What would you want most out of Mr. Howell's will?

Would you rather have an entire railroad or downtown Denver?

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Mr. Howell rewrites his will to include his castaway friends on Gilligan’s Island!
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When it comes to characters with endless amounts of wealth, power and success one name comes to mind right away ­­– Thurston Howell III. “The millionaire” tycoon had plenty of irons in the fire before the S.S. Minnow was tossed.

In the season three episode “Where There’s a Will,” Mr. Howell develops a common belly ache, forcing him to stay in bed for a while. So grateful for the castaways’ help while sick, Mr. Howell comes up with a lavish way of thanking them.

He wants to rewrite his will and leave the Howell fortune behind.

Now this isn’t just any will. Mr. Howell leaves properties, businesses and even oil reserves to the gang, all adding up to an unthinkable price tag!

Once the will is distributed to the castaways, Thurston feels better but becomes paranoid that the group is after him to cash-in on his fortune!

Here’s a list of everything on Mr. Howell’s will. Let us know in the comments what portion of the will you would want.

There’s no bad option, as all these items were worth millions, even back when Gilligan’s Island featured new episodes! Be sure to watch some of the series’ best during this week’s Summer of Me Sunday Block Party!

Now, which of the following possessions, businesses or money pits below would you want most?

1. A railroad

Imagine overseeing your own railroad! Perhaps more of a burden than a luxury, Mr. Howell’s railroad must be trusted in the right hands. Someone who knows how things work, how to keep a tight schedule and someone who knows how to come up with solutions quick! The Howell railroad can only go to one castaway, and of course it is to be handed to the Professor! This undertaking may not be the most lucrative, as Mrs. Howell reminds Thurston, “you said yourself it loses a million a year!”

2. Diamond mine

Next up on the list is a private mine full of diamonds! There’s no telling how much this portion of the will could be worth. Who more fitting to receive her own diamond mine than the “movie star” Ginger Grant herself! Even with her clout, her own diamond mine is reason enough to faint onto the island sand. Mrs. Howell wants everyone to react calmly amid receiving their gifts, but Ginger simply can’t, asking “to a diamond mine!?” It’s a testament to how filthy rich the Howell’s are when Mrs. Howell responds, “especially to the little things.”

3. Crops farm

This one goes to “dear sweet little Mary Ann” all because she’s been such a “little gem.” This is a massive farm and has the potential for massive success! We know it’s a substantial undertaking when Mr. Howell throws in a fleet of cars so Mary Ann can travel between crops! We wonder, what determines how many cars are in a Howell fleet?

4. Personal oil well

Initially Gilligan was supposed to get the railroad then the diamond mine, but the Howell’s agreed that he would inherit his own oil well instead. Perhaps Gilligan could take the industry to a whole new level, but he has some learning to do before that happens. First, learning to maintain the tower at his own expense. Thurston couldn’t throw in some workers too? Gilligan doesn’t mind, as he reveals he’s already excited to replace a squeaky hinge on his door, restring his tennis racket, and buy a new hockey puck with his eventual inheritance.

5. 40 acres in Colorado

Perhaps this one seems a little underwhelming compared to the rest of the will. The Skipper thinks so too, asking “is that all?” Perhaps it’s because, according to Mrs. Howell, he wrecked the boat and stranded everyone on the island to begin with! But of course, that 40 acres becomes a little more desirable to the Skipper when he learns the land makes up downtown Denver! A metropolitan area under your control…. Not too shabby.

SEE MORE: A network executive wanted the castaways to escape Gilligan’s Island after the first episode.

Image: The Everett Collection

Creator Sherwood Schwartz knew the island was the star of the show as much as any of the actors. READ MORE.

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88 Comments

chanw426 18 months ago
The diamond mine, for sure.
bagandwallyfan52 18 months ago
The Gilligan's Island Theme Song is one of the best theme songs of all time. Dawn Wells (Mary Ann Summers) and Russell Johnson
(Professor Roy Hinkley) were my
Favorite Castaways.
Dave62 19 months ago
How about logan's run the show on me tv.
Runeshaper 19 months ago
I think I’d go for the Diamond Mine lol
Hudson1984 19 months ago
Sherwood Schwartz picked the right
actor when he cast Russell Johnson
as the Professor. After Russell Johnson played drama roles in movies like This Island Earth and
other movies Russell Johnson proved
that he could do comedy roles in
sitcoms like Gilligan's Island.
John Gabriel played the Professor
in the pilot TV episode.
Hudson1984 19 months ago
The Professor and Mary Ann would have been a good couple but I'm
not sure about Gilligan &Mary Ann.
eddiecantorfan 19 months ago
When is the Next Gilligan's
Island 🏝️ Marathon?
PS
Get Smart
Sanford And Son
Get Smart
Love 😘💕 American Style
Ellery Queen Mysteries
Seinfeld
The Drew Carey Show
dmarkwind eddiecantorfan 18 months ago
I'd love to see Ellery Queen again! They could have called that show “Murder He Wrote” because it set up the formula used by Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher as a true-crime solving mystery writer nine years before “Murder She Wrote,” which went on to have a 12-year run. Too bad Ellery Queen only had one season of 23 episodes from 1975 to 1976 and that star Jim Hutton died just four years later of liver cancer. The show was fun and featured a long list of folks who were already famous, or went on to be like: George Burns, Joan Collins, Vincent Price, Larry Hagman, Dean Stockwell, Rene Auberjonois, Ed Mc Mahon, Ray Walston, Dick Van Patton, Jim Backus, June Lockhart, Betty White, Roddy McDowell, and many others. If they were to air this show – and I’m not holding my breath – it would be great if they could add and air some “special features” about the making of and impact of the show because the DVD set released over a decade ago now had none!
eddiecantorfan 19 months ago
Since Sherwood Schwartz created GILLIGAN'S ISLAND 🏝️
And he probably made Millions
Of Dollars on the Reruns the
TV show SHOULD have been
Called Schwartzs ISLAND.

Deleted 19 months ago
This comment has been removed. Load previous comments
eddiecantorfan 19 months ago
BAG ZOMBROSKI AND
WALLY PLUMSTEAD will
Live Forever in RERUNS of
THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET AND
HAPPY DAYS FOREVER!!
Eddie Cantor Fan Forever
Bag and Wally Fan Forever
Gilligan's Island 🏝️ Fan
Forever
Mary Ann Fan
Professor Roy Hinkley Fan
harlow1313 19 months ago
Limbaugh was quite the dishonest and divisive wind bag, fabricating claims in a tribal manner.
pmneal 19 months ago
Crazy how uninformed one person can be. You are one of the many that never listened to the show.
harlow1313 19 months ago
You have projected. You are mistaken.
ELEANOR 19 months ago
I would rather have the railroad. A lot of freight moves on the railroad which racks up the big bucks. And why would I want downtown Denver which is full of low rent apartments, crime, deadbeats, etc.
RichLorn 19 months ago
How about something to repair the SS Minnow.
eddiecantorfan RichLorn 19 months ago
The SS Minnow was named after Newton Minnow the
Chairman of the FCC.
Pacificsun RichLorn 19 months ago
How about an entire Cruise line.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 would be the ideal in what to bequeath!
Pacificsun eddiecantorfan 19 months ago
Yes. When government work was taken 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺.
Newton Minnow of the FCC
Called Television A Vast
Wasteland several years ago in the Stone Age.
Who agrees or disagrees
With the wit and wisdom
Of Newton Minnow??
eddiecantorfan 19 months ago
Is Happy Days EVER going to
RETURN TO METV or has the
Character Chuck Cunningham
Become a jinx like Henry Bennet
The Mayberry town jinx?
Load previous comments
Pacificsun eddiecantorfan 19 months ago
The emphasis lately has been on a carefree summer, meaning a vacation from the routine. Let's see how they can fill that half-hour come the Fall.

Who would like to see what??
eddiecantorfan Pacificsun 19 months ago
I would like to see:
The Lone Ranger And The
Adventures of OZZIE and Harriet and Alice and The
Adventures of Superman
On METV .
LoveMETV22 eddiecantorfan 19 months ago
You should compile a list of all the shows you wish to see and send it to MeTV using the
That is what it is there for.
Happy 😁😁 Days
Season Ten ONLY:
Flip Phillips:Billy Warlock
KC Cunningham Crystal Bernard
bre003 19 months ago
Oil, lease it to a major company just collect the dough. I would have made a killing a couple of weeks ago.
eddiecantorfan 19 months ago
I would also like to own Gilligan's Island 🏝️
Load previous comments
Hudson1984 LoveMETV22 19 months ago
How about Steve Harvey and
Family Feud on METV?
Hudson1984 LoveMETV22 19 months ago
One Hour of game shows once a week on METV like The Match
Game with Gene Rayburn and
The Newlywed Game with Bob
Eubanks ?
Steve Harvey is waiting in the
Wings with Family Feud.
LoveMETV22 Hudson1984 19 months ago
No MeTV doesn't need any game shows in their program schedule. I'm sure there are a few other shows more worthy of airtime than game shows.
AnnieM LoveMETV22 17 months ago
Unless it's Chuck Barris' Gong Show. 😁
TlorDagama 19 months ago
40 acres in Colorado is the most lucrative. diamonds aren't fashionable anymore (like mink coats). The trains in the US are in horrible condition and will continue to lose money. Oil well is nice but only 1? Crops heck you can grow them on 10 acres in Colorado and subdivide the rest of them!
Pacificsun TlorDagama 19 months ago
So the Sunday Night Perry Mason Movies have been showing what they filmed ('85 to '95) in using Denver (and surrounding areas) instead of Hollywood.

I must say it's the most desolate looking landscape I've seen for such lucrative production companies, but then maybe Dean Hargrove and Fred Silverman were cheapskates!
McGillahooala 19 months ago
Gotta have that “crops farm.”
NickG 19 months ago
Wish he’d owned a baseball team, or Topps baseball card co. Otherwise, nothing to exciting. Though the money would be oK.
eddiecantorfan 19 months ago
Instead of Mr Howell leaving me something in his will I would
rather have Mary Ann Summers
Lou Ann Poovie from Gomer Pyle USMC and Daphne from
Happy Days for my three girlfriends .
Money can't buy happiness
and I would rather have a girlfriend than anything in
Mr Howells (Jim Backus) will.
Having a girlfriend is more important than all the money
in the world.
Zip eddiecantorfan 19 months ago
Three girlfriends??

Uh, I hate to tell you this, but you're going to need A LOT of money.
eddiecantorfan Zip 19 months ago
I would also like to date
Chris Carmichael and
Victoria Winters.
eddiecantorfan Zip 19 months ago
And my dream dates would be Julie Foster and Thaila
Menniger and Marilee and
Moose's girlfriend.
eddiecantorfan Zip 19 months ago
And I would like to date
Mary Ann McCarthy the
Phantom Girlfriend of
Demon Bag Zombroski.
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