Where was the pilot when it was lost? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

gilligan fanatic · 03-06-2006, 10:27 PM

It is always called "The Lost Pilot" I might have always skipped over this somewhere, but I missed something. I know they found it in 1992 and TBS aired it. My question is where did they find it. I don't remember ever reading where it was for 30 years. I don't think they said it in any of the GI books or on the commentary on the DVD. Does anybody know where they found it?

Marvo301 · 03-11-2006, 05:19 AM

On an uncharted desert island!?!?

TV Knowledge Fan · 05-01-2006, 05:45 PM

...the one that was produced in 1963- on TBS, years ago. It had that "calypso" theme, the "other" Professor and Mary Ann, no Ginger, et al.....
and it was obviously in either United Artists' vault, CBS'.....or Sherwood's!
But it EXISTS!!!!

GingerGilligan · 05-03-2006, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Knowledge Fan

...the one that was produced in 1963- on TBS, years ago. It had that "calypso" theme, the "other" Professor and Mary Ann, no Ginger, et al.....
and it was obviously in either United Artists' vault, CBS'.....or Sherwood's!
But it EXISTS!!!!

Well it's on the DVD set, so I think we've all seen it now. Actually it was Ginger and no Mary Ann. Nancy McCarthy played Bunny the blonde bimbo. Ginger was a totally different character played by Kit Smythe and she was the tough girl. I personally thought she was refreshing compared to the ultra feminine characters played by Dawn and Tina.

treky · 05-04-2006, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Knowledge Fan

...the one that was produced in 1963- on TBS, years ago. It had that "calypso" theme, the "other" Professor and Mary Ann, no Ginger, et al.....
and it was obviously in either United Artists' vault, CBS'.....or Sherwood's!
But it EXISTS!!!!

yea, I remember seeing it then, too. I remember they showed it on a Friday night, at 8 or 8:30 (et). The professor was a high school biology teacher on vacation, and the girls they had instead of Mary Ann & Ginger, Bunny and I forget the other ones name, were 2 secretarys who were also on vacation.

Bonsai · 05-04-2006, 08:03 AM

Here's my guess about the pilot---

It wasn't offered all during the years that local affiliates were showing GI simply because it didn't fit with the rest of the series and was a failed pilot version rather than a "real episode." By the time TBS got ahold of it, GI had really become a nostalgic cultural phenomenon and people who had grown up with GI were working in programming by then. Ted Turner probably got the pilot along with everything else as a package deal and they thought it would make a good promotional to draw viewers to TBS.

That's nothing but total and complete guesswork. If someone knows anything more definite, I'd like to hear it.

ph1l · 05-06-2006, 03:18 AM

In "The Unofficial Gilligan's Island Handbook" Joey Green writes:
Schwartz has refused to donate the only existing copy of the pilot to the Museum of Broadcasting to protect the identities of the three replaced cast members.
Presumably Sherwy's had the pilot all along and decided he could finally make enough dollars with it and gave it up for sale.

gilligan fanatic · 05-06-2006, 08:14 AM

I think you might be right ph1!. In his book Inside GI he said he bought the pilot from CBS so he could re edit it himself so he might have had it. I have read The Handbook before but I don't own it. I believe it came out in 1988 4 years before TBS aired it.

TV Knowledge Fan · 05-06-2006, 04:37 PM

Sherwood would have wanted to "protect" John Gabriel's perfomance as "The Professor" in the unaired pilot. He was pretty good-- I think Sherwood might have been apprehensive over the fact that collectors might have found "easy access" to the pilot film, if it had been donated to the Museum of TV & Radio, and duplicated it all over the "grapevine". Who knows where Kit and Nancy ARE there days???

Jack1000 · 05-19-2006, 02:17 PM

Guys,

Isn't it also true that they used the pilot professor accidently in one scene from "Bird's Gotta Fly, Fish's Gotta Talk?" Not sure, but in one scene where they are out looking for the radio, it appears that it is NOT Russell Johnson in the water.

Jack

gilligan fanatic · 05-19-2006, 03:11 PM

yes, you can see John Gabriel just for a little bit in Birds Got to Fly.

Bonsai · 05-20-2006, 10:28 AM

You see John Gabriel for just a few seconds from the back in a scene that's obviously from the pilot. They just assumed we'd think it was Russell Johnson---and actually it worked on me. I watched this episode for years and years and years before I caught it.

gilligan fanatic · 05-20-2006, 03:52 PM

I believe that is him in this scene.

GingerGilligan · 05-21-2006, 04:40 AM

Note that episode is the only one where the Professor is in dark pants (both Russell and John). (John has somewhat better shoes!)

gilligan fanatic · 05-21-2006, 09:24 AM

you know Cynthia, I never noticed that before.

03-06-2006, 10:27 PM	#1
gilligan fanatic Born to Be Bad Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: down by the Lagoon Posts: 9,954	Where was the pilot when it was lost? It is always called "The Lost Pilot" I might have always skipped over this somewhere, but I missed something. I know they found it in 1992 and TBS aired it. My question is where did they find it. I don't remember ever reading where it was for 30 years. I don't think they said it in any of the GI books or on the commentary on the DVD. Does anybody know where they found it?
	__________________ Matt Filmaf ~ Twitter ~ Last.FM

03-11-2006, 05:19 AM	#2
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,460	On an uncharted desert island!?!?
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

05-01-2006, 05:45 PM	#3
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	I remember seeing the "original" pilot... ...the one that was produced in 1963- on TBS, years ago. It had that "calypso" theme, the "other" Professor and Mary Ann, no Ginger, et al..... and it was obviously in either United Artists' vault, CBS'.....or Sherwood's! But it EXISTS!!!!

05-04-2006, 08:03 AM	#6
Bonsai Gilligan Ambassador Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 356	Here's my guess about the pilot--- It wasn't offered all during the years that local affiliates were showing GI simply because it didn't fit with the rest of the series and was a failed pilot version rather than a "real episode." By the time TBS got ahold of it, GI had really become a nostalgic cultural phenomenon and people who had grown up with GI were working in programming by then. Ted Turner probably got the pilot along with everything else as a package deal and they thought it would make a good promotional to draw viewers to TBS. That's nothing but total and complete guesswork. If someone knows anything more definite, I'd like to hear it.
	__________________ I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.------Mahatma Gandhi

05-06-2006, 03:18 AM	#7
ph1l Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2004 Posts: 1,362	In "The Unofficial Gilligan's Island Handbook" Joey Green writes: Schwartz has refused to donate the only existing copy of the pilot to the Museum of Broadcasting to protect the identities of the three replaced cast members. Presumably Sherwy's had the pilot all along and decided he could finally make enough dollars with it and gave it up for sale.
	__________________ 60's TV forever

05-06-2006, 08:14 AM	#8
gilligan fanatic Born to Be Bad Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: down by the Lagoon Posts: 9,954	I think you might be right ph1!. In his book Inside GI he said he bought the pilot from CBS so he could re edit it himself so he might have had it. I have read The Handbook before but I don't own it. I believe it came out in 1988 4 years before TBS aired it.

05-06-2006, 04:37 PM	#9
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	I don't see why... Sherwood would have wanted to "protect" John Gabriel's perfomance as "The Professor" in the unaired pilot. He was pretty good-- I think Sherwood might have been apprehensive over the fact that collectors might have found "easy access" to the pilot film, if it had been donated to the Museum of TV & Radio, and duplicated it all over the "grapevine". Who knows where Kit and Nancy ARE there days???

05-19-2006, 02:17 PM	#10
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	Guys, Isn't it also true that they used the pilot professor accidently in one scene from "Bird's Gotta Fly, Fish's Gotta Talk?" Not sure, but in one scene where they are out looking for the radio, it appears that it is NOT Russell Johnson in the water. Jack

05-19-2006, 03:11 PM	#11
gilligan fanatic Born to Be Bad Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: down by the Lagoon Posts: 9,954	yes, you can see John Gabriel just for a little bit in Birds Got to Fly.

05-20-2006, 10:28 AM	#12
Bonsai Gilligan Ambassador Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 356	You see John Gabriel for just a few seconds from the back in a scene that's obviously from the pilot. They just assumed we'd think it was Russell Johnson---and actually it worked on me. I watched this episode for years and years and years before I caught it.

05-20-2006, 03:52 PM	#13
gilligan fanatic Born to Be Bad Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: down by the Lagoon Posts: 9,954	I believe that is him in this scene. Attached Images

05-21-2006, 04:40 AM	#14
GingerGilligan He was like an angel Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 22, 2005 Location: Running my fingers through Gilligan's dark hair Posts: 158	Note that episode is the only one where the Professor is in dark pants (both Russell and John). (John has somewhat better shoes!)

05-21-2006, 09:24 AM	#15
gilligan fanatic Born to Be Bad Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: down by the Lagoon Posts: 9,954	you know Cynthia, I never noticed that before.