howell: Jonathan Harris

Mrs. Howell: Penny Singleton

The Professor: Leonard Nimoy

Ginger: Ann-Margret

Mary Ann: Yvonne Craig
Jackie Coogan was busy starring in THE ADDAMS FAMILY, as Uncle Fester. Both
series premiered in the fall of 1964.

Jonathan Harris does not appear in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." You're
thinking of someone else. The entire cast credits are: Spencer Tracy, Milton
Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn,
Phil Silvers, Terry-Thomas, Jonathan Winters, Edie Adams, Dorothy Provine,
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Jim Backus, Ben Blue, Alan Carney, Barrie Chase,
William Demarest, Peter Falk, Paul Ford, Leo Gorcey, Edward Everett Horton,
Buster Keaton, Don Knotts, Carl Reiner, Joe E. Brown, Andy Devine, Sterling
Holloway, Marvin Kaplan, Charles Lane, Charles McGraw, ZaSu Pitts, Madlyn
Rhue, Arnold Stang, Jesse White, Lloyd Corrigan, Stan Freberg, Jimmy
Durante, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis and The Three Stooges (Moe Howard,
Larry Fine & Curly-Joe DeRita).

It was Johnathon Winters who I was thinking of. That would explain a lot about him being younger than Johnathon Harris and Jim Backus for that matter.

Jackie Coogan was busy starring in THE ADDAMS FAMILY, as Uncle Fester. Both
series premiered in the fall of 1964.

True, but as I mentioned, it's a "what if" based those available at the time and Sherwood Schwartz mentioned in his book how long it took to cast the parts; in particular the role of Skipper, and who knows how long and when the two shows had their cast signed up.

However, there is a real story that has to deal with signing a deal. It involved The Three Stooges. At the same time that Moe was signing The Stooges to a deal with Columbia, Larry was at the same time signing them to a contract with Universal Studios. And according to Moe's autobiography, Universal only agreed to let them out of the contract because they were able to sign Abbott and Costello. At least that's the story as told by Moe.

You are absolutely correct about The Three Stooges. I also read Moe Howard's
autobiography. (Great book, by the way.)

yes; it is a great book. But, Universal also let them out of their contract because it was signed later in the day than their Columbia one. 10 minutes later, or something.

Had not the fab seven been available for GI, who would you have cast in the parts? Keeping in mind that you can chose anyone from the talent pool in 1963; so, cast away.

It's not easy, but here's my contribution:

Gilligan: Jerry Van Dyke or perhaps Mickey Manners.

The Skipper: Jackie Coogan

Mr. Howell: Jonathan Harris

Mrs. Howell: Penny Singleton

The Professor: Leonard Nimoy

Ginger: Ann-Margret

Mary Ann: Yvonne Craigthat's interesting you mentioned Jerry Van Dyke as Gilligan, because he was the first choice for the role. But, he looked at the script and called it "The worst piece of crap I ever saw!!"

that's interesting you mentioned Jerry Van Dyke as Gilligan, because he was the first choice for the role. But, he looked at the script and called it "The worst piece of crap I ever saw!!"
.. and the following year, Jerry Van Dyke signed on to make that well-remembered TV classic MY MOTHER THE CAR! (Ha! Ha!)