"Will the Real Mr. Howell Please Stand Up?" was the first of three episodes in which a castaway is replaced by an imposter, but unlike Ginger (in "All About Eva") or Gilligan (in "Gilligan vs. Gilligan") it makes perfect sense that the wealthy and powerful Thurston Howell should be the obvious first choice. The shocking radio broadcast announcing the rescue of Thurston Howell has the real McCoy thirsting to kill, but frustrated that he's not able to swim to Hawaii. An offer of 1 million dollars to find a way to get him off the island has everyone scrambling for ideas. He actively encourages his wife to give it a try: "can you think of a better way of keeping the money in the family?" Gilligan makes a pair of wings that actually seem to work! The imposter incredibly falls off of his chartered yacht, winding up on the island where Howell meets Howell face to face over the final 8 minutes, brief but worth the wait.
Gilligan's Island (TV Series)
Will the Real Mr. Howell Please Stand Up? (1966)
User Reviews
Review this title3 Reviews
THE DIRTY RAT FINK IMPOSTER. AND NASTY TOO!
tcchelsey13 August 2023
Budd Grossman, a master at comedy writing, wrote this super episode. Grossman did many episodes for DENNIS THE MENACE, later DORIS DAY and MAUDE. He had the knack.
Another one of those "do I have a double?" tales, perhaps the best, as it centers around Mr. Howell who has a double --claiming he's been rescued-- and selling off all of his precious stocks. What a fiend! Mr. Howell naturally gets way depressed, listening to the latest terrible updates on the famous white radio. That long 60s-ish radio was an integral part in the series, bringing all sorts of wild updates to the stranded crew.
Best of the best. Evil twin Mr. Howell (wearing a cool leafy green shirt!) just happens to wash up on the island(?), knock out the real deal Mr. Howell, and assume his identity! The showdown continues when Mr. Howell asks his evil twin some key questions. "When it comes down to money, what would you give up first. Your money or your wife?" His wife, OF COURSE!
Best line department: Gilligan asks Mrs. Howell what did her husband do after he was wiped out during the Depression. Mrs. H replies, "He was only left a millionaire!" How terrible!!!
Watch Jim Backus as he is having a blast with this role. This must have been a ton of fun to do, and with some nice wardrobe changes. Popular character actor George N. Neise plays both the tv and radio interviewer. Neise appeared with the THREE STOOGES in two films, and many tv shows for years, usually as a buisnessman. His wife was Lorna Thayer, famous for her role as a waitress in the Jack Nicholson film FIVE EASY PIECES. The famous sandwich scene.
From Season 2 restored dvd box set.
Another one of those "do I have a double?" tales, perhaps the best, as it centers around Mr. Howell who has a double --claiming he's been rescued-- and selling off all of his precious stocks. What a fiend! Mr. Howell naturally gets way depressed, listening to the latest terrible updates on the famous white radio. That long 60s-ish radio was an integral part in the series, bringing all sorts of wild updates to the stranded crew.
Best of the best. Evil twin Mr. Howell (wearing a cool leafy green shirt!) just happens to wash up on the island(?), knock out the real deal Mr. Howell, and assume his identity! The showdown continues when Mr. Howell asks his evil twin some key questions. "When it comes down to money, what would you give up first. Your money or your wife?" His wife, OF COURSE!
Best line department: Gilligan asks Mrs. Howell what did her husband do after he was wiped out during the Depression. Mrs. H replies, "He was only left a millionaire!" How terrible!!!
Watch Jim Backus as he is having a blast with this role. This must have been a ton of fun to do, and with some nice wardrobe changes. Popular character actor George N. Neise plays both the tv and radio interviewer. Neise appeared with the THREE STOOGES in two films, and many tv shows for years, usually as a buisnessman. His wife was Lorna Thayer, famous for her role as a waitress in the Jack Nicholson film FIVE EASY PIECES. The famous sandwich scene.
From Season 2 restored dvd box set.
Gilligan gets two Howells for the price of one.
Ralphkram27 April 2018
Will is the first of the three infamous doppelgänger episodes that litter the color years of the series. It's a toss-up as to which of the three is the worst; of the three, this one is maybe the farthest away from any kind of reality. It makes no effort to explain its absurd premise, is riddled with plot holes, and is illogical from beginning to end.
Gilligan is listening to the transistor when yet another bulletin about the castaways breaks in to his background music. It seems that Mr. Howell has been rescued and is back in civilization. We cut to the interview being held in a high rise with a man who looks and sounds remarkably like the Mr. Howell we know and love. At first Mr. Howell is flummoxed by the imposter, then becomes angry over his plan to sell off his prized stocks. Enraged, he dives into the lagoon and tries to swim back to the mainland. Gilligan and the Skipper are able to prevent him from drowning.
Mr. Howell offers a million dollar reward to anyone who'll help him reach civilization. A rare good scene develops where our co-leads scribble out their ideas and agree not to share the bounty. The Professor collects all of the castaways' suggestions and, in another rare moment of wit, concludes his idea is the only one that's practical: a pontoon boat. The only other idea we see is Gilligan's giant bird wings, a less inspired gag straight out of Looney Tunes that ends in a predictable pratfall. The boat, though, for comedic purposes, doesn't prove sea worthy, and Mr. Howell stays stuck on the island to set up a predictable confrontation with his imposter.
There is time for a little padding first. Mr. Howell gets crazy following his doppelganger's exploits on the radio and makes two more mindless attempts to swim to Hawaii. The Professor offers his services as a psychiatrist to cure him of his obsession over money, as if that would ease his concerns about having a lookalike on the loose.
Then credibility really gets stretched.
Howell's imposter, clever enough to take control of a financial empire, is foolish enough to take a cruise in the same area where the billionaire he's impersonating was lost at sea. He parties too hard with the all-female crew, falls overboard, and-holy amazing coincidence-washes up on the same island with the real Howell. And the first person he spots is naturally his doppelganger.
The imposter switches places with him with the aid of a soft rock, but isn't able to take advantage before Mr. Howell comes to. The confrontation between Howells takes the form of a quiz in which the imposter has an answer for everything, the others can't tell them apart, and it ends in a draw. Another news bulletin announces the authorities back home have learned the truth about the imposter, and the real Howell's billions are saved.
Too bad nothing can save this preposterous episode.
COCONOTES:
Second episode scripted by veteran sitcom writer Bud Grossman. His idea to increase Jim Backus' screen time by bringing in an imposter may have looked good on paper, but it turned out far too contrived and nonsensical to work.
The imposter is just dropped into the episode with no backstory or motivation to speak of. How does he look like Mr. Howell? Was he born that way? Plastic surgery?
The same overhead shot of Gilligan and the Skipper pulling Mr. Howell from the lagoon is recycled twice.
For those scoring at home, there are 49 female crew members on the yacht.
Gilligan is listening to the transistor when yet another bulletin about the castaways breaks in to his background music. It seems that Mr. Howell has been rescued and is back in civilization. We cut to the interview being held in a high rise with a man who looks and sounds remarkably like the Mr. Howell we know and love. At first Mr. Howell is flummoxed by the imposter, then becomes angry over his plan to sell off his prized stocks. Enraged, he dives into the lagoon and tries to swim back to the mainland. Gilligan and the Skipper are able to prevent him from drowning.
Mr. Howell offers a million dollar reward to anyone who'll help him reach civilization. A rare good scene develops where our co-leads scribble out their ideas and agree not to share the bounty. The Professor collects all of the castaways' suggestions and, in another rare moment of wit, concludes his idea is the only one that's practical: a pontoon boat. The only other idea we see is Gilligan's giant bird wings, a less inspired gag straight out of Looney Tunes that ends in a predictable pratfall. The boat, though, for comedic purposes, doesn't prove sea worthy, and Mr. Howell stays stuck on the island to set up a predictable confrontation with his imposter.
There is time for a little padding first. Mr. Howell gets crazy following his doppelganger's exploits on the radio and makes two more mindless attempts to swim to Hawaii. The Professor offers his services as a psychiatrist to cure him of his obsession over money, as if that would ease his concerns about having a lookalike on the loose.
Then credibility really gets stretched.
Howell's imposter, clever enough to take control of a financial empire, is foolish enough to take a cruise in the same area where the billionaire he's impersonating was lost at sea. He parties too hard with the all-female crew, falls overboard, and-holy amazing coincidence-washes up on the same island with the real Howell. And the first person he spots is naturally his doppelganger.
The imposter switches places with him with the aid of a soft rock, but isn't able to take advantage before Mr. Howell comes to. The confrontation between Howells takes the form of a quiz in which the imposter has an answer for everything, the others can't tell them apart, and it ends in a draw. Another news bulletin announces the authorities back home have learned the truth about the imposter, and the real Howell's billions are saved.
Too bad nothing can save this preposterous episode.
COCONOTES:
Second episode scripted by veteran sitcom writer Bud Grossman. His idea to increase Jim Backus' screen time by bringing in an imposter may have looked good on paper, but it turned out far too contrived and nonsensical to work.
The imposter is just dropped into the episode with no backstory or motivation to speak of. How does he look like Mr. Howell? Was he born that way? Plastic surgery?
The same overhead shot of Gilligan and the Skipper pulling Mr. Howell from the lagoon is recycled twice.
For those scoring at home, there are 49 female crew members on the yacht.
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