Dabney Coleman tested for the role of The Professor on Gilligan’s Island.

Raquel Welch auditioned for the role of Mary Anne on Gilligan’s Island.

Jerry Van Dyke turned down the role of Gilligan on Gilligan’s Island.

The Skipper’s full name on Gilligan’s Island was Jonas Grumby.

The full name of The Professor on Gilligan’s Island was Roy Hinkley.

On Gilligan’s Island, Mrs Howell’s first name was Eunice.

On Gilligan’s Island, Mary Anne’s last name was Summers.

On Gilligan’s Island, Ginger’s last name was Grant.

Gilligan’s Island was originally slated to return for the 1967-68 television season but was cancelled at the last minute by CBS head William Paley to make room for the long-running Gunsmoke.

During the first season of Gilligan’s Island, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells’ characters were referred to only as “the rest” in the closing theme. That changed in the second season when Bob Denver demanded that they be given an equal share in the credits, thus changing the lyrics to “The Professor and Mary Ann.”

Dawn Wells, who played the role of Mary Anne on Gilligan’s Island, was once crowned Miss Nevada.

Kurt Russell once appeared on Gilligan’s Island, playing a one-time role simply called Jungle Boy.

The S.S. Minnow, the ill-fated ship of Gilligan’s Island fame, was named after Newton Minnow, then the chairman of the FCC, who called television “a vast wasteland.”

The theme song for Gilligan’s Island refers to Mr Howell as a millionaire, but in several episodes he’s referred to as a billionaire.

Before becoming an actor, Bob Denver used to work for the US Postal Service as a mailman and also as a high school teacher.

The actor Bob Denver suffered a broken neck in 1956, which later prevented him from getting inducted into the US Army.

One of Jim Backus’s teachers in grade school was Margaret Hamilton, who would later become an actress and play Miss Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.

Before becoming an actor, Jim Backus worked as a radio announcer in New York City.

Before becoming an actor, Jim Backus worked as a radio announcer in New York City. One of his characters from his days of doing radio plays, Hubert Updyke III, later became the basis for Thurston Howell III on Gilligan’s Island.