In The Matchmaker episode the Howells refer to themselves as having 20 years of wedded bliss. I would have thought a couple in their 50s (assuming that was the age of their characters, Natalie Schafer actually being 64) would have been married longer than that.

If I know Mr. Howell, his statement was cut short. The rest was surely:
"40 years married, only 20 were bliss"!

Perhaps Thurston H. III spent several years amassing his fortune and seeing the world, before proposing to Lovey. That could easily put him into his 30s when proposing -- and 20 yrs. on, he would be in his 50s.

Another thing is that the Great Depression altered the course of many lives -- and if you go back about 35 to 37 years before Gilligan's Island aired, that puts you at its start (1929). Did the stock market crash rock the Howell empire, leaving an uncertain future for young Thurston?

Perhaps Thurston H. III spent several years amassing his fortune and seeing the world, before proposing to Lovey. That could easily put him into his 30s when proposing -- and 20 yrs. on, he would be in his 50s.

Another thing is that the Great Depression altered the course of many lives -- and if you go back about 35 to 37 years before Gilligan's Island aired, that puts you at its start (1929). Did the stock market crash rock the Howell empire, leaving an uncertain future for young Thurston?

Not too mention World War II -- maybe Mr Howell was overseas - I remember one episode where he said he learned to wow the women during the war with promises of "nylon and chocolate bars"!

Doesn't sound like Mrs. Howell was there with Thurston during the depression either. I think the joke ph1l is thinking of is from Home Sweet Hut, can't remember the years of the marriage in that one, I think it was more than twenty though.