The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island almost introduced another team

Although there are only three seasons of Gilligan’s Island, the CBS sitcom has become extremely popular thanks in part to its frequent airings in syndication. The show debuted in 1964 and ran until 1967, but it ran extensively throughout the ’70s and ’80s, helping to make it one of the most popular sitcoms on television.

But it wasn’t just the show itself that brought Gilligan’s Island cultural recognition. After its conclusion, the series lived on as two animated spin-offs: Gilligan’s Planet and The New Adventures of Gilligan. Most of the victims of c The SS Minnow is named so for a fun reason — also returned in three television movies: Gilligan’s Island Rescue (1978), Gilligan’s Island Cast (1979) and Gilligan’s Island Highway Patrol (1981).

The latter saw the original stricken characters return to the previously uncharted island they spent three seasons trying to escape during the original series. This time, however, they are running a resort, appropriately named The Castaways resort. Owned by Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus, who only had a cameo in Gilligan’s Island) The resort is overseen by the millionaire son of Thurston Howell IV (David Rupprecht), who takes in the great Harlem Globetrotters basketball team after their plane goes down in a storm and they are stranded on an island. But before the film debuts on NBC, Howell is slated to host several different guests.

“Gilligan’s Island” unapologetically accepted absolute nonsense throughout its time on the air, and the TV movie follow-up was no different. “Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island” is a good example, as it pits the titular team against a group of robots created by Thurston Howell’s rival, JJ Pearson (Martin Landau). why? Well, there’s a subplot about Pearson wanting ownership of the island and trying to trick Gilligan and company into giving it to him, but the real reason is that Gilligan’s Island is a ridiculous show that produced ridiculous movies that have always been part of their charm. By the end of the movie, the Globetrotters have managed to defeat the robots with their signature tricks, saving the island and ending one of the silliest chapters in Gilligan’s Island history.

Unfortunately, the movie itself did no better in the ratings than Gilligan’s Island Castaways and thus became the last TV movie that show creator Sherwood Schwartz ever made. It must also have been a disappointment to NBC, which had hoped that the network’s inclusion of the Globetrotters would help propel the film to popular success. Alas, it was not to be, which begs the question of whether the original plan for the film would have worked better.

Before Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island went into production, the idea for this third Gilligan’s Island spinoff didn’t include a basketball team at all. In his book “Inside Gilligan’s Island: A Three-Hour Tour of the Making of a TV Classic”, creator Sherwood Schwartz recalled how then-NBC president Fred Silverman originally came up with the idea of ​​bringing in the Dallas Cowboys for the TV movie Gilligan’s Island. Schwartz was also very open to the idea, writing, “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders did a network special that was very highly rated. They could add some points. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders could be just the tool.”

In his book, Schwartz recalls crafting a story in which the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders visit Gilligan and his gang before he got a call from then-NBC director of comedy Brandon Tartikoff. As it turned out, the cheerleaders were unavailable. “They’re doing another special event that’s going to conflict with our schedule,” Tartikoff told Schwartz before informing him that Fred Silverman was enthusiastic about the idea of ​​using the Harlem Globetrotters. “I’m sure I can write a story for them,” Schwartz said, “I’ll get back to you.” The creator then proceeded to write a new script with the help of fellow screenwriter David Harmon, his brother Al Schwartz, and “resident basketball pundit” Gordon Mitchell. Together, the group wrote The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island.

It is interesting that a MeTV the article casts some doubt on Schwartz’s memory of the events. Hamilton Cloud, director of Tartikoff’s television movies, told the Tampa Bay Times, “I remember Sherwood coming in and saying, ‘Why don’t we do a show with the Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island?’ and it was an instant, you know, sell, but he might have gotten the idea from Brandon (Tartikoff) originally.” Meanwhile, Schwartz’s own son, Lloyd Schwartz, spoke to his father’s memories of the events, telling the Times:

“I heard the story, even when I was producing the show, that it was Fred Silverman. But it could very well have been Brendan (Tartkiv) because they were of the same mind. I knew at the time that Fred was really into both the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and The Harlem Globetrotters and was trying to get them to guest play on various shows, so that could have been a consequence of Brendan knowing about it and suggesting it, or it could have been Fred’s own idea.”

Either way, Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island was the result. Would we have gotten a fourth movie if the Dallas Cowboys support group was available? It is possible. But none of this seems to have tarnished the legacy of Gilligan’s Island in any way, as the show remains a beloved staple of American television.