Did Tina Louise have a point?

[biffbronson]

I always think of Alan as his "Bull Bannock" character slugging it out with Marshal Dillon on a Dec. '66 ep of Gunsmoke, as far as his post-Gilligan work. Great casting choice.

[forn]

Originally Posted by SarahBellum

And Carol O'Connor was in the running to play Skipper on Gilliigan's Island.

"Aw, listen to Gilligan the meathead here".

Originally Posted by SarahBellum

Mickey Rooney was also in the running to play Archie Bunker.

I could see that, after his role in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

[Babalu]

Originally Posted by JediJones

I think actors trying to run away from their successes finally came to an end in the '90s. Maybe because of how much money there was to be earned from a hit show or movie at that point. There was no need to keep your career open enough to do another part because you could get rich off of just one part.

I think that's exactly it. I also think that's partly why today's TV stars are so taken with themselves and arrogant regarding espousing their political opinions as if they should be taken as gospel. They don't have to worry about finding their next job when raking in millions each year in residuals.

[CosmicCharlie]

Dawn explains (in a youtube video interview) that when she landed the G I role she was handed a multi page contract like she had never seen before ...

She had girl friend who's dad was a lawyer though not working in the film industry and she asked him to look at it. Somehow he added in Financial Residual Fees and the studio just accepted it.

Dawn says SHE was the ONLY member of the cast to collect residuals !

[biffbronson]

Tina looked charming when she smiled:

[CosmicCharlie]

Tina !

[forn]

Originally Posted by CosmicCharlie

Dawn says SHE was the ONLY member of the cast to collect residuals !

Seems kind of unfair. But who could say no to that face?

[GentlemanJim]

I just saw a "pre-Gilligan" episode of The Tales of Wells Fargo featuring a role by Tina Louise. And just being honest I strongly suspect that casting Tina Louise as actress acting that she was an actress....must have been an inside joke....."good one" Sherwood Schwartz. She has almost no talent beyond portraying an object of desire.

She was fortunate to get the free ride on GI, IMO. She over emphasizes the significance of herself, which works for "Ginger", but looks prefab in more serious roles.

[forn]

Originally Posted by GentlemanJim

She has almost no talent beyond portraying an object of desire.

This sounds harsh, but really, she was even outdone in that respect by Dawn Wells.

[TMC]

Before the television show Gilligan's Island started, did actress Tina Louise (Ginger) really believe the show would be about the movie star celebrity on the island with 6 regular people?

Q: Before the television show Gilligan's Island started, did actress Tina Louise (Ginger) really believe the show would be about the movie star celebrity on the island with 6 regular people?

I’ll go with “Yes”, for $500.

I’ll be unkind: Tina Louise is not the sharpest knife in the drawer and never has been.

Although she attended Miami University and graduated from Lee Strasberg’s acting school, Louise really didn’t have much going for her except her looks and her willingness to work hard. She had done a great deal of television work prior to the sitcom and she knew the difficulties she was going to have in the industry unless she found a longterm or popular (preferably BOTH) role on some type of program. She hadn’t made a mark as a feature film actor, and at age 32, she was looking as if she’d some be reduced to minor roles, or try again to attempt a Broadway career.

Along came Gilligan’s Island.

While it was a silly series, and Louise had to share the spotlight with six other actors, she had to have realized even then that it was probably the best thing that she was ever going to receive and that she should make the best of it. Unfortunately a combination of ego and again what seems to be a serious lack of intellect, made Ms. Louise believe that better things were in store for her at that late portion of her career and following the series’ cancellation, she eschewed doing the majority of Gilligan’s Island-related events, including the four follow up films.

That proved to be huge mistake because:

• Louise’s feature film career never advanced her past character and supporting roles.
• She was unable to land another longterm television role.
• She failed to attract enough attention for a talk show program hosting role when those were in their infancy.
• She lost perhaps millions of dollars by not being willing to appear as Ginger or a Ginger-like character in commercials and ads.

Basically because she didn’t recognize the fact that her career WAS Gilligan’s Island, she has spent decades struggling to remain relevant when she didn’t have to. Worse than that, she failed to remain relevant despite those efforts and basically disappeared into the background of show business. She could have arguably made a fortune while engaging in other roles had she simply “steered into the skid” and accepted Ginger Grant for what she was: A lifelong meal ticket.

Anyway and this is where Louise judgment and intellect grow even more questionable with the exception of a few people who may remember her supporting roles in now little-seen projects like The Wrecking Crew (with Dean Martin) and The Stepford Wives, she’s primarily known for being on the series and not much else. So again she lost millions trying to avoid being typecast only to have been typecast anyway.

[CosmicCharlie]

I’ll be unkind: and you were