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Was Gilligan's Island inspired by Robinson Crusoe?
"We appeal to everyone," said series creator Sherwood Schwartz.
If you've ever suffered through an icebreaker activity, you may have been asked the question 'What would you bring if you were stuck on a deserted island?' It's a pretty heavy question to think about, especially considering most of us will never actually have to worry about that reality.
However, Sherwood Schwartz turned that hypothetical question into a very real gold mine when he created the series Gilligan's Island.
During an interview with the Portland Press Herald, Schwartz was asked whether he was inspired by Robinson Crusoe, a novel written by Daniel Defoe. The novel was originally released in the 1700s but has served as inspiration for countless adventure stories in later years. While Schwartz later consulted the book, it wasn't the source of his inspiration.
"Once the idea of the island occurred to me, I recognized the universality of the concept," said Schwartz. "And then I did some research into Robinson Crusoe. I learned it's been translated into 63 languages and that it's the 16th top-selling book of all time. Everybody has said to themselves, 'What would I do if I were left on a deserted island? I've said it myself."
But Schwartz understood that a relatable concept is nothing without characters that an audience can relate to.
"We appeal to everyone," said Schwartz. The kids love Bob Denver as Gilligan, Jim Backus, and Natalie Schafer hit the sophisticates. Tina Louise and Dawn Wells are girls."
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