Where are the castaways from?

[littlesoprano]

Originally Posted by callensensei

Ginger actually impersonates Marilyn in "The Producer," doesn't she? And is the Italian character she plays just before that supposed to be Sophia Loren?

I keep thinking I hear some New York in Ginger's accent, especially her "r's," like when she says "of course." It sounds a little more like "of cohas." Perhaps that little nameless town of hers might be near the Big Apple.

Great call on the Skipper, Steve! He does say he always wanted to be a cowboy. I quite agree that he grew up on the coast somewhere and was always "messing around in boats." The Tops trading cards (though I don't know how canonically accurate we can call them: they say Gilligan is 15! Whoops!) puts his hometown as Seattle.

Anyone care to tackle the Professor? Not much to go on there, unless we use his degrees.

Yes, Ginger's impersonations in "The Producer" are Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren.

As for her way of speaking... there are several American regional accents that are "non-rhotic" - the "r" is not pronounced in certain instances or it is pronounced lightly. This occurs in some of the New England regions and also in some Southern regions. The lightly pronounced "r" could also be an effort on Ginger's part to sound more sophisticated, glamorous and "upscale" as it were. Add that to the fact that the studio system would have rid her of any regional accent she might have had... and it gets hard to narrow down where she's from.

The Professor has a standard American accent - no real regional characteristics. I'd go with Ohio for him.

[Steve M.]

Wasn't the Professor supposed to be from Cleveland? I read that somewhere.

Alan Hale was working on a Western when Schwartz sought him out to play the Skipper, so he clearly had a bit of the cowboy in his acting.