Tina Louise - why wasn't she a bigger star? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 03-14-2017, 03:27 AM

It seemed like Hollywood was grooming her for the big-time at one point.

Babalu · 03-14-2017, 01:15 PM

Tina was beautiful but others were more beautiful. She was also the glamorous type and the 60's and 70's were going away from the glamorous type to the more natural type like Goldie Hawn. Tina was also the sex kitten type but she didn't want to be that. She wanted to be the Joanne Woodward type but acting wise she wasn't in that league. Plus she had acquired the reputation of being difficult on Gilligan's Island. To be blunt, if producers were going to pay for Tina Louise's name recognition, they wanted skin, and she wasn't interested. She wanted an Oscar.

Alex Cooper · 03-20-2017, 09:37 PM

Ironically, she gained far more recognition and lasting fame with a part she was dissatisfied with on a rather silly show than she would have even with an Academy Award.

TMC · 08-29-2017, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babalu

Tina was beautiful but others were more beautiful. She was also the glamorous type and the 60's and 70's were going away from the glamorous type to the more natural type like Goldie Hawn. Tina was also the sex kitten type but she didn't want to be that. She wanted to be the Joanne Woodward type but acting wise she wasn't in that league. Plus she had acquired the reputation of being difficult on Gilligan's Island. To be blunt, if producers were going to pay for Tina Louise's name recognition, they wanted skin, and she wasn't interested. She wanted an Oscar.

What was the cause of their feud? I think that a few years back, Dawn said that they didn't have very much in common. But then again, I don't think Tina really stayed in touch with any of her Gilligan's Island (given that she was always embarrassed by GI and thought she deserved better) co-stars.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclas.../#7d2b13153d81

Samme · 09-14-2017, 02:41 PM

She wasn't really that talented. She was okay and certainly attractive enough to go the guest star route, but she lacked personality and likeablility. She only those two things on GI, and in other roles she was rather boring. She couldn't carry a show or movie. She worked best in supporting comedy role (like GI, the perfect role for her), she seemed to have some talent and personality to spare.
but when she got bigger roles she was just another okay yet pretty actress.

HuntingtonM15 · 09-14-2017, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samme

She wasn't really that talented. to go the guest star route, but she lacked personality and likeablility.

I think you hit the nail on the head there. Tina definitely lacks likability. I'd say she's gotten better with being moderately fan friendly in her later years, but she's never been known to be the nicest person around. Dawn Wells, on the other hand is an absolute sweetheart.

Chocolate Moose · 09-14-2017, 02:49 PM

Oh. that's too bad.

Flying Dutchman · 05-03-2018, 02:44 PM

I think the real question is, why was Hollywood so bent on type casting? Seems they didn't have the foresight to look beyond TV characters and take a chance on a movie part. Let them show that they can do other characters well. Of course they finally stopped it, but not before it did damage to many potential stars.

zamboney · 05-10-2018, 09:46 AM

Having seen most of her dramatic acting performances, I'd say it is because Tina is only a fair actress. Maybe if she had continued on in roles as a regular in sitcoms she may have had more staying power. I say this because over on youtube in a GI clip, someone commented that for a person that tried to distance herself from GI, she sure seems to be enjoying herself doing the comedy bits. Would definitely agree with that opinion. I suppose an actress would prefer to be remembered for big screen performances than little screen performances.

russman48 · 07-02-2018, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flying Dutchman

I think the real question is, why was Hollywood so bent on type casting? Seems they didn't have the foresight to look beyond TV characters and take a chance on a movie part. Let them show that they can do other characters well. Of course they finally stopped it, but not before it did damage to many potential stars.

Typecasting was very, very common back then.

TMC · 11-03-2018, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HuntingtonM15

I think you hit the nail on the head there. Tina definitely lacks likability. I'd say she's gotten better with being moderately fan friendly in her later years, but she's never been known to be the nicest person around. Dawn Wells, on the other hand is an absolute sweetheart.

Tina Louise always seemed to think that Gilligan's Island was beneath her. She actually thought that the show was going to be about her movie star character. Maybe she misread and thought that the title of the show was Ginger's Island, I don't know. But the bottom-line is that she was pretty much detested by everyone (with the exception of the stage-hands) on set.

80sTrivia · 11-03-2018, 06:31 AM

To hear her tell it, Tina has always blamed the success of Gilligan's Island for her somewhat thwarted career. She has said the role pigeon-holed her as the perpetual sex-pot and those sort of roles diminished as she grew older.

Samme · 11-03-2018, 10:13 AM

I think Tina's idea of acting, other than on GI, was just to appear grim. And that ain't enough to make people wanna watch you.

As for typecasting, it's just Hollywood wanting you to keep doing what you do well. It isn't a producer's job to help prove that someone is a great actor beyond the role that made them famous. That's an actor's job, and when they don't have the ability to do it, they complain about typecasting. If they truly have the ability it shows itself. I didn't think Woody Harrelson was gonna have much of a career after Cheers, but he proved his talent beyond just that role. His talent burst though, but most others don't. Their fame outweighs their ability to prove themselves beyond that one type of role. Tina wasn't that good beyond Ginger.

SitcomsHeydayfan · 12-12-2018, 01:36 AM

She should've been bigger but I think many of the so called A list actors today are AWFUL and I wonder how they got so big?? Look at Angelina Jolie. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of girls at a major college campus near you who are better looking than her. Even her acting isn't THAT great. So how did such an ordinary looking person get so big?? You can make the case Julia Roberts is even uglier yet look how big she got!

Tina should've been given a bigger role on Dallas and lasted several years but instead they killed her off pretty quickly. Dallas was the biggest show on TV at the time so Tina was thrilled to be there and didn't give them any trouble right?

TMC · 02-18-2020, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by russman48

Typecasting was very, very common back then.

According to Dawn Wells' book, Tina was lied to by her agent, and signed the deal without reading the script. She was told it was "Ginger's Island" (supposedly, it was originally offered to Jayne Mansfield) and that she was to be the star. She resented the whole thing, and later was type-cast by the role.

03-14-2017, 03:27 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,393	Tina Louise - why wasn't she a bigger star? It seemed like Hollywood was grooming her for the big-time at one point.

03-14-2017, 01:15 PM	#2
Babalu Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 22, 2014 Posts: 4,779	Tina was beautiful but others were more beautiful. She was also the glamorous type and the 60's and 70's were going away from the glamorous type to the more natural type like Goldie Hawn. Tina was also the sex kitten type but she didn't want to be that. She wanted to be the Joanne Woodward type but acting wise she wasn't in that league. Plus she had acquired the reputation of being difficult on Gilligan's Island. To be blunt, if producers were going to pay for Tina Louise's name recognition, they wanted skin, and she wasn't interested. She wanted an Oscar.
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05-03-2018, 02:44 PM	#8
Flying Dutchman Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2004 Location: New York Posts: 1,266	I think the real question is, why was Hollywood so bent on type casting? Seems they didn't have the foresight to look beyond TV characters and take a chance on a movie part. Let them show that they can do other characters well. Of course they finally stopped it, but not before it did damage to many potential stars.
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11-03-2018, 06:31 AM	#12
80sTrivia Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 23, 2002 Posts: 21,714	To hear her tell it, Tina has always blamed the success of Gilligan's Island for her somewhat thwarted career. She has said the role pigeon-holed her as the perpetual sex-pot and those sort of roles diminished as she grew older.
	__________________ Perfect Gift Books for Pop Culture Fanatics: Thank You for Being a Friend: A Golden Girls Trivia Book The Bouquet Residence: A Keeping Up Appearances Trivia Book Cooking With the Golden Girls: Fun & Delicious Recipes from a Hilarious Miami Kitchen Love in the Afternoon: The Ultimate Soap Opera Trivia Book The Last Great Decade: The Ultimate 90s Trivia Book Betty White: A Celebration

03-20-2017, 09:37 PM	#3
Alex Cooper Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 16, 2016 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,705	Ironically, she gained far more recognition and lasting fame with a part she was dissatisfied with on a rather silly show than she would have even with an Academy Award.

09-14-2017, 02:41 PM	#5
Samme Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 01, 2001 Posts: 679	She wasn't really that talented. She was okay and certainly attractive enough to go the guest star route, but she lacked personality and likeablility. She only those two things on GI, and in other roles she was rather boring. She couldn't carry a show or movie. She worked best in supporting comedy role (like GI, the perfect role for her), she seemed to have some talent and personality to spare. but when she got bigger roles she was just another okay yet pretty actress.

09-14-2017, 02:49 PM	#7
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,900	Oh. that's too bad.
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05-10-2018, 09:46 AM	#9
zamboney Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 28, 2016 Posts: 38	Having seen most of her dramatic acting performances, I'd say it is because Tina is only a fair actress. Maybe if she had continued on in roles as a regular in sitcoms she may have had more staying power. I say this because over on youtube in a GI clip, someone commented that for a person that tried to distance herself from GI, she sure seems to be enjoying herself doing the comedy bits. Would definitely agree with that opinion. I suppose an actress would prefer to be remembered for big screen performances than little screen performances.

11-03-2018, 10:13 AM	#13
Samme Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 01, 2001 Posts: 679	I think Tina's idea of acting, other than on GI, was just to appear grim. And that ain't enough to make people wanna watch you. As for typecasting, it's just Hollywood wanting you to keep doing what you do well. It isn't a producer's job to help prove that someone is a great actor beyond the role that made them famous. That's an actor's job, and when they don't have the ability to do it, they complain about typecasting. If they truly have the ability it shows itself. I didn't think Woody Harrelson was gonna have much of a career after Cheers, but he proved his talent beyond just that role. His talent burst though, but most others don't. Their fame outweighs their ability to prove themselves beyond that one type of role. Tina wasn't that good beyond Ginger.

12-12-2018, 01:36 AM	#14
SitcomsHeydayfan Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2018 Location: The Show Me state Posts: 2,966	She should've been bigger but I think many of the so called A list actors today are AWFUL and I wonder how they got so big?? Look at Angelina Jolie. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of girls at a major college campus near you who are better looking than her. Even her acting isn't THAT great. So how did such an ordinary looking person get so big?? You can make the case Julia Roberts is even uglier yet look how big she got! Tina should've been given a bigger role on Dallas and lasted several years but instead they killed her off pretty quickly. Dallas was the biggest show on TV at the time so Tina was thrilled to be there and didn't give them any trouble right?