"The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle" remains, even at this late date, one of the best TV theme songs of all time. It did its job in an exemplary fashion, explaining the premise of the series and introducing all the characters, all with one of the catchiest earworms ever conceived. The song was written by "Gilligan's Island" creator Sherwood Schwartz and composer George Wyle. The original idea for "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle" was to give it a more upbeat, calypso sound, so a "tropical" theme was composed for the original "Gilligan's Island" pilot episode. However, Schwartz eventually changed gears on the song, feeling that a sea shanty would be better placed. It was a wise decision.
Additional verses for "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle" can be heard over the show's closing credits, with one notable lyric having left fans speculating on the classical origins of the series for many years.
Additional verses for "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle" can be heard over the show's closing credits, with one notable lyric having left fans speculating on the classical origins of the series for many years.
- 6/22/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The premise of Sherwood Schwartz's 1964 sitcom "Gilligan's Island" is succinctly laid out in its indelible theme song, written by Schwartz and George Wyle. The S.S. Minnow, helmed by Captain G. Jonas Grumby (Alan Hale) and his first officer Gilligan (Bob Denver) took on five passengers for a three-hour boat tour of Hawai'i. The ship hit some bad weather, got lost at sea, and washed up on an uncharted island somewhere in the Pacific. Now the two sailors, along with a millionaire (Jim Backus), his wife (Natalie Schafer), a movie star (Tina Louise), a professor (Russel Johnson), and a lottery-winning tourist (Dawn Wells), have to learn to survive, all to comedic effect.
"Gilligan's Island" has no themes of actual survival, instead rolling with its slapstick elements; the series clearly takes place in a cartoon reality. As such, the characters play as broad archetypes, mugging and screaming in an unrealistic fashion.
"Gilligan's Island" has no themes of actual survival, instead rolling with its slapstick elements; the series clearly takes place in a cartoon reality. As such, the characters play as broad archetypes, mugging and screaming in an unrealistic fashion.
- 4/22/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"The Ballad of Gilligan's Island," penned by executive producer and show creator Sherwood Schwartz and songwriter George Wyle holds the distinction of being the best TV theme song of all time. It might only be tied with the theme song to "The Brady Bunch" ... which was also co-written by Schwartz. In both cases, the theme songs cleverly weave earworm-ready melodies into explicit descriptions of the show's premise. In only 55 seconds, audiences learn that they're about to watch a sitcom about seven stranded castaways on a tropical island, how those castaways got there, and who each of the castaways are. "The Ballad of Gilligan's Island" is both hummable and functional. Even the amazing surf guitars of "The Munsters" or the wicked pip organs of "Tales from the Crypt" cannot approach the utilitarian glories of "Gilligan."
The first season theme song famously omitted the names of the Professor (Russell Johnson) and Mary...
The first season theme song famously omitted the names of the Professor (Russell Johnson) and Mary...
- 2/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Sherwood Schwartz's 1963 sitcom "Gilligan's Island" was a high-concept series that, thanks to the gods of syndication, remained in the public consciousness for decades after it went off the air. The show's impeccable theme song, written by Schwartz and George Wyle, may be the best theme in television history, as it handily explains the premise using a hummable sea shanty: five tourists boarded the S.S. Minnow -- manned by Captain Jonas Grumby (Alan Hale) and his first mate Gilligan (Bob Denver) -- for a three-hour tour off the coast of Honolulu. When the tiny ship hit some bad weather, the seven characters landed on a desert island, stranded. The series followed their merry attempts to survive.
"Gilligan's Island" ran for 98 episodes, ending its initial run in 1967, but reruns continued to air well into the 1990s. Yes, there was a time when "Gilligan's Island" was a reliable TV staple, occupying...
"Gilligan's Island" ran for 98 episodes, ending its initial run in 1967, but reruns continued to air well into the 1990s. Yes, there was a time when "Gilligan's Island" was a reliable TV staple, occupying...
- 2/8/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"Night, and especially Christmas night, is the best time to listen to a ghost story. Throw on the logs! Draw the curtains! Move your chairs nearer the fire and hearken!" – Frederick Manley, "The Ghost of the Cross-Roads." Published in 1893.
"There'll be scary ghost stories, and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago." So says the 1963 song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" written by Edward Pola and George Wyle. That tune has become so ingrained in the fabric of the holiday season that most people don't put much thought into the lyrics, and probably never stop to think about how odd it is to talk about "scary...
The post The Lighthouse is a Christmas Movie appeared first on /Film.
"There'll be scary ghost stories, and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago." So says the 1963 song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" written by Edward Pola and George Wyle. That tune has become so ingrained in the fabric of the holiday season that most people don't put much thought into the lyrics, and probably never stop to think about how odd it is to talk about "scary...
The post The Lighthouse is a Christmas Movie appeared first on /Film.
- 12/10/2021
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Deck the halls with bows and arrows. It is a wonderful time of the year for Disney+, which dropped the first Hawkeye trailer down the chimney.
Marvel’s latest live-action series will be a Christmas show, and Clint Barton, a.k.a Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), is re-gifting his archery set to young hero Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Clint still has the vision to hit a target, but his hearing may not be so great anymore. We can plainly see Hawkeye’s hearing aid, which could end up being the result of an injury suffered on the show.
You can watch the trailer here:
The trailer features one of the most rousing fast-waltz celebrations ever crooned. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year” was written by the songwriting team of Eddie Pola and George Wyle. It is such a standard it’s been the theme song for Christmas Seals several times.
Marvel’s latest live-action series will be a Christmas show, and Clint Barton, a.k.a Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), is re-gifting his archery set to young hero Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Clint still has the vision to hit a target, but his hearing may not be so great anymore. We can plainly see Hawkeye’s hearing aid, which could end up being the result of an injury suffered on the show.
You can watch the trailer here:
The trailer features one of the most rousing fast-waltz celebrations ever crooned. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year” was written by the songwriting team of Eddie Pola and George Wyle. It is such a standard it’s been the theme song for Christmas Seals several times.
- 9/13/2021
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Dawn Wells, who played Kansas-born farm girl Mary Ann Summers on the classic TV sitcom Gilligan’s Island, died peacefully on Wednesday as a result of complications related to Covid-19. She was 82.
Prior to her three-season existence as one of Gilligan’s hapless castaways, Wells — a Reno native who in 1959 represented Nevada in the Miss America pageant — guested on numerous TV series including Maverick, Wagon Train, 77 Sunset Strip and Hawaiian Eye.
More from TVLineRatings: ABC Rocks New Year's Eve as Always, Fox Slips With New HostsChilling Adventures of Sabrina: Every Riverdale Reference in Part 4, Plus the Insane Crossover That's Still...
Prior to her three-season existence as one of Gilligan’s hapless castaways, Wells — a Reno native who in 1959 represented Nevada in the Miss America pageant — guested on numerous TV series including Maverick, Wagon Train, 77 Sunset Strip and Hawaiian Eye.
More from TVLineRatings: ABC Rocks New Year's Eve as Always, Fox Slips With New HostsChilling Adventures of Sabrina: Every Riverdale Reference in Part 4, Plus the Insane Crossover That's Still...
- 12/30/2020
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
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