Ahoy There Maties! Welcome to Newsletter #71 of the Gilligan's Island Fan Club. It's been a while since our last message so we have a lot of catching up to do. Just sit right back, print this out, and enjoy your update. As most of you know, the first season DVD will be available on Feb. 3. We have been waiting for this about 4 years now and still can't believe it's really happening!!! When you order the season you will recieve 3 dvd's loaded with 36 episodes including the Pilot with commentaries by the creator Sherwood Schwartz, trivia, a survival guide, and profiles on your favorite castaways. The best price I've seen is at amazon.com for $27.99 and you can order the series now. If the pre-orders are large enough they will continue with season 2. I've also heard they will be selling the 1st season at Walmart and at another store. I've shopped at Amazon before and never had a problem. They are cheap and fast. We have a link that will take you there: http://www.gilligansisle.com/dvd.html TV Land has dropped Gilligan's Island if you haven't noticed. BUT, the Hallmark Channel has kicked it up a notch and now airs it 3 times a day every Saturday morning. On Feb 16 Hallmark will have a Gilligan's Island Marathon lasting 15 hours! They will air 30 of the best episodes. A complete list of shows is detailed at the bottom of this newsletter. A special thanks goes out to PAVANBADAL for bringing this to our attention. Are there any Thurston Howell fans out there? How about Mr. Magoo? ITP Records is proud to release the rare, 1974, Jim Backus Comedy Classics CD. Please go here to get your hands on this never before released album: http://www.hudsonandlandry.com/jb.html The Raining Hollywood: Northwest Sci-Fi Convention & Collector Show is coming to the Seattle, Washington area on March 20-21, 2004 at the Best Western Hotel and Conference Center. The guest line-up includes: *Russell Johnson (Gilligan's Island, Twilight Zone) *Dirk Benedict (Battlestar Galactica, The A-Team) *Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk) *Gary Graham (Star Trek Enterprise, Star Trek Voyager, Alien Nation) *Gil Gerard (Buck Rogers) *Erin Gray (Buck Rogers) *Dick Durock (Swamp Thing, Star Trek) *Stu Phillips - composer of film and tv shows, including Battlestar Galacitca, Knight Rider, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls) For all information regarding this show, please visit: www.geocities.com/raininghollywood We were unable to get in contact with our Washington Promoter, so if there is anybody that lives near the Seattle area and wants to go I can manage to get you a pair of tickets for free! All we ask is that you send us a write-up so we can share it with our members. This is your chance to finally meet the Professor. Usually by representing the fan club you get VIP treatment. If you are interested please let me know. Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 9, 2004 - TV Land, television's home to the best programming from the past 50 years, profiles television's most influential movers and shakers in the medium's history in a six-part documentary series entitled TV Land Moguls. Hosted by television veteran Merv Griffin, each one hour installment chronicles the creative pioneers who indelibly influenced the television industry. The first episode of TV Land Moguls will premiere on Wednesday, April 21 (9-10:00 PM, ET/PT), with subsequent installments airing on the ensuing Wednesdays at 9:00 PM, ET/PT. Immediately following each telecast TV Land will present a specially themed programming block representing the work of moguls seen in that evening's episode. Gilligan Fans: Look for the episode "The 60's." While Quinn Martin and Jack Webb brought gritty crime drama and feature film production quality to the television screen, Sherwood Schwartz and Paul Henning found success with zany sitcoms including The Beverly Hillbillies and Gilligan's Island. Tongo the Ape Man (Denny Miller) wrote this to me this month: I enjoy your news letter. Hope you have a healthy Holiday Season and a Lucky 2004. I've written a book. I know-----the thought makes me giggle too. The title, "DIDN'T YOU USED TO BE...WHAT'S HIS NAME?" Over 60 anecdotes about 45 years in this crazy but fun show biz world. More than 100 photos. The book designer has it and will hand it to the printer in two weeks. Check out my web-site http://www.denny-miller.com for the publishing date. Keep up the good work with the news letter. Tongo (Denny Miller) PS I solve the mystery of how I can ride a surf board when there is no wave. It's in the chapter, "Surfs Down!" E-Mails from fan club members: Now hear this, Gilligan! It is my understanding that at least 3 of the castaways were on hand for the unveiling of the Vegas slot machines. (You can guess who wasn't. Although Tina did reportedly do the voice of Ginger on the machine.) I saw a slot machine advertisement for sale on e-bay and it was signed by the other three and the lady said they had been at her casino for the unveiling. Skipper/Curt Vodehnal Just a note to let you know the latest issue of Reader's Digest (December 2003) has an small article on a study of songs that get stuck in our heads "to an irritating degree." The six worst offenders listed are "It's a Small World," "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," "Don't Worry, Be Happy," "Macarena," "Y.M.C.A.," and "the 'Gilligan's Island theme." Joe Hi, Just wanted to tell you Johnny Depp mentions in "Rolling Stone" a returning dream where he is being chased by the Skipper (Alan Hale Jr). Keep up the great work. Andrew.. Remember the episode where the lion was looking at him (or something like that) and Gilligan tuned into a can of Willy's canned meat. Well canned food generally has a brand name named after the surname of the owner, eg Campbell's soup, not named after a Christian name. That's it for this newsletter. I'll leave you with one of my favorites: Skipper: Gilligan, I can't seem to find a coconut that's big enough for my cap. Gilligan: You should have gone to the other side of the island and got a jumbo-sized one. Skipper: I don't think that's very funny. Gilligan: All I mean is that you're a big guy and got a big head... Skipper: Gilligan? Gilligan: And a big heart. Skipper: Yes....well.....what is it that you're doing? Gilligan: Making you. (Stuffing a life-sized manican of the Skipper) Skipper: That's suppose to be me? Gilligan: Only the bottom half. Skipper: Come on Gilligan, I'm not this big! Gilligan: Well Skipper, you said to make it life-like, remember? Skipper: But I'm not that big Gilligan! Gilligan: Sure you are. Skipper: I am not!!! Gilligan: Sure you are. Skipper: I am not Gilligan!!! Gilligan: Sure you are. Skipper: I am not!!! (WHACK!) Willy Gilligan President/Webmaster Official Gilligan's Island Fan Club http://www.gilligansisle.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HALLMARK MARATHON Hallmark has scheduled a last minute Gilligan marathon on President's Day, replacing the Roots marathon. Roots will still air lots of times throughout February, for Black History Month. GILLIGAN’S ISLAND PRESIDENT'S DAY MARATHON Monday, February 16 8a ­ 11p ET/PT Ahoy little buddies! Beginning bright and early at 8, join Hallmark in the wacky adventures of Gilligan and the Skipper with 30 of the all time fan favorite episodes. And remember to vote for Gilligan for President! 8:00 am Gilligan's Island: "Home Sweet Hut" Anticipating a hurricane, the castaways lodge in a communal hut. Bad idea. It's not long before they get on one another's nerves. 8:30 am Gilligan's Island: "Goodnight Sweet Skipper" Hypnotized to recall Navy training, the Skipper tries to turn a radio into a transmitter, with help from the castaways posing as old shipmates. 9:00 am Gilligan's Island: "President Gilligan" President Gilligan? Well, on the island, anyway. But after the election there, the hapless mate finds himself in troubled political waters. 9:30 am Gilligan's Island: "Goodbye Island" Preparations are underway to refit the Minnow, thanks to glue made from sap that Gilligan thinks is seaworthy. Or maybe not. 10:00 am Gilligan's Island: "The Big Gold Strike" It's a comical tug of greed vs. liberation as Gilligan stumbles onto a gold mine and the Skipper recovers the Minnow's life raft. 10:30 am Gilligan's Island: "Water, Water Everywhere" A drought plagues the island, leaving the castaways in dire need of fresh water. So what does Gilligan do? Befriend a frog. 11:00 am Gilligan's Island: "Gilligan's Mother-In-Law" A native maiden sets her sights on Gilligan. Her mom is played by Henny Backus, whose husband Jim portrays Thurston Howell 11:30 am Gilligan's Island: "The Little Dictator" Nehemiah Persoff plays an exiled dictator ruling the castaways in an episode that series creator Sherwood Schwartz calls his favorite. Noon Gilligan's Island: "The Sweepstakes" Gilligan claims to have the winning ticket in a million-dollar sweepstakes; the Howells open an exclusive country club and deny fellow castaways membership. 12:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "Castaway Pictures Presents" Using salvaged motion-picture equipment, the castaways make an arty, and hammy, film about their shipwrecked plight. 1:00 pm Gilligan's Island: "Hi-Fi Gilligan" A loose filling turns Gilligan's head into a radio receiver, and turns him into the castaways' link with the outside world. 1:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "Don't Bug the Mosquitoes" The Wellingtons, who sing the series theme, play three members of a mop-topped rock group seeking refuge on the isle from fans. 2:00 pm Gilligan's Island: "Gilligan Gets Bugged" The bite of a rare insect may imperil Gilligan, whose fellow castaways scurry to round up the ingredients for an antidote. 2:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "Mine Hero" While fishing in the lagoon, Gilligan reels in a World War II mine, which suddenly starts ticking — and can't be deactivated. 3:00 pm Gilligan's Island: "You've Been Disconnected" An undersea telephone cable washes ashore, giving the castaways hope of rigging it to make a long-distance call for help. 3:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "The Postman Cometh" Misunderstanding Gilligan's lament, Mary Ann fears that she's dying. She's not, but the radio has reported that her boyfriend has eloped. 4:00 pm Gilligan's Island: "Seer, Gilligan" Thanks to dining on rare berries, Gilligan can read minds. Soon, the other castaways start hastily munching, and angrily bickering. 4:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "Gilligan's Living Doll" A downed robot could help the castaways. All it has to do is carry a message to Hawaii — by walking there on the ocean floor. 5:00 pm Gilligan's Island: "Ship Ahoy" Isolation takes its toll as the castaways turn quarrelsome. It's up to Ginger to change the mood — as a cheery fortune-teller. 5:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "Will the Real Mr. Howell Please Stand Up" Jim Backus has a dual role: as Howell, and as an impostor back in the States who's posing as him, and spending his money. 6:00 pm Gilligan's Island: "Ghost A Go-Go" Richard Kiel plays a ghostly figure trying to scare the castaways off the isle. 6:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "Allergy Time" Itching and sneezing fits plague the Skipper, who believes he's allergic to Gilligan. Then the Professor has a similar reaction, and eventually, so do the other castaways. 7:00 pm Gilligan's Island: ""V" For Vitamins" In a Jack and the Beanstalk fantasy, Bob Denver's son Patrick plays the adventurous youth and Alan Hale, the giant. 7:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "Meet the Meteor" Rays from a grounded meteor age trees 50 years in seven days, causing Gilligan to dream about that aging's impact on the castaways. 8:00 pm Gilligan's Island: "Up at Bat" Bitten by a bat, Gilligan thinks he's turning into a vampire, a feeling heightened by his dream in which he's a Transylvanian count in 1895. The other castaways are servants and guests at the count's castle. 8:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "The Producer" Phil Silvers is a flamboyant film producer and plane-crash survivor who lends the castaways his ears for their musical version of Hamlet. It ain't Shakespeare, but it does get the attention of the impresario, who soon swipes all the singing parts for himself. 9:00 pm Gilligan's Island: "Voodoo" Voodoo bedevils the castaways, thanks to look-alike dolls that a witch doctor made to bring the islanders under his spell. He even turns the Professor into a zombie. 9:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "Topsy Turvy" Headhunter territory is the setting for the castaways' search for a rare berry to cure Gilligan's upside-down vision. 10:00 pm Gilligan's Island: "Take a Dare" A game-show contestant is plunked on the isle for a week to fend for himself and win $10,000. Eventually, he's discovered by the castaways, who make a deal with the fellow for a rescue. 10:30 pm Gilligan's Island: "Court Martial" Reenactments of the shipwreck that apparently shift blame to Gilligan cause him to dream that he's a gallant admiral attacking pirates.